KNOXVILLE — The cupboard was far from full last winter when coach Rick Neuheisel and offensive coordinator Norm Chow arrived to resurrect the other major college football program in Los Angeles.

Arguably, no college football staff has two better offensive minds than Neuheisel and Chow. Both were NFL offensive coordinators last season — Neuheisel with the Baltimore Ravens, and Chow with the Tennessee Titans. Both have impressive college coaching resumes, with Neuheisel compiling a 66-30 record in eight seasons as head coach of BCS conference programs Washington and Colorado.

Inarguably, the task at UCLA is a tough one. And that was before injuries left the Bruins with a third-team quarterback taking snaps behind a banged up, inexperienced offensive line.

Neuheisel seemingly hopes his team simply survives the opening moments of Monday’s season opener against 18th-ranked Tennessee.

“We understand who we are,” Neuheisel said by telephone this week. “We’re not exactly going to win any beauty contests, but if we manage the game well and can play a field position game, we can hopefully get this thing into the fourth quarter. And then good things can happen for you.”

The two quarterbacks initially considered contenders to start for UCLA are now limping along the sidelines during practice. Patrick Cowan (knee) and Ben Olson (foot) have given way to junior Kevin Craft.

Craft previously played at San Diego State and California’s Mt. San Antonio College — where his father, Tom, went after being fired as SDSU’s head coach.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Craft has “promise,” according to Neuheisel, but his teammates might not provide a suitable growing environment. Senior tailback Kahlil Bell ran for 5.6 yards per carry last season, and his career mark is an equally impressive 5.3, but he is less than one year removed from a torn ACL.

UCLA’s offensive line features two players with eight career starts each, and one them — junior left tackle Micah Kia — will try to play Monday with a cast on his broken hand. Fifth-year senior Micah Reed started eight games last season at guard, but he’s now at center. Two of the other seven players listed in the rotation are converted tight ends.

“I’m jealous of (UT coach Phillip Fulmer’s) offensive line, because he’s got some guys there that have actually played before and obviously are very talented,” Neuheisel said.

Marcus Everett returns as a talented fifth-year senior receiver, but he missed all but one of the Bruins’ final 10 games last season with an injured ankle.

“Injuries are something every program has to go through,” UCLA senior tight end Logan Paulsen said. “We’ve had our fair share, but it’s something we’ve got to deal with and just move on. Guys have to step up and fill the shoes of guys who were supposed to start.”

Starting with Craft, who Paulsen said “has asserted himself as leader on the team.”

“We have tried to put him through all the different situations that can arise in a football game, and hopefully he can manage himself well,” Neuheisel said. “We don’t need Kevin to go out and try to win the game. We just need him to go out and manage the game, and if he can do that, then hopefully we can stay in the game and have a chance to win late.

“He’s not a finished product, and he won’t be after Monday night, but hopefully he’ll learn and continue to develop, because I do believe he has promise.”

Junior All-America candidate Reggie Carter and senior Kyle Bosworth headline the returnees on a thin-but-capable defense, and the Bruins also have proven playmakers along the front four. That group, Neuheisel said, needs to keep UCLA competitive if Chow’s offense can’t find an early groove.

Defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker is considered by many to be one of the nation’s best, and his first puzzle this season is a tough one. The top six offensive linemen return for UT, which allowed an NCAA-low four sacks last season.

“I don’t really know the game plan yet,” senior tackle Brigham Harwell said. “Obviously, there’s ways to get there with blitzes and all of that, but we all know it starts up front.

“We’ve just got to execute Coach Walker’s plan. He always has a great scheme for teams.”

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