Strange: Baffling 3-and-outs pointless for Vols

In football, an offense's cardinal sin is a turnover. First runner-up is the three-and-out.

There's no exclamation point on a three-and-out like there is with a fumble or interception, but it's still, in almost all cases, a depressing failure.

You've got three downs to make 10 yards. Move the chains. Eat some clock. Give the defense a chance to catch its breath.

To fail means punting the ball back to the opponent, or, in some instances, settling for a field-goal attempt. Either way, you send your defense back into battle without much of a break.

"That's one of our goals, to avoid three-and-outs,'' Dave Clawson said Tuesday.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment Clawson took from his debut as Tennessee's offensive coordinator was just how badly the Vols missed that goal.

Nine times in 15 possessions in their 27-24 overtime loss at UCLA, the Vols went three-and-out without scoring a point. That includes the overtime possession that led to a missed field goal that ended the game.

Nine seemed like a lot. I started checking the play-by-play sheets I've filed away over the years to see when the last time UT had nine three-and-outs.

I gave up once I got all the way back through the Peyton Manning era (1994). Couldn't find one.

History isn't the point. The point is Tennessee missed a bunch of opportunities against UCLA to make something happen.

The other point is that UT's defense could have used a bit more rest during the first three quarters. It probably would have made a difference late.

"It's very upsetting we couldn't convert those third downs,'' said offensive tackle Ramon Foster. "We've got to take the initiative now and not let that happen again because our defense played a great game.''

The defense did play a great game - until the final 10 minutes when it couldn't prevent UCLA's only two offensive touchdown drives.

Defensive coordinator John Chavis said his unit has to finish games better. Toward that end, he vows to play more reserves early Saturday against UAB to keep his first-stringers fresher late.

"When we've been at our best, we've been able to play two deep and that's where we're headed,'' Chavis said.

Time of possession at UCLA worked out roughly even. Chavis would be the last guy to ever point a finger at the offense.

"We've got an opportunity to go three-and-out ourselves,'' he said.

Clawson, meanwhile, at least had the consolation of pinpointing why all those third downs didn't work: Because of all those crummy second downs.

"The shame of it is we were very productive on first down,'' Clawson said. "We had a lot of second-and-very-manageable that we turned into third-and-unmanageable.''

Of the nine three-and-outs, UT gained a net 3 yards on second down.

There were six incomplete passes, another completed screen for a 3-yard loss. There was one lonely rush. It gained 1 yard.

Third down was no improvement on the nine three-and-outs. A fumbled snap on the opening possession set the tone for what would follow: a sack, an interception and four incompletions.

"We didn't execute well,'' Clawson said. "I know it's coach-speak but it's also accurate.''

The breakdowns came largely in areas that hadn't been a problem during fall camp. Maybe that's just the difference in facing live fire for the first time.

Tennessee's offense should be more cohesive by the time Florida visits on Sept. 20. Between now and then the UAB's defense will be there for the taking.

Maybe that will be balm to ease the memory of Clawson's debut, the one where those three-and-outs kept running together.

"Whether it was new system or breakdowns, it doesn't matter,'' he said. "There's no excuse for it and we're working hard to correct it.''

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strangem@knoxnews.com.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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