Thursday, July 30, 2009

Alan Strong is missing, so more true freshmen might play right away


Three guys are missing from the new Vanderbilt football media guide.

Everybody knows about WR Terence Jeffers-Harris and his Hail Mary attempt to obtain eligibility.

And nobody’s terribly surprised that freshman Justin Cabbagestalk is nowhere to be seen after scrapping with the law in Tampa this summer.

But I just realized that junior cornerback Alan Strong is missing too. Strong’s been a solid backup at corner for the last two seasons. Anybody know what happened to Alan?

Which explains why Bobby Johnson’s been talking about Javon Marshall playing cornerback as a true freshman this season. We all knew that Trey Wilson and Eric Samuels would get a good look in their first year. But now the media guide says that Marshall and fellow true frosh Eddie Foster are also competing for key reserve roles.

Here are other true freshmen who get mentioned in the media guide as having a chance to play right away:

THE THREE RUNNING BACKS: Warren Norman, Zac Stacy and Wesley Tate, of course. Tate was hailed as a prototypical SEC back on signing day, and Stacy showed up for school looking stronger and bigger than expected and has been the popular pick as of late to play early. But now Warren Norman’s name has been popping up on talk radio in Nashville. Should be interesting.

TWO WIDE RECEIVERS: WR Brady Brown has been expected to compete all along, but now thanks to the shaky status of Jeffers-Harris, the trusty media guide says that Collin Ashley is in the mix. If you’re wondering why he’s not in our poll to the right, it’s because he signed way after Signing Day and well after the poll had been established.

AND A BIG (AS IN 300-POUND) SURPRISE: OL Mylon Brown appears to have a shot at a reserve role. No Vandy offensive lineman in recent memory has played as a true freshman. But Brown’s the most game-ready – he’s one of only five Vandy lineman who weigh 300 pounds or more.

These freshmen appear headed for redshirt seasons:
• QB Charlie Goro
• TE Mason Johnston
• OL Wesley Johnson
• DE Walker May
• DE Thad McHaney
• LB Blake Southerland
• DB Jay Fullam

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Alan Strong actually transferred to Tennessee State. He wanted to be a starter at corner and he didn't think that happen at Vandy. He is also going to run track at TSU.

DIMON KENDRICK-HOLMES said...

Thanks. He played in the spring but I imagine Jamie Graham's move back to defense might have prompted him to leave.