If you're freaking out over rumors of James Franklin jumping ship to Penn State, just stop it right now.
We want these rumors to heat up, and we want Penn State and any other powerhouse programs with coaching vacancies to think they have a shot at Franklin — why would they think otherwise? — and to come calling.
Why? Because it puts Vanderbilt and Franklin in the national spotlight. All those four-star verbal commitments suddenly want to know if Franklin's staying, because they're not signing with the Commodores if he's not. And all the other blue chippers that Franklin's trying to woo suddenly want to know the same thing.
I bet the kids are Twittering up a storm about now. Sure, kids are saying they'll de-commit if he leaves. But at the same time, I guarantee you that kids are deciding they'll commit if he stays. It's great publicity, and we want the rumors to run wild.
That's because I believe Franklin stays. For the past year, he's been doing a lot of talking about how he's changing the culture at Vanderbilt and especially how much he loves his players. A coach who leaves after one year hasn't changed the culture and he doesn't love his players. But if James Franklin is a legitimate candidate for one of the best jobs in college football — and in his home state, no less — and he stays, then he's sending a message that:
1. He's staying in Nashville for the foreseeable future, and he believes he can win here.
2. He believes he is changing the culture at Vanderbilt.
3. He does love his players.
4. Some of the best players in America will realize that and will sign with Vandy.
5. He's the real deal.
I believe Franklin is the real deal. Of course, the administration has to pony up with an indoor practice facility, stadium improvements and a new football marketing plan to send HIM the message that they're serious about winning. I believe it will do that.
Might we be having this same discussion in four years, which happens to be the same amount of time it took Jim Harbaugh to turn Stanford into a national contender? Absolutely. I think Franklin will eventually be an NFL head coach. But if we are having this same discussion in four years, then Franklin has proven that Vanderbilt can win big, and he'll be leaving the program in good shape and in good hands.
So rest easy. And if Franklin does jump ship, then those comparisons to Lane Kiffin (young guy who'll promise you everything and then leave in the night) are justified and we didn't want him anyway.
That's not the case, as we're about to find out.
Showing posts with label vanderbilt football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vanderbilt football. Show all posts
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Vandy should prolong body bag games as long as possible
What did our last two schedules, both of which ended in 2-10 records, have in common?
We played LSU in the second game of the season.
I have a friend whose alma mater is Troy University and he calls games in which a team is overmatched physically “body bag games.” For us, LSU has always been a body bag game. We just don’t have the athletes, especially the waves of linemen on both sides of the ball, that the Bayou Bengals do.
Last year, we played LSU coming off a heartbreaking loss to Northwestern. We played them close enough for three quarters and then they just wore us down and won 27-3.
The year before, we played LSU coming off an easy opening victory to Western Carolina. It was a close game, but we lost tackle James Williams to injury, he never played for us again, and Larry Smith has been running for his life ever since.
As I’ve said earlier, our current schedule starts easy and gets progressively tougher. Elon was easy, UConn was tough but winnable, Ole Miss also tough but winnable, and then there’s South Carolina, a powerful team that values skilled players and finesse over hulking linemen and physical domination.
That doesn’t mean we won’t get hammered by the Gamecocks or that Larry won’t be running for his life with Jadaveon Clowney hot on his heels, but I wouldn’t call it a body bag game.
On the other hand, Alabama, our fifth opponent, is a body bag game. This is a deep, physically dominating team that could break us physically and psychologically, and we’re playing them in Tuscaloosa.
Remember how we put up a better fight against winnable teams early in the season, and we always seem to fall apart against the likes of Kentucky and Wake Forest — and even the worst Tennessee teams in decades — late in the year?
That’s because we lack depth – as Coach Franklin likes to say, “We’ve got players but just not enough of them – and that weakness is exposed in these body bag games and it just gets weaker and weaker as the season progresses.
Franklin’s already getting replacements ready. Josh Grady, for example, is taking snaps at wide receiver. We absolutely can’t afford to lose offensive linemen, where Franklin plans to play the same five guys (Fischer, Seymour, Johnson, Brown and White) and build some cohesion.
If it were a perfect world, we’d play our schedule in this order:
1. Elon: A team we should always beat.
2. Army: Another team we should beat, though we’d darn better take them seriously.
3. Wake Forest: Should be a winnable game, but our tank is always empty when we play these guys in November.
4. UConn: Another winnable game — as proven by last week’s victory — but also a physically tough game we should get out of the way in the first half of the season.
5. Kentucky: The SEC team closest to us in talent, but we always play them late in the year when we’re depleted.
6. Ole Miss: A team with good athletes but another winnable game for us.
7. Tennessee: The Vols now consider Kentucky a bigger rival, so why do we have to play them last? We’re the walking wounded by the time we play these guys in November.
8. Florida: A wildly talented team, but also a young team. We usually play them about this time anyway.
9. Georgia: It’s probably better for us to play Georgia earlier because they’re a physically superior team that takes a while to get on track, but we haven’t had much success against them lately anyway.
10. South Carolina: A freakishly talented team that’s far superior to the squads we beat in 2007 and 2008.
11. Arkansas: We’ve historically had some success against the Razorbacks, but this is an unusually powerful Arkansas team, and it’s not coached by Houston Nutt.
12. Alabama: I just don’t see what good can come from going to Tuscaloosa, and I wish we’d play this game dead last.
We played LSU in the second game of the season.
I have a friend whose alma mater is Troy University and he calls games in which a team is overmatched physically “body bag games.” For us, LSU has always been a body bag game. We just don’t have the athletes, especially the waves of linemen on both sides of the ball, that the Bayou Bengals do.
Last year, we played LSU coming off a heartbreaking loss to Northwestern. We played them close enough for three quarters and then they just wore us down and won 27-3.
The year before, we played LSU coming off an easy opening victory to Western Carolina. It was a close game, but we lost tackle James Williams to injury, he never played for us again, and Larry Smith has been running for his life ever since.
As I’ve said earlier, our current schedule starts easy and gets progressively tougher. Elon was easy, UConn was tough but winnable, Ole Miss also tough but winnable, and then there’s South Carolina, a powerful team that values skilled players and finesse over hulking linemen and physical domination.
That doesn’t mean we won’t get hammered by the Gamecocks or that Larry won’t be running for his life with Jadaveon Clowney hot on his heels, but I wouldn’t call it a body bag game.
On the other hand, Alabama, our fifth opponent, is a body bag game. This is a deep, physically dominating team that could break us physically and psychologically, and we’re playing them in Tuscaloosa.
Remember how we put up a better fight against winnable teams early in the season, and we always seem to fall apart against the likes of Kentucky and Wake Forest — and even the worst Tennessee teams in decades — late in the year?
That’s because we lack depth – as Coach Franklin likes to say, “We’ve got players but just not enough of them – and that weakness is exposed in these body bag games and it just gets weaker and weaker as the season progresses.
Franklin’s already getting replacements ready. Josh Grady, for example, is taking snaps at wide receiver. We absolutely can’t afford to lose offensive linemen, where Franklin plans to play the same five guys (Fischer, Seymour, Johnson, Brown and White) and build some cohesion.
If it were a perfect world, we’d play our schedule in this order:
1. Elon: A team we should always beat.
2. Army: Another team we should beat, though we’d darn better take them seriously.
3. Wake Forest: Should be a winnable game, but our tank is always empty when we play these guys in November.
4. UConn: Another winnable game — as proven by last week’s victory — but also a physically tough game we should get out of the way in the first half of the season.
5. Kentucky: The SEC team closest to us in talent, but we always play them late in the year when we’re depleted.
6. Ole Miss: A team with good athletes but another winnable game for us.
7. Tennessee: The Vols now consider Kentucky a bigger rival, so why do we have to play them last? We’re the walking wounded by the time we play these guys in November.
8. Florida: A wildly talented team, but also a young team. We usually play them about this time anyway.
9. Georgia: It’s probably better for us to play Georgia earlier because they’re a physically superior team that takes a while to get on track, but we haven’t had much success against them lately anyway.
10. South Carolina: A freakishly talented team that’s far superior to the squads we beat in 2007 and 2008.
11. Arkansas: We’ve historically had some success against the Razorbacks, but this is an unusually powerful Arkansas team, and it’s not coached by Houston Nutt.
12. Alabama: I just don’t see what good can come from going to Tuscaloosa, and I wish we’d play this game dead last.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Thanks for checking up on me
Hey gang, thanks for continuing to visit and comment on MV! even though I haven't posted anything in a long time. The haiku was especially touching, and I'm not being sarcastic.
Yes, I am fine. This has been an especially busy spring. I've been busy with my day job as a newspaper editor, and also am teaching a couple of freshman composition classes at the local university and am actually enjoying it, and then three of my kids are on Little League baseball teams and the oldest is playing travel ball which is a strange world indeed. Oh, and I'm trying to teach my 15-year-old daughter to drive. And I'm trying to figure out an acceptable way to observe my 20th wedding anniversary, which is in less than a month.
Any advice is welcome.
Also, I haven't felt much urgency in regards to the Vandy football program. Usually at this time of year, I'm blogging about the 5-star recruits who are considering Vandy, as well as every Commodore player's odds of starring or starting or even just seeing the field next season.
