Despite effort, defense takes responsibility

PASADENA, Calif. - Tennessee's defense was at work on Labor Day, but it clocked out early.

UT, especially its super-hyped secondary, gave up two long fourth-quarter drives Monday night against UCLA setting up a 27-24 overtime loss in the Rose Bowl.

The first touchdown drive was 11 plays, 80 yards. The second was a nine-play, 70-yard drive. Both were good enough to take the lead.

Such drives didn't seem within the realm of possibility in the first half as the Vols reeled in four interceptions and gave up just five first downs and 85 yards.

That's barely more than half of what the Vols gave up in the two most important drives in the game.

UCLA quarterback Kevin Craft (who was third string in spring practice and only played because of two injuries at quarterback) proved to be crafty with underneath passes and an occasional scramble in the second half.

That was just a short intermission removed from a performance in the first half that had him looking outmatched and outmanned.

Craft was 7-of-18 for 66 yards with the four interceptions in the first 30 minutes. He was 18-of-23 for 193 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions in the final 30.

"I don't think it was rocket science," UT head coach Phillip Fulmer said. "He executed very well in the second half."

UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel reminded Craft that during his playing career he threw four interceptions against Georgia and lived to tell about it.

"He just kind of rolls with it," Neuheisel said of Craft's resilience.

And that's saying something considering what the Vols did to Craft in the first half.

Surely, it seemed, the Vols would set an all-time record for interceptions. UT publicists were sifting through media guides in the press box before the second quarter had even come to a close.

And the interceptions weren't just turnovers, they were timely.

When UCLA mounted a drive on their first possession, DeAngelo Willingham reeled in a pick at the UT 24.

When UT kicker Daniel Lincoln missed a 51-yard field goal giving UCLA good field position, Demetrice Morley intercepted Craft's next pass at the UT18.

When punter Chad Cunningham could only manage a 36-yard punt to the UT 45, safety Eric Berry intercepted Craft's next pass at the UT 24.

When UCLA had every reason to believe it could upset the 7-point favorite from the SEC, linebacker Nevin McKenzie intercepted a Craft pass and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown to give UT the lead 14-7 just before halftime.

The overriding question from Monday's game will be: Did the Vols' defense get too conservative with the lead?

Fulmer denied it. Neuheisel wouldn't go there. Defensive coordinator John Chavis, as usual, took the loss on himself.

"They did a great job on those two drives," Chavis said. "The result was 14 points. As it turned out, that was enough to cost us the ball game."

If there was any one adjustment that admittedly threw the Vols for a loop, it was UCLA's change in tempo, safety Eric Berry said, which caught UT's defenders off balance.

"We felt we needed to be perfect," Berry said. "We look at ourselves as perfect. We told (UT quarterback Jonathan) Crompton we had his back going into the game.

"We just needed to finish and help him out a little more."

Several of UT's offensive players took responsibility for not getting their defensive counterparts off the field.

Berry wasn't having it, claiming fatigue was never a factor despite being on the field for much of the fourth quarter.

"Just look at last year," Berry said. "The defense couldn't get it together last year and the offense picked us up a lot times.

"Right now, we have an offense that's struggling a little bit. We just have to take care of them until they get right."

Especially in the fourth quarter.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!