Here are some observations from the depth chart for this week’s Arkansas game, along with some other stuff:
WHAT’S NEW
• Jordan Rodgers is listed as the sole starter at quarterback.
• Caleb Welchans is now listed as the backup at both right tackle, his usual position, and center. It’s the first week that a true freshman is missing from the two-deep for the O-line. Gone are Spencer Pulley, who played Saturday, and Joe Townsend, who’s been the backup center for most of the year.
• Walker May is listed as a starting defensive end, with Johnell Thomas dropping to second team. May got his second start of the year against Army.
• Karl Butler, a safety who was pressed into duty at outside linebacker against Army, is now listed as the backup to Chase Garnham at strongside linebacker.
• Casey Hayward is now listed as a co-starter at kick.
SAME OLD SAME OLD
• Once again, Chris Boyd and Jordan Matthews are listed as co-starters at the x-receiver position. Jonathan Krause and Wesley Tate are listed as the other starters at receiver. Last week, Boyd and Matthews were in the starting lineup together for the first time, with Vandy starting the game with two tight ends.
• Javon Marshall and Kenny Ladler are co-starters at free safety. Marshall started against Army and has four starts on the season to Ladler’s three.
• For another week, Richard Kent and Ryan Fowler are listed as co-starters at punter.
DIFFERENT OFFENSIVE SETS
Here’s the different starting offensive sets that Vandy’s thrown at opponents, with Zac Stacy the lone running back:
• Elon: Two tight ends (Barden & Monahan, with WRs Umoh & Matthews
• UConn: Fullback (Lassing, with TE Barden and WRs Boyd & Krause)
• Ole Miss: Three receivers (Matthews, Tate & Krause, with TE Johnston)
• South Carolina: Fullback (Lassing, with TE Monahan and WRs Matthews & Umoh)
• Alabama: Fullback (Lassing, with TE Barden and WRs Matthews & Krause)
• Georgia: Three receivers (Matthews, Tate & Krause, with TE Barden)
• Army: Two tight ends (Barden & Monahan, with WRs Matthews & Boyd)
TOP OFFENSIVE PLAYMAKERS
Here are Commodores who’ve gained the most yards this season, including on turnovers and special teams:
1. RB Zac Stacy, JR: 640 yards (579 rush + 43 pass +18 catch), 6 TDs
2. QB Jordan Rodgers, R-JR: 612 yards (190 rush + 422 pass), 3 TDs
3. QB Larry Smith, R-SR: 463 yards (-18 rush + 481 pass), 5 TDs
4. CB/KR Andre Hal, SO: 436 yards (all kick return), 1 TD
5. RB Jerron Seymour, FR: 315 yards (207 rush + 108 catch), 4 TDs
6. WR/PR Jonathan Krause, SO: 246 yards (50 rush + 149 catch + 47 punt return)
7. WR Chris Boyd, R-FR: 218 yards (all catches), 4 TDs
8. CB/RB/PR Casey Hayward, SR: 176 yards (57 rush + 12 punt return + 96 int. return + 11 kick return), 1 TD
9. S/KR Eric Samuels, JR: 159 yards (all kick returns)
10. WR Wesley Tate, R-SO: 143 yards (23 rush + 120 catch), 1 TD
LACK OF PRODUCTION
• Tight end was supposed to be one of Vandy’s best positions, but it hasn’t generated many yards so far this season. Brandon Barden has gained 78 yards all season, followed by Fitz Lassing with 54 and Austin Monahan with 9 yards. Lassing is the only tight end to score, against Elon.
• At wide receiver, Jordan Matthews has only 117 yards receiving in seven games. Senior Udom Umoh, a returning starter, has 16 yards receiving and 34 total yards, counting a run and some returns.
Showing posts with label jordan rodgers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jordan rodgers. Show all posts
Monday, October 24, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Jordan Rodgers and Larry Smith still co-starters and other developments on the Vandy-Army depth chart
Let's take our weekly look at changes to the depth chart.
OK, WHAT'S UP AT QUARTERBACK?
• Jordan Rodgers and Larry Smith are listed as co-starters at quarterback for the second straight week. Franklin said in his press conference today that he would prefer to play one quarterback. That bodes well for Rodgers, who has played in every game this season, seeing his playing time gradually increase.
WHAT'S NEW?
• Redshirt freshman Vince Taylor and true freshman Barron Dixon are listed as backups to Colt Nichter at defensive tackle, forming a five-man rotation with Nichter, fellow starter Rob Lohr and sophomore Jared Morse. Dixon played in his first game against Georgia, replacing the injured T.J. Greenstone in the rotation. Taylor has been in the rotation since sitting out the opener against Elon, but this is his first week to be listed on the depth chart.
• Ryan Fowler is now listed as a co-starter at punter with fellow redshirt junior Richard Kent. Kent has started all season but was benched after dropping a snap that led to a Bulldog touchdown and was replaced by Fowler, who threw a long first-down strike to snapper Andrew East on a fourth down fake punt, but didn't appear to have Kent's power or hang time. Expect to see Kent return — Franklin has been calling him "Comeback Kent" in meetings.
• Cornerback Casey Hayward is listed as a backup to punt returner Jonathan Krause. The Commodores have struggled to break anything off a punt return, and Hayward could be just what the doctor ordered.
• Mylon Brown is listed as the sole starter at right guard, after being listed last week as a co-starter with redshirt junior Josh Jelesky, who's still learning the ropes since moving to offense late in the summer. Brown started against Georgia, and has started in every game so far this year.
WHAT'S THE SAME?
• Five offensive players (running back Zac Stacy and linemen Ryan Seymour, Wesley Johnson, Kyle Fischer and Brown) and eight defensive players (end Tim Fugger, tackles Lohr and Nichter, linebackers Chris Marve and Chase Garnham, cornerbacks Hayward and Trey Wilson and safety Sean Richardson) are set to start their seventh game of the season.
• Jordan Matthews and Chris Boyd continue to be listed as co-starters at wide receiver, but Matthews has gotten the nod over Boyd in five out of six games so far. Jonathan Krause, who had his bell rung in a dirty play by Georgia, is listed as the other starter, and Wesley Tate is listed as the third starter if Vandy goes with a three-receiver lineup, which it's done twice this season.
• Junior Al Owens is listed as the backup at both strongside and weakside linebacker but hasn't been seeing much big-game action at either position. With the injury to Tristan Strong, Vandy has serious problems with depth here. Also, I notice that redshirt freshman Blake Gowder is no longer on the roster. That frees up another scholarship. With the verbal commitment of mammoth Texas tackle Adam Butler, we've got one solid scholarship left but I expect us to clear out another 2-4 scholarships by the end of the season.
• For the second straight week, Kenny Ladler is listed as the solo starter at free safety after losing his starting position to redshirt sophomore Javon Marshall in preseason camp. Ladler and Marshall have each started three games this season.
OK, WHAT'S UP AT QUARTERBACK?