But the arrival of James Franklin has changed all that. For one thing, Vandy fans on chat boards seem particularly excited about the 5-star players who've listed Vanderbilt as one of their top 20 schools. It's always been this way, folks, even before Coach Franklin. Bobby Johnson was a likable guy, and lots of superstar athletes during his tenure showed strong interest in Vandy, probably to send a signal to their mamas that they were serious about academics.
I'm no longer interested in which players say they might want to attend Vandy. There's two reasons for this: Lafonte Thourogood and Dillon van der Wal. Franklin hadn't even unpacked in Nashville when he stole these kids from Virginia Tech and Arizona State. He didn't ALMOST steal these kids, like BoJo had done so many times before. No, he actually did it. And these guys showed up on our commitment list out of the blue, and at the last minute.
So it really doesn't matter in May who says they love Vandy or another school or who says they're committing to Vandy or another school. It ain't over until they fax in their John Hancocks in February. Yeah, we were looking for moral victories in recruiting because we wanted to feel good about something. But we just had our best recruiting class in recent memory from a coach hired only a month or two, and so I'm gonna just sit back and watch who he signs next February and in the meantime I'm not going to worry about who's got VU in his top 20. You can only attend one school at a time. (Even if you're Cam Newton.)
Also, I don't want to speculate about who's going to play and who's not because I think the freshmen really are going to get a shot to play, especially at the skill positions.
Larry Smith looked like the starter in the spring and Jordan Rodgers still hasn't gotten the reps he needed. But if we don't win (and it could happen — Lou Holtz went winless in his first season at South Carolina and Nick Saban lost to UAB in his first season at LSU and to a directional Louisiana college in his first season at Bama) then expect to see Franklin toss the keys to Lafonte or Josh Grady.
Other players who'll be tough to keep off the field include RB Jarod Seymour, WR/DB Jacquese Kirk, DB Derek King and safeties Larry Franklin and Jahmel McIntosh.
It'll also be interesting to see what Franklin does with what he calls his "jumbo athletes." Dillon van der Wal and Darien Bryant can both play tight end but won't be needed immediately because of seniors Barden and Monahan and depth in sophomores Mason Johnston and Fitz Lassing. So do you send them over to the D-Line? Van der Wal could be a beast at defensive end or even left tackle, but that would take a lot of training table meals. He could have an immediate impact as a target on offense. Remember Thomas Welch played some TE before converting to OT and getting drafted.
Like I say, it'll be interesting.
I'll have more later. Sorry to drop off the radar for so long. Thanks for checking up on me.
Yes, I am fine. This has been an especially busy spring. I've been busy with my day job as a newspaper editor, and also am teaching a couple of freshman composition classes at the local university and am actually enjoying it, and then three of my kids are on Little League baseball teams and the oldest is playing travel ball which is a strange world indeed. Oh, and I'm trying to teach my 15-year-old daughter to drive. And I'm trying to figure out an acceptable way to observe my 20th wedding anniversary, which is in less than a month.
Any advice is welcome.
Also, I haven't felt much urgency in regards to the Vandy football program. Usually at this time of year, I'm blogging about the 5-star recruits who are considering Vandy, as well as every Commodore player's odds of starring or starting or even just seeing the field next season.
But the arrival of James Franklin has changed all that. For one thing, Vandy fans on chat boards seem particularly excited about the 5-star players who've listed Vanderbilt as one of their top 20 schools. It's always been this way, folks, even before Coach Franklin. Bobby Johnson was a likable guy, and lots of superstar athletes during his tenure showed strong interest in Vandy, probably to send a signal to their mamas that they were serious about academics.
I'm no longer interested in which players say they might want to attend Vandy. There's two reasons for this: Lafonte Thourogood and Dillon van der Wal. Franklin hadn't even unpacked in Nashville when he stole these kids from Virginia Tech and Arizona State. He didn't ALMOST steal these kids, like BoJo had done so many times before. No, he actually did it. And these guys showed up on our commitment list out of the blue, and at the last minute.
So it really doesn't matter in May who says they love Vandy or another school or who says they're committing to Vandy or another school. It ain't over until they fax in their John Hancocks in February. Yeah, we were looking for moral victories in recruiting because we wanted to feel good about something. But we just had our best recruiting class in recent memory from a coach hired only a month or two, and so I'm gonna just sit back and watch who he signs next February and in the meantime I'm not going to worry about who's got VU in his top 20. You can only attend one school at a time. (Even if you're Cam Newton.)
Also, I don't want to speculate about who's going to play and who's not because I think the freshmen really are going to get a shot to play, especially at the skill positions.
Larry Smith looked like the starter in the spring and Jordan Rodgers still hasn't gotten the reps he needed. But if we don't win (and it could happen — Lou Holtz went winless in his first season at South Carolina and Nick Saban lost to UAB in his first season at LSU and to a directional Louisiana college in his first season at Bama) then expect to see Franklin toss the keys to Lafonte or Josh Grady.
Other players who'll be tough to keep off the field include RB Jarod Seymour, WR/DB Jacquese Kirk, DB Derek King and safeties Larry Franklin and Jahmel McIntosh.
It'll also be interesting to see what Franklin does with what he calls his "jumbo athletes." Dillon van der Wal and Darien Bryant can both play tight end but won't be needed immediately because of seniors Barden and Monahan and depth in sophomores Mason Johnston and Fitz Lassing. So do you send them over to the D-Line? Van der Wal could be a beast at defensive end or even left tackle, but that would take a lot of training table meals. He could have an immediate impact as a target on offense. Remember Thomas Welch played some TE before converting to OT and getting drafted.
Like I say, it'll be interesting.
I'll have more later. Sorry to drop off the radar for so long. Thanks for checking up on me.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Why is nobody talking about Charlie Goro?
Look at our poll to the right of this page. Since the spring, we've been asking which Vandy quarterback will starting by the end of the season.
And which quarterback has a commanding lead?
Charlie Goro.
Now look at the Tennessean's story today about the Vandy quarterback battle. Three guys are mentioned:
• Larry Smith, the returning starter who says he was really getting comfortable back there when he was injured against Georgia Tech.
• Jordan Rodgers, the junior college transfer and of course brother of Aaron who says it's Larry's "job to lose" but that he believes he's got an advantage because he's already played two full seasons of JUCO ball.
• Jared Funk, who coaches say has an NFL arm but for some reason hasn't thrown a pass for the Commodores in four years, and who is optimistic that with Robbie Caldwell at the helm "a little bit of change might occur."
So who's missing from the story?
That's right, Charlie Goro. And for the record, Caldwell has mentioned Goro in interviews before, usually as a helpful side note BECAUSE NOBODY IN THE MEDIA IS EVEN MENTIONING GORO.
Everybody is dazzled by the fact that Rodgers' brother plays for the Packer, obsessed with talking about how much Larry struggled, and falling for all the coaching staff's mentions of Funk, who's being rewarded for five years at Vandy by getting his name in the newspaper instead of getting playing time.
Meanwhile, Goro continues to fly under the radar. And, really, if nobody's asking Caldwell and the other coaches about Goro, then why should they volunteer his name?
If Goro is the real deal, then Caldwell would love nothing more than to catch opponents off-guard early in the season. Maybe let Jordan Rodgers get lots of work in the open practices, get all the fans excited about Aaron's little brother, and then redshirt him and unveil Goro.
Just a thought. There are other theories, of course, both for and against each quarterback:
LARRY SMITH
For: He's a terrific athlete, perfect for our offense and has worked out all the kinks last season after being unfairly blamed for our weak receivers and shabby offensive line play.
Against: Sure, he's got some skills, but he's not a leader, he doesn't respond well to pressure, and we need to go in another direction.
JORDAN RODGERS
For: He's got the bloodlines, and while that doesn't always translate, he's got the arm, the mobility and the intangibles of his brother and he needs to start from Day 1.
Against: There's a reason he wasn't highly recruited out of junior college and had to settle for Vandy. He's got some skills, but they won't stand out against SEC defenses.
JARED FUNK
For: Bobby Johnson brought quarterbacks along too slowly and simply overlooked Funk, and Caldwell recognizes the mistake and will rectify it. Sure, it's a shame Funk hasn't played yet, which is why he should start now.
Against: Sheez, he hasn't thrown a pass in four years on campus and he was playing on the punt coverage team last year just so he could get on the field. Let's move on already.
CHARLIE GORO
For: He's Vandy's first-ever Parade All-American and he's got the leadership qualities and intangibles needed to get this team over the hump. Let's give him four years to do it.
Against: He was only a two-star quarterback by Scout and ESPN, and he's not being mentioned right now because he's not better than the other three guys.
One factor here is time: Robbie Caldwell doesn't have a lot of it. He's got to win now. So what does he do?
Does he go with the most experienced guy, Larry Smith, because the most experienced guy ought to do the best job right now?
Does he go with the big-name guy, Jordan Rodgers, because it will energize the fans, who seem to have already written off Larry, and maybe even excite the team? If he can excite fans and make them hopeful for the future, then maybe they'll forgive losses, which we're supposed to produce plenty of this season.
Is he loyal to Funk, the fifth-year senior who supposedly has an NFL-caliber arm but hasn't played yet?
Does he go with Goro, the least experienced quarterback, but possibly the wisest long-term move because he'll be on campus for another four years and because he's restless to play and might jump ship if he carries a clipboard another season? But then again, if Goro's not ready now but plays anyway, then Caldwell won't be around to watch him shine later.
