Someone called this past week and asked the following question: If “The Stop” against LSU is the greatest defensive play in Tennessee history, what comes in second?
Here’s one man’s opinion of nine other game-changing defensive plays.
No. 13 Tennessee 14, No. 1 LSU 13; Shields-Watkins Field, Nov. 7, 1959: Without Jim Cartwright’s interception and touchdown run covering 59 yards, “The Stop” might never have happened. That was the opinion of UT fan Doug Jones, and, on reflection, his assessment makes sense. No Cartwright, no “Stop.” If LSU had gone ahead 14-0, or even 10-0, that would have been the game. Even LSU coach Paul Dietzel said so.
No. 20 Tennessee 16, No. 15 Alabama 14; Legion Field, Birmingham, Ala., Oct. 19, 1985: It was Dale Jones point blank against Mike Shula late in the 1985 game. “Shula back to throw, left-handed, out into the flat ... Broken up ... Was that intercepted in mid-air? Ladies and gentlemen, what a play by Dale Jones!” That’s how John Ward called the play.
No. 11 Tennessee 21, Kentucky 7; Stoll Field, Lexington, Ky., Nov. 20, 1971: Carl Johnson saved the game, the last contest at Stoll Field, intercepting a pitchout and lumbering 87 yards for a score, when the Big Blue seemed poised to tie the score or go ahead late in the contest. “The quarterback came down the line on the option,” Johnson said. “I punched him with my left arm, and he pitched the ball at the same time. I ran it back some 87 yards. Half the team caught up to me because I ran out of steam about halfway there.”
No. 1 Tennessee 28, No. 10 Arkansas 24; Neyland Stadium, Nov. 14, 1998: Tennessee looked dead in the water, literally, given the weather conditions, in a battle of top 10 teams. Quarterback Clint Stoerner brought his team to the line, with second-and-12 and 1:47 left, leading 24-22. The call was a quarterback keeper to the left. When the play started, Billy Ratliff pushed an offensive guard into Stoerner’s path, with Stoerner tripping and trying to brace his fall with the ball. The ball came loose, Ratliff recovered at the Arkansas 43, and the Vols scored in five plays. Amazing, simply amazing.
Tennessee 35, No. 2 Alabama 28; Neyland Stadium, Oct. 16, 1982: The yoke was lifted as the Vols broke an 11-game losing streak to Alabama with a 35-28 win in Bear Bryant’s final Knoxville appearance. The Tide had closed the margin and was moving inexorably to the north end in the final moments. It came down to fourth down. Lee Jenkins tipped a Walter Lewis pass, and Mike Terry grabbed the spheroid. The Vols had the ball … and the game. Then pandemonium reigned.
No. 13 Tennessee 35, No. 5 Notre Dame 34; Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Ind., Nov. 9, 1991: The greatest comeback in Vol history, bar none, with two big-time defensive plays. The Vols trailed 31-7 in the second quarter, before Darryl Hardy blocked a field attempt, and Floyd Miley returned the block for a score. The Vols led 35-34 after a perfectly executed screen pass from Andy Kelly to running back Aaron Hayden. Jeremy Lincoln, from just down the toll road in Toledo, blocked a final field goal attempt with his rump to cinch the win.
No. 3 Tennessee 17, Auburn 9; Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, Ala., Oct. 3, 1998: Auburn took the opening kickoff and was moving smartly down the field, until defensive end Shaun Ellis got it the way of a pitchout and lumbered 90 yards for a score. Tennessee needed a goal line stand in the second period and some alert defensive work down the stretch to subdue the Tigers.
No. 1 Tennessee 23, No. 2 Florida State 16; Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Ariz., Jan. 4, 1999: Tennessee punter David Leaverton made one of the key plays in the first BCS National Championship Game, tackling FSU’s Peter Warrick just as it appeared he might break the return for a score. Leaverton, now in Sen. Bob Corker’s Knoxville office, called the tackle “textbook,” and said he remembered “seeing stars” after the tackle and didn’t “realize how big the play was at the time.”
No. 12 Tennessee 31, No. 5 Penn State 11; Neyland Stadium, Dec. 4, 1971: Tennessee was a definite underdog, and Penn State (10-0) looked ready to take control of the game in the first quarter, until Jackie Walker and Conrad Graham took charge. “It didn’t look like we could stop them,” UT coach Bill Battle said. “They ran a counter-option to their right. Jackie Walker hit John Hufnagel as he pitched the ball. Conrad Graham came up on run support, the ball popped up, he grabbed it, and ran 76 yards for a touchdown.”
There are others, probably, but none as significant.
Tom Mattingly is the author of “The Tennessee Football Vault: The Story of the Tennessee Volunteers, 1891-2006” (2006), to be published in second edition in 2009, and “Tennessee Football: The Peyton Manning Years” (1998). He saw all 10 of these plays in person. He may be reached at tjmshm@comcast.net. His News Sentinel blog is called “The Vol Historian.”
