Don't cry for Vanderbilt's passing game — as long as Terence Jeffers is eligible

Sure, I wish Justin Wheeler hadn't torn ligaments in his knee late last week. ESPN blogger Chris Low thinks it means that Vanderbilt is now "really hurting at receiver."

But even without our only returning starter at wide receiver, the Commodore passing game should be vastly improved over last season.

The real blow would be if UConn transfer Terence Jeffers can't get enough academic credits to be eligible in the fall. (Think he'd have enough academic credits if he went to, say, UT?)

Coach Bobby Johnson remains cautiously optimistic that Jeffers will be in the lineup come September. Assuming he is, and Wheeler misses the 2009 season, this is how our top 14 pass targets will compare to last season's.

TARGET NO. 1: WIDE RECEIVER
Last season: R-SR Sean Walker (36 catches, 520 yards, 3 TDs)
This season: R-JR Terence Jeffers. This will be a vast improvement. Jeffers is bigger, stronger and more aggressive (see photo). His numbers as a sophomore at Connecticut (44 catches, 582 yards, 5 TDs) were better than Walker's. And provided Larry Smith starts at quarterback as expected, Jeffers will get plenty of home run opportunities like the one Walker dropped in Smith's debut against Wake Forest.

TARGET NO. 2: TIGHT END
Last season: R-FR Brandon Barden (28-209, 4 TDs)
This season: R-SO Barden. Expect Barden to be even better than last season, when his touchdown receptions broke the back of South Carolina and Auburn. And with Smith a threat to go deep, Barden will get plenty of opportunities to catch the ball underneath and turn upfield and run.

TARGET NO. 3: WIDE RECEIVER
Last season: R-JR Justin Wheeler (16-145, 1 TDs)
This season: R-SO Tray Herndon. An improvement. Sure, Wheeler's only TD, against Auburn, will go down in Commodore lore. But his numbers are shockingly weak for a No. 2 receiver. Herndon had better numbers (22-235, 1 TD) as a true freshman at Minnesota.

TARGET NO. 4: CORNERBACK
Last season: JR D.J. Moore (7-143, 2 TDs)
This season: R-SO Jamie Graham. A draw. Sure, Moore was an unbelievable threat who had the good fortune in the Kentucky game of getting the two best passes Chris Nickson has thrown in his life. But Graham can catch a jump ball in the corner of the end zone like nobody's business. Plus he already knows the offense and as a new corner or nickelback he'll be more than ready for spot duty at receiver.

TARGET NO. 5: WIDE RECEIVER
Last season: R-SR George Smith (13-142)
This season: R-SO Udom Umoh. An improvement. Smith was a testimony to perseverance and we wouldn't have won the Music City Bowl without his clutch catch that put us in field goal range. But let's face it, he dropped a ton of passes last season and was a liability. Umoh came on strong at the end of the season, especially when Larry Smith started getting more reps at quarterback. That was no coincidence. While not as big as George, Umoh will be more of a deep threat.

TARGET NO. 6: WIDE RECEIVER
Last season: R-FR Jamie Graham (17-125, 3 TDs)
This season: R-FR John Cole. An improvement. Graham made the highlight reel, but his numbers were low for getting so many snaps at receiver. While Graham's an athlete, Cole is a true receiver who can get the tough short stuff or go deep or in between. He's capable of getting 125 yards in a single game, and Smith's capable of getting the ball to him.

TARGET NO. 7: RUNNING BACK
Last season: R-JR Jared Hawkins (16-121)
This season: R-SR Hawkins. Hawkins was used last season as a battering ram and was broken down at the end. With a big-armed quarterback stretching the defense and plenty of exciting young talent at running back, expect JHawk to get more opportunities to catch the ball and run with it.

TARGET NO. 8: RUNNING BACK
Last season: R-SR Jeff Jennings (10-57)
This season: R-JR Kennard Reeves. An improvement. Jennings clearly ran out of gas at the end of his career and just looked big and slow. Reeves is pretty big but pretty fast, averaging eight yards on a pair of catches last season.

TARGET NO. 9: TIGHT END
Last season: SO Austin Monahan (4-45)
This season: JR Monahan. He's huge (6-foot-7), an awesome bookend for Barden, and back after missing most of last season.

TARGET NO. 10: RUNNING BACK
Last season: R-SO Gaston Miller (3-31)
This season: FR Wesley Tate. A vast improvement. While Miller has earned playing time as a return man, Tate is a prototypical SEC back who can catch the ball out of the backfield.

TARGET No. 11: WIDE RECEIVER
Last season: R-FR Udom Umoh
This season: FR Brady Brown. A huge improvement. While Umoh will emerge as a deep threat this year, he struggled last season in Vandy's short passing game. The 6-foot-6 Brown should establish himself early as a possession receiver and short yardage end-zone threat for Smith.

TARGET NO. 12: RUNNING BACK
Last season: R-SO Kennard Reeves (2-16)
This season: FR Zac Stacy or Warren Norman. An improvement. While Norman is the better receiver, he's a bit slight right now and may redshirt and beef up. A bruising, low-to-the-ground runner, Stacy will get a chance to tote the rock this season and should get way more opportunities than Reeves did last year.

TARGET NO. 13: WIDE RECEIVER
Last season: R-SO Chris Reinert (1-13)
This season: R-FR Akeem Dunham. A vast improvement. The 6-foot-three Dunham was a high school basketball star and is the far superior athlete. Reinert may return next season, provided he can recover from a gruesome broken leg early last season.

TARGET No. 14: WIDE RECEIVER
Last season: R-JR Alex Washington (1-minus 2)
This season: R-SR Washington. He's this year's version of George Smith, without the experience as a starter. Though he should be improved over last season, Washington will likely take a backseat to all the new young talent.