"Game Missions:
Complete your first pass in the Rose Bowl; Requirements: None; Reward: Base Points +1.
Score your first touchdown in the Rose Bowl; Requirements: None; Reward: Base Points +1.
Accumulate passing yards in the Rose Bowl; Requirements: At least 50 passing yards; Reward: Base Points +1.
Achieve a high pass completion rate in the Rose Bowl; Requirements: At least 65% completion rate; Reward: Base Points +1.
Avoid interceptions in the Rose Bowl; Requirements: Zero interceptions; Reward: Base Points +1.
Win the Rose Bowl; Requirements: None; Reward: Base Points +5."
A series of mission prompts appeared in Lu Ke's mind again. The Rose Bowl was indeed different; the base points were increased to five in one go, and each mission was slightly adjusted because there were only two minutes left in the game.
However, at this moment, these were not important to Lu Ke. He had no time or mind to read the mission list, because this was the most important game of his career, the Rose Bowl, a national stage. Time was running out, with only two minutes left, and the thunderous cheers from the stadium showed no signs of stopping. His adrenaline was already off the charts.
Lu Ke needed to focus, with 100% of his attention.
"Guys!" Lu Ke called his offensive teammates to huddle, but the shouts from the stadium were so overwhelming that even with his loudest yell, it felt like a futile effort. He had to simplify his words. "We're going to pass! Mid-range and deep passes!"
Throughout the game, Lu Ke had been on the sideline watching, but he wasn't a spectator—he was a player, and a quarterback at that. So, he had been intently observing the game's progress, analyzing his team's offensive tactics and his opponent's defensive schemes. A fresh perspective from the outside could reveal unique information.
He noticed that the Badgers' defense wasn't particularly strong overall. Their cornerbacks and safeties weren't exceptional, and their field coverage and man-to-man coverage were not impressive. Conversely, they used a lot of blitzes. In short-pass areas, they used zone coverage, which was noticeably more aggressive and dense. Their ground defense was also solid.
Most importantly, the Badgers had a key player: J.J. Watt.
The Badgers made full use of this number 99's individual ability. Whether it was blitzing the offensive line to pressure the quarterback or tackling receivers to kill the offense early, his performance was outstanding. Against the Bruins' offensive line, he was almost unstoppable.
In response, the Bruins' tactics were adjusted. Unfortunately, Kevin had tried a few deep passes, but the results were not good.
Sometimes the offensive line couldn't stop the defenders, leading to a hurried throw with terrible accuracy. Other times, his own passing accuracy was off, and he couldn't connect with his receivers. And sometimes, their tactics were figured out, the receivers were covered, and there were no open spots, leaving him no choice but to throw a mid-range or short pass.
The two touchdowns in the first half were both a result of the Bruins' offense opening things up with mid-range passes and then relying on a run play to score. But unfortunately, for the rest of the game, Kevin's on-field decisions were not accurate enough and his throws were not decisive enough. His completion rate was consistently low, which bogged down the Bruins' entire offense.
If there was enough time, Lu Ke could slowly open things up, but now there were only two minutes left, and every second counted. He had to keep his mind from getting too complicated. He recalled the tactics the coach had laid out during halftime and quickly gave out the commands!
"Nelson, Eddie, I need you to stay on their number 99!" Time was short, but Lu Ke quickly gave his instructions. "Remember, your only job is to stop number 99. Don't worry about the other defenders, leave them to us!"
Before the Rose Bowl, Lu Ke had completed another fourteen-day daily basic training mission, earning another base point. He didn't hesitate to add it to his field awareness, bringing his score to 55 points. With 60 points in ball-carrying speed and 60 in evasion, he hoped his legs could make some plays in the next two minutes.
Lu Ke's eyes were fixed on Nelson Rosario and Eddie Williams. These were the two players in his left blind spot. He needed them to block J.J. Watt's blitz. After confirming they understood with a nod, Lu Ke looked away.
"Two minutes, let's get some touchdowns!" Lu Ke used the plural, not the singular. This confident and even arrogant remark made everyone laugh. They naturally piled their hands on top of each other, gave a low growl, and then dispersed, returning to their positions, ready to re-enter the game.
The Bruins would start their drive from their own 20-yard line.
