One area where SkyCam angles often shine is special teams plays. The latest example of that was on the Big Ten Network broadcast of the Michigan Wolverines’ (#6 CFP, #8 AP) road game against the Maryland Terrapins Saturday. The game wasn’t close, with Michigan winning 59-18, but it did come with a cool trick play return from the Wolverines in the third quarter.
There, initial receiver Michael Barrett caught the short kick. Barrett then threw across the field to A.J. Hennie, who raced down the sideline for a touchdown. And the Big Ten Network SkyCam operator did a great job of following the action. Here’s that play, with a solid broadcast call from Brandon Gaudin and James Laurinaitis.
OH BOY 😳@UMichFootball gets tricky on the kick return and gets a BIG touchdown! 👏 pic.twitter.com/q9Ip3QNwWM
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 20, 2021
This also came with a good radio call on the Wolverines Radio Network from Jim Brandstatter and Dan Dierdorf (both retiring from that broadcast after this season; they’ve called Wolverines’ games there together for the past eight years):
MICHIGAN WITH A HOMERUN THROWBACK FOR A KICK RETURN TD ON A POOCH KICKOFF!! (Call from Michigan radio) pic.twitter.com/BbdaSiWjrv
— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) November 20, 2021
But the SkyCam coverage was particularly notable here. And while that angle isn’t always perfect for every play (as seen on the primary-angle approach NBC went with for it for a 2017 Thursday Night Football game, which had ups and downs, or on occasional field goal miscues), there are definitely times where it’s great. And that’s perhaps especially true on special teams coverage.
[CFB on Fox on Twitter]
