Look for unusual plays

Minus any clue of what to expect when Tennessee-Knoxville plays Tennessee-Martin, here is a simple coaching tip: Be on the lookout for unusual plays. Stay alert. One might happen at an unexpected moment. That is the way of Volunteer football. Excitement is often just around the corner.

I see several unusual plays each morning. My computer screensaver is “Touchdown Tennessee,” a DVD gift from the Vol Network, Coca-Cola and Pilot. It is a treat.

Condredge Holloway bounces off several Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, dodges two or three other would-be tacklers, shakes off another and scores an amazing touchdown. Great player, great balance, fierce determination.

At point-blank range, Dale Jones bats a Mike Shula pass and catches that sucker before it hits the ground. Neither Alabama nor I have seen anything quite like that play.

Sometime around 8 a.m., Bernard Dafney, a really big man, picks up a football that had been carefully hidden beside a guard’s foot. He runs all the way, 32 yards, against Mississippi State. It takes time but any touchdown by an offensive lineman is a joyous occasion. They called it fumblerooskie. Conning the Bulldogs doubled the fun.

Every day is not too often to review Nov. 14, 1998, fourth quarter, bleak situation, Arkansas leading by two with two minutes remaining, undefeated season on the line, big dreams in bad trouble.

This unusual play may have been a miracle. Razorback QB Clint Stoerner took the snap, tripped over his right guard and attempted to brace his fall with the hand that held the ball. Defensive tackle Billy Ratliff, the Vol who caused the confusion, recovered the prize. Astounding reversal of fortunes. Of course Tennessee won. Unforgettable.

How about ol’ Jeremy Lincoln blocking that Notre Dame field-goal attempt with his ample backside and crediting his mother for his winning physique.

Not on my screen but very unusual was The Stop against LSU. Unusual, indeed, was Georgia rookie Herschel Walker, on his way to his first college touchdown, running smack over Bill Bates. Only once did I see Alabama quarterback Snake Stabler spike the football to stop the clock – on fourth down.

Before that was the titanic collision between Bobby Gordon and John David Crow, Tennessee versus Texas A&M in the Gator Bowl.

Ah yes, I recall Denver Crawford knocking down and hurting three Vanderbilt Commodores with one wicked block. Johnny Butler ran a hundred yards or more, sideline to sideline, on his way to a 56-yard touchdown. Truly unusual.

Perhaps the strangest, wackiest play ever at Neyland Stadium happened on Nov. 7, 1981, Wichita State in town to help Tennessee observe homecoming. With six minutes or so to go and the score tied at 21, Shockers quarterback Prince McJunkins threw a pass to wideout Reuben Eckels. Tight end Anthony Jones “intercepted.”

Two Vols crashed and took themselves out of the play. Jones’ crossing pattern led him toward the Tennessee sideline, in the general direction of a touchdown.

You had to see what happened to believe it. Jones, unchallenged, gained 67 yards but stepped out of bounds at the UT 25. Inexplicable. Coach Johnny Majors saw it but probably considered it a mirage.

“Somebody was chasing me and I thought he had the angle. In keeping him in perspective, I stepped on the sideline,” said Jones.

Willie Jeffries, then the Wichita State coach, new in the College Football Hall of Fame, remembers much too vividly.

“The play was 169, a little dump to the tight end off an option. Some thought the pass was intended for the wide receiver. It wasn’t. It was to the tight end.

“Anthony broke some tackles and headed for the Tennessee sideline. He was running forward but looking back and he kept veering closer to the side. If it had been our sideline, we could have helped him.”

Jones, now head coach at Alabama A&M, says there were several smarty comments from teammates, “teasing stuff you couldn’t print. We had a big gain instead of a touchdown. We had first and 10. Unfortunately, we lost an interception and Tennessee drove down the field for the winning field goal (Fuad Reveiz, last few seconds).

“If I had scored, we might have won. If we had won, it would have been one of the biggest in Wichita State history.”

Coach Jeffries recalls exchanging hugs with Coach Majors after the game. 

“He had on a long Russian coat, nice coat. I told him the way the game ended saved a lot of embarrassment. You aren’t supposed to lose on homecoming.

“Tennessee was a money game for us. We were sad about losing but we learned we could play with the big boys. Speaking of big boys, we were in so many homecoming games, we had our own float.”

Unusual, very unusual.

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