COLLEGE FOOTBALL 'Cheap shot' weakens Miami for Tennessee

Two defensive tackles were injured against Virginia Tech, one by a "cheap shot."
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -- Miami will be without two defensive tackles against 18th-ranked Tennessee on Saturday, and the No. 6 Hurricanes blame one of the injuries on a "cheap shot" by Virginia Tech center Jake Grove.
Starter Orien Harris and backup Santonio Thomas will be sidelined "for a period of time" after sustaining injuries in a 31-7 loss to the Hokies last Saturday.
Harris sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee and was placed in a cast from his ankle to his thigh.
Thomas severely sprained his right ankle. He was in a cast and on crutches Tuesday.
"That's two really tough losses for us," coach Larry Coker said.
A 'cheap shot'
Even more difficult for Coker was how Thomas was injured. Coker was upset that Grove blocked Thomas below the knees, from behind, about 10 yards away from the play and after the defender had slowed up.
Coker sent a tape of the play to Big East officials. He also called Nick Carparelli Jr., the league's associate commissioner for football, and John Soffey, the league's coordinator of football officiating, to discuss the hit.
Coker called the play "more malicious" than when Ohio State linebacker Robert Reynolds jammed his fingers into the throat of Wisconsin quarterback Jim Sorgi and choked him Oct. 11.
Sorgi had difficulty swallowing and breathing and sat out the rest of the game, but returned the following week.
Has no expectations
Reynolds received a one-game suspension from the university.
Coker said he didn't expect the Big East to take any action against Grove.
"I don't know what they would do," Coker said. "We sent the video in. It's very obvious what happened. It's probably more malicious than the Ohio State incident. It's not my judgment to make. It's the conference's call to make. I don't expect them to do anything, to be quite honest. It's a situation where the official missed it."
The hit occurred the play after Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle and Virginia Tech cornerback DeAngelo Hall were ejected for fighting on the sideline. The Big East suspended Rolle one game for the fight, and Hall was suspended half a game.
Flagged for late hit
After Grove's hit, safety Sean Taylor dived into him and was flagged 15 yards for a late hit.
"I thought there were some situations for both sides at the end that are regrettable," Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said Tuesday. "It's not the way Miami plays football and it's not the way we play football. For my side, I apologize."
Grove's hit caught Beamer's attention while he was watching the tape of the game. He showed the play to his players, saying it was "how I don't want us to play." But Beamer said after reviewing the tape several times and hearing Grove's explanation for what happened, he understood.
Grove said he couldn't see the play unfold and was trying to block Thomas before the Miami lineman turned at the last minute.