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"We'll look at the tape Monday, but I don't think we do anything," Chow said. "What are we, 3-5? You stay the course. That's all we can do. He didn't lose the game. He didn't play very well, but he didn't lose the game." [...]

"The idea is to evaluate everybody, and Kevin will be under evaluation and we'll decide who gives us the best chance to win," Neuheisel said. "To me, it looked like he had just made up his mind and was throwing the ball where he thought it had to go, and I don't know if he was using his eyes enough.

"From where I stood, it looked like he was making quick decisions and wasn't giving us time for the route to develop." [...]

"We have to figure out some combination of players that gives us the ability to be balanced," Neuheisel said. "An off week really gives you an opportunity to delve into that."

While Neuheisel wants, and will eventually demand, more consistency, he admires Cardiac Craft's resiliency.

As for Craft, well, he just wants the ball in his hands with a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter.

"It's kind of a defining moment as a quarterback," he said. "If the pressure is on, I like it. We don't necessarily want to be in that situation, but it's something I've always kind of been able to do -- when the team is behind, I can bring them back."

"We go back to work tomorrow."

"It's one loss just like last week was one win. It's one loss. What choice do we have?"

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.

"Are we there? I don't think so," Chow said of the talent gap with USC. "If we were, Karl Dorrell would still be coaching. I know Karl and love Karl, but obviously something happened so they had to make a change."

That was my dream, to play at UCLA.

I remember the things Troy Aikman could do. I want to emulate that and take them back to the top.

There's a great allure to Norm Chow. His resume gives him almost rock star status. I could not be any happier with the harmony that exists on our coaching staff.