Decisions, decisions.
What do you think? And why the heck is nobody besides us even mentioning Goro?
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Eight battles to watch in Vandy's preseason camp
Here are some key battles to watch as Vandy players fight to crack the opening day depth chart:
BACKUP QUARTERBACK
(Starting quarterback is R-JR Larry Smith)
Contenders: R-SR Jared Funk, JR Jordan Rodgers, R-FR Charlie Goro
Best bet for preseason: Funk
Opening day: Funk
Middle of season: Goro
End of season: Goro
THIRD STARTING WIDE RECEIVER
(Other starting receivers are R-JR Udom Umoh and R-SO John Cole)
Contenders: R-SR Turner Wimberly, SO Brady Brown, FR Jonathan Krause, FR Chris Boyd
Best bet for preseason: Wimberly
Opening day: Brown
Middle of season: Krause
End of season: Boyd
STARTING GUARDS
(Starting center is R-SR Joey Bailey)
Contenders: R-FR Wesley Johnson, R-JR Kyle Fischer, R-SO Jabo Burrow
Best bet for preseason: Johnson and Burrow
Opening day: Johnson and Fischer
Middle of season: Johnson and Burrow (Fischer to tackle)
End of season: Johnson and Burrow
STARTING RIGHT TACKLE
(Starting left tackle is R-SO Ryan Seymour)
Contenders: R-JR Kyle Fischer, R-SO Caleb Welchans, R-FR Mylon Brown
Best bet for preseason: Welchans
Opening day: Welchans
Middle of season: Fischer
End of season: Fischer
SECOND STARTING DEFENSIVE TACKLE
(First tackle is R-JR T.J. Greenstone)
Contenders: R-SR Adam Smotherman (injured), R-SO Rob Lohr, R-SO Colt Nichter, FR Vince Taylor
Best bet for preseason: Lohr
Opening day: Lohr
Middle of season: Taylor
End of season: Smotherman
SECOND STARTING DEFENSIVE END
(First defensive end is R-JR Tim Fugger)
Contenders: R-SR Teriall Brannon, SR Theron Kadri, R-FR Walker May
Best bet for preseason: Brannon
Opening day: Brannon
Middle of season: May
End of season: May
THIRD STARTING LINEBACKER
(First two linebackers are SR John Stokes and R-JR Chris Marve)
Contenders: R-SO Dexter Daniels, R-SO Tristan Strong, R-SO DeAndre Jones, R-SO Archie Barnes
Best bet for preseason: Strong
Opening day: Strong
Middle of season: Strong
End of season: Barnes
STARTING NICKEL BACK/THIRD CORNERBACK
(First two cornerbacks are JR Casey Hayward and R-JR Jamie Graham)
Contenders: SO Eddie Foster, SO Trey Wilson, SO Eric Samuels, FR Andre Hal
Best bet for preseason: Wilson or Foster
Opening day: Foster
Middle of season: Wilson
End of season: Samuels
PUNTER
Contenders: R-SO Richard Kent, FR Carey Spear
Best bet for preseason: Kent
Opening day: Kent
Middle of season: Kent
End of season: Spear
BACKUP QUARTERBACK
(Starting quarterback is R-JR Larry Smith)
Contenders: R-SR Jared Funk, JR Jordan Rodgers, R-FR Charlie Goro
Best bet for preseason: Funk
Opening day: Funk
Middle of season: Goro
End of season: Goro
THIRD STARTING WIDE RECEIVER
(Other starting receivers are R-JR Udom Umoh and R-SO John Cole)
Contenders: R-SR Turner Wimberly, SO Brady Brown, FR Jonathan Krause, FR Chris Boyd
Best bet for preseason: Wimberly
Opening day: Brown
Middle of season: Krause
End of season: Boyd
STARTING GUARDS
(Starting center is R-SR Joey Bailey)
Contenders: R-FR Wesley Johnson, R-JR Kyle Fischer, R-SO Jabo Burrow
Best bet for preseason: Johnson and Burrow
Opening day: Johnson and Fischer
Middle of season: Johnson and Burrow (Fischer to tackle)
End of season: Johnson and Burrow
STARTING RIGHT TACKLE
(Starting left tackle is R-SO Ryan Seymour)
Contenders: R-JR Kyle Fischer, R-SO Caleb Welchans, R-FR Mylon Brown
Best bet for preseason: Welchans
Opening day: Welchans
Middle of season: Fischer
End of season: Fischer
SECOND STARTING DEFENSIVE TACKLE
(First tackle is R-JR T.J. Greenstone)
Contenders: R-SR Adam Smotherman (injured), R-SO Rob Lohr, R-SO Colt Nichter, FR Vince Taylor
Best bet for preseason: Lohr
Opening day: Lohr
Middle of season: Taylor
End of season: Smotherman
SECOND STARTING DEFENSIVE END
(First defensive end is R-JR Tim Fugger)
Contenders: R-SR Teriall Brannon, SR Theron Kadri, R-FR Walker May
Best bet for preseason: Brannon
Opening day: Brannon
Middle of season: May
End of season: May
THIRD STARTING LINEBACKER
(First two linebackers are SR John Stokes and R-JR Chris Marve)
Contenders: R-SO Dexter Daniels, R-SO Tristan Strong, R-SO DeAndre Jones, R-SO Archie Barnes
Best bet for preseason: Strong
Opening day: Strong
Middle of season: Strong
End of season: Barnes
STARTING NICKEL BACK/THIRD CORNERBACK
(First two cornerbacks are JR Casey Hayward and R-JR Jamie Graham)
Contenders: SO Eddie Foster, SO Trey Wilson, SO Eric Samuels, FR Andre Hal
Best bet for preseason: Wilson or Foster
Opening day: Foster
Middle of season: Wilson
End of season: Samuels
PUNTER
Contenders: R-SO Richard Kent, FR Carey Spear
Best bet for preseason: Kent
Opening day: Kent
Middle of season: Kent
End of season: Spear
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Poll: Jonathan Krause most likely to play, but Chris Boyd most likely to start
So you think Jonathan Krause is the player most likely to play as a true freshman, but you also think Chris Boyd has the best chance to be the third starting receiver. Hmmm. So you didn't fill out the polls at the same time.
Anyway, we've kept some polls going for the past few months, and you voted for the following:
MOST LIKELY TO PLAY AS A TRUE FRESHMAN:
• Jonathan Krause, WR
PROBABLE STARTING RECEIVERS:
• Udom Umoh
• John Cole
• Chris Boyd
• Jamie Graham (will play DB instead)
• Brady Brown
PROBABLE STARTING OFFENSIVE LINE:
• Jamie Williams (currently injured)
• Ryan Seymour (currently injured)
• Kyle Fischer
• Joey Bailey
• Wes Johnson
Here are the complete lists:
FRESHMAN PLAYING TIME
1. Jonathan Krause, WR (43%)
2. Chris Boyd, WR (34)
3. Rajaan Bennett, RB (deceased) (28)
4. Kenny Ladler, S (21)
5. Jordan Matthews, WR (20)
6. Vince Taylor, DT (18)
6. Kyle Woestmann, DT (18)
6. Carey Spear, K/P (18)
9. Grant Ramsay, OL (17)
10. Andre Hal, CB (15)
10. Chase Garnham, LB (15)
12. Trent Pruitt, WR (12)
12. Blake Gowder, TE/HB (12)
14. Jared Morse, DT (10)
15. James Kittredge, DE/DT (07)
16. Andre Simmons, S (06)
17. Fitz Lassing, TE/LB (4)
18. Logan Stewart, OL (3)
19. Chase White, OL (1)
19. Steven Clarke, CB (1)
19. Karl Butler, CB/S (1)
19. Thomas Ryan, DE (1)
23. Andrew Bridges, OL (0)
WIDE RECEIVERS MOST LIKELY TO START
1. Udom Umoh, RJr (73%)
2. John Cole, RSo (71)
3. Chris Boyd, Fr (50)
4. Jamie Graham, RJr (45)
5. Brady Brown, So (33)
6. Jordan Matthews, Fr (23)
7. Jonathan Krause, Fr (20)
8. Akeem Dunham, RSo (16)
9. Tray Herndon, RJr (15)
10. Turner Wimberly, RSr (13)
11. Trent Pruitt, Fr (8)
12. Charlie Byrge, RSo (0)
12. Jameson Sackey, RSo (0)
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN MOST LIKELY TO START
1. Jamie Williams, RJr (94%)
2. Ryan Seymour, RSo (89)
3. Kyle Fischer, RJr (83)
4. Joey Bailey, RSr (70)
5. Wes Johnson, RFr (48)
6. Caleb Welchans, RSo (40)
7. Mylon Brown, RFr (24)
8. Jabo Burrow, RSo (18)
9. Chris Aaron, RSr (16)
10. Justin Cabbagestalk, RFr (8)
10. Grant Ramsay, Fr (8)
12. Richard Cagle, RSo (5)
13. Rob Ashabranner, RJr (2)
16. Logan Stewart, Fr (0)
16. Chase White, Fr (0)
16. Andrew Bridges, Fr (0)
Anyway, we've kept some polls going for the past few months, and you voted for the following:
MOST LIKELY TO PLAY AS A TRUE FRESHMAN:
• Jonathan Krause, WR
PROBABLE STARTING RECEIVERS:
• Udom Umoh
• John Cole
• Chris Boyd
• Jamie Graham (will play DB instead)
• Brady Brown
PROBABLE STARTING OFFENSIVE LINE:
• Jamie Williams (currently injured)
• Ryan Seymour (currently injured)
• Kyle Fischer
• Joey Bailey
• Wes Johnson
Here are the complete lists:
FRESHMAN PLAYING TIME
1. Jonathan Krause, WR (43%)
2. Chris Boyd, WR (34)
3. Rajaan Bennett, RB (deceased) (28)
4. Kenny Ladler, S (21)
5. Jordan Matthews, WR (20)
6. Vince Taylor, DT (18)
6. Kyle Woestmann, DT (18)
6. Carey Spear, K/P (18)
9. Grant Ramsay, OL (17)
10. Andre Hal, CB (15)
10. Chase Garnham, LB (15)
12. Trent Pruitt, WR (12)
12. Blake Gowder, TE/HB (12)
14. Jared Morse, DT (10)
15. James Kittredge, DE/DT (07)
16. Andre Simmons, S (06)
17. Fitz Lassing, TE/LB (4)
18. Logan Stewart, OL (3)
19. Chase White, OL (1)
19. Steven Clarke, CB (1)
19. Karl Butler, CB/S (1)
19. Thomas Ryan, DE (1)
23. Andrew Bridges, OL (0)
WIDE RECEIVERS MOST LIKELY TO START
1. Udom Umoh, RJr (73%)
2. John Cole, RSo (71)
3. Chris Boyd, Fr (50)
4. Jamie Graham, RJr (45)
5. Brady Brown, So (33)
6. Jordan Matthews, Fr (23)
7. Jonathan Krause, Fr (20)
8. Akeem Dunham, RSo (16)
9. Tray Herndon, RJr (15)
10. Turner Wimberly, RSr (13)
