Heading into the 2014 NFL Draft, former Fresno State QB Derek Carr was one of the best quarterback prospects in the nation. He threw for thousands of yards and nearly led the Bulldogs to an undefeated season in his senior campaign. There were very few negatives about his game. But, one thing some scouts observed was that, at times, he did throw off his back foot to avoid the rush. It's human nature, right.
A bunch of 300 pound men want to come tear you limb from limb. 245 pound linebackers wanting to put you on your back. 1,250 pound bulls wanting to put the right horn into your back.
Wait, WHAT?!?
Well, Carr and Houston Texans beloved mascot TORO once met on a football field.
And, Toro got the best of him when Derek Carr and his Pop Warner Texans entered TORO's dojo to face his team of fearless mascots in the early 2000s.
Situation: 1st and ten
Inside the red zone.
Carr in the shotgun.
Carr got a low snap, but he was under duress from the beginning. Look at TORO's technique firing through the B gap. Good bend, excellent use of hooves and proper horn placement, straight up and down, not in goring position. Of course, Carr is wearing red, so that was nothing but motivation for No. 1.
As Carr leaned over to get the ball, TORO burst to the soon-to-be sacked quarterback. The explosiveness was impressive for a bull that big to take up four or five yards as quickly as he did. He was a perfect three technique candidate until, well, you know that incident that one time? You know the one. Anyhow...
...BOOM, TORO and an unnamed mascot lowered the hammer on the poor young quarterback, registering his 1,456 sack of his career and first on a human quarterback. It just happened to be the kid brother of the Houston Texans quarterback at the time.
In fact, TORO enveloped him, along with Junction Jack or Wile E. Coyote, same difference, to a point Carr disappeared completely under hooves, horns and tail.
Carr rebounded from that sack to make a great out throw on the sideline and led his team down inside the ten. But, a bad snap resulted in another sack, this time by Clutch the Bear.
Asked afterward about his meeting with the Kid Carr, TORO didn't say much other than give the throat slash.
After seeing the video, I wondered the nightmares young Carr must have had for weeks afterward. TORO. Junction Jack. Clutch the Bear. Luckily, the Raiders don't have a mascot, per se, because I have a feeling he wouldn't care too much for him either.
Derek's rebounded nicely though. Clements HS star. Fresno State QB legend. NFL starting QB as a rookie. Yeah, he's done well for himself.
But, the Bull on Parade won this battle many eons ago.
