He doesn’t play for Boise State, but this guy went for an impressive run vs. Nevada
The most talked-about run and tackle of the day might not have involved players from either team during Boise State’s 41-31 home loss to Nevada on Saturday.
As Garth Brooks’ song “Friends in Low Places” played early in the fourth quarter during a timeout at Albertsons Stadium, a fan came out of the stands and onto the field for a quick jaunt, and gave security a run for its money.
The man hopped the fence near the south end zone, ripped off his shirt and sprinted all the way down the visitors sideline to the opposite end zone. A couple of security guards looked as if they had him surrounded near midfield, but he juked away from tackle attempts and sprinted back to the south end zone, where he did a little dance for the fans.
Security almost had him cornered again in the end zone, but he slipped out of the grasp of a security guard and sprinted back toward the 50-yard line. That’s where his fun came to an end.
As he neared midfield, umpire Sheldon Davis and a member of Boise State’s equipment staff, Brogan Richards, who came off the Broncos’ sideline, combined to lower a big tackle on him. Police then moved in to take him into custody.
The man, identified by authorities as Reginald Desmond Macon, 25, of Fort Worth, Texas, was charged with misdemeanor trespassing and booked into the Ada County Jail, according to online arrest records.
Richards, a sophomore at Boise State, said everyone on the Broncos’ sideline thought the routine was planned at first. But when it became clear it wasn’t, Richards got a little nudge from one of his co-workers to try his hand at bringing down the elusive fan.
“It was like pure adrenaline,” Richards said. “It was maybe a little peer pressure, but it kind of just happened.”
Richards said he couldn’t celebrate his tackle very long on the sideline because the Broncos were so far behind on the scoreboard, but plenty of players and staff members made their way over to him for a subtle congratulations.
It was a thrilling few minutes for Boise State fans, who watched the Broncos struggle to run ball once again and lose another halftime lead.
But Richards was probably more thrilled by the moment than anyone in the stadium. He played defensive end and tight end at Boise High School and always dreamed of making a tackle on the iconic blue turf in Albertsons Stadium. He can check that off his bucket list.
The Broncos (2-3) led Nevada by a point at halftime, 21-20, but were outscored 18-3 in the third quarter and lost their third game of the season. Boise State managed just 22 net rushing yards, while the Wolf Pack posted 130 on the ground.
Boise State is back in action next Saturday on the road at No. 13 BYU (5-0).
This story was originally published October 2, 2021 at 6:36 PM.
