Umoh and Cole booted from Vandy's starting receiving corps... according to the MV! playing-time poll

A lot of people think that our starting receivers this year, when we open the game with a 3-wideout set, will all hail from last year's signing class — sophomores Jonathan Krause and Jordan Matthews and redshirt freshman Chris Boyd.

And you, the MV! audience, agree. We're piecing together playing rotations position by position, and you liked Matthews best (86 percent of voters), followed closely by Krause (86 percent) and then Boyd (68 percent).

Where does that leave returning starters John Cole and Udom Umoh? Cole's your fourth receiver at 41 percent. The redshirt junior has started for most of two seasons since getting injured as a true freshmen in the opener against Miami-Ohio and redshirting.

Umoh is sixth receiver at 25 percent of the vote. The new media guide/fact book is eager to point out that Umoh, a redshirt senior, is a great blocker. That's like saying that a member of the homecoming court makes her own clothes. It's nice, but it's not going to get you the crown, or even a starting job.

Ahead of Umoh is true freshman Jacquese Kirk, who reports to camp on Wednesday, I think. Kirk weighs 160 pounds but is the kind of athlete who could bring some excitement to the Vandy offense, and can allegedly separate from defensive backs, something Cole and Umoh have struggled to do in their VU careers.

After Umoh is true frosh Lafonte Thourogood, who'll start out as a quarterback but is considered a fine wide receiver prospect and could see some time there. Not a sure thing, but a possibility. He got votes from 19 percent of you.

Then there's redshirt junior Akeem Dunham and redshirt frosh Trent Pruitt, both of whom tied with 15 percent apiece.

Bringing up the rear is redshirt sophomore Brady Brown, one of Vandy's highest rated receiving recruits in recent memory, but he's starting his third year on campus and hasn't caught a pass.

Here's a recap:

1. Jordan Matthews, SO: 88 percent
2. Jonathan Krause, SO: 86 percent
3. Chris Boyd, R-FR: 68 percent
4. John Cole, R-JR: 41 percent
5. Jacquese Kirk, FR: 33 percent
6. Udom Umoh, R-SR: 25 percent
7. Lafonte Thourogood, FR: 19 percent
8. Akeem Dunham, R-JR: 15 percent
8. Trent Pruitt, R-FR: 15 percent
10. Brady Brown, R-SO: 3 percent

Now it's time to vote for tight ends.

Where's Justin Green?

Alex Washington just dropped another pass, this one on fourth down.

We now know that the receiver position is indeed a huge weakness. Larry Smith looked promising, the running backs and offensive line were much improved, the defense hung tough and special teams were much improved over last week.

But the wide receivers have looked bad. Cole, Ashley and Washington are short and the LSU DBs are tall. Udom Umoh has been AWOL. Oh, and where's Justin Green? You'd think a 6-6 wide receiver would have been an asset in this game.

We knew losing Terance Jeffers-Harris was big at the time. Now we know how big.

Theron Kadri back, says he almost made "a big mistake"; meanwhile, Vandy receivers are (mostly) still short

The Tennessean's Jeff Lockridge reports that Theron Kadri has returned to the team. That's good news. With Steven Stone out for at least a month, that means Kadri and Teriall Brannon will back starters Broderick Stewart and Tim Fugger, and they'll get help from redshirt freshmen Johnell Thomas and Josh Jelesky. It also means Walker May can get back to the chow hall and put on some more weight. We'll need you next season, buddy.

“I wasn’t sure if this was the place I needed to stay," Kadri told the Tennessean. "From talking to my teammates who have graduated from here and who are still here now and family members, they all just advised me and helped me through it. And (they) helped me make the right decision and stopped me from making a big mistake.”

The smart thing Kadri did was stay on campus and attend class during the three days he was away from the team. Johnson said Kadri was welcomed back with "open arms," adding: "I think Theron knows for him the best place is Vanderbilt. And we’re glad to have him back.”

After it was announced earlier this week that Kadri was leaving, some Vandy fans said good riddance and called Kadri's career a bust. Not so fast. The guy's only played two seasons, and it's really quite an achievement to avoid a redshirt in a Bobby Johnson program. It means you've got — or will soon get — game.

WIDE RECEIVER UPDATE: John Cole's running well and appears to be recovered from his baffling array of injuries. We really, really need him healthy. Speaking of receivers, much has been made lately of the vertical challenges our receivers face. The likely starters are the 5-11 Cole, plus 5-10 Alex Washington, and 6-0 Udom Umoh. Second teamers, at least on the preseason depth chart, are 5-9 Chris Reinert, 6-0 Tray Herndon and 6-1 Turner Wimberly.

"They’re not basketball players, no," Coach Bobby Johnson said in a video interview on Thursday night.

Actually, redshirt freshman Akeem Dunham was a high school basketball star. He's positively towering at 6-3. Of course, true freshman Brady Brown is 6-4. The other true freshman, Collin Ashley, fits the Vandy mold a little better — he's 5-11.

REINERT NOT YOUR TYPICAL WALK-ON: Nice article in the The Hustler about Chris Reinert, the walk-on receiver from California who's best known for pumping up the crowd in last year's South Carolina game as he was being carried off the field with a broken leg. (The Hustler, by the way, is the name of the Vanderbilt student paper. I must say I enjoyed coming home for Thanksgiving my freshman year and telling my relatives I was writing articles for the The Hustler.) Did you know Reinert actually had a scholarship offer from Stanford? I didn't. He now has a scholarship to play for the Commodores.

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.