Famous defensive plays

Bumped into Charlie Severance the other day, gently, at Christ Church in Halls. Same thing happened that always happens.

I thought of The Stop, Nov. 7, 1959, Shields-Watkins Field, LSU and Billy Cannon in town for one of the great plays and days in Tennessee football history.

The Sev did several things before The Stop. In and around Central High. His accomplishments since are numerous. None of that alters the link. Charlie, Wayne Grubb and Bill Majors put the pads to Heisman hero Cannon and prevented a two-point conversion with at least half an inch to spare. The Volunteers won 14-13 in a massive upset of the defending national champions.

Each time I see Charlie, that’s what splashes across my replay screen. It never gets old.

There was another save that Saturday. Without it, The Stop might have been a footnote instead of Tennessee’s most famous defensive play. Jim Cartwright picked off a Tiger pass, returned it 59 yards for a touchdown and put LSU in need of a comeback that didn’t quite materialize.

Offensive keepsakes are celebrated in script and song. We remember Gene McEver’s opening kickoff return against Alabama as the first lightning strike of the Bob Neyland era. White-haired grandfathers tell little boys about Hank Lauricella’s Cotton Bowl run, 75 yards against Texas, 58 years and six months ago.

Condredge Holloway’s scramble and throw to Larry Seivers to beat Clemson remains vivid – and still hard to believe. Dewey Warren’s forever sweep against UCLA, Rosebonnet Bowl, is unforgettable. Back to back throws by Johnny Majors to Buddy Cruze decided one of the grandest games ever in college football, Nov. 10, 1956, two great teams, Tennessee 6, Georgia Tech 0.

Big defensive plays by the Big Orange have never had their just share of the spotlight. We don’t even know for sure which is No. 2 among the most famous. Could have been Dale Jones breaking in on Mike Shula, blocking a pass at point-blank range and catching it on the way down – to save the 1985 Vol victory over Alabama.

Could have been Billy Ratliff stuffing Arkansas guard Brandon Burlsworth, causing quarterback Clint Stoerner to stumble and fumble, an absolute essential in the 1998 national championship season. It was Ratliff who found the lost football.

There were others that year, Deon Grant’s one-handed interception against Florida and Dwayne Goodrich’s pick and run in the Fiesta Bowl. I will not forget punter David Leaverton making an open-field tackle of Peter Warrick to save a touchdown.

Famous defensive plays? Albert Dorsey’s third interception in the fourth quarter against Alabama in 1967 had to be a record. Some can still hear the Bill Duff hit on Eddie George in the ’96 Citrus Bowl. Paul Naumoff stood up Larry Csonka in the ’66 Gator Bowl. Unfortunately, the Zonk recovered and scored on the next play.

Carl Johnson, in 1971, made a play for the ages, striking Kentucky’s quarterback as he tried to pitch, catching the bobble and sprinting 87 yards for a touchdown.

Carl put the sprint in proper perspective: “Half the team caught me because I ran out of gas about halfway home.”

Darrin Miller captured a stray pitchout and ran 95 yards against Iowa in the 1987 Kickoff Classic. Shaun Ellis got one against Auburn in 1998, managed to scamper 90 yards and had enough left to jog back to the bench.

In the Miracle at South Bend, Darryl Hardy blocked a Notre Dame field goal attempt from the front side and Jeremy Lincoln redirected one with his broad backside. Amazing. Funny. Significant.

Lee Jenkins and Mike Terry combined for a memorable save against Alabama in 1982. Jenkins tipped a Walter Lewis pass and Terry seized it, the clincher as Tennessee finally ended Tide domination that had lasted 11 years. A celebration followed.

Somebody must have made a few saves in 1939. Tennessee won 10 games without yielding a single point. Ten shutouts! Sorry I missed Bob Suffridge, Ed Molinski, Bob Foxx and George Cafego. Got acquainted later.

In 1950, on the green, green grass of Shields-Watkins Field, a North Carolina fullback tried to cross-body block Doug Atkins. The very large Vol caught the ambitious Tar Heel in his arms and threw him at the tailback. Spectacular. Doug said nothing to it, folks.

Two years later, Ray Martin intercepted a Louisville pass and went all the way, from one goal to the other, a full 100 yards. The runback remains a record. It doubles in keepsake value because Johnny Unitas threw the ball.

Xavier Mitchell stayed home and made a picture-perfect tackle to terminate the Air Force bid for a winning two-point conversion. I thought that play saved the 2006 season. Alas and alas, we now know it didn’t matter as much as we thought at the time.

Marvin West invites reader reaction. His address is westwest6@netzero.com.