• Jordan Rodgers and Larry Smith are listed as co-starters at quarterback for the second straight week. Franklin said in his press conference today that he would prefer to play one quarterback. That bodes well for Rodgers, who has played in every game this season, seeing his playing time gradually increase.
WHAT'S NEW?
• Redshirt freshman Vince Taylor and true freshman Barron Dixon are listed as backups to Colt Nichter at defensive tackle, forming a five-man rotation with Nichter, fellow starter Rob Lohr and sophomore Jared Morse. Dixon played in his first game against Georgia, replacing the injured T.J. Greenstone in the rotation. Taylor has been in the rotation since sitting out the opener against Elon, but this is his first week to be listed on the depth chart.
• Ryan Fowler is now listed as a co-starter at punter with fellow redshirt junior Richard Kent. Kent has started all season but was benched after dropping a snap that led to a Bulldog touchdown and was replaced by Fowler, who threw a long first-down strike to snapper Andrew East on a fourth down fake punt, but didn't appear to have Kent's power or hang time. Expect to see Kent return — Franklin has been calling him "Comeback Kent" in meetings.
• Cornerback Casey Hayward is listed as a backup to punt returner Jonathan Krause. The Commodores have struggled to break anything off a punt return, and Hayward could be just what the doctor ordered.
• Mylon Brown is listed as the sole starter at right guard, after being listed last week as a co-starter with redshirt junior Josh Jelesky, who's still learning the ropes since moving to offense late in the summer. Brown started against Georgia, and has started in every game so far this year.
WHAT'S THE SAME?
• Five offensive players (running back Zac Stacy and linemen Ryan Seymour, Wesley Johnson, Kyle Fischer and Brown) and eight defensive players (end Tim Fugger, tackles Lohr and Nichter, linebackers Chris Marve and Chase Garnham, cornerbacks Hayward and Trey Wilson and safety Sean Richardson) are set to start their seventh game of the season.
• Jordan Matthews and Chris Boyd continue to be listed as co-starters at wide receiver, but Matthews has gotten the nod over Boyd in five out of six games so far. Jonathan Krause, who had his bell rung in a dirty play by Georgia, is listed as the other starter, and Wesley Tate is listed as the third starter if Vandy goes with a three-receiver lineup, which it's done twice this season.
• Junior Al Owens is listed as the backup at both strongside and weakside linebacker but hasn't been seeing much big-game action at either position. With the injury to Tristan Strong, Vandy has serious problems with depth here. Also, I notice that redshirt freshman Blake Gowder is no longer on the roster. That frees up another scholarship. With the verbal commitment of mammoth Texas tackle Adam Butler, we've got one solid scholarship left but I expect us to clear out another 2-4 scholarships by the end of the season.
• For the second straight week, Kenny Ladler is listed as the solo starter at free safety after losing his starting position to redshirt sophomore Javon Marshall in preseason camp. Ladler and Marshall have each started three games this season.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Larry Smith and Jordan Rodgers listed as co-starters for Georgia, and other notes from the latest depth chart
Listened to Franklin’s weekly press conference and looked at the depth chart for the Georgia game. Here are some highlights:
1. Larry Smith and Jordan Rodgers are listed as co-starters at quarterback on the depth chart, which was released after Franklin fielded numerous questions about whether Smith would remain as a starter.
Franklin has repeatedly said that Larry gives the team the best chance to win – which of course drives a certain percentage of our fan base crazy – and he also likes to keep opponents in the dark as to the status of injured players. Today he said two or three times that nothing has changed. He said something about competition determining the starter this week and also something about injuries being announced on Wednesday and something again about nothing changing. Franklin said Rodgers played “extremely well” in the first half but that he wasn’t pleased with his performance in the second half.
Everybody's wondering who the starter will be and acting like there's a big controversy. I think it plays itself out without much drama. If Larry's healthy enough to play this week, he'll be the starter. If he's not, Jordan Rodgers will get the nod. But if Larry's reasonably healthy, I think he'll start until Rodgers proves himself without a doubt our best option at quarterback. Franklin's not going to bench Larry just for a change of pace, but he is going to continue to increase Rodger's playing time.
In case you were wondering, Franklin tends to list injured starters as co-starters. For example, he listed Brandon Barden the past two weeks as a co-starter with Austin Monahan. Barden missed the South Carolina game with injury, played in the Alabama game, and is now listed once again as the sole starter at tight end.
2. Carey Spear, who missed two field goals in the first half against Bama, is still listed as the starting kicker. Franklin said he had “no concerns” about Spear and likened a kicker’s mechanics to a golfer’s swing.
3. For yet another week, Jordan Matthews is listed as a co-starter with Chris Boyd at the X-receiver position.
Matthews has started five games this season to Boyd’s one. When asked about Matthew’s struggles at receiver – he has five catches for 63 yards in five games – Franklin said it was a combination of poor play from the offensive line, the plays being called, and the fact the quarterbacks were throwing for a high percentage. He said he expects Matthews to start making some big plays soon and he said the challenge now was keeping him from listening to family members, friends and the media saying that he wasn’t getting enough touches.
4. Archibald Barnes remains a starter at outside linebacker, where he’s filling in for the injured Tristan Strong, whom Franklin actually said he hopes to get back “soon.” DeAndre Jones, listed as Marve’s backup in the middle, is still getting snaps in both halves of every game, and Al Owens, who had a tackle for loss against Bama, is listed as the backup at both outside positions.
5. Redshirt junior Josh Jelesky, who moved to the offensive line from defensive end in the preseason, is listed as a co-starter at guard along with Mylon Brown, who’s started every game this season. Franklin said he wanted Brown to face some competition. He's the most inexperienced of the current starters.
6. Sophomore Logan Stewart will start his second game of the season at center after taking several months to recuperate and gain the weight he lost while battling mononucleosis over the summer. He started the last half of last season. To accommodate Stewart, Wesley Johnson moved back to left tackle, Ryan Seymour moved from left tackle to left guard, and Ryan Fischer remains at right tackle.
7. Chase White has returned to second team, where he’s listed as a backup guard. Other reserves include tackles Caleb Welchans and Andrew Bridges and true freshman center Joe Townsend. True freshman guard Spencer Pulley has dropped off the depth chart after being listed at second team since the Elon game.
8.Another player who’s dropped off the depth chart this week is tight end/fullback Mason Johnston, who was injured against Bama. He's replaced by walk-on fullback Marc Panu. Another walk-on, receiver Jamison Sackey, returns to the depth chart for the second straight week as a backup.
9. Warren Norman, who’s been listed at second team since the start of the season, has been finally removed from the depth chart. It appears likely he will redshirt.
10. True freshman Mitchell Hester, who made his debut on the depth chart last week as a punt returner, did not play against Alabama and is still eligible to redshirt. He’s been replaced this week by Eric Samuels, who’s now listed as a punt returner backing up Jonathan Krause. Sophomore Steven Clarke is now listed as a co-starter at kick returner with Andre Hall, replacing Samuels in that role.