11. Trent Pruitt, Fr (8)
12. Charlie Byrge, RSo (0)
12. Jameson Sackey, RSo (0)
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN MOST LIKELY TO START
1. Jamie Williams, RJr (94%)
2. Ryan Seymour, RSo (89)
3. Kyle Fischer, RJr (83)
4. Joey Bailey, RSr (70)
5. Wes Johnson, RFr (48)
6. Caleb Welchans, RSo (40)
7. Mylon Brown, RFr (24)
8. Jabo Burrow, RSo (18)
9. Chris Aaron, RSr (16)
10. Justin Cabbagestalk, RFr (8)
10. Grant Ramsay, Fr (8)
12. Richard Cagle, RSo (5)
13. Rob Ashabranner, RJr (2)
16. Logan Stewart, Fr (0)
16. Chase White, Fr (0)
16. Andrew Bridges, Fr (0)
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Vanderbilt's real key to victory: Unleash the little white running back
Jared Hawkins is back, which is a great thing for the Commodores. No, we don't really believe he's better than Zac Stacy or Warren Norman and we haven't been exactly devastated to see him on the bench this season with the slowest healing broken foot in the history of medicine.
But as we start playing SEC teams, especially teams like Ole Miss and South Carolina who'd like to believe they've established themselves as SEC powers, JHawk is a hugely important psychological weapon.
Even after losing to us on their home fields, teams like the Rebels and Gamecocks truly believe they're physically superior to us. And nothing reinforces that like having a tailback who looks like Harry Potter.
The Rebel fans are still making fun of Jared. I bet the players are too. Remember last season when Auburn's Sen'Derrick Marks was talking about how good Hawkins was...for a white running back. It's hard to take us seriously when you're laughing at us.
Some Vandy fans get angry and start rattling off Jared's bench press and 40 times. Not me. I say keep on laughing, Rebel fans. And while you're at it, take a close look at Patrick Benoist. Doesn't look much like a football player either, does he? So spend some time laughing at him too.
Laugh, laugh, laugh.
Then, in the fourth quarter, you can throw a Captain Munnerlyn style hissy fit.
Vanderbilt vs. Ole Miss: Keys to the game
Ah, isn't that a beautiful picture?
When you look at that, don't you believe we can win?
Here are some keys to the game for Vanderbilt:
GET AN EARLY BREAK: For a year, folks in Oxford have been talking about how lucky we were to beat them last season. If we get a crazy bounce or a lucky break or a shaky call early in the game, they'll start thinking, "Here we go again." I don't think they're genuinely worried about us, just like South Carolina wasn't worried about us last season even though we'd spanked them in Columbia the year before. We beat the Gamecocks last season because we got some breaks and started believing we could win and then they started getting frustrated and before you know it they'd had a full-blown meltdown.
CONVERT ON THIRD DOWN: The Commodores are last in the SEC in time of possession. They've got to convert on third down and keep the defense off the field. And, you know, maybe score some points too.
COMPLETE PASSES: Ole Miss will do what everybody's done against us: Load up the box and rely on Larry to misfire or the receivers to drop the ball. But if we start completing passes and moving the chains, and we'll certainly have opportunities to do that, then the running game will open up for us. I think eventually our passing game is going to start clicking.
PLAY CALLING: If we go with Run-Run-Pass-Punt, we don't have a prayer because the Rebel D-Line is massive. But I'm actually optimistic about play calling in this game. For starters, we're a 10-point dog. That means we've got to make something happen to win. That means we're going to throw deep every now and then. Know how we thought we could run Kennard three straight times on first-and-goal from the 5 against Miss State? We were about a 10-point favorite in that one and we were playing not to lose, something we're never successful doing. I believe we're playing to win in this one.
STOP THE RUN: Sure, Snead is supposedly a first-round NFL prospect and all that, and he's got the added motivation of clearing his name after his 4-interception debacle against Vandy last year. But he's not participating in unopposed passing drills here. The Commodores lead the nation in fewest passing yards per game, and even with all the injuries our secondary is the strength of the team. If we can stop the run and force the Rebels into obvious passing situations, then we've got a great shot at shutting down this offense. But if those big backs and that one little back with the dredlocks starts ripping off 7-yard runs on first and second down, then it's gonna be a long, long night.
A win here would be huge. This summer, we said we'd be feeling great if the Commodores were 4-2 at midseason. If we upset Ole Miss, we'll be 3-2 with the trip to West Point next weekend, and likely 4-2 at midseason.
Then we're in good shape. But we'll not start counting those chickens. Games on the U tonight at 6 p.m. CST. Go Dores.
When you look at that, don't you believe we can win?
Here are some keys to the game for Vanderbilt:
GET AN EARLY BREAK: For a year, folks in Oxford have been talking about how lucky we were to beat them last season. If we get a crazy bounce or a lucky break or a shaky call early in the game, they'll start thinking, "Here we go again." I don't think they're genuinely worried about us, just like South Carolina wasn't worried about us last season even though we'd spanked them in Columbia the year before. We beat the Gamecocks last season because we got some breaks and started believing we could win and then they started getting frustrated and before you know it they'd had a full-blown meltdown.
CONVERT ON THIRD DOWN: The Commodores are last in the SEC in time of possession. They've got to convert on third down and keep the defense off the field. And, you know, maybe score some points too.
COMPLETE PASSES: Ole Miss will do what everybody's done against us: Load up the box and rely on Larry to misfire or the receivers to drop the ball. But if we start completing passes and moving the chains, and we'll certainly have opportunities to do that, then the running game will open up for us. I think eventually our passing game is going to start clicking.
PLAY CALLING: If we go with Run-Run-Pass-Punt, we don't have a prayer because the Rebel D-Line is massive. But I'm actually optimistic about play calling in this game. For starters, we're a 10-point dog. That means we've got to make something happen to win. That means we're going to throw deep every now and then. Know how we thought we could run Kennard three straight times on first-and-goal from the 5 against Miss State? We were about a 10-point favorite in that one and we were playing not to lose, something we're never successful doing. I believe we're playing to win in this one.
STOP THE RUN: Sure, Snead is supposedly a first-round NFL prospect and all that, and he's got the added motivation of clearing his name after his 4-interception debacle against Vandy last year. But he's not participating in unopposed passing drills here. The Commodores lead the nation in fewest passing yards per game, and even with all the injuries our secondary is the strength of the team. If we can stop the run and force the Rebels into obvious passing situations, then we've got a great shot at shutting down this offense. But if those big backs and that one little back with the dredlocks starts ripping off 7-yard runs on first and second down, then it's gonna be a long, long night.
A win here would be huge. This summer, we said we'd be feeling great if the Commodores were 4-2 at midseason. If we upset Ole Miss, we'll be 3-2 with the trip to West Point next weekend, and likely 4-2 at midseason.
Then we're in good shape. But we'll not start counting those chickens. Games on the U tonight at 6 p.m. CST. Go Dores.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Which Commodores have a shot at All-SEC this year?
With a third of the season under our belts, it's time to examine which Vandy players may have a bead on All-SEC honors:
STOCK RISING
• Chris Marve: The redshirt sophomore linebacker made the All-Freshman team last season, made preseason second team All-SEC on some polls, and turns the most heads in opposing film rooms. He's a big-play waiting to happen, and he'll singlehandedly change the course of at least one of Vandy's games in the remainder of the season. Just watch.
