Editor's Note I: This blog appears exactly as it ran Jan 22, 2017. With the Mountaineers gearing up for a bowl game, we thought you might like to read about one of our own's involvement in one of the biggest plays in WVU football history.

 

It was just a little more than 11 years that Tim Lindsey had what he readily admits was one of the greatest moments of his life that occurred inside one of the greatest moments of his life. While it came in second to a few things that sit atop of the list – the birth of his three children and the day he was married – it’s right there with a couple of other biggies.

 

“I’d have to say that entire experience, and how it ended, ranks up there with graduating from West Virginia University (2007, Exercise Physiology) and running out of the tunnel for the very last time at Wayne Jamison Field as a member of the Indians,” said Lindsey. “To this day, I can remember the direction I was headed, how I felt and what thigs smelled like. It’s a strong memory and it’s one of the few that rival that day in Atlanta.”

 

That day in Atlanta was almost 11 years ago to the day. It was Jan. 2, 2006 and Tim Lindsey was about to be the starting point of one of the most integral moments in WVU history. In fact, Lindsey was the trigger man on a play that not only secured a 38-35 win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, but guaranteed – at least for a few more years – the survival of the Big East and its inclusion in the BCS series.

 

But getting to that point took some unique twists and turns. In fact, Tim Lindsey got to be involved in a unique set of circumstances that took a few years prior to that moment.

 

Lindsey, initially a walk on for the Mountaineers and Coach Rich Rodriguez, had aspirations of playing tight end. Then, something happened that set the course for a pretty cool run with WVU.

 

“I actually ended up being a long snapper for three years and that started during my sophomore year where the long snapper got injured. (Assistant) Coach (Bill) Stewart asked about guys to long snap and he said ‘your Donnie Lindsey’s brother?’ So he asked me to snap the ball and whispered quietly to me ‘don’t screw it up on purpose.’ A lot of guys didn’t want to do that,” said Lindsey with a laugh in explaining why Stewart said what he said. “Things went well and that was my role on the team.”

 

Suddenly, Tim Lindsey was no longer 87 on the roster. He now wore 77, more in tune with being a lineman.

 

For three years Lindsey followed in his brother Donnie’s footsteps, who also served as the long snapper for WVU. The younger Lindsey, however, would have the good fortune of being involved in one of the signature moments in WVU football history.

 

The moment came during his junior year. Before that, and in his senior year, Lindsey never had a bad snap. That, of course, could have played into the mind of Rich Rodriguez to have faith in what eventually sealed the Sugar Bowl win, but could very easily have cost the Mountaineers the game had it not worked.

 

The 10-1 Mountaineers jumped out to a 28-0 lead and were holding on for dear life. Up by a 38-35 score near midfield, there was 1:26 on the clock and WVU faced a fourth down with six yards to go. It now appeared that it was going to be up to the Mountaineer defense to stop a Bulldog team that had suddenly caught fire.

 

The appearance was wrong. And Tim Lindsey knew there was a chance that Rodriguez was going to roll the dice in the biggest moment, in the biggest game in recent WVU football history.

 

“As soon as I went out there and walked to the line I saw their personnel line up in a manner where we had practiced a fake. We all saw the situation so I don’t think anyone was surprised that we got the signal,” said Lindsey. “We had practiced it daily and not too many people knew that (punter) Phil (Brady) was actually pretty fast.”

 

Here’s the thing: Lindsey said they went out onto the field fully expecting a routine punt. By the time they arrived, the booth coaches had saw what the players saw and the call came in from the sideline.

 

“It was called on the spur of the moment. There was no way they could tell because the gesture was so subtle,” said Lindsey. “Coach Rod used a closed fist; sort of like a motivation fist pound signal. The way he held his fist to that was simple, subtle and didn’t stick out,” said Lindsey. “We all were certain it was going to work. The beauty was that it was all so seamless.”

 

As soon as the ball was snapped, Lindsey said there were only three guys on the line of scrimmage as the Bulldogs were in full return mode. One of the guys assigned to Lindsey was taken out of the play immediately when Lindsey ran the opposite way from the direction where Brady was running – leaving two guys against the WVU front wall.

 

Brady had daylight and 10 yards later it was game, set, and match. The Mountaineers were Sugar Bowl champions.

 

“I always get asked if I was nervous. It happened so fast that you simply didn’t have time to even process the thought of getting nervous,” he said. “You got the play call and you went. Being part of that is something I’ll never forget.”

 

Here’s the thing. It’s also something most WVU fans can’t forget.

 

“I always wear my WVU gear and if they ask what years I play they ask about that game and that play. Honestly, it’s pretty constant more than 10 years later and sometimes it’s in the most unique situations,” said Lindsey.

 

A few years ago, Lindsey was going on vacation and his plane was routed into Georgia. Covered in his Mountaineer clothing from head to toe a security guard who had a little bit of UGA clothing on jokingly wouldn’t let Lindsey through.

 

“He actually asked me about the exact play and he couldn’t believe it. We talked for about 15 minutes so you don’t know who is going to bring it up or where it’s going to be brought up, but you know several times each year it will,” said Lindsey. “I’ve got no problem with that. There are few things I’d rather talk about. I’m just glad I didn’t mess that up.”

 

Lindsey didn’t. He’s messed up few things since his junior year moment and the next season’s bowl win as well. He stays in touch with Brady, Marc Magro, Pat McAfee, Clarksburg’s George Shehl, and a few others. And he even got to do something almost no one else can say – he sniffed the air of the NFL.

 

While breaks went his way for many things at the college level, the same can’t be said once he was trying to earn a spot in the NFL. He played three preseason games with the Seahawks before getting sick, which was the beginning of the end.

 

“I had my thyroid removed and couldn’t get past the physical. I lost 40 pounds in two months going from 260 to 220. I don’t get sick, I feel like I may still be there because long snappers have a long life in the pros,” said Lindsey. “I looked at my situation and realized it was over.

 

In those three games, he got to “get juked out” by Devin Hester, considered by many the best return man in the game and get drilled by the Bears’ Brian Urlacher.

 

“He knew I was a rookie and when I snapped an extra point … I just remember at the end seeing clouds. Urlacher then was standing over me and helped me up and said ‘good job rook.’ He never did that the rest of the game,” said Lindsey. “It was kind of a rite of passage. I missed leaving that, but the good news was I had my family. They always, and still come first.”

 

Things are good for Tim Lindsey who now calls Morgantown home. He runs Complete Fitness Training in Morgantown. He’s married to his college sweetheart Casey and has three kids, 7-year-old Kaylin, 5-year-old Duke and Mikella. As of this writing Mikella is roughly one week old.

 

“Those moments with my kids, my marriage, yeah, those were the best. That play, though, that’s right behind things. Family trumps everything, but that moment is right up there with the biggest days and moments of my life,” said Lindsey.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Tim Lindsey earlier this month with his newborn Mikella. Second photo is of Lindsey during his long-snapping days in Morgantown, while he's shown long snapping to punter Phil Brady in the 2006 Sugar Bowl. In the fourth photo, Brady is shown making arguably the most imporant 10-yard run in WVU football history. Bottom two photos shows, first, Kaylin Lindsey and her brother Duke is shown below. Action photos of Lindsey courtesy of WVU Sports Communications, while family photos courtesy of Tim Lindsey.