Manning can't rescue faltering UT
Offense stalls without running game
Ron Higgins
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Posted November 10, 1996 at midnight
Tennessee dreaded the day that virtually infallible quarterback Peyton Manning couldn't carry the Vols' offense.
That day arrived Saturday in Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, and it couldn't have come at a more inopportune time or against a more unlikely opponent.
The Vols couldn't run to jump-start the offense and Manning couldn't pass enough to bail out his team as Memphis, a 26-point underdog, pulled off a 21-17 upset.
With a faltering running game in recent weeks, Manning had made game-deciding plays to help the Volunteers beat Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. But his magic didn't work against the gritty Tigers, who held Tennessee to 85 rushing yards and intercepted Manning twice on plays that proved to be a possible two-touchdown swing.
''The burden shouldn't fall on one player,'' said Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer, referring to Manning. The lack of a running game had ''about been ready to bite us in the rear for several weeks, and it did tonight. We had good plays, but we couldn't get ahead down- and distance-wise.''
Penalties, turnovers and a solid, well-executed Memphis defensive scheme paralyzed the Vols' offense and kept them from making big plays when needed. Tennessee had six penalties for 66 yards and two turnovers.
A ledger of the Vols' downfall:
-- The Vols, leading 7-0 late in the first quarter, had a first-and-one at the Memphis 13. The series ended with a punt on fourth-and-30 from the Memphis 33 after a holding penalty and a sack of Manning by Marquis Bowling.
-- Still ahead 7-0, Manning tried to slip a quick slant to Joey Kent on first-and-10 at the Memphis 28. Tiger free safety Keith Spann intercepted and returned the ball 76 yards to the 1. Then U of M quarterback Qadry Anderson sneaked in for the TD 2:49 before halftime.
''Joey took an inside route because they were playing outside coverage and I tried to force it,'' Manning said. ''I should have waited for him to run clear.''
-- After a first-and-goal at the Memphis 4 with six minutes left in the third quarter, a holding call put the Vols back to the 11, where Manning forced a third down pass into the waiting arms of the Tigers' Duron Sutton.
''We usually throw most of our balls to the weak side, and they took that completely away from us,'' said Vols' receiver Marcus Nash, who became Manning's primary target after Kent was sidelined after the first series of the second half with a hamstring injury.
-- Finally, on third-and-one at the Memphis 11 with just more than six minutes to play, running back Jay Graham is thrown for a 1-yard loss on a play Fulmer said ''we've made first downs on for a hundred years.'' On fourth-and-two, Fulmer played it safe and ordered placekicker Jeff Hall to kick a 28-yard field goal for a 17-14 Vols' lead with 6:01 to play.
''They twisted their tackles and ends, and did a nice job of confusing our line,'' said Graham. He gained 63 yards on 27 carries and scored on an 11-yard Manning pass for a 14-7 Tennessee lead with 8:51 left in the third quarter. ''We knew they had a great defense and we needed to minimize our mistakes, but we didn't.''
Manning, who completed 23-of-40 passes for 296 yards, said he has said for weeks that if the Vols can't run, it's hard to throw.
''If you can't run . . . you can't pass . . . and you can't win,'' Manning said. ''Memphis played a lot of eight-man coverage and you have to be able to run the ball. They beat our guys off the blocks, made plays and put us in some tough downs and distances.''
a little perspective on ky loss it has been worse.