• Myron Lewis: Took a backseat last year to D.J. Moore but scouts are starting to watch Myron and think that he's an even better NFL prospect. Made a few preseason second teams, but if Vandy keeps shutting down opposing passing games, he'll crack the first team.
• Casey Hayward and Sean Richardson: Sophomore DBs have looked terrific in their first season as starters. With teammate Lewis a lock for All-SEC and so many Florida DBs demanding voters' attention, you won't see both these guys make the second team, but one of them could. Which one?
• The freshmen: Last season, Vandy landed four players on the All-Freshman SEC team (Brandon Barden, Chris Marve, Kyle Fischer, T.J. Greenstone) and could surpass that number this season. Candidates include Ryan Fowler, Eddie Foster, Trey Wilson, Eric Samuels, Zac Stacy, Warren Norman, John Cole and Collin Ashley.
HOLDING STEADY
• Patrick Benoist: One of the quietest second-team All-SEC selections ever last season, and one of the quietest star linebackers we've ever had. Incredibly steady while being remarkably unimpressive looking. And he just keeps getting better.
• Bradley Vierling: Has always been a long-shot, especially as the offense continues to struggle, but he's one of the most quotable guys in the SEC and that never hurts when sports writers are voting in one of the polls.
• Brett Upson: Started off woefully bad, but kept us in the LSU and Miss State games and could land on a second team.
STOCK DROPPING
• Greg Billinger: Bobby Johnson lobbied for Billinger in the preseason, saying that the D-Line is one of the strengths of the defense, but that really hasn't been true so far this season. Fairly steady, but not anywhere near our linebackers or secondary.
• Brandon Barden: An All-SEC freshman selection last season who with the rest of the receiving corps has looked out of sync. That could change as Larry learns to dial down those speedballs.
• Thomas Welch: With the glut of tackles in the league and Vandy's continued struggle to move the ball, Welch doesn't have much of a shot, though he could be a sleeper in the NFL draft.
STOCK RISING
• Chris Marve: The redshirt sophomore linebacker made the All-Freshman team last season, made preseason second team All-SEC on some polls, and turns the most heads in opposing film rooms. He's a big-play waiting to happen, and he'll singlehandedly change the course of at least one of Vandy's games in the remainder of the season. Just watch.
• Myron Lewis: Took a backseat last year to D.J. Moore but scouts are starting to watch Myron and think that he's an even better NFL prospect. Made a few preseason second teams, but if Vandy keeps shutting down opposing passing games, he'll crack the first team.
• Casey Hayward and Sean Richardson: Sophomore DBs have looked terrific in their first season as starters. With teammate Lewis a lock for All-SEC and so many Florida DBs demanding voters' attention, you won't see both these guys make the second team, but one of them could. Which one?
• The freshmen: Last season, Vandy landed four players on the All-Freshman SEC team (Brandon Barden, Chris Marve, Kyle Fischer, T.J. Greenstone) and could surpass that number this season. Candidates include Ryan Fowler, Eddie Foster, Trey Wilson, Eric Samuels, Zac Stacy, Warren Norman, John Cole and Collin Ashley.
HOLDING STEADY
• Patrick Benoist: One of the quietest second-team All-SEC selections ever last season, and one of the quietest star linebackers we've ever had. Incredibly steady while being remarkably unimpressive looking. And he just keeps getting better.
• Bradley Vierling: Has always been a long-shot, especially as the offense continues to struggle, but he's one of the most quotable guys in the SEC and that never hurts when sports writers are voting in one of the polls.
• Brett Upson: Started off woefully bad, but kept us in the LSU and Miss State games and could land on a second team.
STOCK DROPPING
• Greg Billinger: Bobby Johnson lobbied for Billinger in the preseason, saying that the D-Line is one of the strengths of the defense, but that really hasn't been true so far this season. Fairly steady, but not anywhere near our linebackers or secondary.
• Brandon Barden: An All-SEC freshman selection last season who with the rest of the receiving corps has looked out of sync. That could change as Larry learns to dial down those speedballs.
• Thomas Welch: With the glut of tackles in the league and Vandy's continued struggle to move the ball, Welch doesn't have much of a shot, though he could be a sleeper in the NFL draft.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Vandy's getting no love from pollsters or bowl projectors... and that's just the way we like it
Ah, yes. Vandy's packing up for Baton Rouge, and meanwhile nobody's paying the Commodores any attention.
For example, 10 SEC teams got votes for the AP and USA Today polls:
• Florida: 1/1
• Alabama: 4/4
• Ole Miss: 6/8
• LSU 11/9
• Georgia 21/21
• Tennessee: 34/35
• Auburn: 43/36
• Arkansas: 45/44
• South Carolina: 45/34
• Kentucky: --/39
In the preseason, Vanderbilt received an AP vote for No. 23 from some sportswriter in California. Can't imagine why he dropped the Dores this week. Now Vandy and Miss State are the only SEC teams not to get votes.
Also, Mark Schlabach and Bruce Feldman of ESPN make their bowl predictions and the same 10 teams listed above get bowl consideration:
• Florida: BCS, BCS
• Alabama: Sugar, Cotton
• Ole Miss: Capital One, Sugar
• LSU: Cotton, Outback
• Georgia: Outback, Capital One
• Tennessee: Chick-Fil-A, Chick-Fil-A
• Auburn: Independence, Independence
• Arkansas: Liberty, Liberty
• South Carolina: Music City, Music City
• Kentucky: living room, Papajohns.com
Again, no Vanderbilt. And you know what? That's exactly the way Vandy fans should want it. We're not a winning team in the C-USA hoping to earn a little respect from voters. We're an SEC team that's going to face five teams currently in the Top 25, and another three teams receiving votes. That's plenty of opportunity to earn respect.
If we beat LSU, we'll get plenty of votes, and we'll probably crack the Top 25. And if we don't, we won't. That's exactly where we want to be.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Five true freshmen headline list of players whose stock has jumped highest since preseason
A couple of weeks ago, we ranked the top 75 Vanderbilt football players going into preseason camp. So with kickoff about 90 minutes away, whose stock has jumped since preseason practice and whose stock has slid?
JUMPERS
1. RB Zac Stacy: The true freshman wasn't as hyped as fellow tailback Wesley Tate, but Stacy's the one starting tonight.
2. RB Warren Norman: Considered the most likely tailback to redshirt, Norman is now second on the depth chart in a crowded field and nearly was the opening day starter.
3. CB Eddie Foster: Considered too light to play right away, the speedster has shined in the preseason.
4. CB Eric Samuels: The true freshman most likely to play right away, Samuels has met expectations and will likely be the first substitution in the secondary.
5. CB Trey Wilson: Slow start after dropping a bed on his toe moving into his dorm, but the true freshman has recovered and is too good to keep on the bench.
6. OL Caleb Welchans: With a good preseason, this redshirt freshman came out of nowhere to bump several upperclassmen off the depth chart.
7. WR Akeem Dunham: Listed as third team after spring practice, the redshirt freshman has since beat out a couple of upperclassmen and made second team and is poised to climb further.
8. LB Tristan Strong: The redshirt freshman has distanced himself from fellow linebackers DeAndre Jones and Dexter Daniels in a crowded and talented field.
9. DE Tim Fugger: With Steven Stone injured, sophomore Fugger broke out of a crowded lineup and has become the temporary starter.
10. S Micah Powell: The redshirt freshman beat out fellow redshirt frosh Al Owens and a couple of true freshmen to make second team.
Honorable Mention: OT Ryan Seymour, LB Brent Trice, NB Jamie Graham, QB Larry Smith, WR Justin Green, DT Rob Lohr
SLIDERS
1. LB Austin Newton: The four-year junior has played in a ton of games but his chance to start or even crack the two-deep has likely passed him by.
2. LB Chris Johnson: The graduate student in business will likely continue to be a special teams demon, but won't challenge for much playing time on defense.
3. RB Gaston Miller: The junior's strength has long been his shiftiness, but true freshmen Stacy and Norman are even shiftier and have likely forced him to focus on special teams, but he's no longer listed as the No. 1 punt returner.
4. RB Kennard Reeves: The backup tailback going into the preseason, he wasn't able to step up and step in as the starter for an injured Jared Hawkins, and now Stacy and Norman get first dibs.
5. FB Ryan van Rensburg: The former three-star running back appears slated for special teams and a small specialty role on offense.
6. QB Jared Funk: The four-year junior got lots of reps in the spring and preseason, but couldn't crack the lineup and now has possibly missed his only chance to ever get meaningful playing time as a Commodore.
7. DT Colt Nichter: Redshirt freshman still battling Rob Lohr and Taylor Loftley for the No. 4 slot in the defensive line rotation, but Lohr appears to be the man at the moment.
8. OL Reilly Lauer: Last year's starting left tackle lost his position to Thomas Welch, then moved to right tackle and lost that job to James Williams, then moved to right guard and lost that job to Eric Hensley.
9. LB DeAndre Jones: Still an exciting prospect, the redshirt freshman has seen fellow redshirt Tristan Strong jump ahead of him and earn a place on the opening day depth chart.
10. WR Turner Wimberly: The four-year junior has gotten a ton of reps at wide receiver in the spring and preseason and was preseason second team, but has since dropped off the depth chart.
