Craft thrust into UCLA's top spot

If UCLA football had gone according to form, Kevin Craft likely would have spent this season learning a new system behind two senior quarterbacks. His chance to start would come next year.

Instead, his chance will come Monday night when the Bruins open the 2008 season against 18th-ranked Tennessee.

Craft, a junior college transfer who began his college career at San Diego State, will open the season as UCLA's No. 1 quarterback. He won the job through attrition.

After serious injuries to Patrick Cowan and Ben Olson, Craft was the most experienced quarterback still standing.

"You've got to prepare like you're the No. 1 guy whether you are one, two or three," said Craft, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound junior. "If you prepare like that, you'll be all right.

"I went through something similar at San Diego State, where a couple of (quarterbacks) went down."

Craft responded by completing 69 of 121 passes for 737 yards as a redshirt freshman in 2006. Last year, at Mt. San Antonio College, he threw 44 touchdown passes and only 10 interceptions.

His game experience hasn't always shown while trying to learn the system of first-year UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel and offensive coordinator Norm Chow. Craft, who also went through spring practice with the Bruins, has struggled at times in preseason. His inconsistency, coupled with his offensive line's lack of experience, makes you wonder how he will hold up against an improved UT defense.

But he at least has had the benefit of working with an accomplished quarterbacks coach in Chow.

"If you met him off the field, he's the nicest guy you would ever meet," Craft said. "But when he's on the field, he's very specific in what he wants. He has great attention to detail, and you have to do things the way he wants them done.

"Just completing a pass isn't always good enough if your footwork isn't right. We work footwork every day. That's a big part of what he teaches quarterbacks."

Southern Hospitality: Chow, who was the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator the last three years, has plenty of respect for UT's coaching staff.

"They're terrific coaches," Chow said. "I've known (former UT assistant coach) David Cutcliffe for years.

"I had a chance to go to Knoxville and do a coaching clinic at UT. They put my wife and me up in Gatlinburg. It was beautiful."

Challenging Schedule: The opener against UT begins a rigorous schedule for the Bruins. Six of UCLA's opponents are ranked in either the coaches' or the AP preseason poll.

All three non-conference opponents - UT, BYU and Fresno State - are ranked in the top 25 in at least one of the polls.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284.