Vanderbilt starting quarterback Larry Smith, I mean 'L-Train,' says true freshmen receivers looking good

Got a new Ask-a-Dore segment on the athletic department site and, lo and behold, it features Larry Smith, but the interview was conducted before the announcement that he would be the starting quarterback.

I'll run down the highlights for you, but must first say two things:

1) Larry had an extremely hard act to follow in Jamie Graham, who's a hilarious guy and good in front of a mike.

2) Larry apparently graduated from the Nuke LaLoosh school of interviewing. For example, he likes to answer questions with a friendly "most definitely," and he answers questions about the preseason with a friendly "we're taking it practice by practice," and questions about the season with a friendly "we're taking it game by game."

Fortunately for you, I'm a patient listener and have listened to the 8-minute interview and gleaned a few interesting facts for you:

• True freshmen receivers Brady Brown and Collin Ashley have been impressive in spring practice: When asked about the receiving corps, Larry said, "We young," and then, unprompted, he mentioned two receivers, Brown and Ashley, saying they were both "stepping up good." That's good to hear.

• Larry was an Air Force brat: Larry's dad was stationed in California, then North Carolina, then Alabama. "We're kind of fortunate because we only lived in three places," he said.

• Why Larry wears the number 10: Because as a boy he was a fan of Kordell Stewart and Chipper Jones.

• High school nickname: L-Train, but people haven't called him that in Nashville...yet. The above picture shows Larry in full L-Train mode at Prattville High School.

• His roommate since he got to Vanderbilt: Jermaine Doster. "We're real neat," he says. Now receiver Justin Green has joined them. Justin may refuse to make up his bed until Larry starts throwing him the ball.

• Something we may not know about Broderick Stewart: His nickname is High Definition.

• On the importance of swag: "You got to have swag on the field. Without swag you have low confidence." And does Alex Washington really have the most swag on the team? "Alex thinks he has the most swag, but I give it to him."

Which Commodores have swag? Jamie Graham knows

You’ve probably been wondering which Commodore player has the most swag. I know I sure have.

If you’ve never heard of swag, here’s how Urban Dictionary defines it: Apperance (sic), style, or the way he or she presents them selves (sic again). As in, “He got killa swag.”

So which Commodore looks the sharpest when he’s off the field? Based on his appearance at SEC Media Days, my vote would be cornerback Myron Lewis, who possessed considerably more swag than center Bradley Vierling, who nevertheless possessed a decent amount of swag for an offensive lineman.

Swag has been a topic of the excellent and often hilarious Ask-A-Dore interviews that the athletic department’s Brandon Barca has been conducting this preseason with Vandy football players. So far he’s interviewed Alex Washington and Jamie Graham and right now is taking fan questions for Larry Smith.

One fan submitted this question for Washington: “How does it feel to have the most swag on the team, but to still only have the second best dreadlocks in the SEC?”

"I think I may know who wrote this, actually," Washington replied. "Yeah, I mean, it feels good to have a lot of swag, I guess. I just do what I do — do me. If that's what swag is, then I guess I'm the definition of it. And I absolutely disagree on the dreadlocks part. I'm frying Dexter McCluster."

McCluster is the wide receiver and Rebel Back and just about everything else for the Ole Miss offense, but I prefer to remember him as the guy Chris Marve stripped the ball from last season in Oxford on the goal line in the fourth quarter.

Barca’s latest interview is with Jamie Graham, who’s an interesting, funny guy. Jamie says Washington is NOT frying McCluster. Because, Jamie reveals, Washington has extensions in his dreads. “If you have extensions it doesn’t count,” Graham said.

Jamie did say Alex Washington ranked first for swag, but he's tied with Mackenzi Adams. He recounted the care Mac takes pulling up his socks in the locker room.

He also ripped his defensive coordinator, Bruce Fowler, for having “no swag.”

Some other jabs, tips and thoughts from Graham:

• He said he was in the Top 10 of the fastest players on the team, but “probably not Top 5.” The fastest? “From what I hear it’s the freshman Eddie Foster.” He said Foster said he’d been clocked at 4.261, so every time Foster says something his teammates yell “4261.”

• He said he’s reached a personal high of 204 pounds and is at the top of his game. “I’m stronger, my speed’s better, my legs are stronger, my agility’s better than it’s ever been. I hate to say it but I remind myself of D.J. Moore, actually.”

• He hopes to go to the NFL and “make some money” but also plans to be a special education teacher and coach in metro Nashville.

• His favorite Vanderbilt class so far: Gender, Sexuality and Social References of Music.

• The best place to eat in Nashville: Precious Chicken. “It’s a great chicken place if you like hot food, but it’s very, very greasy.”

• His favorite nickname: The X-Factor, which he got from the student section. “If I see ’em (on campus) they give me the X and I give it to ’em right back. We know we connected just then.”

Maybe Vanderbilt’s got some players who aren’t smart, funny, great kids, but I haven’t found any yet. Well, maybe Mackenzi’s not a comedian. But he’s smart and by all accounts a great kid. And don’t forget he’s got swag.