Honorable Mention: WR Chris Reinert, LB Dexter Daniels, DT Taylor Loftley, S Al Owens
JUMPERS
1. RB Zac Stacy: The true freshman wasn't as hyped as fellow tailback Wesley Tate, but Stacy's the one starting tonight.
2. RB Warren Norman: Considered the most likely tailback to redshirt, Norman is now second on the depth chart in a crowded field and nearly was the opening day starter.
3. CB Eddie Foster: Considered too light to play right away, the speedster has shined in the preseason.
4. CB Eric Samuels: The true freshman most likely to play right away, Samuels has met expectations and will likely be the first substitution in the secondary.
5. CB Trey Wilson: Slow start after dropping a bed on his toe moving into his dorm, but the true freshman has recovered and is too good to keep on the bench.
6. OL Caleb Welchans: With a good preseason, this redshirt freshman came out of nowhere to bump several upperclassmen off the depth chart.
7. WR Akeem Dunham: Listed as third team after spring practice, the redshirt freshman has since beat out a couple of upperclassmen and made second team and is poised to climb further.
8. LB Tristan Strong: The redshirt freshman has distanced himself from fellow linebackers DeAndre Jones and Dexter Daniels in a crowded and talented field.
9. DE Tim Fugger: With Steven Stone injured, sophomore Fugger broke out of a crowded lineup and has become the temporary starter.
10. S Micah Powell: The redshirt freshman beat out fellow redshirt frosh Al Owens and a couple of true freshmen to make second team.
Honorable Mention: OT Ryan Seymour, LB Brent Trice, NB Jamie Graham, QB Larry Smith, WR Justin Green, DT Rob Lohr
SLIDERS
1. LB Austin Newton: The four-year junior has played in a ton of games but his chance to start or even crack the two-deep has likely passed him by.
2. LB Chris Johnson: The graduate student in business will likely continue to be a special teams demon, but won't challenge for much playing time on defense.
3. RB Gaston Miller: The junior's strength has long been his shiftiness, but true freshmen Stacy and Norman are even shiftier and have likely forced him to focus on special teams, but he's no longer listed as the No. 1 punt returner.
4. RB Kennard Reeves: The backup tailback going into the preseason, he wasn't able to step up and step in as the starter for an injured Jared Hawkins, and now Stacy and Norman get first dibs.
5. FB Ryan van Rensburg: The former three-star running back appears slated for special teams and a small specialty role on offense.
6. QB Jared Funk: The four-year junior got lots of reps in the spring and preseason, but couldn't crack the lineup and now has possibly missed his only chance to ever get meaningful playing time as a Commodore.
7. DT Colt Nichter: Redshirt freshman still battling Rob Lohr and Taylor Loftley for the No. 4 slot in the defensive line rotation, but Lohr appears to be the man at the moment.
8. OL Reilly Lauer: Last year's starting left tackle lost his position to Thomas Welch, then moved to right tackle and lost that job to James Williams, then moved to right guard and lost that job to Eric Hensley.
9. LB DeAndre Jones: Still an exciting prospect, the redshirt freshman has seen fellow redshirt Tristan Strong jump ahead of him and earn a place on the opening day depth chart.
10. WR Turner Wimberly: The four-year junior has gotten a ton of reps at wide receiver in the spring and preseason and was preseason second team, but has since dropped off the depth chart.
Honorable Mention: WR Chris Reinert, LB Dexter Daniels, DT Taylor Loftley, S Al Owens
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Vandy offense has question marks going into season
I've listened to a couple of interviews with Bobby Johnson in the past day or so, and he's been talking about question marks — or potential trouble spots, if you will — for the Commodores. Here's what he's mentioned:
QUESTION MARK #1: RECEIVERS
In his press conference yesterday, Johnson mentioned the three starters — John Cole, Udom Umoh and Alex Washington — as well as hulking former tight end Justin Green and the two true freshmen from Texas, Brady Brown and Collin Ashley. He called Brown and Ashley "accomplished receivers," saying they "caught a lot of balls in high school." Still, he called the wide receiver position "a question mark.
QUESTION MARK #2: TAILBACKS
Sure, the true freshmen are talented, and one of them might even be the man by season's end. But Johnson clearly wants to start the season with Jared Hawkins, who's still struggling to recover from a foot injury last year. "If Jared Hawkins can get healthy, I think he’s a very underrated runner in this conference and the country," Johnson said yesterday. And if J-Hawk is grounded? "Get the freshman loose and let them show what they can do," Johnson said. Right now, Zac Stacy and Warren Norman are listed as Hawkins' backups, but today on 104.5 The Zone, he was mentioning junior Kennard Reeves in the same breath as the freshmen. So if Hawkins can't go, what criteria will be choose to pick his replacement? "Mainly it’s gonna be mental — who knows what to do," he said.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Nation's top high school running back considering Vanderbilt
OK, so Vandy's in his Top 10 — or maybe it's his Top 20. But Michael Dyer of Little Rock, Ark., considered by ESPN to be the top high school prospect at running back, has Vanderbilt on his list of schools. Rivals says he's leaning toward Ole Miss or Auburn, but Dyer's clearly one of those kids who can wait around until signing day to choose a school without fear of losing his scholarship offers. He's a big-time workhorse, every-down SEC back, and he's the kind of player who's never signed with Vanderbilt. (Not to jinx things.)
Another player who's popped up on the recruiting radar is Ego (at least he has self-confidence) Ferguson, another 5-star guy and Rivals No. 3 rated DE. He puts Vandy in his Top 21. He's being recruited by Ron Powlus at Notre Dame, who'll perhaps promise Ego he can win four Heismans if he makes his home in South Bend.
Other top recruits still considering the Dores, at least officially, are James Stones, the hulking offensive tackle from Nashville, and Carlos Thompson, the 6-6 defensive end from Mississippi who runs a 4.6 and sounds like a nice replacement for Broderick Stewart.
Another player who's popped up on the recruiting radar is Ego (at least he has self-confidence) Ferguson, another 5-star guy and Rivals No. 3 rated DE. He puts Vandy in his Top 21. He's being recruited by Ron Powlus at Notre Dame, who'll perhaps promise Ego he can win four Heismans if he makes his home in South Bend.
Other top recruits still considering the Dores, at least officially, are James Stones, the hulking offensive tackle from Nashville, and Carlos Thompson, the 6-6 defensive end from Mississippi who runs a 4.6 and sounds like a nice replacement for Broderick Stewart.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Commodores practice art of getting some but not too much love in the preseason polling wars
Sure, what matters most is having a highly ranked academic institution. But it's awfully nice to also have a football team capable of beating not-so-highly-ranked academic institutions.
Vandy fans know that the Commodores are getting bigger, faster, stronger, deeper and just plain more talented under Coach Bobby Johnson. While the Dores aren't going to be a national title contender any time soon, and winning in the SEC is always an uphill climb, fans feel like something special is happening in Nashville.
A couple of weeks ago, the USA Today poll was released and the selected coaches voting gave no love to Vanderbilt. We're used to that. We've been reading previews all summer that predict a cellar or near-cellar finish and a losing season for Vandy. That's fine. Even Sun Tzu in "The Art of War" stressed the importance of allowing your opponents to underestimate you. Let's face it, every team in the SEC who plays the Dores has that game penciled in as a win. (Miss State? Beat us last year. Kentucky? They just need to stop trying to block our punts.)
Anyway, a Vandy fan should never mind being underestimated. Of course, it also never hurts to get a small shout-out, which is what Vandy got in the newly released preseason AP poll, voted on by the media.
Here's how VU ranks in the SEC:
1. Florida (No. 1 in nation)
2. Alabama (No. 5)
3. Ole Miss (No. 8)
4. LSU (No. 11)
5. Georgia (No. 13)
6. Tennessee (No. 37)
7. Auburn (No. 41)
8. Vanderbilt (No. 45)
9. South Carolina (No. 49)
10. Arkansas (No. 50)
12. Kentucky (NR)
12. Miss State (NR)
Friday, August 21, 2009
John Cole was the trendy go-to guy at wide receiver... who'll step up now that he's injured again?
Like everybody, I'm bummed that Steven Stone broke his foot and will be out at least until the Ole Miss game. It's a shame to lose an established starter like Stone, especially somebody so good at rushing the passer and stopping the run.
But I'm not despondent. Sophomore Tim Fugger's hungry and ready to go. And juniors Teriall Brannon and Theron Kadri have starting experience. And redshirt freshman Johnell Thomas appears to be too talented to keep off the field.
No, what really worries me are the seemingly continuous string of injuries to redshirt freshman receiver John Cole. You may remember him as one of three true freshman to play in last season's opener, when he injured his knee on special teams. But he spent the rest of the fall and all winter and spring bulking up and getting ready to crack the starting lineup. Bobby Johnson was calling him one of the team's "most explosive" receivers and saying he had a "new body" this season. And his name really started popping up after Terance Jeffers-Harris was declared ineligible.
But around the same time, as Vandy was starting preseason practices, the injury bug was biting Cole again. First it was a hamstring and now he's wearing a boot and hobbling around with a sprained. And so Jamie Graham, who'll be counted on at corner and nickel on defense, is now spending some practice time back on the offensive side of the ball.
With Cole hobbled and TJ-H gone, who'll be the go-to guy at wide receiver?
