At this point, I'm starting to wonder whether Norm Chow is capable of leading a D-III team to the Rose Bowl. While Craft deserves no shortage of credit for settling down and making all the right throws, Chow's imprint on the comeback was unmistakable. Once it became apparent that UCLA's blockers could provide the necessary protection, Craft went from aimlessly slinging the ball downfield to what appeared to be very precise, targeted throws into specific holes in the Vols' defense. And who could have foreseen DTs Brian Price and Brigham Harwell so thoroughly dominating a Tennessee offensive line that allowed just four sacks all of last season? You can see why Rick Neuheisel made sure to retain defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker.
While I'm sure they're still partying in Westwood, I wouldn't get too ahead of myself if I'm a UCLA fan. Monday night's win seemed like one of those perfect storms, with the Bruins feeding off the energy and excitement surrounding Neuheisel's debut and where every conceivable break (except maybe Tennessee's field goal to force overtime) went in UCLA's favor. The Bruins are still going to take their share of licks this season, but their future hasn't looked this bright in a long, long time.
