Michigan punt gaffe stirs memories for ex-Gopher Kucek

Everything about the play felt eerily familiar. The snap, the drop, the chaos, the touchdown, the shock.

Nearly 10 years to the day, a miracle finish in college football involving a muffed snap on a punt happened again. And my first reaction to Michigan's improbable loss Saturday did not match those who bellowed that they had never seen anything like it.

Gophers fans knew better, too. They've seen it and lived it, almost in exact detail.

Michigan's walk-off collapse has become a national — even an international — story by now. All but assured a victory over instate rival Michigan State, the Wolverines led by two points as they lined up for a punt with 10 seconds left.

Punter Blake O'Neill dropped a low snap, picked it up and tried to whirl and kick the ball. But the ball somehow flew into the arms of Michigan State's Jalen Watts-Jackson, who raced 38 yards for a game-winning touchdown with no time left.

Watching replays over and over this weekend, all I could think of was Justin Kucek.

Watch the Minnesota, Michigan blocked punts here.

Kucek knows better than anyone the pain and probably shock that O'Neill feels right now. He lived that same nightmare exactly 10 years and two days prior to O'Neill's gaffe.

Similar scenario: In 2005, the Gophers led border rival Wisconsin by three points when Kucek lined up for a punt near his own 5-yard line with 38 seconds left.

Like O'Neill, Kucek dropped the snap and tried to hurry a kick. But Wisconsin's Jonathan Casillas blocked it and Ben Strickland recovered it in the end zone for a Badgers victory inside a stunned Metrodome.

Sadly, Kucek also has some idea of the vitriol that O'Neill has received in the few days since his unfortunate moment.

Social media lunatics reportedly have sent death threats to O'Neill, requests for him to leave the state and suggestions of suicide. The harassment prompted Michigan athletic director Jim Hackett to issue an open letter asking fans for civility and compassion.

"Today I awake to the shocking reality that our community who care so much about this program would send hurtful, spiteful and vicious comments to one of our students," Hackett wrote.

It takes a special kind of lowlife to contact a college athlete either directly or through social media with personal attacks. Venting on a message board anonymously can be therapeutic, but any type of harassment is beyond unacceptable and should result in punishment, if possible.

Social media wasn't the all-encompassing, frequently repugnant monster that it is now back when Kucek dropped his snap. He's probably lucky in that regard. But he didn't escape hurtful comments.

In a candid conversation a few years ago, Kucek estimated that he received between 500-700 angry messages and e-mails after the game. His parents also received phone calls at their home.

"When I think about it," Kucek said in 2012, "I'm not happy that it happened, but I was fortunate to have something like that happen in my life where I can apply it to what I do today."

The manner in which Kucek handled that adversity made me respect him as much as any athlete I've covered in 20 years in this business.

He didn't let his mistake define him or ruin his career. He didn't allow a few idiots cause him to withdraw into a shell. Kucek walked into the postgame press room that day with tears in his eyes and answered every question.

"It didn't feel good going in there," he admitted, "but I knew if I went in and owned up to what happened that it would help me in the long run."

Kucek went on to become an All-Big Ten punter. He earned his degree, has forged a successful business career and just recently got married.

He made a heartbreaking mistake as a player, accepted it and continued to move forward in life.

"You realize that life is not always going to be perfect for you," he said. "If it is, God bless you. There's always tribulations that go on in your life. I don't think I would be where I am today if I hadn't dropped that punt. It helped me look at things from a different angle, just be positive in everything."

Here's hoping that Blake O'Neill can find a similar path and perspective once his disappointment subsides.

Chip Scoggins • chip.scoggins@startribune.com