Cockran hit: Fair or Foul?

[stocker08]

One concern - you do not want the Gophers to get a "reputation" for questionable hits. That will get the referees watching every hit, and waiting for opportunities to throw a flag. The Gophers are going to have to be very careful - there is a fine line between playing hard, aggressive football -- and running around looking for chances to blow someone up. Against Michigan, two roughing the passer penalties sustained drives for Michigan, including one drive that resulted in points. If that happens in a close game, it could turn a win into a loss.

Football is a fast paced game. One or two borderline hits won't give us a reputation. Let's be honest.......referees have been willing to throw terrible flags against us in the past either way.......especially when playing some of the helmet schools. I keep thinking back to the 2006 Penn State game. One of the worst PI calls at a crucial point in the game........fourth down in OT. Refs handed Penn State that game.

 

[STPGopher]

That I only wish he would have hit him again. I was at the 1998 and 2003 heartbreakers with my family and remember listening on the radio to countless more games with my dad - I remember how disappointed and discouraged he would get after the Wolverines dished out blowout after blowout, year after year. After all the pain and frustration that accursed program has inflicted on Gopher football in the last 50 years, that bone crushing hit by Cockran was much deserved. I'm confident there were many, far more questionable and dirty shots delivered by hot-dog Michigan players in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s.

HELL YES this is a signature win - a longtime hex on Gopher football has been convincingly lifted.
Hopefully we beat them by 30 next year!

+1 Woodley comes to mind. Not dirty, but right on the edge.

 

[DoubleB]

I have watched the above video several times over and over and the hit is border line but if you look close I believe the real damage to Morris' head came with him snapping backwards and his head hitting the ground.

it was a late hit and was called a late hit. Cockran seemed to throw his shoulder into the high chest area. because the head is very close to the shoulder it had to go along for the ride. I guess i am not seeing the direct head to head collision. but his head definitely hits the ground hard

 

[vagopher]

I too have watched this video several times and I think I think it's clear that the initial contact was to the chest.