• Senior Alex Washington, who looked all-world in the spring game?
• Sophomore Udom Umoh, who got on track in the Music City Bowl and caught the first three passes of his career?
• Sophomore Tray Herndon, who was impressive as a freshman at Minnesota?
• Redshirt frosh Akeem Dunham, who's tall and who's got soft hands and good hops?
• Junior Justin Green, a huge target who just moved from tight end?
• True freshman Brady Brown, a possession receiver whom every Vandy fan has figured all along would play right away?
• Or true freshman Collin Ashley, who was offered a late scholarship and who looks like a clone of Cole?
• Or walk-on Chris Reinert, a tough little guy coming off a broken leg?
• Or walk-on Rich Tompkins, the Vanderbilt legacy who just moved from DB?
Stay tuned. Meanwhile, guys are knocking each other out in the spring. Broderick Stewart's been woozy for a couple of days after bonking helmets with T.J. Greenstone. And offensive lineman Reilly Lauer, who started 10 games last year, missed practice Wednesday after suffering a mild concussion.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Vanderbilt No. 1 in the SEC and No. 6 in the nation... in the U.S. News and World Report poll, that is
Ah, it's my favorite time of the year, when U.S. News & World Report ranks the top universities in America. And we tell you where all the SEC schools wound up.
Oh look, Vanderbilt's No. 1. Here's the rest of the rankings:
1. Vanderbilt (No. 19)
2. Florida (No. 49)
3. Georgia (No. 58)
4. Alabama (No. 83)
5. Auburn (No. 96)
6. South Carolina (T-No. 108)
6. Tennessee (T-No. 108)
8. Kentucky (No. 116)
9. Arkansas (No. 125)
10. LSU (No. 130)
12. Miss State (T-Tier 3)
12. Ole Miss (T-Tier 3)
Among universities with BCS football programs, Vanderbilt finishes No. 6:
1. Stanford (No. 4)
2. Duke (No. 8)
3. Northwestern (No. 12)
4. Rice (No. 17)
5. Notre Dame (No. 18)
6. Vanderbilt (No. 19)
7. Cal (No. 21)
8. Virginia (No. 23)
9. UCLA (No. 25)
10. Michigan (No. 26)
Rounding out the Top 25 would be: USC, Wake Forest, UNC, BC, Ga Tech, Wisconsin, Illinois, Washington, Penn State, Texas, Florida, Tulane, Miami, Syracuse and Maryland.
Notice all the ACC and Big 10 and Pac 10 schools. And the lack of SEC schools. Is it a coincidence that the SEC has weak academic rankings and is the best football conference? And is it a coincidence that more and more talented recruits who want a good education and want to play in the SEC are choosing Vanderbilt? Maybe these rankings will help send a few more top recruits our way.
Oh look, Vanderbilt's No. 1. Here's the rest of the rankings:
1. Vanderbilt (No. 19)
2. Florida (No. 49)
3. Georgia (No. 58)
4. Alabama (No. 83)
5. Auburn (No. 96)
6. South Carolina (T-No. 108)
6. Tennessee (T-No. 108)
8. Kentucky (No. 116)
9. Arkansas (No. 125)
10. LSU (No. 130)
12. Miss State (T-Tier 3)
12. Ole Miss (T-Tier 3)
Among universities with BCS football programs, Vanderbilt finishes No. 6:
1. Stanford (No. 4)
2. Duke (No. 8)
3. Northwestern (No. 12)
4. Rice (No. 17)
5. Notre Dame (No. 18)
6. Vanderbilt (No. 19)
7. Cal (No. 21)
8. Virginia (No. 23)
9. UCLA (No. 25)
10. Michigan (No. 26)
Rounding out the Top 25 would be: USC, Wake Forest, UNC, BC, Ga Tech, Wisconsin, Illinois, Washington, Penn State, Texas, Florida, Tulane, Miami, Syracuse and Maryland.
Notice all the ACC and Big 10 and Pac 10 schools. And the lack of SEC schools. Is it a coincidence that the SEC has weak academic rankings and is the best football conference? And is it a coincidence that more and more talented recruits who want a good education and want to play in the SEC are choosing Vanderbilt? Maybe these rankings will help send a few more top recruits our way.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Notes from Tuesday's practice: Freshman running backs looking good... and discovering who's boss
How'd practice go last night? Well, not much word from the athletic department, which was too busy posting a new photo gallery of the players doing some strength training with a giant rope.
Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean was there, though, and points out some standouts in today's story.
One of them continues to be freshman running back Zac Stacy, who at the end of practice scored on a 38-yard run.
"We probably averaged close to 5 yards a pop during the session," Stacy told Lockridge. "It was definitely a new experience for me. In this league, guys are flying to the football. This is definitely not high school. But I think I got some good reps, and I also had fun."
Another frosh tailback, Wesley Tate had a nice 25-yard carry and then a 3-yard score.
The other freshman back, Warren Norman, was diving into the end zone for an apparent score but Coach Bobby Johnson said he lost control of the ball before he broke the plane. Norman protested. Not gonna work.
Lockridge reports that Johnson said, "There is no review of Coach Johnson's rulings." Coach Johnson was grinning.
After practice, Johnson told reporters that tight end Austin Monahan will play a big part in the Commodore passing attack. And it seemed likely because earlier he caught a beautiful 30-yard TD pass from Larry Smith that went over safety Sean Richardson's head.
"Austin ran a good route," Smith told Lockridge. "I just threw it up like a jump ball and he made a good play on it in the end zone. The defense really hadn't seen us run the ball too much. We've been basically throwing the ball a lot. They got a good look at the running backs, and they look pretty good out there."
Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean was there, though, and points out some standouts in today's story.
One of them continues to be freshman running back Zac Stacy, who at the end of practice scored on a 38-yard run.
"We probably averaged close to 5 yards a pop during the session," Stacy told Lockridge. "It was definitely a new experience for me. In this league, guys are flying to the football. This is definitely not high school. But I think I got some good reps, and I also had fun."
Another frosh tailback, Wesley Tate had a nice 25-yard carry and then a 3-yard score.
The other freshman back, Warren Norman, was diving into the end zone for an apparent score but Coach Bobby Johnson said he lost control of the ball before he broke the plane. Norman protested. Not gonna work.
Lockridge reports that Johnson said, "There is no review of Coach Johnson's rulings." Coach Johnson was grinning.
After practice, Johnson told reporters that tight end Austin Monahan will play a big part in the Commodore passing attack. And it seemed likely because earlier he caught a beautiful 30-yard TD pass from Larry Smith that went over safety Sean Richardson's head.
"Austin ran a good route," Smith told Lockridge. "I just threw it up like a jump ball and he made a good play on it in the end zone. The defense really hadn't seen us run the ball too much. We've been basically throwing the ball a lot. They got a good look at the running backs, and they look pretty good out there."
Monday, August 10, 2009
Vandy freshman running back Zac Stacy getting a good long look, and other notes from Sunday practice
While the preseason magazines, especially Sports Illustrated, touted Wesley Tate as the freshman running back expected to make the biggest contribution this season, Zac Stacy seems to have other ideas. Stacy, who wears No. 21, has been in tons of photos of practice these first three days. Look at the above Tennessean photo accompanying Jeff Lockridge's excellent story about Thomas Welch. That's Welch blocking as Larry Smith hands off to... Zac Stacy. Observers of Vandy's early practices say Stacy brings a quickness and athleticism we've been lacking and is clearly the standout so far of the three freshmen. Oh, and Stacy can catch the ball out of the backfield.
GET A GIRLFRIEND BEFORE GAINING WEIGHT: In the Tennessean story, Thomas Welch, who has a good sense of humor, said he's glad he started dating his girlfriend before he was moved to the offensive line from tight end and gained 90 pounds. He says he thinks he looks fat. After this season, looking fat might help him be rich.
CALL HIM NATE: Junior LB Nate Campbell continues to impress after being listed as a backup at two different positions on the preseason depth chart, which is quite impressive considering the fact that highly touted redshirt frosh DeAndre Jones is nowhere to be seen on that chart. Anyway, the athletic department releases are calling Mr. Campbell "Nathan." Come on, a long-haired linebacker like him needs to go by "Nate," even though his mama probably calls him "Nathaniel." And what's up with linebacker Archie Barnes? These days the athletic department is listing him as "Archibald." What's next? Quarterback Lawrence Smith?
OTHER STANDOUTS: These guys are looking good so far:
• Senior Brett Upson and redshirt freshman Ryan Fowler are duking it out for the placekicking job, each nailing a 42-yarder on Sunday.
• Casey Hayward and Jamie Graham are both demonstrating lock-down coverage skills at corner. Expect one to start at corner and the other at the nickel.
• Guard/tackle Kyle Fischer and tackle Reilly Lauer have been practicing well, and that's good for them, because neither's listed as a starter right now. Lauer's natural position seems to be left tackle, but he's now playing behind all-star candidate Thomas Welch, who moved there in the spring, and Ryan Seymour's being groomed as a future left tackle. Meanwhile, it appears that James Williams has nailed down the right tackle position, though he's getting a fight from Fischer, who's also battling Ryan Custer to start at right guard.
