We seem to really struggle with defending the football while its in the air. I don't want to take anything away from UAB's effort and performance yesterday, but on their 1st and 2nd TD's of the game, VOL DB's were in position to simply knock the pass down and couldn't do it. We seem to be going for the interception instead of just knocking the ball down. The same thing happened against Oregon where Art Evans should have just knocked the ball down and Oregon got a TD. Teague does seem to play the ball in the air alright.  

LSU has talented young receivers in Randle, Tolliver and Shephard and they are going to throw some balls up to them. If you watched LSU last night, their offense sputtered again and they even went to QB Lee at one point. We will need to defend the pass in the air much better than we did yesterday on the deep ball to these guys on LSU.  

After the great pass from Crompton to Stocker to set us up at the Bama 27 with about 45 seconds to go, why did we not hurry to the line and call a play or two to get it closer for Lincoln? I know we had no timeouts, but here is why we should have pressed to get it closer:

• The clock stops to move the chains, and if UT was ready at the line at the 27 yard line, could have called a play without losing much (if any) time.  Heck, we had 45 seconds, can't we get 2 plays off and still spike the ball?  
• Lincoln had alreay proven earlier in the game (and in his career) that he is not very good from distances where UT is not inside the opponets 25 yard line. He missed short on that long one before the half, had one blocked from about the same distance, and is still injured which makes his leg strength issues even worse.
• We had Bama gassed on D (look at time of possesion in the 2nd half.) Crompton was hot on those final 2 drives and I think Jones or Moore could have gotten at least 7 -  10 more yards on a comeback or crossing route. Even if the ball is short of the first down, get up and spike it with about 10 seconds to go and bring on Lincoln.
Coach's exmplanation after the game was that he was affraid of taking a sack or getting called for holding to push us out of any FG range (which is understandable to a degree), but don't you try and put your team in the best position to win? A 44 yarder from an injured Lincoln when they just blocked the same kick 10 minutes ago......... I'm not laying this loss on this decision or on Lincoln. UT's offense getting exactly 0 and 0 from those 2 clock killing drives in the 2nd half, and only 3 from our nice drive inside their 10 in the first half, is why we lost.   

We all see the potential in Bryce Brown to be one of the all time best backs at UT. I realize he only has played 3 games and he is averaging 5.3 yards per carry so far and caught 5 balls out of the backfield.

The TV announcers the last 2 weeks have also noticed BB's huge up side, but they seem to feel that he kind of dances a little to much in the backfield and doesn't just hit the hole (bang) like 5th year senior Montari Hardesty. Has anybody else watching the games live or on TV picked up on this? If so, do we know if the coaches are addressing the issue and teaching him to run more north and south when he gets the rock?  

Regardles, I like the combo of him and Hardesty.

All I have been hearing about from UCLA fans the last few weeks is about how great the UCLA defense is. Okay, UCLA has some quality defense players in Price, the Bosworth boys, Carter, Ayers, Verner and Moore...... but if UCLA's defense is / was so great, then why did they rank 85th nationally in scoring defense and 89th nationally against the run last season? Okay so some of that has to do with UCLA being minus 10 in turnover margin last year (ranked 104 nationally) and yes, UCLA's defense was ranked 8th nationally against the pass, but really, does that sound like a good defense to you?

UCLA is an improving team and they will move into the upper reigon of the PAC 10 in the next few years with how they have been recruiting under Coach RN. 

I still think Hardesty and Bryce and our O-line can't wait to run all over the 89th best rushing defense in the nation.  If UT runs the ball, UT wins period.