30-year-ago Flashback: Nicky Savoie crushes Mark Smith of Arkansas on Nov 18, 1995

Awesome! Thanks for posting this. I was there. Great to be reminded of the effort and intensity of guys like Savoie, Booger, Cleveland, Northern, and Faulk playing for a 6th or 7th win and an Indy Bowl bid to face Nick Saban. Seeing this reminds me that those days are gone forever. Seriously underrated defense when people name the top LSU defenses

DL of Northern, Gilyard, Wiley, Booger
LB Stansberry, Rogers, and I forget the Mike but think he wore 46
DB Tory James, Talvi Crawford (RIP).

You are correct that this crackback block would now be flagged. Pussification.

ETA - I think the MLB on that defense was Mike Calais #56 but think he got hurt mid season.

I met Savoie one time. I can’t imagine getting hit by that dude. He would have killed me.

He also had one the same year on a punt return. Now it’s a penalty for blindside block.

Was at this game with my brother. We were sitting in the first row of the upper deck in the southeast corner. Saw it coming before it happened, I think several people did. A true decleater.

I might be mixing up people and even years but didn’t Nicky absolutely de-cleat someone for Clemson in Peach Bowl on a very similar play?

When we had players named LaFleur and Savoie

Thanks for the reminder when players and fans cared

Love the energy with less seats in the stadium

That Arkansas team won the SECW too and we destroyed them.