11. Junior Johnell Thomas is still listed as a starter at defensive end after suffering an injury against Bama.
12. Kenny Ladler is now listed as the sole starter at free safety, after being listed as a co-starter with Javon Marshall on every pregame depth chart before today. He’s started two games this season while Marshall has started three.
1. Larry Smith and Jordan Rodgers are listed as co-starters at quarterback on the depth chart, which was released after Franklin fielded numerous questions about whether Smith would remain as a starter.
Franklin has repeatedly said that Larry gives the team the best chance to win – which of course drives a certain percentage of our fan base crazy – and he also likes to keep opponents in the dark as to the status of injured players. Today he said two or three times that nothing has changed. He said something about competition determining the starter this week and also something about injuries being announced on Wednesday and something again about nothing changing. Franklin said Rodgers played “extremely well” in the first half but that he wasn’t pleased with his performance in the second half.
Everybody's wondering who the starter will be and acting like there's a big controversy. I think it plays itself out without much drama. If Larry's healthy enough to play this week, he'll be the starter. If he's not, Jordan Rodgers will get the nod. But if Larry's reasonably healthy, I think he'll start until Rodgers proves himself without a doubt our best option at quarterback. Franklin's not going to bench Larry just for a change of pace, but he is going to continue to increase Rodger's playing time.
In case you were wondering, Franklin tends to list injured starters as co-starters. For example, he listed Brandon Barden the past two weeks as a co-starter with Austin Monahan. Barden missed the South Carolina game with injury, played in the Alabama game, and is now listed once again as the sole starter at tight end.
2. Carey Spear, who missed two field goals in the first half against Bama, is still listed as the starting kicker. Franklin said he had “no concerns” about Spear and likened a kicker’s mechanics to a golfer’s swing.
3. For yet another week, Jordan Matthews is listed as a co-starter with Chris Boyd at the X-receiver position.
Matthews has started five games this season to Boyd’s one. When asked about Matthew’s struggles at receiver – he has five catches for 63 yards in five games – Franklin said it was a combination of poor play from the offensive line, the plays being called, and the fact the quarterbacks were throwing for a high percentage. He said he expects Matthews to start making some big plays soon and he said the challenge now was keeping him from listening to family members, friends and the media saying that he wasn’t getting enough touches.
4. Archibald Barnes remains a starter at outside linebacker, where he’s filling in for the injured Tristan Strong, whom Franklin actually said he hopes to get back “soon.” DeAndre Jones, listed as Marve’s backup in the middle, is still getting snaps in both halves of every game, and Al Owens, who had a tackle for loss against Bama, is listed as the backup at both outside positions.
5. Redshirt junior Josh Jelesky, who moved to the offensive line from defensive end in the preseason, is listed as a co-starter at guard along with Mylon Brown, who’s started every game this season. Franklin said he wanted Brown to face some competition. He's the most inexperienced of the current starters.
6. Sophomore Logan Stewart will start his second game of the season at center after taking several months to recuperate and gain the weight he lost while battling mononucleosis over the summer. He started the last half of last season. To accommodate Stewart, Wesley Johnson moved back to left tackle, Ryan Seymour moved from left tackle to left guard, and Ryan Fischer remains at right tackle.
7. Chase White has returned to second team, where he’s listed as a backup guard. Other reserves include tackles Caleb Welchans and Andrew Bridges and true freshman center Joe Townsend. True freshman guard Spencer Pulley has dropped off the depth chart after being listed at second team since the Elon game.
8.Another player who’s dropped off the depth chart this week is tight end/fullback Mason Johnston, who was injured against Bama. He's replaced by walk-on fullback Marc Panu. Another walk-on, receiver Jamison Sackey, returns to the depth chart for the second straight week as a backup.
9. Warren Norman, who’s been listed at second team since the start of the season, has been finally removed from the depth chart. It appears likely he will redshirt.
10. True freshman Mitchell Hester, who made his debut on the depth chart last week as a punt returner, did not play against Alabama and is still eligible to redshirt. He’s been replaced this week by Eric Samuels, who’s now listed as a punt returner backing up Jonathan Krause. Sophomore Steven Clarke is now listed as a co-starter at kick returner with Andre Hall, replacing Samuels in that role.
11. Junior Johnell Thomas is still listed as a starter at defensive end after suffering an injury against Bama.
12. Kenny Ladler is now listed as the sole starter at free safety, after being listed as a co-starter with Javon Marshall on every pregame depth chart before today. He’s started two games this season while Marshall has started three.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Warren Norman may redshirt and Jordan Rodgers will continue to take snaps every week
Coach James Franklin was in a generous mood today and actually talked about plans to play certain players.
As for facing Bama, he said, “It’s a tremendous challenge and an even bigger opportunity.”
LOGAN STEWART
He said Logan Stewart had mononucleosis this summer and lost a bunch of weight and “is now back at the weight he needs to be to play in this league.” Expect to see Stewart back in the starting lineup, maybe as early as Saturday. Chase White has been starting since Jabo Burrow ended his playing career with concussion concerns.
JORDAN RODGERS
Larry Smith is rested and ready to smart, he said, but Jordan Rodgers will continue to get some snaps. “Our plan is to play Jordan each week,” he said.
WARREN NORMAN
He said Norman’s role is “Emergency No. 3” and that the junior may redshirt. “There’s a possibility to redshirt him,” he said. “It’s the best option for everybody if he’s not ready and we don’t need him. But if we have an injury he’s ready to go and we’re gonna play him.”
JOHN COLE
He said he expects Cole to return this season. That could be another way to say that, regardless of Cole’s playing status, you’ll see him being honored on senior day and not returning for a fifth year. Just a hunch.
As for facing Bama, he said, “It’s a tremendous challenge and an even bigger opportunity.”
LOGAN STEWART
He said Logan Stewart had mononucleosis this summer and lost a bunch of weight and “is now back at the weight he needs to be to play in this league.” Expect to see Stewart back in the starting lineup, maybe as early as Saturday. Chase White has been starting since Jabo Burrow ended his playing career with concussion concerns.
JORDAN RODGERS
Larry Smith is rested and ready to smart, he said, but Jordan Rodgers will continue to get some snaps. “Our plan is to play Jordan each week,” he said.
WARREN NORMAN
He said Norman’s role is “Emergency No. 3” and that the junior may redshirt. “There’s a possibility to redshirt him,” he said. “It’s the best option for everybody if he’s not ready and we don’t need him. But if we have an injury he’s ready to go and we’re gonna play him.”
JOHN COLE
He said he expects Cole to return this season. That could be another way to say that, regardless of Cole’s playing status, you’ll see him being honored on senior day and not returning for a fifth year. Just a hunch.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
How the addition of Wyoming transfer Austyn Carta-Samuels affects Vandy's future at quarterback
Quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels is coming to Vandy after all, and will be eligible to play next season as a junior. You may remember that he announced in the winter that he was leaving Wyoming, where he was the Mexico Bowl MVP and WAC Freshman of the Year as a true freshman but struggled as a sophomore.
