Saturday, September 18, 2010

We're sticking with a Vandy win today

We're still not worried about the Commodores... yet.

In fact, they're right where we expected them to be. Before the season, we predicted Vandy to be 0-2 right now and to have lost those games by a combined 22 points. Well, Vandy is 0-2, but losing by a combined 26 points.

But here's where we picked Vandy to win, 27-24. We'll stick with that prediction, but I'm not sure how in the world we score 27 points. Kendrell Lockett is back for the Rebels at defensive end, and Jerrell Powe is a real load on the D-line. Maybe you've noticed we have trouble with loads on the D-line. We're gonna have big problems running between the tackles.

I'm not terribly worried about our defense in this one, but like everybody I'm concerned about the offense, in this order:

1. Offensive line
2. Wide receiver
3. Quarterback

Today I'd like to see us stick with the same offensive line, use all three freshman wide receivers (Pruitt is redshirting), and stick a backup quarterback in there for a series if Larry starts getting down on himself or his teammates.

Go Dores!

13 comments:

even more anonymous said...

You're lookin' like a genius right about now!

Brooks said...

No doubt - nice call on the prediction. Our RBs have changed this program. I like that we are rolling out the 3 headed beast more with Tate on short yardage. Those guys have SEC talent. Our D looked pretty strong overall. Great win heading into a week off!

DIMON KENDRICK-HOLMES said...

Yeah, we've got great running backs and we used them very well today. You're right, it's a great win heading into a bye week.

Anonymous said...

Great call on the prediction....can you imagine if we had made at least 2-3 completions by Smith on a few home-run routes when the receiever was behind the ole miss db this afternoon? I agree with the previous post to get all three freshman receivers in the game since the running game is so strong. At some point in SEC play, we are going to have to have a balanced offense which means that Larry Smith will need to make some throws. Great win today !!!

VandyPhile said...

Glad Ole Miss dropped those 3 TD passes. A good win, though!

Anonymous said...

Overall, it's difficult not to analyze this ('10)team without thinking about the '08 team which was definitely a bowl team; a team where considerable offensive slack was taken up by the defense dominated by the Hamilton's, the Moore's and the Lewis's and the Line. Probable losses to South Carolina, Auburn or Ole Miss in 08 would have been made up by wins (later) over Miss. State, Duke, Tennessee or even Georgia. A different team now, yes. Maybe the best is yet come.

Anonymous said...

You are a genius! Go Dores.

I was a big fan of Larry when I first saw him play in 2008, however he seems to have zero touch on his passes now.

With the offense we run now(and our running backs), we don't need a Jay Cutler, we only need a caretaker to spread the ball around on a few short passes---and be able to put some air under a long pass a couple of times a game to loosen up the defense.

Again, I am estatic we won. But, let's be honest, that will be the worst SEC team we play this year. They lost at home to Jacksonville State. Is Larry really the best passer we have on the roster? If so, our qb recruiting is horrendous.

I don't mean to be negative after a win and I am sorry if it comes across like that, but against better defenses we are going to have to have a qb who can put some touch on some of those passes. Last year, the problem was obviously mainly with the receivers, with all of their drops. This year so far, the problem is Larry's accuracy.

What do you see as the solution, or do you see the same problem?

Anonymous said...

Much improved O-Line Play Coach Herb Hand must of taken the baby bid off them. I saw an O-Line that was fighting every play. Better rotation plan helped with the fatique in the 4th qtr on both sides of the line.

DIMON KENDRICK-HOLMES said...

You're right. And the Ole Miss line, especially Lockett and Powe, are a load. We did a good job of taking advantage of overpursuit. In Larry's TD run, Powe went flying by Larry in pursuit of Warren Norman, while Larry was keeping the ball and heading for the end zone.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the comment that Larry Smith needs to put "some air" under most of his passes when attempting to make passes to the wr's. The Ole Miss win was a great road win......but let's look ahead and agree that we must get our freshman wr's into the game-plan to have any real shot against SEC defenses. It hard to watch the 3 freshman wr's come to Vandy with so much hype, yet we can't seem to integrate them into the game plan. This will really open up the running game when SEC defenses have to respect our (Larry's)passing game.The next 2 games should be a chance to fully integrate some form of passing game involving the freshmen wr's. Hard to believe that Krause (with his speed) does not touch the ball 1 time against Ole Miss. I agree with a comment Coach Caldwell made several weeks ago that Boyd & Mathews look like (in practice) SEC receivers......time to see what we got at wr before our stretch of SEC games.

DIMON KENDRICK-HOLMES said...

I'm confident that we're getting Krause, Matthews and Boyd ready for our stretch run through the SEC. On Saturday, we were moving the ball on the ground and incorporating the backs into the passing game and with the exception of some clutch catches on the 96-yard drive really didn't need our receivers to win. Caldwell said that Larry needed another second of protection to throw downfield and that the line, which is improving, is working to gain him that extra second. Expect to see Matthews get some more snaps and maybe catch his first pass against UConn, and then expect us to take the wraps off Boyd against Eastern Michigan.

Anonymous said...

Take a look at the game footage of UCONN vs Michigan (You-Tube, Michigan offense). Amazing amounts of Michigan yardage on the ground. The Michigan line was consistently opening holes big enough for three Warren Norman's. Passed only when necessary. Herb Hand has coached against UConn's Edsel for at least 7-8 years in the Big East (UCONN never won a game against WVU) so much of their strategy should not come as a surprise to Vanderbilt. I for one would like to see UCONN burned by Vanderbilt. They believe that their Pizza Bowl win over USC last year is their tell-all against the SEC.
Stay Tuned Folks!!!

DIMON KENDRICK-HOLMES said...

Good stuff. Thanks. Yeah, I think SC phoned it in last year in the pizza bowl. Remember that the year before Florida won its first national championship under Urban Meyer, it got trampled in a bowl to the Michigan team that started the season with a loss to Appalachian State.