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[3rd Quarter]
The roar of the crowd washed over the field as the teams returned for the second half. Despite the lopsided score displayed on the Rose Bowl scoreboard—Hawai'i 24, UCLA 3—there remained a buzz of hope among the Bruins players. The defensive team immediately took the field, ready to face off against the Hawaiian defence once more.
Cole Curtis could be seen on the sidelines deep in discussion with QB coach Johnson, trying to get as much information as possible. Behind the pair, a disgruntled Austin Maddox could be seen sitting on the bench with a displeased scowl. Coach Baker hadn't punished him for questioning his game plan, but for not knowing the time and place to do so.
For a new coach like Baker, making his D1 debut, he had enough doubters over his abilities and did not need the players to do the same. Especially when they were drowning on the scoreboard, having a leader in the locker room act like that wasn't something he could tolerate. Rubbing his goatee as he looked at the defensive squad line up in a blitz formation on the Hawaiian 25-yard line.
"Don't worry J, Darnell is the perfect person to run the wolf pack defensive scheme. His threat assessment is one of the best I have seen in years." Corey James, the Bruins' defensive Coordinator, stated as he tapped the man's shoulder in comfort.
"I know I just didn't think we would need to rely on the Wolf Pack defensive scheme so early," Coach Baker said with a slight frown as he watched the opposing QB make adjustments, which were quickly followed by Darnell making his own.
"It's not exactly the powerhouse program we dreamed of when we dreamed of coaching at this level, but we agreed to take on this challenge," Correy commented with a slight tilt of his head, trying to understand what his defensive leader saw. "Btw, are you going to give that Lyon kid a shot? From what I've seen in scrimmages and the preseason friendlies, he should do just fine."
Hearing his words, Coach Baker turned his head back, glancing at Jace and Blake, who were seated on a bench. He shook his head, letting a sigh escape his lips, "Maybe, I wanted him to learn more under Austin and the others, but it looks like we will have to turn this QB competition into the wild wild west and let the strongest be the new sheriff in town."
~~~
On the field, Darnell knocked on his helmet twice before motioning the corner back to lock onto the opposing Tight-End who was gearing up for a run. He would handle the outside wideout if he dared to make the run and his QB decided to fire it his way. Crouching low, every muscle in his body coiled with tension. He and the rest of the Bruins' defence had shifted into their Wolf Pack scheme blitz variation 23, which worked on the front braking that line of scrimmage.
The defensive lines behind would storm forward, looking to lock down the receivers and sack the QB. Darnell would be the only safety left to read the unfolding play and react in case it all fell through, and now all eyes fell on the Hawai'i offence. The Rainbow Warriors were pinned at their own 25-yard line for this opening drive of the second half, but as the first half had shown, good field position didn't always matter when Chevan Cordeiro was under centre.
Cordeiro crouched in the shotgun, clapping once for the snap. Immediately, the Bruins' front four crashed forward, trying to flush him from the pocket. A ripple of motion swept across the Hawai'i formation—Calvin Turner faked a sweep, then pivoted sharply, looking for a quick toss. Darnell barked out an order, and the secondary shifted on instinct, each defender simply reacting like a piece of a moving puzzle.
"Here comes the snap! First play of the half for Hawai'i," boomed Callum Benson's voice over the stadium speakers. "UCLAs lined up in something new here—a more aggressive stance than we saw in the first half!"
Cordeiro faked a handoff to Dae Dae Hunter up the middle, but the defensive line wasn't fooled; two of the Bruins' interior linemen stayed put, clogging the lane. With that option gone, Cordeiro pulled the ball back and tried to scramble around the right end. Darnell closed in, while a cornerback mirrored his speed on the outside. For a fleeting moment, it looked like the Bruins might bag a loss of yards.
Just then, Cordeiro zipped a sidearm pass to Hunter, who had peeled off into the flat. The running back caught it on the run, but Darnell and another linebacker, reading the play from the snap, converged instantly. Hunter tried to turn upfield; the swarm of defenders hit him so hard he barely gained three yards before being driven to the turf.
"Now that's a Bruins defence that looks familiar," James Rucker announced excitedly. "They might be down on the scoreboard, but there's no quit in this defence. Darnell really taking command here." From the sideline, Coach Baker exhaled, tension easing the tiniest bit from his shoulders. For the first time in what felt like the entire game, his defence looked united—quick to react, and disciplined in their assignments.
~~~
[2nd & 7 (Hawai'i 28-yard line)]
Chevan Cordeiro stood in the shotgun once more, arms outstretched as he surveyed the Bruins' Wolf Pack blitz variation. Darnell crouched in his safety position; eyes locked on Cordeiro's every move. The Rainbow Warriors again attempted a misdirection—Calvin Turner went in motion, crossing behind the quarterback as if preparing for a jet sweep. The Bruins' linebackers shifted in response, forcing Cordeiro to adjust.
"Snap's away!" shouted commentator Callum Benson as the ball flew into Cordeiro's hands.
The snap flew into Cordeiro's hands, and the Bruins' Wolf Pack blitz variation wasted no time testing Hawai'i's composure. The defensive line crashed forward with targeted ferocity, while the linebackers twisted around the edges, forcing Cordeiro to make a quick decision.
He spotted his tight end, Kolby Wyatt, break free on a short out route—an outward turn after a five-yard sprint designed to exploit that soft area near the sideline—yet before Cordeiro could even plant his feet for the throw, Darnell Jones made his move.
Staying deep initially to read the quarterback's eyes, Darnell recognized the out route developing and broke on the ball. His speed was deceptive, building with every stride, and by the time Cordeiro released the pass, Darnell was already halfway across the field. Wyatt, expecting to cradle an easy catch just past the first-down marker, never got the chance.
"A heart-stopping interception from Darnell Jones," Callum Benson's booming voice resounded throughout the stadium as, in a blur of blue and gold, Darnell cut underneath the route, arms outstretched. The ball rocketed toward him, and for an instant, it looked like it might just sail beyond his fingertips. But he leapt, twisting in midair, and snatched the pass before Wyatt even realized what had happened—an interception that instantly sent the Rose Bowl crowd into a frenzy.
The second Darnell's feet hit the turf, he planted hard on his right foot and exploded toward the sideline. The crowd's roar escalated into sheer pandemonium— the Bruins fans who had been quiet so far exploded with energy. For the first time in this match, they had something to cheer about and they were making their presence felt.
With the ball clutched tightly against his chest, Darnell wove between two would-be tacklers, displaying an agility that reminded the viewers of his receiver days. "Darnell's on the move!" James Rucker shouted, his voice cracking with excitement. "This could very well be a pick-six, folks!"
Chevan Cordeiro lunged, trying to clip Darnell's ankles at the 30-yard line. But Darnell sidestepped neatly, turning on the jets for a burst of speed so fierce it left the scrambling QB behind in a tangle of arms and legs. Next up came the left tackle, who angled in for a desperation push. Darnell lowered his centre of gravity, dipping under the blocker's outstretched arms and keeping his balance by sheer force of will.
"It's like he's got grease on his jersey!" Callum Benson's voice was nearly drowned out by the frenzied cheers. "Hawai'i can't get a clean hit on him!"
At the 15-yard line, a final defender dove in a last-ditch attempt to shove Darnell out of bounds. Darnell twisted, planting one foot just inside the boundary, then surged forward with a powerful push, his eyes never leaving the end zone. In a flash, he crossed the goal line and spiked the ball with a battle roar from the depths of his being.
[11:19, 3rd Quarter – Touchdown, Hawai'i 24 – UCLA 9]
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To Be Continued...