"Bambi! Bambi! Bambi!" The cheers in the Rose Bowl were still thunderous, as if the shouts could give them energy and confidence. The unwavering belief was injecting an unimaginable momentum into the field.
The shouts in his ears were so loud and chaotic, but his frantically beating heart gradually calmed down. It was as if the shouts were slowly settling and disappearing. Lu Ke's gaze became incredibly focused. He stared intently at the defenders across from the offensive line, observing their defensive formation and pattern. Then he yelled, "3, 33."
This was college football, not the professional league, so the tactical options were relatively limited. To score a touchdown in two minutes, time management was crucial.
Although the Bruins still had two timeouts, time was not on their side. This meant the receivers had to get out of bounds every time they caught the ball to stop the clock. Otherwise, they only had two timeouts, and at other times, they would have to run a no-huddle offense to speed things up, hoping to score a touchdown.
Two minutes might sound like a long time, but in American football, it was incredibly short. This wasn't a basketball game where you could turn things around in a millisecond.
The shouts from the stadium were so intense that Lu Ke had to shout to the left, then to the right, to make sure all his teammates heard the play call. Then, he lowered his body and got ready to snap the ball.
The 2011 Rose Bowl, Lu Ke's second official game, a two-minute stage. He was here!
"Hut!"
Lu Ke roared. He immediately felt the touch of the football in his hands and quickly took a few steps back to create some space. His eyes quickly scanned the field, searching for his receivers along the pre-arranged running routes. But before he could even see any of them, he caught a glimpse of a black shadow lunging toward him.
Run.
That was the first thing his brain told him to do. He immediately ran in the opposite direction. A quarter of a millisecond? Or half a millisecond? Driven by a reflex, Lu Ke reacted as quickly as he could, but it still wasn't fast enough. The weakness of his ball-carrying speed was magnified to the extreme against his opponent's superior talent. He only managed to run two steps before a gust of air surged from behind him, aggressively tackling him to the ground.
All Lu Ke could do was hold the football tightly in his arms to avoid fumbling. His body hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. He could even taste the grass. His muscles started to ache in protest.
But at that moment, Lu Ke couldn't care less about the pain. He jumped up and shouted angrily at Nelson and Eddie, "Block! Block! Are you two f**king invisible?"
Number 99. The person who had just tackled him was number 99, J.J. Watt.
This was the first time Lu Ke had seen this star player so up close. On his fair, youthful face, there were still some faint peach fuzz. His cheeks were a faint pink from the intense exercise, and even his eyes were slightly flushed. With his square face, solid muscles, and strong build, he was like a beast. His reaction time was far beyond Lu Ke's imagination. He didn't leave much room and made a clean sack.
Watt! Watt! Watt! Before the game, Lu Ke had already recognized his danger and told them to be extra careful. But in the very first down, Watt still easily broke through and made a sack! Lu Ke was visibly angry for a rare moment!
Faced with Lu Ke's anger, Nelson and Eddie didn't say a word. They just lowered their heads, silently admitting their mistake. There was no defense for their failure.
However, Lu Ke didn't pursue the matter any further. He waved his hand to the other teammates, signaling them to line up. They didn't have any time.
Lu Ke then realized that he had retreated six yards just now, yet Watt still got to him in an instant. His short-burst speed was simply terrifying!
Now, the Bruins were pushed back to their own 14-yard line. This not only meant their starting position was terrible, but also that they had to advance 16 yards on this down, and the chances of them failing seemed to be rising.
There was no time for regret or annoyance. Every second counted. Lu Ke re-organized his teammates and lined up again. His eyes once again fell on the defenders in front of him. However, Lu Ke didn't deliberately look for Watt. Instead, he acted as if nothing had happened, calmly and objectively making an overall judgment.
Lu Ke knew Watt would blitz again. He needed to throw the ball quickly. A short pass was the best option, but a short pass...
Focused. At this moment, Lu Ke's concentration was unprecedented. An idea flashed in his mind, and he yelled, "Orange marmalade! 5, 24, orange marmalade!" Lu Ke shouted as loud as he could to his teammates on both sides, "Orange marmalade!"
NOTE:
New chapters drop five times a day, every Monday through Saturday! Plus, you have the power to unlock more: we'll release five bonus chapters for every 100 votes! Let's get this story moving together.