High School

Here's a cool high school football fake punt that actually happened this year

An 11-year-old fake punt in California went viral this week, but check out this 5-day-old TD out of Georgia

Mike Swanson, SBLive Sports

Punter Taz Smith, left, rescues a bad snap for Gainesville (Georgia) before running for a 78-yard touchdown.
Punter Taz Smith, left, rescues a bad snap for Gainesville (Georgia) before running for a 78-yard touchdown. / Gainesville-Westlake screen shot

A California high school fake punt went viral this week, with many calling it the "fake punt of the year."

And it probably was. In 2013.

It's a really neat play, and kudos to Downey High School in Modesto, California, for pulling it off:

Also, kudos to the Modesto Bee for posting a thorough breakdown of the play, including that very important tidbit about it being 11 years old.

The punter's underhand move in that play is what caused a stir, but a sensational overhand play by a punter in Georgia this past weekend is also viral-worthy in nature.

Gainesville Red Elephants punter Taz Smith (who's also a star receiver and sprinter on the track team) skied high to save a bad snap with one hand, and then he took off:

It was probably more of a "broken punt" than a "fake punt," but hey, it went for six points. And it also happened during the 2024 high school football season. Bonus.

It's up for SBLive/SI National Play of the Week honors, with the voting ending Tuesday, Sept. 10

In addition to that big run from the punter position, Smith finished a 41-7 win over Westlake with six catches for 126 yards and a 40-yard TD reception.

Gainesville extended its regular-season undefeated run under coach Josh Niblett to 23 consecutive wins.

The Red Elephants are off next week before traveling to Carrollton on Sept. 13 to face USC QB commit Julian Lewis and the Trojans.

Carrollton is ranked No. 13 in the national SBLive/SI Top 25 and No. 2 in the Georgia Top 25.

Smith was supposed to graduate last year but suffered a horrific injury in the 2023 Corky Kell Classic. Here's how he puts his comeback on his website:

"August 2023,  I suffered a stage 5 ruptured spleen in the 2nd Quarter of the Corky Kell, an exhibition game before what was supposed to be (my) senior season. I didn't know at the time but the hit shattered my insides and I had terrible internal bleeding. I continued to play my positions: wide receiver, punt returner and defensive back. I ran my routes, did my assignments and finished the game with a touchdown for my team. 

"I have been taught my entire life work ethic, deeper knowledge,  greater ability and determination.  My mom calls it grit. My dad calls it character. The accident pushed back my grad year to January 2025. 

"THIS IS MY COMEBACK STORY!"

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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive | @sblivesports

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Mike Swanson, SBLive Sports

MIKE SWANSON, SBLIVE SPORTS

Mike Swanson is the Trending News Editor for SBLive Sports. He's been in journalism since 2003, having worked as a reporter, city editor, copy editor and high school sports editor in California, Connecticut and Oregon.

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