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Blessings often appear disguised as something else.
A stroke of misfortune might ultimately prove to be fortunate. Good luck sometimes wears a mask.
Or a face mask.
That was certainly the case for Texas A&M at Notre Dame. Trailing Notre Dame 40-34 with just under three minutes remaining in the football game, sophomore receiver Terry Bussey returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, which would give A&M the lead.
Instead, the touchdown was called back because of a penalty. However, the Aggies eventually drove for a game-winning touchdown with 13 seconds remaining.
Had Bussey’s touchdown counted, Notre Dame would’ve had plenty of time to get a victorious score.
“When I scored, there was probably a minute-and-a-half on the clock,” Bussey said after practice on Tuesday. “That’s a lot of time to do something. It was probably for the best that it got called back.”
It was indeed a blessing in disguise. Just like Bussey.
He arrived in College Station as a five-star defensive back prospect from tiny Timpson High School. But injuries at the receiver position forced A&M coaches to shift Bussey there.
Bussey was a quarterback and defensive back at Timpson. He’d never before played receiver, but he welcomed the position change.
“I was just doing what was best for the team,” he said. “I was all for it.
“I wasn’t a good receiver when I first came in. Just trying to tune up my game and get better at all the details of it.”
As a freshman, Bussey had 17 catches for 216 yards. This season, he’s more involved in the offense. He has already caught seven passes for 87 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown.
“I think he continues to get better every day,” A&M head coach Mike Elko said. “We talked to him an awful lot about his journey from being a really talented athlete at a small school in Texas, where he did everything, to being a really fundamentally sound wide receiver in the SEC.
“That’s the journey he’s been on. It’s been hampered at times by injury. I think that’s played a role in some of it, but he’s been healthy now for quite a few weeks in a row. That’s allowed him to get out there and start to refine his craft.
“It’s good to see that showing up and becoming a reliable playmaker for us.”
He’s one of many playmakers. The addition of receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver through the transfer portal has benefitted Bussey.
They have more experience at receiver and have offered tips to help Bussey improve.
Also, they’re such big-play threats. Craver leads the nation in receiving. Concepcion is seventh in the SEC.
They command attention from opponents, which creates opportunities for Bussey.
“It’s a great thing to be on a team that you can get anybody the ball and they can do something with it,” Bussey said. “You’ve got two guys like that on the field with you at all times. A bunch of eyes have got to be on them. That just opens up opportunities to get the ball in space.”
Bussey has shown he can be a weapon with the ball in his hands. It’s just that he’s most often demonstrated that on kick returns.
Indeed, he leads the SEC and is 11th nationally in combined kick returns (punts and kickoffs). He has returned three punts for 48 yards and six kickoffs for 186 yards.
Bussey will be a threat as a receiver and on returns when the Aggies face Auburn on Saturday at Kyle Field.
He could pose a threat in other ways as well. Remember, he was a quarterback at Timpson.
Perhaps offensive coordinator Collin Klein will design a play in which Bussey throws a pass. Bussey has already suggested the idea.
“I let them (coaches) know all the time,” he said. “‘Coach, coach, look at this. I can throw it.’”
If Bussey, a receiver, completes a pass, that would truly be a blessing.
In disguise.