The guess here is that we were holding out hopes we’d get a blue-chip freshman quarterback like Chad Voytik or Nathan Peterman, who ended up verbally committing to Pitt and Tennessee, respectively.
I like the move. It gives us another quarterback with big-game experience. If Larry Smith plays well, avoids injury and starts the entire season, then after he graduates we’ll have no returning players with any meaningful playing time.
And it gives James Franklin 18 months to find a top prep quarterback, while using his remaining scholarships for 2012 on other areas of weakness such as offensive line.
The competition at quarterback should be intense in the spring:
• Rodgers will either have the leg up or will be making one last-gasp attempt to get playing time, while Carta-Samuels will be in the same position Rodgers was last season, but with a better shot at being a two-year starter.
• Josh Grady and Lafonte Thourogood will be competing to see who stays at quarterback for another year and who changes positions.
• Kris Kentera will feel the least amount of pressure and will have at least another year to develop before a position change is considered.
Here are my predictions at what will happen:
2011
1. R-SR Larry Smith: Will start most of the season and perform admirably, with a few minor injuries and some bumps in the road.
2. FR Josh Grady: Will begin as the No. 3 quarterback, but will play against Elon, see some spot duty in short yardage situations, and will eventually overtake Rodgers for the backup position.
3. R-JR Jordan Rodgers: Will begin as the No. 2 quarterback, will spell Smith when he struggles but will eventually drop below Grady on the depth chart.
4. FR Lafonte Thourogood: Will concentrate on quarterback and will redshirt.
5. FR Kris Kentera: Will redshirt while he continues to develop as a passer.
2012
1. SO Josh Grady: Busy competing with Lafonte Thourogood in the spring and proving he deserves to stay at quarterback, starts the season at No. 2 but then passes Carta-Samuels when the Commodores hit the heart of the SEC schedule.
2. R-JR Austyn Carta-Samuels: Passes Rodgers in the spring and then wins a tight race over Grady in preseason camp, but loses the job to Grady by mid-season.
3. R-SR Jordan Rodgers: Goes into preseason camp in a three-way race with Grady and Carta-Samuels before dropping to No. 3 and seeing only spot duty during the season.
4. R-FR Lafonte Thourogood: Makes some nice strides as a quarterback in the spring but the emergence of Grady at quarterback motivates him to move to wide receiver, where he immediately challenges for a starting job.
5. R-FR Kris Kentera: Moves to No. 4 with the departure of Thourogood to receiver and continues to develop.
2013
1. JR Josh Grady: The clear No. 1 quarterback for the Commodores.
2. R-SR Austyn Carta-Samuels: Pushes Grady but finishes his career as a backup with a few starts on his record.
3. R-SO Kris Kentera: Continues to develop into a solid backup quarterback who pushes Carta-Samuels throughout the season for the No. 2 job.
4. FR Blue-chip TBA: Franklin lands a four-star quarterback, who redshirts and is immediately groomed to succeed Grady.
2014
1. SR Josh Grady: Remains Vandy’s starter for his senior year.
2. R-FR Blue-chip TBA: Beats out Kentera in preseason camp.
3. R-JR Kris Kentera: A solid option in the face of injury.
4. FR QB TBA: Redshirts.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Even the sports information department's calling Vandy's quarterback battle a three-horse race
Now even our official Vanderbilt athletics site is talking about "the three quarterbacks competing to become the starter," meaning Smith, Rodgers and Funk.
No mention in the official sports information department story of Charlie Goro. But watch the video highlights of the quarterbacks and you see a lot of Larry Smith and a lot of Charlie Goro. Granted, Matt Casas is out there too and they're all taking turns in drills, but I'm not so sure that Goro is out of the running.
And if he is, I find it hard to believe that a competitor like him would stay at Vanderbilt for another two years behind Smith and Rodgers.
I think this is about Jared Funk. He's a fifth year senior, he's paid his dues and — wink, wink — he's really competing for the starting position. Honest.
Anyway, go to the site and check out the videos and the photo gallery. You can learn a lot from just a photo gallery, such as:
• OK, so Goro is holding on field goals. So maybe he's being considered as the backup quarterback. Yeah, if Smith beats out Rodgers then Rodgers might redshirt and Goro might be the backup who would play if Smith goes down. Who knows?
• True freshman Logan Stewart is snapping the ball. So he's being groomed to play center, at least for now in an emergency role.
• Senior guard Chris Aaron is standing in at quarterback — sans helmet — which means he really does have an inner ear problem and is out of the lineup forever.
• True frosh Andre Hal appears to be returning punts along with Zac Stacy, who looked good in that role toward the end of the season.
That's all for now. Going to the Braves game to sit in a pool of sweat.
No mention in the official sports information department story of Charlie Goro. But watch the video highlights of the quarterbacks and you see a lot of Larry Smith and a lot of Charlie Goro. Granted, Matt Casas is out there too and they're all taking turns in drills, but I'm not so sure that Goro is out of the running.
And if he is, I find it hard to believe that a competitor like him would stay at Vanderbilt for another two years behind Smith and Rodgers.
I think this is about Jared Funk. He's a fifth year senior, he's paid his dues and — wink, wink — he's really competing for the starting position. Honest.
Anyway, go to the site and check out the videos and the photo gallery. You can learn a lot from just a photo gallery, such as:
• OK, so Goro is holding on field goals. So maybe he's being considered as the backup quarterback. Yeah, if Smith beats out Rodgers then Rodgers might redshirt and Goro might be the backup who would play if Smith goes down. Who knows?
• True freshman Logan Stewart is snapping the ball. So he's being groomed to play center, at least for now in an emergency role.
• Senior guard Chris Aaron is standing in at quarterback — sans helmet — which means he really does have an inner ear problem and is out of the lineup forever.
• True frosh Andre Hal appears to be returning punts along with Zac Stacy, who looked good in that role toward the end of the season.
That's all for now. Going to the Braves game to sit in a pool of sweat.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Uninformed boo-birds ready for Larry Smith... and Bobby Johnson
Last week the Tennessean's Jeff Lockridge wrote an article stating that Larry Smith starting at quarterback was the "most likely scenario" for the Commodores, which led Vandy fans to comment on the Tennessean site and on fan boards that we're going to win only one game. Oh, and Bobby Johnson should be fired.
Does anybody remember that we are and will always be underdogs? Sure, we could have gained some momentum with another winning season last year but by the second game of the season we'd lost this:
• A starting wide receiver
• A projected all-conference caliber wide receiver
• Our top offensive lineman
• A starting defensive end
• A starting safety
• Our starting tailback
Oklahoma, a preseason top three team, lost two starters in the season opener and lost a total of five games in the regular season, five more than its fans expected. Vandy lost six starters and about five more games than its fans expected.
