Vol Report
Tennessee Stat Book
UCLA Bruins
LOS ANGELES - All West Coast trips aren't the same.
For example, Pasadena isn't Berkeley. You won't find nude protestors perched in trees unless somebody is filming a movie.
And you won't find an offense as talented as Cal's tonight in the Rose Bowl.
Last year's season opener against Cal was a worst-case scenario for Tennessee. It pitted the Vols' inexperienced defense against Cal's dynamic offense. Moreover, the Vols were least experienced in the secondary; Cal was most experienced at wide receiver.
The Golden Bears didn't just pass over the Vols. They ran over them in a 45-31 victory that was accomplished before an SEC-like crowd, which was decidedly more interested in avenging Cal's loss to UT in the 2006 season opener than in saving trees.
UCLA's crowd won't be as vocal tonight. And it won't have nearly as much to cheer about.
This year's Bruins are weakest where last year's Golden Bears were strongest. Their top returning receiver had 23 catches last season. Their best running back, Kahlil Bell, is making a comeback from a knee injury and will start with a brace on his knee.
Just wondering: How many running backs have you seen rush for 100 yards in a knee brace?
UCLA has bigger concerns at quarterback, where junior college transfer Kevin Craft is the starter. He climbed up the depth chart over the fallen bodies of injured quarterbacks Ben Olson and Pat Cowan.
UCLA doesn't have the wealth of playmakers that are usually evident on the Pac-10's best teams. And I haven't even mentioned the Bruins' most obvious shortcoming, a makeshift offensive line that could threaten the well being of both Craft and Bell.
The strength of UCLA's offense is in the press box, where accomplished play caller Norm Chow will try to scheme the Bruins despite their team's apparent deficiencies.
New head coach Rick Neuheisel isn't exactly a stiff himself when it comes to offense. So you would expect he and Chow could mount some semblance of an offensive threat.
If they conspire to manufacture enough points and the defense plays up to last year's standards despite losing six starters, maybe the Bruins can extend the suspense into the fourth quarter.
But don't bet on it. In fact, I wonder how many UT fans stopped off in Las Vegas on the way to L.A. just to make a friendly wager large enough to cover their travel expenses. A betting line that favors UT by 7 1/2 points - and was holding steady at 7 points for so long - had to be tempting.
UT 30, UCLA 10: The Vols are getting the Bruins at the right time - before Neuheisel has had a chance to recruit offensive players worthy of Chow's play-calling.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
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Comments » 29
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
I'm BACK!!!!!!
pammyvol1000 writes:
Just in case your missing it> Fulmer on now on Sports South and preview to UCLA.
rootin4volz writes:
It'll be more than 20 points.
britt writes:
Watching Phil now. Love hearing John Ward calling the old games. Would pay anything to hear him announce "Its Football Time In Tennessee" tomorrow night.
Anybody know what channel The Locker Room is on in the tri-cities?
volroadwarrior writes:
I also loved hearing John Anderson's drolling comments in those broadcast. They were the best.
FWBVol writes:
DCflorida, keep talking sense and not ripping on UT and you are OK. I agree with you when you say a loss to UCLA would be more devastating than the loss to Cal.
I think a big win by 18 points or more will send a message that this is the start of something special.
I see where Georgia lost a starting DT for the season and it looks as if the Bulldogs might have a depth problem at certain positions before too long.
Your Gators looked good yesterday, but I really couldn't get a feel for what kind of team Florida has this year. Hawaii looked as overmatched against Florida as it did against Georgia so I'm just thinking the Rainbow Warriors are just a BCS conference wanna be.
Based on yesterday, I see Tennessee's four toughest games being, in this order, Florida, Georgia, Auburn and Alabama. Kentucky's defense looked good today too, but I'm still not sold on the Cats or South Carolina.
For now though, it's time to crank it up for tomorrow night. I like Tennessee 38-10.
murrayvol writes:
workin: When did you leave?
murrayvol writes:
roadwarrior: Would you be talking about Bill Anderson? John had a few good songs but don't think he announced many football games.
TommyJack writes:
FWBVol: KY seemingly needs a QB. Bad.
Murray: John Anderson be swangin.
gavol2572 writes:
Adams kept referring to the game as if it is being played tonite. I'm wondering if KNS released this story a tad earlier.
A convincing win against UCLA will be awesome for the team. It will give confidence and experience to some of the younger players while allowing some of the vets to get back in the swing of things. Not to mention the fact it will show the nation that the ENTIRE SEC is in a leage of its own!
FWBVol writes:
gavol2572, you're right about the KNS releasing the story online before it appears in Monday's print edition. It's the way of the world in the newspaper business these days.
gavol2572 writes:
sorry for being a goober, I guess I've never paid any attention to it until now.
GreerVol22 writes:
gavol, careful about callin' yourself a goober....Tebow could be listening.
DannyVol writes:
Another hack job by the worst writer in the world...who also happens to hate our Vols.
Good thing we are playing UCLA now? Look at the records over the past 20 years and rethink that you overpaid stooge.
