UCLA football: A fan’s look back at Tennessee

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There’s no harm in admitting it now, but really, all I was hoping for was that UCLA kept it close on the road against Tennessee.

Watching the betting line start at about seven points and then seeing it crawl above 10 as the week went along didn’t exactly have me feeling sky high about taking on Rocky Top.

These tempered expectations tend to creep into your consciousness when you’re a fan of a team that hasn’t necessarily been setting the college football world on fire.

So forgive me, as even I admit I’m in need -- and gladly, mind you -- of an attitude adjustment after Saturday’s thrilling victory amid the 102,000-plus mostly orange-clad fans in Knoxville on Saturday.

Here are ‘observations, opinions and reflections from the fan’s chair’ after UCLA’s 19-15 victory over Tennessee. -- Let’s start with the obvious. There’s nothing more important for a rebuilding program than a victory on national television against a prominent opponent from a prominent conference. The effects of Saturday’s win are something that not only will be felt now but could be felt into February (national letter-of-intent day).

-- I was thinking this even before his mouth was a bloody mess, but quarterback Kevin Prince reminds me a bit of Patrick Cowan with a better arm.

-- The guts that Prince showed were as important to the victory as his lack of major mistakes. And judging by his teammates’ reaction afterward, the redshirt freshman is earning every ounce or respect due him. It would have been really easy to fold after that first-quarter fumble turned into a Tennessee touchdown.

-- By the way, I still say that Prince stretched out of the endzone on that late safety (and shouldn’t it have been an illegal hit to the helmet anyway? His mouth didn’t bleed by accident). Sunday’s news that Prince has a broken jaw and will miss at least three weeks is a heavy blow. Could this mean true freshman Richard Brehaut will be asked to step in?

-- Back to the safety. I was glad to see Coach Rick Neuheisel challenged the play. The aftermath could have been disastrous, but thankfully it was Jonathan Crompton leading that final drive against the Bruins’ defense and not someone better.

-- Despite his two fumbles, which didn’t end up hurting, I liked the way Johnathan Franklin (80 yards) looked for the second week in a row, but he was way too much of the offense. Speaking of the running game, Milton Knox gets outside fast doesn’t he?

-- Speaking of Franklin, did anyone else think it took WAY too long for that official’s review of whether Franklin fumbled near the goal line late in the game?

-- Prince had 11 completions to eight different receivers. I like the depth, but there’s a definite need for a go-to receiver to emerge. What happened to Taylor Embree? And though Terrence Austin was good on punt returns, the senior was a non-factor as a receiver.

-- Is it just me or does defensive tackle Brian Price look even bigger and more intimidating this year than he did before? Loved the way the coaching staff was able to keep him fresh late so that he could make a big play at the end. I’ll take two sacks and four tackles for a loss on most days.

-- Courtney Viney, the 5-foot-8 sophomore thought to be the weak link in the secondary after the injury to Aaron Hester, must’ve done OK since I didn’t hear his name called too often.

-- I nominate Rahim Moore for the ‘Most Opportunistic Defensive Player of the Year’ award. Two more interceptions (should have been three if not for the bogus offsides penalty late) give him a nation-leading five for the season.

-- It’s only two games into the season and kicker Kai Forbath’s goal of a perfect season is over after his 51-yard miss at the end of the first half. It also was Forbath’s first miss in eight tries on attempts of 50 yards or more in his career. But, as I predicted last week, his leg was the difference in the game after his four field goals. Incidentally, Forbath’s miss would have been good from at least 60 had he not pushed it two feet to the right.

-- Would be remiss if I didn’t mention the contributions of punter/kickoff specialist Jeff Locke, who as a freshman is quickly becoming a weapon.

-- Enjoyed the contributions of sophomore Tony Dye, not only in the secondary but especially on special teams.

-- Left tackle Xavier Su’a-Filo, a true freshman, has been outstanding so far. And though UCLA’s running game didn’t get going against the Volunteers, the offensive line gave up only one sack of Prince.

-- Still too many penalty yards (70) for my taste, especially those undisciplined penalties such as the facemask by Korey Bosworth on an early third and 12 and the personal foul on Akeem Ayers when hit a sliding Crompton late in the third quarter.

-- Six fumbles (though only one was lost) is unacceptable.

-- Note to Erin Andrews: Yeah, I noticed you called Kevin Prince ‘Kevin Price’ during your halftime interview with Neuheisel. Since we do have a prominent Price on the roster, I’ll give you a pass this time, but now you’re on notice.

-- Oh, and while we’re at it -- I’m looking at you Todd Blackledge! (or is it Tom?) -- the guy’s name is Jerzy (JERZY!) Siewierski, not ‘Jerry.’

-- Bruins fans, you’ll always have this: UCLA is responsible for the first defeat of Lane Kiffin’s college head coaching career. Or as colleague Kurt Streeter put it: The Bruins wiped the ‘perma-smirk’ right off his face. Loved it (And I’m sure Norm Chow feels the same way though he’d probably never admit it publicly).

-- Final grade for Week 2: B-plus. The Bruins get the ‘plus’ for winning in such a hostile environment or else it would have been a straight B under most other circumstances. A lot to be happy and feel good about, but the offense must improve dramatically if a bowl game is the goal, though I can understand why it’s easy to lean on the defense as much as the Bruins did. No letdowns against Kansas State.

-- Jim Barrero