Remember what Bobby Johnson says about Vandy having a zero percent margin for error? Well, it's true, and it will always be true, regardless of who's the coach. Oklahoma — and at least half of the SEC — has linemen and receivers and quarterbacks on its third team that we'd love to have in our starting lineup. Our fourth receiver last year, Collin Ashley, has transferred to Arkansas... as a walk-on. Have fun on the scout team, Collin.
Still, Vandy fans maintain that Johnson should be getting better players and doing a better job of developing them. This is evidenced by these popular myths:
MYTH NO. 1: Larry Smith was horrible last season and should never see the field again.
TRUTH: It's not Larry Smith's fault that nearly every SEC team that faced us last season had that week's conference defensive lineman of the week. I'm not kidding. Smith was on the run. His receivers couldn't catch. And he made bad decisions? You bet he did. Remember Jay Cutler's first season as a full-time starter? He threw for fewer yards/game and more interceptions than Smith. And Cutler didn't win more than two games a season until his senior year, when an overlooked, future NFL receiver named Earl Bennett arrived on campus and a lanky left tackle named Chris Williams miraculously developed into a first round draft pick. Larry Smith needs and will get another chance, though his supporting cast still isn't up to SEC standards. Meanwhile, all those Vandy fans continuing to delude themselves can't wait to boo Smith and Johnson.
MYTH NO. 2: Jared Funk is a better quarterback than Larry Smith.
TRUTH: Funk hasn't thrown a pass in nearly five years on the Vandy campus. In 2008, Johnson chose Smith over Funk when Nickson and Adams both went down against Wake Forest, and he chose Smith as his starter in the bowl game. In 2009, he chose Smith as his starter, Adams as his backup, and he moved Funk to the punt coverage team. Why are we still talking about Jared Funk? Remember the last Vandy quarterback to start his first game in the season opener of his senior season? It was Hi Lewis, and against Mississippi State he threw six passes, had two of them intercepted, one for a touchdown, and he never played again.
MYTH NO. 3: Jordan Rodgers should be the starter right now because he's Aaron's brother.
TRUTH: Rodgers looked promising in the spring, but not like a guy who can lead us to victory with bad wide receivers and a makeshift offensive line. Who could do that? Maybe his brother, Aaron, who's playing for the Green Bay Packers. Fans are acting like Jordan was recruited by every team in the nation. He wasn't, and unlike his brother Aaron, he couldn't get a scholarship offer from anybody in the pass-happy Pac-10.
MYTH NO. 4: Charlie Goro should be the starter right now because he was a Parade All-American.
TRUTH: Anybody who uses this argument doesn't understand anything about recruiting. Yes, Goro was a great high school player and an impressive leader and winner, and he was recognized by Parade for his prep achievements, but as a recruit he wasn't as highly regarded as Larry Smith or even Jared Funk, who both got three stars apiece from Scouts and Rivals. Maybe Goro will turn out to be a great SEC quarterback, but not because he was a Parade All-American.
Many Vandy fans are desperate, they want a savior, and Larry Smith couldn't save them last year so they want temporary relief by hearing that the new starter is:
• Aaron Rodger's little brother.
• A fifth-year senior who hasn't played yet because Bobby Johnson's an idiot.
• A redshirt freshman who was once named one of the top seven prep quarterbacks in America by a magazine specializing in celebrity interviews.
Larry Smith's got more experience and at least as much talent as any of the other guys, and he's going to get a chance to lead this team in 2010.
He's got the weight of the world on his shoulders and so-called Vandy fans, at least the ones who don't realize that football teams even have offensive lines, aren't going to make it any easier for him.
Godspeed, Larry.
And keep practicing, Jordan and Jared and Charlie. When Larry gets either carried or booed off the field, we're going to need you.
Does anybody remember that we are and will always be underdogs? Sure, we could have gained some momentum with another winning season last year but by the second game of the season we'd lost this:
• A starting wide receiver
• A projected all-conference caliber wide receiver
• Our top offensive lineman
• A starting defensive end
• A starting safety
• Our starting tailback
Oklahoma, a preseason top three team, lost two starters in the season opener and lost a total of five games in the regular season, five more than its fans expected. Vandy lost six starters and about five more games than its fans expected.
Remember what Bobby Johnson says about Vandy having a zero percent margin for error? Well, it's true, and it will always be true, regardless of who's the coach. Oklahoma — and at least half of the SEC — has linemen and receivers and quarterbacks on its third team that we'd love to have in our starting lineup. Our fourth receiver last year, Collin Ashley, has transferred to Arkansas... as a walk-on. Have fun on the scout team, Collin.
Still, Vandy fans maintain that Johnson should be getting better players and doing a better job of developing them. This is evidenced by these popular myths:
MYTH NO. 1: Larry Smith was horrible last season and should never see the field again.
TRUTH: It's not Larry Smith's fault that nearly every SEC team that faced us last season had that week's conference defensive lineman of the week. I'm not kidding. Smith was on the run. His receivers couldn't catch. And he made bad decisions? You bet he did. Remember Jay Cutler's first season as a full-time starter? He threw for fewer yards/game and more interceptions than Smith. And Cutler didn't win more than two games a season until his senior year, when an overlooked, future NFL receiver named Earl Bennett arrived on campus and a lanky left tackle named Chris Williams miraculously developed into a first round draft pick. Larry Smith needs and will get another chance, though his supporting cast still isn't up to SEC standards. Meanwhile, all those Vandy fans continuing to delude themselves can't wait to boo Smith and Johnson.
MYTH NO. 2: Jared Funk is a better quarterback than Larry Smith.
TRUTH: Funk hasn't thrown a pass in nearly five years on the Vandy campus. In 2008, Johnson chose Smith over Funk when Nickson and Adams both went down against Wake Forest, and he chose Smith as his starter in the bowl game. In 2009, he chose Smith as his starter, Adams as his backup, and he moved Funk to the punt coverage team. Why are we still talking about Jared Funk? Remember the last Vandy quarterback to start his first game in the season opener of his senior season? It was Hi Lewis, and against Mississippi State he threw six passes, had two of them intercepted, one for a touchdown, and he never played again.
MYTH NO. 3: Jordan Rodgers should be the starter right now because he's Aaron's brother.
TRUTH: Rodgers looked promising in the spring, but not like a guy who can lead us to victory with bad wide receivers and a makeshift offensive line. Who could do that? Maybe his brother, Aaron, who's playing for the Green Bay Packers. Fans are acting like Jordan was recruited by every team in the nation. He wasn't, and unlike his brother Aaron, he couldn't get a scholarship offer from anybody in the pass-happy Pac-10.
MYTH NO. 4: Charlie Goro should be the starter right now because he was a Parade All-American.
TRUTH: Anybody who uses this argument doesn't understand anything about recruiting. Yes, Goro was a great high school player and an impressive leader and winner, and he was recognized by Parade for his prep achievements, but as a recruit he wasn't as highly regarded as Larry Smith or even Jared Funk, who both got three stars apiece from Scouts and Rivals. Maybe Goro will turn out to be a great SEC quarterback, but not because he was a Parade All-American.
