Getty A video posted by USC Trojans head coach Clay Helton has set the Internet on fire. Where does #80 go?
On Saturday November 18 USC football coach Clay Helton tweeted out a message to fans, hyping them up for that day’s game versus cross city rival UCLA. The video is simple enough. It features USC quarterback Sam Darnold and USC tight end Daniel Imatorbhebhe performing a fairly elaborate handshake. Not much mystery there.
But hold on. Watch that video again, watch it closely.
Okay. Now, can you tell me where number 80 went? Yeah that’s right. He disappears halfway through the clip.
I’m serious. Watch it again and keep you eye on number 80.
He’s there, taking it all in and then he’s not. USC would go on to beat UCLA 28-3, improving their record to 10-2 overall, and while that’s fantastic news for the team, the school and their fans, there’s some unfinished business here.
What the heck happened to number 80?
Let’s start with who number 80 is. His name is Deontay Burnett and he’s one of the team’s wide receivers. He’s a junior from Compton, California and a Communications major. So far in 2017 he’s played in 12 games, catching 9 touchdowns and making 73 receptions for 966 yards. In three years with the Trojans he has 16 touchdowns and in 2016 was named to the ESPN Pac-12 All Bowl Team first team.
And now he’s gone missing.
Let’s watch that clip again.
WHERE DID DEONTAY BURNETT GO???
Well, Tom Ziller of SB Nation took a stab at figuring out the mystery, spotting what looks like an arm behind the body of number 50. I’m not buying it though. The results are inconclusive. You’re talking about a guy in a complete stand still, seemingly enthralled by the action in front of him, and in less than two seconds he’s already a few feet away? No way. Burnett might be fast, but there’s no way he’s that fast.
I keep going back to a barrel roll, but I’m not even sure that would be feasible. How fast can you drop down and roll away? What does that take, 2 or 3 seconds? And flying is out of the question. Right?
Burnett may have disappeared, but he wasn’t gone for long. He still played in the game, catching four balls. So I don’t think he was abducted, unless there’s something going on here involving the bending of time and space. That doesn’t seem likely. Can’t rule it out though. I think it’s best if we kept all options on the table and that includes the involvement of aliens and potential barrel rolls.
The USC Trojans’ Twitter account is attributing the disappearance to super powers. I don’t think that is that far-fetched.
Speaking of Twitter, a quick search proves that not only was Burnett in the game, he’s been online, having been active on Twitter a handful of times since Saturday. Burnett’s Twitter feed mostly shows a devotion to God, as well as an appreciation for receivers such as Emmanuel Sanders and Robert Woods. There is nothing about aliens, barrel rolls and/or super powers, although Burnett did have a curious response to that USC Trojans’ tweet.
A cringe-face emoji? What the heck are we supposed to take away from that Deontay Burnett? Are you cringing because you’ve been caught, publicly outed as a person with super powers?
This case might be bigger than all of us.
Yet the fact remains, where in the world did number 80, Deontay Burnett go halfway through this video?
At least I’m not alone out there, the only one wondering where dear number 80 went.
I guess we’ll never know what happened to young Deontay Burnett. At least not until the forensics team gets here.
Stay tuned.