Blue Devil Rewind: The Shoestring Play

This series will take an inside look at top moments in Duke football history and are not meant to be a complete listing of all memorable accomplishments, but a sampling of great moments as determined by the GoDuke.com staff.

There are a lot of significant plays over the course of Duke's 107-year football history, but one that always seems to get referenced is the fabled "Shoestring Play".

On November 22, 1969, Duke and North Carolina were deadlocked at 7-7 late in the third quarter. Duke quarterback Leo Hart was dropped for a loss during Duke's fourth drive of the period. After returning to his feet, he bent down to tie his shoe in front of the Tar Heel sideline while the rest of his teammates lined up for the 3rd-and-9 snap. It was a trick play! As the Carolina defense focused on Hart, receiver Marcel Courtillet took the ball and pitched it to Wes Chesson, who scampered down the right sideline for a 53-yard touchdown.

The Blue Devils went on to win the game, 17-13, to end the season on a high note in front of more than 44,000 fans at Wallace Wade Stadium.

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FROM THEIR POINT OF VIEW
Wes Chesson (Duke Football Hall of Fame Wide Receiver, 1968-70) – "It's the only touchdown anybody remembers I ever scored. It was the easiest one I ever scored and the only one anybody remembers.

"It was the last game of the year and during those last couple practices we had noticed in our film studies that the Carolina defense when it lined up in its huddle that all the defensive players had their backs to the football except for the captain who was calling the play. We said we can probably take advantage of this and so on Friday afternoon during our practice we threw a couple of plays in that we thought just might work. We really had no idea that we'd ever call it during the game, but we just got ready in case.

"Well we got into a situation and Coach (Tom) Harp called the play and quite honestly I said, 'oh my goodness we're going to look like the biggest fools to ever play in Wallace Wade Stadium.'

"But as we lined up, Leo (Hart) ran a quarterback sweep to the right side of the field toward our bench, to get the ball as far away from the Carolina sideline as possible. He then knelt like his shoe was untied and he was trying to tie it. Of course, Leo was the focal point of our offense and that was who Carolina's defense was looking at. As long as he was over there tying his shoe, they were safe, and they could get in their huddle and call their defensive formation. Well as Leo was tying his shoe, we lined up with all of our offensive linemen on the left of the football, away from the huddle of Carolina's defense, and got set, as you have to do before every play. Marcel Courtillet threw his hands up that Leo was out tying his show, and that was the signal for everyone to get ready.

"Marcel then picked the ball up, and I said 'holy smokes this thing might work' since Carolina was still in its huddle. Marcel threw the ball back to me and just like an old swinging gate we walled off the Carolina huddle and I just ran along the sideline for a touchdown."

Tom Harp (Duke Head Coach, 1966-70) * – "The 'spirit-killer' play is not a new play, it's been hanging around for years. We called it one play ahead of when we used it. Leo (Hart) was fixing his shoe, and he can't be moving. The official placed the ball on the hash mark, and seven players lined up behind. (Marcel) Courtillet then stepped on the line and flipped the ball in one continuous motion; and (Wes) Chesson went down the sidelines while they were still in the defensive huddle. Chesson has made a few big plays, and he adjusts well to the unexpected."

*Excerpt taken from postgame quote sheet

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Blue Devil Rewind: The Shoestring Play

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