Boise State's Jason Robinson flattens unsuspecting Louisiana Tech kicker Matt Nelson from behind during the Broncos' 49-20 victory on Oct. 26 in Boise. Nelson suffered a concussion on the play but is expected to play Saturday against Fresno State. Robinson was not penalized.
This past summer, Robinson reached a plea deal of misdemeanor battery after a bar fight that resulted in Robinson breaking another man's jaw. He was ordered to serve 180 days in jail and pay at least $29,000 in restitution, but the judge later suspended 160 days of the sentence and put Robinson on probation for two years.
He was suspended for the season's first three games by coach Chris Petersen.
Note: Video was replaced with a version of higher quality. Thanks to Tracy! The original video is after the jump.
Update: The Western Athletic Conference issued a memo to all coaches and athletic directors informing them that blindside hits away from the ball will not be tolerated. The memo (second item), which deals with the hit featured here and one the previous week in the New Mexico State-Idaho game, reads in part, "These are 'cheap shots' in that both plays are away from the ball and the 'defenseless' [player] is not part of the play."
I don't see how this comes anywhere close to a cheap shot, unless the viewer is a Boise State hater, then they can see whatever they want.
Titus Young was returning the ball towards his left sideline when he cutback towards the right sideline. You can see other pursuers of the ball showing where Titus Young was by their direction of travel.
Jason Robinson is at the top of the screen at kickoff. Rather than run back with the kicked ball to block forwards, Robinson advanced forward to get a cutback block were Young to advance the ball further down the field than the average.
At the time of the hit, you can see that most of the La Tech players were facing the La Tech sideline. Had the kicker done this too, it would have been a perfectly legal hit.
As it was, it was NOT a legal hit, and Jason Robinson should have been penalized. But in no way was this a "cheap shot" as coined by the uploader of the video (who's coincidentally has only 1 video uploaded to YouTube).
Another point of emphasis. What does the bar fight of Jason Robinson have anything to do with his play on the football field? It's as if the author of this article wanted to specifically point out what a dirty player JRob is. If you wanted to place a biography of Jason's past, it would have been more appropriate to mention he was the 2nd string player who made the final tweek to "Riddler," the fake punt in the Fiesta Bowl game vs. TCU.
If you've had a chance to know Jason Robinson, you would also know that he's a kind guy who loves to play hard football. The confrontation in the bar most certainly was a mistake, but Jason was standing up for a lady. When pressed for further confrontation by the aggressor, JRob took one shot and broek his jaw. It was by no means a "Blount-like" act. You cannot mix chivarly for being a thug. Being a football player and wanted to further his career, the easiest way out was to plead guilty for the charges brought up on the "gentlemen" who was antagonizing a lady in a bar.
Take my observations for what they will. I just thought this post lacked a great amount of subjectivity. Haters gonna hate, though. So if you think it was a cheap shot and think Jason Robinson is a thug, that's your prerogative.
Posted by: LoqueBSU | November 02, 2010 at 09:49 PM
Definitely a cheap shot by a cheap Boise State player (#5 Jason Robinson). He should be suspended for a game.
Posted by: Joe Johnson | November 02, 2010 at 11:20 PM
Nothing illegal about that hit, initial contact was at the shoulder and Nelson landed on his side. Not a Block in the back, wasn't low or a clip; just a hard hit.
Football is a violent sport-even played within the rules.
This post is below your normal standard of objectivity.
Posted by: JRG | November 03, 2010 at 07:03 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L2AEhlbkjg
definitely a cheap shot.
Posted by: TKA | November 03, 2010 at 08:21 AM
Good writing. Robinson becomes "Johnson" in your second paragraph. Brilliant.
Posted by: Drew Roberts | November 03, 2010 at 08:27 AM
How pathetic of you to call that a cheap shot, change the name of the player, and continue to believe that you are reliable, knowledgable, and trustworthy as a judge of college football and imaginary cheap shots.
Posted by: KYBronco | November 03, 2010 at 08:40 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L2AEhlbkjg
Definitely not a cheap shot.
Posted by: LoqueBSU | November 03, 2010 at 09:07 AM
Cheap Shot? This post is a cheap shot.
Trying to make something out of nothing I would say. He obviously does not fall forward which is why the back judge (who would've had a clear view of it) didn't throw the flag. Looks like a clean crackback block to me.
Note to LA Tech's kicker; Keep head on swivel.
Note to those looking to pin anything against Boise State that they can; Please try harder. Grainy video with little football knowledge = easy target.
Note to rest of College Football world; Boise State plays hard, hits hard, runs hard, and wins hard. Get over it.
Posted by: Mikrino | November 03, 2010 at 09:49 AM
I forgot to mention your sly segway where you associate blowing up a wayward kicker on a kickoff, as the same as defending yourself when threatened at bar.
Classy. Good objective reporting there.
FAIL.
Posted by: Mikrino | November 03, 2010 at 09:53 AM
what a thug that guy is.
Posted by: NEV | November 03, 2010 at 06:37 PM
Boise State is a pretty regular participant in the cheap shot sweepstakes. Chris Peterson's team is very good ... and they are willing to hurt people to succeed.
Posted by: Gus | November 03, 2010 at 09:42 PM
Chickenshit cheap shot. A lot like boise's schedule......Wonder why he dialed up the kicker. Couldn't be a boise guy lining up someone he was sure he could whip, could it? Once again, parallelling your schedule. Join a conference, please. There are spots available in conferences that get an outright bcs birth, win one of those.
Posted by: b | November 03, 2010 at 11:03 PM
Boise state can't get into a REAL BCS conference.Mean's they'd have to give up that immature retarded blue ghetto carpet of their's.
And nobody want's them in a real conference where they'd have to pay their Fair $hare.
Not to mention they are afraid of getting Really hit by the big boy's on a regular basis year in and year out.
That's why they win so much,they're habitual pussies and wanna be's!
WAC,let's see now:"WE Aren't Competitive"conference?
Yeah,that's BSu alright!!!
Posted by: mesika | November 04, 2010 at 02:55 PM