We're back with the cheapest shots of the 2010 season. These plays have been featured on the site and now it is up to our readers to select the cheapest of the cheap shots.
Review each play and vote at the bottom of the post. You get to vote only once, so choose carefully.
This is the fifth year the site has featured cheap shots. A late hit by Texas A&M's Kellen Heard on Colt McCoy was selected the cheapie of 2006. A chop block by Auburn's Chaz Ramsey on Louisiana State's Glenn Dorsey was voted the cheapest shot of 2007.
An block by an unidentified Auburn lineman on Alabama's Luther Davis was the cheapest shot of 2008. Oregon's LeGarrette Blount was a runaway winner in 2009 after punching Boise State's Byron Hout.
We do our best to collect all cheapies during the course of a season, but plays are always missed. In some cases, videos of cheapies are removed after being posted on the site.
Thanks to readers who contributed to this feature.
1. Arkansas offensive guard Wade Grayson goes after the left knee of Ohio State defensive tackle Cameron Heyward during the Sugar Bowl.
Grayson was also caught in the act earlier in the season. In this video he goes low in an attempt to block Alabama defensive lineman Marcell Dareus.
2. Auburn's Eric Smith with the knee-to-the-crotch move on an Oregon defender well after the end of a play in the Bowl Championship Series title game.
3. Central Florida's Troy Davis throws a punch at Georgia running back Washuan Ealey at the end of the Liberty Bowl. Knights coach George O'Leary said Ealey started the altercation by shoving Davis, but we don't have that on tape so Davis gets the blame.
4. Texas A&M defensive lineman Tony Jerod-Eddie grabs the junk of Nebraska tight end Ben Cotton after Cotton recovered a fumble during the Aggies' 9-6 victory.
5. Idaho defensive back Shiloh Keo was suspended for half a game by the Western Athletic Conference after this blow to the head of Boise State quarterback Michael Coughlin.
6. Several entries for Nick Fairley. The Auburn defensive tackle was penalized in the BCS title game after messing with the facemask of Oregon's LaMichael James.
Fairley uses his facemask to cut the chin of Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray.
Fairley draws a penalty for a late hit on Murray.
Fairley goes for Murray's knee.
7. Iowa State linebacker A.J. Klein tries to rip the helmet off Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead.
8. Boise State's Jason Robinson flattens unsuspecting Louisiana Tech kicker Matt Nelson from behind. Nelson suffered a concussion and Robinson was not penalized. The following week, the WAC issued a memo to all coaches and athletic directors informing them that blindside hits away from the ball will not be tolerated.
9. Notre Dame linebacker Kerry Neal stomps on Navy slotback John Howell during a goal-line play.
10. Boise State's Winston Venable was suspended for half a game by the WAC after this helmet-to-helmet hit on Oregon State's James Rodgers.
11. Eastern Michigan player. The play in question comes at the 29-second mark. An unidentified Eagles player goes low in an attempt to take out the knees of Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor.
12. Nevada offensive guard John Bender ends the season of Brigham Young defensive tackle Romney Fuga with a block on the left knee, tearing Fuga's the anterior cruciate ligament and lateral collateral ligament.
13. Brigham Young defensive back Travis Uale rips the helmet off the head of Florida State receiver Bert Reed.
How many of these hits caused a 16 month injury? John Bender's hit ended Fuga season, and he may have to redshirt next year.
Any other hits cause a year's worth of recovery here?
Posted by: G | January 31, 2011 at 08:30 AM
How could you not include UGA center Ben Jones' attempt to maim a MSU DL with a clip downfield and away from the ball? SEC suspended him half a game for it. How many suspensions did Fairley earn?
Posted by: Tom | January 31, 2011 at 09:08 AM
Notre Dame's Neal stomping on Navy's guy stomping on the Navy's Howell is pretty damn chicken shit, and Nevada's Bender taking out BYU's Fuga is a very, very cowardly hit...but I gotta go with Auburn's Fairley for his "great" body of work. The guy is a great defensive tackle, you have to give him that, but he's also a punk for playing dirty.
Posted by: bob cuomo | January 31, 2011 at 02:19 PM
Nick Fairley should get a lifetime achievement award, but that knee to the groin/butt by Eric Smith in the NCG is absolutely ridiculous. It really shows the type of environment that Auburn creates that they have won this thing twice and are basically guaranteed to win it this year too.
Posted by: Cory | January 31, 2011 at 06:05 PM
There were two cheap shots shown against Nebraska players. Both plays resulted in personal foul penalties against Nebraska. Any wonder Nebraska fans were paranoid about Big XII officiating by the end of the year.
Posted by: Morris | February 01, 2011 at 08:17 AM
Someone grabbing stuff they shouldn't be grabbing may not seem as bad as some of the other hits, but it sure isn't something you expect on the field and DEFINITELY makes you wonder about the player who's grabbing it!!
Posted by: Keith Petrie | February 01, 2011 at 09:41 AM
Amen brother! GBR!
Posted by: Husker007 | February 01, 2011 at 03:50 PM
How did the Nebraska player get penalized twice for getting his junk grabbed? The ref was right there. Did the Big 12 at least suspend the Tex A&M player? He should be charged with sexual assault!!!! I hate seeing the hits to the knees but the junk, ouch. Terrible officiating, they should be penalized also
Posted by: Windy City Fan | February 02, 2011 at 01:07 AM