[Embo]

What would have happened if one of the band members had tackled the ball carrier? Surely the refs can't assume he would have made it into the end zone. That person would have been legendary...

In the summer of 1983, Sports Illustrated had a long article about the Play.  The writer did speak with a LSJUMB member who did play HS football.  The band member did state that the thought of tackling Moen came across his mind in real time.  He opted not to.  The author did bring this up with one of the refs (it may have been the ref who had already planned to retire after this game). That ref was thankful he didn't

Addendum:  Here's the source, and the paragraph in question:

As Moen passed the goal line, he brushed past saxophonist Scott DeBarger, a former high school football player who later acknowledged he toyed with the notion of trying to tackle the runner, a deed that would have thrown what was already football's most improbable play into even greater chaos. Moffett shudders to this day at the awful prospect. "Imagine the confusion if Moen had run into or tripped over or been tackled by a band member," says Moffett. "Then we would have had to make a decision on whether to award a touchdown." Fortunately, DeBarger's better instincts prevailed.

SI article

[Embo]

What would have happened if one of the band members had tackled the ball carrier? Surely the refs can't assume he would have made it into the end zone. That person would have been legendary...

In the summer of 1983, Sports Illustrated had a long article about the Play.  The writer did speak with a LSJUMB member who did play HS football.  The band member did state that the thought of tackling Moen came across his mind in real time.  He opted not to.  The author did bring this up with one of the refs (it may have been the ref who had already planned to retire after this game). That ref was thankful he didn't

Addendum:  Here's the source, and the paragraph in question:

As Moen passed the goal line, he brushed past saxophonist Scott DeBarger, a former high school football player who later acknowledged he toyed with the notion of trying to tackle the runner, a deed that would have thrown what was already football's most improbable play into even greater chaos. Moffett shudders to this day at the awful prospect. "Imagine the confusion if Moen had run into or tripped over or been tackled by a band member," says Moffett. "Then we would have had to make a decision on whether to award a touchdown." Fortunately, DeBarger's better instincts prevailed.

SI article