For those of you who subscribe to Mr. Adams newspaper, shame on you. He throws dirt in your face every chance he gets and never gets called out.
givehim6 writes:
Wow john, sounds like your growing some hair on your chest. GO VOLS!
ccVOLS615 writes:
Ok so i think i have an idea for the spread offence,and i know im getting a little ahead of myself, but i might not be able to post much longer. So if anyone thinks this is a good idea please spread the word. Or if anyone knows of a rule that would prohibit this idea maybe they could shead some light on it for me. Here goes first i watched some of the florida game and a few others where the teams were running the spread. And while this idea doesnt include stoping the whole offence. I think it could stop one particular play that hurts everyone. The play where the QB hands the ball off to the RB or fakes the handoff and keeps the ball himself. Every time the QB does hand the ball off they run almost half heartedly to one side or the other always away from the RB but they dont run all out as they would if they had the ball, And eventually they all stop and look at the RB to see what happens to the guy with the ball. Once every one figures out that the QB didnt keep the ball they don't worry about him they all go after the RB. I suggest that just like with the option when the QB tosses the ball right before he gets hit and the deffense goes on and tackles him that we do the same thing to tebow every time he runs that play. Have a LB (G williams preferably) go and declete him take his head off and piledrive him to the ground..... Ball or not even if the LB knows he doesnt have the ball have one person (G.W) or any LB assigned to that play every time tebow hands off and then runs like he has the ball that one person doesnt worry about the man with the ball his job is to CRUSH the QB(Tebow) let the killer secondary tackle the RB. The QB's faking like he has the ball so if anyone thinks he has it and floors him there shouldn t be a problem with that. Since I notteiced that most of the time they dont run full speed and really stop looking in front of them but turn to watch the play. I'd say they would be perfact targets for decleting piledriving smashing bashing crushing or any other ing for that matter, And after a few of those smashings I think old urban meyer my think twice about running that play vary often. Or at least it would limit one of the hardest plays to stop. so let me know what everyone think's about that and if there's any rule that would prohibit doing such a thing.............18 hours till kickoff GO VOLS crush the bruins
ccVOLS615 writes:
Sorry about the book ..... GO VOLS anyway.....
gavol2572 writes:
great concept ccVOLS but I would think if a defense continued to do that there would be a lot of yellow laundry on the field. The penalty yards for unnecessary roughness would be off the charts. The NCAA is doing all they can do to make it where the QB is almost untouchable with or with out the ball.
gavol2572 writes:
your right Greer, I will be sure to keep that in mind. I most certainly don't need any of Mr. Tebow's off the field services.
Bigger_Al writes:
I agree with ccVOLS615. I've wondered about that myself.
FWBVol writes:
If the QB is clearly running away from the play and not involved in the action, taking a shot at him as he strolls away would be a personal foul.
When an option quarterback makes the keep-pitch decision, a hit can also be judged similar to the roughing the quarterback call on a pass play in relatinonship to how soon he is hit after releasing the ball.
I'm an old defensive lineman and I appreciate a good hit on a quarterback as much as anyone, but ccVOLS suggestion, IMO, is dirty football and I don't want our team to get a reputation for that.
Often Tebow, and some other QBs will block after the handoff. In doing so they make themself part of the continuing play. The time to hit them a CLEAN shot would be when they are blocking as a defender tries to blow up the play.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
I have to admit I don't mind seeing a good, blindside un-hinging of a QB if he isn't wearing Orange.
As long as he's not permanently harmed. It is a very violent sport, after all.
CLEAN does not refer to his drawers after such a hit.
iowavol writes:
Adams is a POS. Don't need to read the article to know he is already putting an asterisk next to the W if Tennessee wins. You are a worthless human being, Adams, and most of us wish you success somewhere else because you are not going to get it here.
orangecountry21 writes:
iawavol read my mind. Waiting to pull the, 'UCLA was not a legit win because of injuries' out of his hat.
TommyJack writes:
I didn't see it as a put-down. I guess you can read anything you want into an article. Seems to me that we ARE catching them at a good time.
ccVOLS615 writes:
FWBVOL thanks for replying, but i say that the QB is not running away from the play but into it and furthermore pretending as if he had the ball as to draw defenders to him. So the RB has less to deal with. Dirty or not i would suggest the spread offence or that play inpeticular could be described as a different dirty word. That you could call that P>>>Y football. FAGMEYER and his offence is taking advantage of the rules. If there is one that says you can't hit the QB on that play. If your going to send a player past the line of scrimmage pretending to have the ball as to distract the defenders from the real player with the ball and then say OH! you cant hit him he's the QB thats BULLS>>T and somthing needs to be done as far as that rule goes and how it pretains to that play........... GO VOLS KICK SOME BRUIN TAIL
yeavols#228407 writes:
I have a feeling everyone thinks this is a done deal for Tennessee. BEWARE! since when has UCLA been so weak that it's an automatic guarantee they were going to lose their first game. I only hope our team doesn't buy into the media that UCLA is going to have a rough time. UCLA is UCLA..i am not fooled..
TNdog writes:
Thanks alot you piece of ____
You suck the _______ of Glenn Dorsey on a good sweaty day
I hate your guts
cphil writes:
Maybe some of you Adams haters should consider an apology about now. The man told it like it was last year and last night's debacle by Fulmer & Co. proved him right.
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