Tide Quarterback Position up for Grabs

On the same field Peyton Manning was putting up unprecedented numbers against the Alabama defense, the Crimson Tide’s offense found itself searching for a quarterback.
Freddie Kitchens’ opportunity came early Saturday night against Tennessee, and he helped the Tide offense make some noise in the first half. Unfortunately for Kitchens and Alabama, a 21-0 first quarter deficit and a Vols team tired of a nine-year drought against the Crimson Tide proved out of reach, especially for an offense that has struggled through its first seven games.
Kitchens said the Vols’ defense threw nothing at Alabama the Tide didn’t expect. It was a game that was full of big plays, the overwhelming majority by the visiting Vols.
“It was a lot of what we were doing,” Kitchens said. “They didn’t do one thing we shouldn’t have been able to handle.
“We came in the second half trying to get back into the thing, but we didn’t do it.”
Alabama coach Gene Stallings wasted little time making the quarterback change once Tennessee shocked the Tide, scoring on its first offensive play – an 80-yard pass and run from Manning to Alabama native Joey Kent. Two touchdowns later, Stallings inserted Kitchens for starter Brian Burgdorf, who had completed 4 of 5 passes for 24 yards, but failed to move the offense on its first two possessions. Kitchens finished with 20 completions in 43 attempts and one touchdown – a 20-yard pass to Chad Key in the second quarter.
Kitchens also threw three interceptions and was sacked six times.
Manning was 20 of 29 for 301 yards and three touchdowns. He also scored on a 1-yard sneak. The 41-14 win was Tennessee’s largest margin of victory over Alabama since the 1969 win by the same margin.
Stallings said right now, Alabama has no starting quarterback, as the Tide prepares for Ole Miss in Oxford this week.
“We are back at square one as far as the quarterback situation is concerned,” Stallings said. “We will re-evaluate at practice and go with the best player.”
Kitchens was able to spark the Tide offense, moving Alabama to the Tennessee 10 before a hit by Jesse Sanders forced his fumble. On the next possession, he led the Tide to its first score, a 20-yard touchdown pass to Key that temporarily cut the Vols’ lead to 21-7.
But a missed field goal late in the first half gave Manning another opportunity before halftime, and the Vols made it count. His 30-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Nash with 43 seconds remaining again made it a three-touchdown deficit. Alabama would get no closer than two touchdowns before the Vols pulled away in the second half.
“They had all the big plays,” said freshman running back Montoya Madden, who scored Alabama’s second touchdown on a 15-yard run late in the third quarter. “I mean it, all the big plays.
“When we would make a big play, they would match it. They kept coming at us, and it took the air out. The touchdown didn’t mean a thing.”
Tennessee right linebacker Scott Galyon said the Vols never assumed they had the game won until the end, especially after suffering through two of the Vols’ eight losses since 1985 against Alabama.
“To some extent, I was surprised at how we were able to put them away,” Galyon said. “But no one on this team took Alabama for granted. Even though their offense hadn’t put up a lot of points, we knew they were capable of doing it.
“Tonight, we were able to get some sacks, pressures and created turnovers. The last two years, we felt coming in, we had the better team, and this year we were finally able to get one.”