• On defense, John Stokes appears to be back in true form after returning from injury. And Tim Fugger and Theron Kadri are standouts so far in the battle for key backup roles at end.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Notes and news from Vandy's first practice
Ah, so these players we've been talking about and this team we've been analyzing all summer are finally on the practice field. If you want to check out some of the new players and track their progress, I'd highly recommend going to the official Vanderbilt Web site. This morning, you'll find two photo galleries of players practicing. I spent a few minutes learning the numbers of some of the new players. You know, because you should never stop learning.
Also, the Tennessean's new VU beat writer, Jeff Lockridge, is doing a fine job following the Dores so far. Check out his coverage and notes from last night's practice.
Anyway, here are a few things from Day 1:
• SAMUELS READY TO GO: True frosh cornerback Eric Samuels, who for some reason was listed on the depth chart as sharing No. 37 with safety Al Owens, is now wearing No. 22. He's a great-looking athlete, long and lean like now-sophomore safety Sean Richardson, who didn't get much hype when he signed but played in the season opener and immediately looked like he belonged there.
• BIG NUMBER SIX: Speaking of numbers, No. 6 sort of has a slimming effect on hulking tight end Brandon Barden, who wore No. 87 last season.
• FAREWELL, FELLOWS: Receiver Justin Wheeler and linebacker Brandon Bryant, both fifth-year seniors, are officially done with their playing careers because of injury. Wheeler had huge touchdown catches in upsets of South Carolina in 2007 and Auburn in 2008. Bryant battled multiple injuries and never got to show off his big-league pursuit skills. Thanks, guys. Now get that Vanderbilt diploma.
• ONE LESS REDSHIRT FROSH: Offensive lineman Micheal Bryant has left the team. A 6-5, 285-pounder from LaVergne, Tenn., he was caught in a log jam of redshirt freshmen O-linemen that included Ryan Seymour, Caleb Welchans and Richard Cagle, but he'd improved his strength and quickness and was competing to backup right guard Eric Hensley.
• STRONG WANTS TO START...AT TSU: As we've noted for about a week, Alan Strong has left the team. Looks like the rumors that he's headed to Tennessee State are true. Strong told Lockridge: "I was listed on the second string behind D.J. Moore but I never got the opportunity to go into the game when D.J. or Myron got hurt. TSU is in Nashville so it's familiar. Their record was pretty good last year, they were one game away from the OVC championship and I think I could have helped them out." It's a shame to lose our only experienced backup at cornerback. Strong was a good athlete, had played in some big games, and was seemingly one injury away from starting or getting some serious minutes. Maybe the freshmen look so good and ready to play that Strong saw no choice but to leave.
• WILSON'S GOT THE MOVIN' MAN BLUES: True freshman Trey Wilson, one of those freshmen DBs expected to play right away, didn't practice last night. Why? He dropped a bed on his toe moving into his dorm. No kidding.
• FRESHMAN BACKS ON THE ATTACK: Stan Jones of Vandy Mania reports that the three freshman running backs — Warren Norman, Zac Stacy and Wesley Tate (note alphabetical order) — look "great" and have "very quick feet." He says Stacy looks particularly impressive.
• WAITING ON TERENCE: Terence Jeffers-Harris made an appearance at practice wearing jogging shoes but did not participate. We should know early next week if he's got the academic credits to play.
• CABBAGE IN THE HOUSE: If you're looking at the photo gallery of practice, you'll notice a big No. 70 working out with the O-Line. That's true frosh Justin Cabbagestalk, who's been suspended for the season but is enrolled in school and practicing with the team. "We thought it was important to get him here, let us keep tabs on him and know that he'll be around a good group of people who are going to influence him well," Coach Bobby Johnson told Lockridge. Just call it the Tampa program, because the same thing happened to Jermaine Doster last season.
• ON THE MEND: Jared Hawkins, Broderick Stewart and John Stokes were back on the field after missing spring practice recovering from injuries and surgeries
Also, the Tennessean's new VU beat writer, Jeff Lockridge, is doing a fine job following the Dores so far. Check out his coverage and notes from last night's practice.
Anyway, here are a few things from Day 1:
• SAMUELS READY TO GO: True frosh cornerback Eric Samuels, who for some reason was listed on the depth chart as sharing No. 37 with safety Al Owens, is now wearing No. 22. He's a great-looking athlete, long and lean like now-sophomore safety Sean Richardson, who didn't get much hype when he signed but played in the season opener and immediately looked like he belonged there.
• BIG NUMBER SIX: Speaking of numbers, No. 6 sort of has a slimming effect on hulking tight end Brandon Barden, who wore No. 87 last season.
• FAREWELL, FELLOWS: Receiver Justin Wheeler and linebacker Brandon Bryant, both fifth-year seniors, are officially done with their playing careers because of injury. Wheeler had huge touchdown catches in upsets of South Carolina in 2007 and Auburn in 2008. Bryant battled multiple injuries and never got to show off his big-league pursuit skills. Thanks, guys. Now get that Vanderbilt diploma.
• ONE LESS REDSHIRT FROSH: Offensive lineman Micheal Bryant has left the team. A 6-5, 285-pounder from LaVergne, Tenn., he was caught in a log jam of redshirt freshmen O-linemen that included Ryan Seymour, Caleb Welchans and Richard Cagle, but he'd improved his strength and quickness and was competing to backup right guard Eric Hensley.
• STRONG WANTS TO START...AT TSU: As we've noted for about a week, Alan Strong has left the team. Looks like the rumors that he's headed to Tennessee State are true. Strong told Lockridge: "I was listed on the second string behind D.J. Moore but I never got the opportunity to go into the game when D.J. or Myron got hurt. TSU is in Nashville so it's familiar. Their record was pretty good last year, they were one game away from the OVC championship and I think I could have helped them out." It's a shame to lose our only experienced backup at cornerback. Strong was a good athlete, had played in some big games, and was seemingly one injury away from starting or getting some serious minutes. Maybe the freshmen look so good and ready to play that Strong saw no choice but to leave.
• WILSON'S GOT THE MOVIN' MAN BLUES: True freshman Trey Wilson, one of those freshmen DBs expected to play right away, didn't practice last night. Why? He dropped a bed on his toe moving into his dorm. No kidding.
• FRESHMAN BACKS ON THE ATTACK: Stan Jones of Vandy Mania reports that the three freshman running backs — Warren Norman, Zac Stacy and Wesley Tate (note alphabetical order) — look "great" and have "very quick feet." He says Stacy looks particularly impressive.
• WAITING ON TERENCE: Terence Jeffers-Harris made an appearance at practice wearing jogging shoes but did not participate. We should know early next week if he's got the academic credits to play.
• CABBAGE IN THE HOUSE: If you're looking at the photo gallery of practice, you'll notice a big No. 70 working out with the O-Line. That's true frosh Justin Cabbagestalk, who's been suspended for the season but is enrolled in school and practicing with the team. "We thought it was important to get him here, let us keep tabs on him and know that he'll be around a good group of people who are going to influence him well," Coach Bobby Johnson told Lockridge. Just call it the Tampa program, because the same thing happened to Jermaine Doster last season.
• ON THE MEND: Jared Hawkins, Broderick Stewart and John Stokes were back on the field after missing spring practice recovering from injuries and surgeries
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Vanderbilt players compete for the number 37
You know it's the dog days of summer when you're studying duplicate jersey numbers on the Vanderbilt roster. The little star next to a number on the roster means that the player listed next to it is a walk-on who will never, ever play.
For example, Jameson Sackey is 49*, while starter John Stokes is the real 49. Will Parker Roe gets the duplicate of Archibald Barnes' No. 15. Rich Tompkins gets Wesley Tate's 24. Reece Lovell gets Brandon Bryant's 35. Dan Sutton gets Tim Fugger's 41, Chris DeGeorge gets Rob Lohr's 84.
But what's going on with No. 37?
Elvio Tropeano gets the duplicate No. 37 belonging to... Eric Samuels and Al Owens.
Huh?
Sometimes an offensive player and a defensive player will share numbers, but Samuels and Owens are both expected to play in the secondary, both are scholarship players, and both are freshmen (Samuels true and Owens redshirt).
So is Samuels going to play offense? He was a higher rated running back than Norman, Stacy or Tate. Is Owens in the doghouse and is sharing a number with a celebrated true freshman for motivational purposes? Or do they both just love the No. 37 and are competing for it in summer camp?
Probably none of the above. Who knows?
For example, Jameson Sackey is 49*, while starter John Stokes is the real 49. Will Parker Roe gets the duplicate of Archibald Barnes' No. 15. Rich Tompkins gets Wesley Tate's 24. Reece Lovell gets Brandon Bryant's 35. Dan Sutton gets Tim Fugger's 41, Chris DeGeorge gets Rob Lohr's 84.
But what's going on with No. 37?
Elvio Tropeano gets the duplicate No. 37 belonging to... Eric Samuels and Al Owens.
Huh?
Sometimes an offensive player and a defensive player will share numbers, but Samuels and Owens are both expected to play in the secondary, both are scholarship players, and both are freshmen (Samuels true and Owens redshirt).
So is Samuels going to play offense? He was a higher rated running back than Norman, Stacy or Tate. Is Owens in the doghouse and is sharing a number with a celebrated true freshman for motivational purposes? Or do they both just love the No. 37 and are competing for it in summer camp?
Probably none of the above. Who knows?
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