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Inside College Football
UCLA's defense figured out how to stop Alabama and got the Bruins a rare road win By Ivan Maisel
In fact, UCLA didn't know how little it knew. Last winter Franchione took his staff to Clemson to study the Tigers' offense and sent offensive coordinator Les Koenning Jr. to study Northwestern's. Before last Saturday's game Franchione estimated that 40% of Alabama's offense would be new. "We will have a touch of option, but you won't walk away thinking we're an option team," Franchione said. "UCLA will see a lot of things it's never seen from us. We'll use a lot more shotgun." Franchione hoped the shotgun would protect junior quarterback Tyler Watts from mistakes by the two freshmen -- Wesley Britt and Justin Smiley -- starting on the offensive line. The Bruins struggled early against the amalgam of the option and the shotgun, leaving wide receiver Antonio Carter uncovered for a 78-yard touchdown pass that staked the Tide to a 7-0 lead. Bruins defensive coordinator Phil Snow adjusted by putting a fifth man on the line, and Alabama didn't score another touchdown until 2:13 remained. Franchione, hailed in the preseason by Alabama players for the discipline he instilled, watched his team commit a school-record 15 penalties (for 93 yards). Trailing 20-10 early in the fourth quarter and needing two feet for a first down inside the UCLA two-yard line, the Tide put three backs in the backfield and Watts under center. In the sodden air of Bryant-Denny Stadium, the formation looked like the ghost of the wishbone with which Bear Bryant won 103 games and two national titles in the 1970s. Watts took the snap, and the option flowed to the left. So, too, did UCLA linebacker Brandon Chillar, strong safety Jason Stephens and Manning, the latter shoving tailback Ahmaad Galloway out-of-bounds inches short of the first down. Rarely has a defense that allowed 458 yards been so effective. Of course, a few of those penalties, plus two turnovers, helped. UCLA won only its second road game in its last 12 attempts. The Bruins had no penalties and no turnovers, remarkable on any Saturday and unheard of in an opener. "We're a veteran team," said UCLA coach Bob Toledo afterward. "There's no nonsense." Issue date: September 10, 2001
For more Inside College Football see this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, on newsstands Wednesday, September 5. Click here to subscribe to SI.
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