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Comments » 20
TommyJack writes:
I still think we should have a Clint Stoerner Street, much like Peyton Manning Pass and Tee Martin Dr.
murrayvol writes:
Clint should at least have a star on the Walk of Infamy.
eefor10c writes:
volster, they aren't ranked--That is just the ranking the Vols had when they entered the game.
OrangeKoolAid writes:
1985 Sugar Bowl when Jimmy Johnson said it was disgraceful that his Hurricanes should play a team ranked as low as the Vols. Reggie White introduced himself to Vinny Testiverdi over and over again in the backfield. The only way Miami scored that day was with the help of back-to-back flags (roughing the kicker followed by pass interference) on questionable calls. I don't remember much else of the stay in the Quarter, but that's due to too much celebrating.
iowavol writes:
Sales, I think Reggie was long gone by the 85 Sugar Bowl, but the defense was unbelievable. I remember Johnny accepting a penalty on 3 and 15 to push them back even further. The announcers were like 'what's wrong with Majors, accept the play and force Miami to punt'. Testaverde dropped back on the 2nd 3rd down and never quit running backwards until he was sacked for another 18 yard loss. The defense was awesome in that game led be Dale Jones and Chris White.
However, there are way to many Darwin Walker or Chuck Smith stops to mention here that were game savers. Al Wilsons strip of the Georgia receiver 25 yards down field - a game I attended in Athens - probably ranks as the top stop to win the game.
gavol2572 writes:
I think the game with Miami in '03 or '04 where we snapped their orange bowl winning streak was one HUGE defensive stand.
RockyMountainVol writes:
Volster, it was a linebacker (from New Jersey, no less) named Darrin Miller that made that 97 yard return against Iowa. That was the play that immediately came to mind when I saw this list... but then I realized "Hey, it was only the Kickoff Classic!" But sitting in Giants Stadium that day, getting hammered by Iowa fans and all my NJ buddies that just loved to give me phooey about Tennessee, it was a great play!
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
"Stoerner Stumble"
No two words in the English language can as quickly illicit joy in the hearts of thousands of people at their mere mention.
lomas98 writes:
Defensive stand in 5th ot at Commonwealth Stadium last November was classic. Secured birth in SECCG
surlyguy writes:
Also, props to Al Wilson vs the Gators in Neyland... a one man wrecking crew all day with a BIG hit late to stop a score if I recall correctly.
I also immediately thought of the 97 yard option pitchout "interception" by Darrin Miller (thanks, RockyMtnVol...I would not have remembered his name).
jack_2222#231746 writes:
Paul Naumoff's goal line hit on Larry Csonka in the Gator Bowl.
orangebloodgmc writes:
Craig Puki meeting Vegas Ferguson in the hole at end of first half in Neyland Stadium, I think it was 4th and goal. We went on to win.
richvol writes:
Dale Jones play was great but the best overall effort was Al Wilson's play against the Gators in '98. Three caused fumbles and Lord knows how many tackles. No way UT wins the NC that year without him.
QCVol writes:
Billy Ratliff's push and fumble recovery at the goaline has to be the greatest play of all time because that was TN's season right there....I know there had to be help from above on that one....Leaverton's hit on warrick is a close runner up, I can still visual that hit...incredible...LOLOLOL...
orangebloodgmc writes:
Our boys also had an excellent goalline stand to beat the Ohio State nuts in a bowl (Gator?). Nation's best running back, George, could not power it in, running behind nation's best offensive tackle, Pace.
orangebloodgmc writes:
Thank you, Peppervol. Wonder if video of that stand is available online any place, youtube or elsewhere?
orangebloodgmc writes:
Here we go. Not real clear, but basically shows what happened.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNdfk9...
beachvol1 writes:
Let's not forget the infamous win in Memphis in 1965 against the mighty Bruins of UCLA....Swamp rat brought us back from the dead....and the Bruins had the Heisman Trophy(when it meant something) winner in Gary Beban...
koamalina writes:
Three of my favorites:
#3 1983 vs. LSU in Neyland Stadium - Reggie White breaks through the line and envelopes the LSU running back as he takes the handoff. Reggie owned LSU in that game.
#2 1995 at Alabama - Alabama runs option right, and Leonard Little pops the QB so that the ball goes one way and the QB the other. Fumble recovered by the Vols, QB out for the game.
#1 1983 Senior Bowl - Outland Trophy winner Dean Steinkuhler (spelling?) is across the line from Reggie White. First down, Reggie blows DS up and tackles the running back for a loss. Second down, Reggie blows past DS and sacks the QB. Third down, Reggie blows past DS for the third consecutive play and sacks the QB again. After the series the Reggie is interviewed and asked if he was "trying to make a point about the Outland trophy". Reggie just smiled as said "I think I made a point" with a humble smile on his face. Reggie was The Man, period.
orangebloodgmc writes:
Koamalina, I remember your #3, when Reggie smacked Dalton Hilliard in the backfield. The game was in Knoxville, but I was having to watch it amongst LSU fans in Baton Rouge!
But I can still picture that hit, along with Inky Johnson tatooing that big tall Notre Dame receiver out in the flat, and my third visual image would be Jason Mitchell blasting a Vandy running back on an inside run.
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