Those crazy, end-of-game kick returns? It's mostly ad lib

By now, the eight-lateral kick return for Miami's winning touchdown over Duke last weekend has joined California's storied five-lateral "Play To Beat The Band" against Stanford in 1982 in college football lore.

Is there actually a way to prepare plays like that?

Coaches say end-of-the-game plays can be drawn up and practiced, but the preparation really doesn't mean much in the heat of the moment. Think of it more like organized chaos.

"At some point, it's all hell broke loose, and someone's got to run out there and make a play," Tennessee special teams coach Mark Elder said. "You have your initial plan on what you're doing, but at some point that thing turns into backyard football like when…