Many Vandy fans are desperate, they want a savior, and Larry Smith couldn't save them last year so they want temporary relief by hearing that the new starter is:
• Aaron Rodger's little brother.
• A fifth-year senior who hasn't played yet because Bobby Johnson's an idiot.
• A redshirt freshman who was once named one of the top seven prep quarterbacks in America by a magazine specializing in celebrity interviews.
Larry Smith's got more experience and at least as much talent as any of the other guys, and he's going to get a chance to lead this team in 2010.
He's got the weight of the world on his shoulders and so-called Vandy fans, at least the ones who don't realize that football teams even have offensive lines, aren't going to make it any easier for him.
Godspeed, Larry.
And keep practicing, Jordan and Jared and Charlie. When Larry gets either carried or booed off the field, we're going to need you.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Fullam cracking heads, BJ talking up redshirt for Rodgers
Bobby Johnson spent about 10 minutes on the air the other day with the fellas from 104.5 in Nashville, which is always a good chance to get some new info, or at least read between the lines. A few key points:
• Fullam settles in at free safety: Johnson says it's fair to compare redshift freshman Jay Fullam to Ryan Hamilton, who started at FS for four years after redshirting. Fullam, you remember, was going to play as a true frosh before needing hand surgery during preseason. BJ says he's smart and a hard hitter, always a good combination.
• Young linemen stepping up: With right tackle James Williams still recovering from a nasty break and a rod in his leg and with left tackle Ryan Seymour having shoulder surgery, redshirt frosh Wes Johnson's been getting lots of work at tackle. He's a talent but still awfully light in the britches. Caleb Welchans and Kyle Fischer also fit into plans, and Joey Bailey's a lock at center.
• Warren Norman sharp at tailback, no surprise, but Kennard Reeves has been a beast as well.
• Archie Barnes, DeAndre Jones and Dexter Daniels expected to step up at LB alongside Marve and Stokes (no mention of Tristan Strong).
• Johnson says the offense has change "a lot" and cites the change at OC.
• Also says Jordan Rodgers progressing as expected, is very mobile in the pocket and may very well redshirt. Also not getting as many reps because Smith needs them (fair enough) and Funk does too (why?). Goro looks "pretty good." I still think Goro's a dark horse and he'll sneak up on people because Rodgers and his bloodlines are getting all the press.
That's all for now. B&G game tomorrow at 10:30 CST.
• Fullam settles in at free safety: Johnson says it's fair to compare redshift freshman Jay Fullam to Ryan Hamilton, who started at FS for four years after redshirting. Fullam, you remember, was going to play as a true frosh before needing hand surgery during preseason. BJ says he's smart and a hard hitter, always a good combination.
• Young linemen stepping up: With right tackle James Williams still recovering from a nasty break and a rod in his leg and with left tackle Ryan Seymour having shoulder surgery, redshirt frosh Wes Johnson's been getting lots of work at tackle. He's a talent but still awfully light in the britches. Caleb Welchans and Kyle Fischer also fit into plans, and Joey Bailey's a lock at center.
• Warren Norman sharp at tailback, no surprise, but Kennard Reeves has been a beast as well.
• Archie Barnes, DeAndre Jones and Dexter Daniels expected to step up at LB alongside Marve and Stokes (no mention of Tristan Strong).
• Johnson says the offense has change "a lot" and cites the change at OC.
• Also says Jordan Rodgers progressing as expected, is very mobile in the pocket and may very well redshirt. Also not getting as many reps because Smith needs them (fair enough) and Funk does too (why?). Goro looks "pretty good." I still think Goro's a dark horse and he'll sneak up on people because Rodgers and his bloodlines are getting all the press.
That's all for now. B&G game tomorrow at 10:30 CST.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Charlie Goro most productive Vandy quarterback on Saturday ... but does he really have a chance to play?
The not-worst-in-the-nation-but-almost Vandy offense ran 11 drives today, according to the official Commodore Web site. Of course, the site's not going to disclose information that would contradict Bobby Johnson's assertion that all four quarterbacks are locked in a competition that's just too close to call.
That's why we're here... to read between the lines.
The winner of the quarterback race, at least on this day, was Charlie Goro, who apparently led three drives, ending in a punt, a field goal and a touchdown.
Jared Funk also led a touchdown drive, but also had an interception and another drive that ended in a punt.
Returning starter Larry Smith had two drives end in a punt and another that ended with an interception on the goal line.
As for Jordan Rodgers, it appears that he led two drives, both of which ended with punts.
What does this mean? Who knows? The past two years, Bobby Johnson has talked about how he had no idea who he was naming his starting quarterback and then at the last minute he picked the guy who was supposed to start from the beginning. So everybody thinks Larry Smith will get the nod.
Everybody's also excited about Jordan Rodgers' bloodlines, but Charlie Goro is making a run here. Goro's a winner, he's a leader and he can run the spread. Larry Smith's been talking about how he's 90 percent healthy from his hamstring tear and how he'll never be 100 percent again. For a guy whose main selling point was his physical attributes, that's not good. And now he's throwing goal line interceptions in spring practice.
Maybe Larry will be our starter for the next two seasons and maybe he'll be great. He certainly didn't get any help last season. But maybe Goro will emerge as our best bet at quarterback.
Even if that happens, there's no guarantee that Bobby gives him the nod. Remember in 2008 when we start 5-0 and then Nickson and Adams both self-destruct — physically, psychologically and every which a way? It took both of those guys getting injured in the Wake Forest game before Bobby would play Larry, who he clearly thought was the future of the team. After all, he needed just one out of seven victories to become bowl eligible, and he barely got it.
So what if Bobby now thinks Goro is the future of the team? But he needs x number of victories to convince the administration that the program is progressing? Would he play Goro?
Bobby Johnson has started only one redshirt freshman quarterback, and that was Jay Cutler in Johnson's first season, when he had plenty of time to rebuild.
He's got some time now, but not as much time as he had then.
So would he play Goro early or even start the season with him?
We'll see.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Charlie Goro: The wild card in the Vandy quarterback race
Maybe you noticed this link that The Anonymous Goro Lover left in the comments of several recent MV! blog posts.
You know The Anonymous Goro Lover. He's the guy or maybe the gal who stops by frequently to praise redshirt freshman quarterback Charlie Goro.
I don't know where TAGL found this link, but whoever wrote it thought Goro was going to be the most exciting player in the SEC. Last season. Instead, Goro redshirted just like every other quarterback Bobby Johnson has ever signed.
Goro is intriguing. Since the day Goro committed to the Commodores, everybody's been talking about his leadership ability. Larry Smith has a bigger arm, but Goro's probably more accurate and has better touch on the short ball, in addition to being a better leader.
We think. Who knows? Remember that Larry and even Jared Funk were unanimous three-star prospects.
