Go for it: UT offense confident on 4th down

Lane Kiffin isn't afraid to pull the trigger.

If anything, Tennessee just wants its coach to empty the chamber a bit more often on fourth down.

The Vols have proven they don't mind taking every last chance at a first down no matter where they are on the field, and with seven consecutive conversions heading into Saturday's game with Memphis (TV: ESPNU, 7 p.m.), it's starting to look like it might not even be a gamble.

"That's a good thing, and it's him saying a good thing about us on the field," quarterback Jonathan Crompton said. "It's saying he's got confidence in us to do it, especially if we're on our side of the field or something like that. We've just got to go out there and capitalize for him and the team because he's putting all the confidence in us to do it. It's a good thing because if we get it, it's really a momentum-changer in the game.

"The first time we did it we weren't really surprised. We want to go for it on every fourth down because we feel like we can get it."

It's been a while since the Vols haven't after punching in a fourth-and-goal last week against South Carolina for a touchdown and their ninth conversion in 13 tries this season.

UT (4-4, 2-3 SEC) hasn't attempted or made the most fourth downs in the league, but since getting stopped at Florida, it's been perfect each time Kiffin has kept the offense on the field. And he obviously won't hesitate to try to extend that streak against the Tigers (2-6, 1-4 Conference USA).

"We tend to go for it a lot on fourth down, and we put it back on our players," Kiffin said. "We have a lot of confidence in our players and we want our players to feel that. We don't coach scared, and we want to make sure that if we lose games or lose situations, it's not our fault.

"We put it back on them, and I think they respond to that. We talked before the season even started that there would be situations where we'd go for it, we'll be very aggressive in our style and I think they respond to that."

There also doesn't seem to be any real limit to that aggression.

Depending on any number of variables, Kiffin isn't opposed to going for it on his side of the field, which the Vols have done five times. He'll do it in any quarter, for more than a couple yards, with the lead or without - and his players wouldn't have it any other way.

"We all get pretty excited when we go out there and pick up fourth downs when we go for it," left guard Cory Sullins said. "I guess, we just gesture to him when we're on the field and just tell him that we want to go for it, and I don't know if that has any influence on his decision or not, but I guess we all get pretty fired up for it.

"I think on most fourth-and-shorts, he's going for it. It gives us a lot of confidence and we kind of push him to go for it. We like it, and as offensive linemen, we take a lot of pride in short-yardage plays and it's something that we want to excel in."

They couldn't have been any better over the last five games.

The only problem might have been not going for it in one of them, though the Vols didn't exactly need to roll the dice much to beat Georgia.

"Sure, it's all a gamble," Kiffin said. "It just all depends. What's the score? What's the time? How's the game going? Are you on the road? There's a million things that go into it. Just like when you're down (by the goal-line), how well are you kicking the ball? How long of a fourth down is it? There's a difference between a long fourth-and-1 and fourth-and-inches.

"It will always be different depending on the exact game."

At some point Kiffin figures to be taking a shot though. The only thing in doubt is the number of bullets.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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