Doc Five: Most memorable hits in college football – No. 4, The LaVar Leap
This offseason we will count down various topics from Monday through Friday, bringing you the top five of the important and definitely some not so important issues in college football. It's the Doc Five, every week until we will thankfully have actual games to discuss.
MOST MEMORABLE HITS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
NO. 4, THE LAVAR LEAP
We'll just apologize now. There's a lot of famous hits, mentioned by some of you in the comments on Monday's comments, that won't make the list. Narrowing down all of the hits in college football history to just five memorable ones is going to leave some great plays out.
And this list isn't the hardest hits, but the most memorable. And even though the LaVar Leap didn't result in a huge collision, most college fans remember seeing it for the first time.
In a 1998 game, Illinois had a fourth and 1 at Penn State's 31-yard line. LaVar Arrington, Penn State's standout linebacker, timed it so he leaped over the offensive line and landed on Illini fullback Elmer Hickman as Hickman was getting the handoff. Arrington brought him down short of the first down. Perhaps that play had been done before, but before Arrington did it, it seemed inconceivable. The entire college football world buzzed over the play.
''I'll remember that when I'm 85,'' then-Illinois coach Ron Turner said in an Associated Press story a year after the play.
Arrington went with the second overall pick of the 2000 NFL draft. It wasn't just because of that play, but it didn't hurt his already growing legend.
Others have had similar efforts on famous plays since then. Roy Williams of Oklahoma did the "Superman" thing against Texas:
Virginia's Ahmad Brooks had a very similar version of the LaVar Leap on a sack:
Others may look like Arrington's most famous play, but the LaVar Leap is the one that is remembered best.
Previously on the "Doc Five"
5. Alabama's goal line stand
- - -
Want to join the conversation? Hit us up on Twitter @YahooDrSaturday and be sure to "Like" Dr. Saturday on Facebook for football conversations and stuff you won't see on the blog.