Here's what I hope: If Goro is the real deal and our quarterback of the future, I hope Bobby Johnson puts the ball in his hands and lets him run the team for four straight years. Remember two years ago when Larry was a redshirt freshman and played his first game in the regular season finale and then started the bowl game?
If Goro's not ready, well, Smith has two years of eligibility remaining and Jordan Rodgers has three to play two. It's certainly an interesting situation.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Bobby Johnson names a starting punter... but not a quarterback
Bobby Johnson was just full of interesting information during his signing-day press conference. Here’s a sample:
• VANDY’S FINALLY GETTING OFFENSIVE LINEMEN WHO ARE ALREADY BIG: Sure, guys like Chris Williams and Thomas Welch leave campus big, but they arrive as projects. “Now we’re getting the big guys,” Johnson said, citing Grant Ramsay, Logan Stewart and Chase White, all of whom are at least 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds. He said one or two of them could provide depth and play as true freshmen. “They don’t have to gain weight, just learn a lot, but they’re smart guys,” he told 104 The Zone yesterday. Only Andrew Bridges is a throwback at 6-6, 245 and a certain redshirt. Expect either Ramsay or Stewart to see some time at guard this season.
• THE DEFENSIVE LINEMEN ARE THE STRENGTH OF THIS CLASS: The defensive linemen usually redshirt at Vandy, too, but Johnson was almost gushing over his five defensive linemen — tackles Kyle Woestmann,Vince Taylor and Jared Morse and ends James Kittredge and Thomas Ryan. Kittredge can play tackle too, and Johnson said Woestmann could play inside or outside. He called these guys “probably the most ready-to-go defensive line we’ve ever recruited.” That’s an understatement. He said he expects them to “push some people and be a force.” Sophomores Rob Lohr and Colt Nichter should be especially wary.
• EVERY FROSH WIDE RECEIVER WILL GET A SHOT AT PLAYING TIME: Johnson mentioned 6-foot-4 Chris Boyd first, saying he will “be a presence right away” and “can handle all kinds of coverage.” And besides, Boyd just became an Eagle Scout (only at Vanderbilt). Another 6-4 guy, Jordan Matthews is the “big presence we need,” according to Johnson. He praised Jonathan Krause for his speed and agility, and also singled out Trent Pruitt as “one of those slot guys.” And as a coach’s son, “he knows how to please coaches.” While Pruitt was the least decorated of the receiver recruits, he runs crisp routes and could be one of the first freshmen to see the field, just like John Cole in 2008 and Collin Ashley in 2009.
• WALK-ON RICHARD KENT IS THE STARTING PUNTER: Johnson has mentioned several times in the past few days that Richard Kent, a redshirt sophomore, will be the starting punter. Freshman Carey Spear, expected to challenge Ryan Fowler at least for kickoff duties, will likely be the backup punter unless LB/TE Fitz Lassing somehow avoids a redshirt and establishes himself as the second best punter on the team.
• SPEEDY LB CHASE GARNHAM WILL REDSHIRT, THEN ASSUME A BUGGS-LIKE ROLE: Johnson said that Garnham, who moved from safety as a senior, will be used in the same way the team used Marcus Buggs. Except Garnham is about four inches taller.
• RAJAAN BENNETT COULD REDSHIRT: Johnson has said several times in the last few days that prize recruit Bennett could redshirt. If he doesn’t run wild in preseason camp, expect Bennett to travel with the team and be ready to play in the event of injury. Many experts, though, believe Bennett is too good to keep off the field. And don’t forget that Johnson had pegged Warren Norman for a redshirt before last season and he became the SEC’s freshman of the year.
• JOHNSON, ALREADY IN PRESEASON MODE, IS BEING COY ABOUT THE QUARTERBACKS: While he’s quick to name a starter at punter, Johnson is setting the stage for a battle between Larry Smith and Jordan Rodgers for the QB job. (Though he didn’t forget to mention Charlie Goro and Jared Funk. Hey coach, you forgot Matt Casas.) Junior college product Jordan Rodgers sure looked the part at the press conference on Wednesday, talking about how he hopes to follow in his brother’s footsteps, and how “as a quarterback you want to go to a place where you compete at the highest level,” and how he’s been getting advice from Jay Cutler, and why he chose Vanderbilt (“the country music definitely didn’t hurt”).
• VANDY’S FINALLY GETTING OFFENSIVE LINEMEN WHO ARE ALREADY BIG: Sure, guys like Chris Williams and Thomas Welch leave campus big, but they arrive as projects. “Now we’re getting the big guys,” Johnson said, citing Grant Ramsay, Logan Stewart and Chase White, all of whom are at least 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds. He said one or two of them could provide depth and play as true freshmen. “They don’t have to gain weight, just learn a lot, but they’re smart guys,” he told 104 The Zone yesterday. Only Andrew Bridges is a throwback at 6-6, 245 and a certain redshirt. Expect either Ramsay or Stewart to see some time at guard this season.
• THE DEFENSIVE LINEMEN ARE THE STRENGTH OF THIS CLASS: The defensive linemen usually redshirt at Vandy, too, but Johnson was almost gushing over his five defensive linemen — tackles Kyle Woestmann,Vince Taylor and Jared Morse and ends James Kittredge and Thomas Ryan. Kittredge can play tackle too, and Johnson said Woestmann could play inside or outside. He called these guys “probably the most ready-to-go defensive line we’ve ever recruited.” That’s an understatement. He said he expects them to “push some people and be a force.” Sophomores Rob Lohr and Colt Nichter should be especially wary.
• EVERY FROSH WIDE RECEIVER WILL GET A SHOT AT PLAYING TIME: Johnson mentioned 6-foot-4 Chris Boyd first, saying he will “be a presence right away” and “can handle all kinds of coverage.” And besides, Boyd just became an Eagle Scout (only at Vanderbilt). Another 6-4 guy, Jordan Matthews is the “big presence we need,” according to Johnson. He praised Jonathan Krause for his speed and agility, and also singled out Trent Pruitt as “one of those slot guys.” And as a coach’s son, “he knows how to please coaches.” While Pruitt was the least decorated of the receiver recruits, he runs crisp routes and could be one of the first freshmen to see the field, just like John Cole in 2008 and Collin Ashley in 2009.
• WALK-ON RICHARD KENT IS THE STARTING PUNTER: Johnson has mentioned several times in the past few days that Richard Kent, a redshirt sophomore, will be the starting punter. Freshman Carey Spear, expected to challenge Ryan Fowler at least for kickoff duties, will likely be the backup punter unless LB/TE Fitz Lassing somehow avoids a redshirt and establishes himself as the second best punter on the team.
• SPEEDY LB CHASE GARNHAM WILL REDSHIRT, THEN ASSUME A BUGGS-LIKE ROLE: Johnson said that Garnham, who moved from safety as a senior, will be used in the same way the team used Marcus Buggs. Except Garnham is about four inches taller.
