FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas offensive lineman Sebastian Tretola couldn't help but wonder what was up a few weeks ago when he received a message to see Coach Bret Bielema.
"I got kind of worried like, 'Uh, oh. I'm in trouble,' " said Tretrola, a first-year Hog who played last season at Iowa Western Community College. "Coach B doesn't call you into the office for the one-on-one meeting too often, so I didn't know what I was getting into."
There was no trouble for Tretola, just an opportunity to do what most lineman only dream about.
Bielema showed him a piece of paper with a trick play drawn on it.
The play -- known as "Tretola Left" -- called for him to throw a touchdown pass off a fake field goal.
"I was like, 'You cannot be serious. This is real?' " said Tretola, a left guard listed at 350 pounds on Arkansas' depth chart. "But we went out there and ran it at practice without our defense knowing that we were going to run it, and we scored."
The play worked again Saturday just like Bielema drew it up, and this time it was in the Razorbacks' 45-17 victory over Alabama-Birmingham.
With Arkansas facing fourth and goal at the Blazers' 6, it appeared Arkansas would attempt a field goal, but Tretola shifted into the backfield, pretending to be confused about where to line up.
Tretola then took a direct snap from Alan D'Appollonio, rolled to his right, and with two defenders rushing him threw a pass off his back foot that D'Appollonio caught for a touchdown that put the Razorbacks ahead 28-0 in the second quarter.
"I scored touchdowns in high school when I was playing tight end, but that's really the closest I've gotten to something like this," Tretola said.
"I've always been a fat boy, so quarterback was never the position. This is for all my 300-pounder-plus guys that don't get that chance to shine."
Bielema said he started thinking about the play after seeing Tretola passing in preseason practice.
"I saw him winging the ball around so I said, 'Let me see that,' " Bielema said. "Then, of course, he starts giving me roll right, roll left."
The Razorbacks began practicing the play two weeks ago, and Bielema was waiting for the right situation to call it.
"I try to design something that makes as little sense as possible to the people that are lining up," Bielema said. "You kind of get people running around. They've obviously never seen it, and the next one they're never going to see, either.
"I love doing it just because it's a way to have some fun and interact with the kids."
D'Appollonio was one of five options on the play. Other receiving options were tight end Alex Voelzke on a crossing route, tight end Hunter Hunter in the back of the end zone and kicker Adam McFain on a wheel route.
Then there was a run option for Tretola, which he considered.
"I thought about just taking it two steps over and just running it in, so I didn't risk anything," Tretola said. "But when I saw them rushing, I'm not going to outrun a freaking linebacker or safety, so I was like, 'Let me go ahead and throw it.' "
Tretola didn't see the touchdown catch because he was on the ground after being knocked down. He was worried when the crowd didn't react immediately with cheering.
"I was just laying there on the ground going, 'Oh my God, I hope he catches this,' " Tretola said. "When I saw the replay, the ball was hanging in the air for a while.
"It felt more athletic than it looked. But, hey, it worked out."
D'Appollonio who caught a 24-yard pass, good for a first down, from Sam Irwin-Hill on a fake punt at Rutgers last season, said he never doubted the play would work.
"Even though I'd caught a pass in the past, the defense is never thinking the snapper is going to end up with the ball," D'Appollonio said. "So that worked out to my advantage and got me an easy touchdown.
"Sebastian made a great throw. You don't expect an offensive lineman to have skills like that, but he does. He made it easy for me.
"It was incredible to score. As a snapper, you don't even think it's possible."
The Razorbacks watching on the sideline grew excited when they heard the play call for Tretola.
"I was so shocked that when we scored I couldn't even celebrate," tailback Jonathan Williams said. "But I knew he could throw. He's a pretty decent athlete to be his size."
Bielema said jokingly that Tretola probably thinks he's created a quarterback controversy with starter Brandon Allen.
"Oh my goodness, no," Tretola said. "I'll definitely leave that to B.A."
It didn't stop Tretola from striking a Heisman Trophy pose for a few seconds when he got back on his feet and realized and realized he'd thrown a touchdown pass.
"I didn't' see it, but I heard about it," D'Appollonio said. "I cast my ballot for him."
Sports on 10/26/2014