• RAJAAN BENNETT COULD REDSHIRT: Johnson has said several times in the last few days that prize recruit Bennett could redshirt. If he doesn’t run wild in preseason camp, expect Bennett to travel with the team and be ready to play in the event of injury. Many experts, though, believe Bennett is too good to keep off the field. And don’t forget that Johnson had pegged Warren Norman for a redshirt before last season and he became the SEC’s freshman of the year.
• JOHNSON, ALREADY IN PRESEASON MODE, IS BEING COY ABOUT THE QUARTERBACKS: While he’s quick to name a starter at punter, Johnson is setting the stage for a battle between Larry Smith and Jordan Rodgers for the QB job. (Though he didn’t forget to mention Charlie Goro and Jared Funk. Hey coach, you forgot Matt Casas.) Junior college product Jordan Rodgers sure looked the part at the press conference on Wednesday, talking about how he hopes to follow in his brother’s footsteps, and how “as a quarterback you want to go to a place where you compete at the highest level,” and how he’s been getting advice from Jay Cutler, and why he chose Vanderbilt (“the country music definitely didn’t hurt”).
Monday, January 11, 2010
Why back-to-back winning seasons would be huge for Vanderbilt football
You know what Vandy needs to do to turn the corner in football?
Produce back-to-back winning seasons.
And not just because the Commodores haven't had back-to-back winning seasons since 1975. It would mean a recruiting class with a strong start and a strong finish.
Before the 2007 season, Vandy was coming off a 4-8 season and had 10 verbal commitments from mostly two-star players. After finishing 5-6, the Commodores added 11 more mostly two-star players.
Before the 2008 season, Vandy had 10 verbal commitments, again from mostly two-star players or three-star players like Zac Stacy and Eric Samuels who didn't have offers from major programs. But after finishing with a winning record and a bowl victory, the Commodores finished strong by stealing Thad McHaney from Ole Miss, landing Wesley Tate whom they'd pursued for more than a year, and four more three-star players.
When Johnson signed those players, he said his next class would be even better. He was right. Before the 2009 season was in the toilet, he'd already received verbal commitments from a staggering 19 players, 17 of them with three stars. After Vandy's two wins were in the books, tight end prospect Davis Dudchock jumped ship to Stanford, and lots of our commitments started visiting places like Auburn, Florida State, South Carolina and Kentucky.
So far, the remaining 18 — guys like Kyle Woestmann, Jerrell Priester and Bradley Roby — appear to be honoring their verbal commitments. But adding the three-star players that came so easily after last year's Music City Bowl victory has proven tough, and upgrading to four-star players has proven impossible.
Since the season ended, Vandy has received four more commitments:
• Blake Gowder, a low three-star player who caught a ton of passes in high school but who's too slow to be a receiver and too small to be a tight end; he'll probably be a linebacker.
• Jordan Rodgers, a JUCO quarterback who appeared to be going to Kansas before Mangino got fired; best known as Aaron Rodgers' little brother.
• Jordan Matthews, a wide receiver from Alabama who's supposedly Jerry Rice's nephew. He's unrated by ESPN but got three stars from Rivals.
• Chase Garnham, an unrated linebacker from Alabama who's been clocked in the 40 at sub-4.4 but isn't kin to any former NFL players as far as we know.
It should be noted that all these guys are projects who committed as soon as they were offered; in other words, Vanderbilt was their best option. That doesn't mean they won't be great players — Vandy was the best option for an unrated player named Sean Richardson, now one of the most underrated players in the SEC.
There's more hope. James Stone, a hulking offensive tackle from Maplewood, Tenn., has narrowed his schools to Alabama, Auburn and Vandy. He would be the rare Vandy lineman — a game-ready specimen who could skip the year-long training table meal and start competing for a starting assignment right away.
Even without Stone and even if another commitment or two jumps ship, in February Johnson will still have his best signing class by far — and probably Vandy's best ever.
But the Commodores will likely struggle to lure top commitments before the 2010 season starts. It could spell doom for the 2011 recruiting class if next season resembles the last one.
If the Commodores have a successful 2010 season, however, they'll be back in the running for some high-quality players and could finish strong.
And if they could follow a winning season in 2010 with another one in 2011, then look out.
Produce back-to-back winning seasons.
And not just because the Commodores haven't had back-to-back winning seasons since 1975. It would mean a recruiting class with a strong start and a strong finish.
Before the 2007 season, Vandy was coming off a 4-8 season and had 10 verbal commitments from mostly two-star players. After finishing 5-6, the Commodores added 11 more mostly two-star players.
Before the 2008 season, Vandy had 10 verbal commitments, again from mostly two-star players or three-star players like Zac Stacy and Eric Samuels who didn't have offers from major programs. But after finishing with a winning record and a bowl victory, the Commodores finished strong by stealing Thad McHaney from Ole Miss, landing Wesley Tate whom they'd pursued for more than a year, and four more three-star players.
When Johnson signed those players, he said his next class would be even better. He was right. Before the 2009 season was in the toilet, he'd already received verbal commitments from a staggering 19 players, 17 of them with three stars. After Vandy's two wins were in the books, tight end prospect Davis Dudchock jumped ship to Stanford, and lots of our commitments started visiting places like Auburn, Florida State, South Carolina and Kentucky.
So far, the remaining 18 — guys like Kyle Woestmann, Jerrell Priester and Bradley Roby — appear to be honoring their verbal commitments. But adding the three-star players that came so easily after last year's Music City Bowl victory has proven tough, and upgrading to four-star players has proven impossible.
Since the season ended, Vandy has received four more commitments:
• Blake Gowder, a low three-star player who caught a ton of passes in high school but who's too slow to be a receiver and too small to be a tight end; he'll probably be a linebacker.
• Jordan Rodgers, a JUCO quarterback who appeared to be going to Kansas before Mangino got fired; best known as Aaron Rodgers' little brother.
• Jordan Matthews, a wide receiver from Alabama who's supposedly Jerry Rice's nephew. He's unrated by ESPN but got three stars from Rivals.
• Chase Garnham, an unrated linebacker from Alabama who's been clocked in the 40 at sub-4.4 but isn't kin to any former NFL players as far as we know.
It should be noted that all these guys are projects who committed as soon as they were offered; in other words, Vanderbilt was their best option. That doesn't mean they won't be great players — Vandy was the best option for an unrated player named Sean Richardson, now one of the most underrated players in the SEC.
There's more hope. James Stone, a hulking offensive tackle from Maplewood, Tenn., has narrowed his schools to Alabama, Auburn and Vandy. He would be the rare Vandy lineman — a game-ready specimen who could skip the year-long training table meal and start competing for a starting assignment right away.
Even without Stone and even if another commitment or two jumps ship, in February Johnson will still have his best signing class by far — and probably Vandy's best ever.
But the Commodores will likely struggle to lure top commitments before the 2010 season starts. It could spell doom for the 2011 recruiting class if next season resembles the last one.
If the Commodores have a successful 2010 season, however, they'll be back in the running for some high-quality players and could finish strong.
And if they could follow a winning season in 2010 with another one in 2011, then look out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
