2008 Vanderbilt Commodores Preview

Bobby Johnson has increased the competitiveness of Vanderbilt football — the Commodores’ .400 winning percentage (14–21 record) since 2005 is the best three-year mark at the school since the early 1980s — but the veteran head coach has yet to break through and take his team to a bowl game.

Two Minute Drill

A Quick Look at the Dores

Vanderbilt has had trouble putting together a complete team. When the offense has shined, the defense has struggled; when the defense has been stout, the offense has sputtered. This year figures to be no different. Despite losing some key personnel, the Commodores’ defense — which ranked 16th in the nation last fall — should be outstanding. Depth on the defensive line is a concern (when isn’t it?), but the secondary will be among the best in the league, and coach Bobby Johnson is confident his linebacking corps will be strong. Offensively, there are issues. The Dores lost the SEC’s all-time leader in receptions (Earl Bennett), and all five starters on the offensive line must be replaced. The quarterback position is also unsettled. Chris Nickson would appear to be the No. 1 option heading into preseason camp, but Mackenzi Adams, who started the final six games, sophomore Jared Funk and redshirt freshman Larry Smith will also be in the mix. Placekicking continues to be a concern as well. Johnson can’t have very much confidence in senior Bryant Hahnfeldt, who has missed 16-of-37 kicks over the past two years. The job might go to a true freshman. The non-conference schedule, while not overly taxing, is more difficult than last year’s slate that featured all four games at home. Breaking the quarter-century bowl-less streak will be very difficult.

Vanderbilt has come painfully close in recent years: The 2005 team managed a 5–6 record with four of the losses by seven points or less, and the ’07 Commodores, arguably the school’s most talented team in decades, went 5–7 with two of the defeats by three points or less.

With the bowl-less streak now at 25 years, Johnson and the Commodores must forge ahead without three-time first-team All-SEC receiver Earl Bennett, all five starters on the offensive line and five key starters on the defensive front seven.

Oh, and have we mentioned that there is a bit of a quarterback controversy?

Quarterbacks

For the first time since 2002 — when Jay Cutler, then a redshirt freshman, beat out junior Benji Walker — there is some mystery as to who the starting quarterback will be for Vanderbilt’s season-opener. After a solid sophomore season in 2006, Chris Nickson appeared to be well on his way to an uninterrupted three-year run under center for the Commodores. But Nickson’s junior season was a struggle. A series of injuries (leg and shoulder) adversely affected his performance, though the severity of his ailments wasn’t really known until much later in the season. Nickson started the first six games but gave way to Mackenzi Adams against Georgia. Adams guided Vanderbilt to wins in his first two starts — at South Carolina, vs. Miami (Ohio) — but Vanderbilt lost its last four games to drop out of bowl contention. Nickson and Adams have a similar skill set and both are a good fit to operate the Commodores’ multiple offense that asks the quarterback to run the ball with regularity. At his best, Nickson is the better player, but Adams plays with toughness and is a more vocal leader. Johnson doesn’t plan on naming a starter until the fall, but the best guess is that the job is Nickson’s to lose. “We have plenty of time to make that determination,” Johnson says. And the coach is quick to add that this is more than a two-man race. Sophomore Jared Funk and redshirt freshman Larry Smith both played well in the spring. The staff won’t hesitate to give one of the younger quarterbacks a chance if the veterans struggle.

Running backs

Vanderbilt’s rushing numbers were decent last year — the top three backs combined for 1,207 yards on a 4.0 average — but the Commodores lacked a big-play threat in the backfield. The longest run from scrimmage from one of the tailbacks was 26 yards. Just like at quarterback, there are two candidates for the starting assignment, and just like at quarterback, Johnson is reluctant to name a starter. But the general feeling is that junior Jared Hawkins, who has averaged 5.5 yards per carry in a reserve role the past two seasons, has surged past Jeff Jennings, a senior who has struggled to regain his form after tearing his ACL late in the 2006 season. Diminutive sophomore Gaston Miller (generously listed at 5'7") figures to get a bunch of carries as well. “He is a guy that can make people miss,” Johnson says. “He has the big-play capabilities that we didn’t have out of the position last year.”

Receivers

The loss of Bennett, the SEC’s all-time receptions leader, and Alex Washington, a junior who tore his ACL in the spring, leaves the Commodores a bit short-handed at receiver. There are two known quantities — fifth-year seniors George Smith and Sean Walker — but Johnson will be searching for some playmakers during preseason camp to fill out the Dores’ three-receiver sets. Junior Justin Wheeler and redshirt freshman Udom Umoh both figure to play their way into the rotation, but there are three newcomers to watch — senior Andrew Diomande (a transfer from Clemson), redshirt freshman Jamie Graham (a former cornerback who played basketball for the Commodores last winter) and true freshman John Cole. Graham only suited up at receiver for two days during the spring, but Johnson is clearly excited about the possibilities. “He will pass several people (on the depth chart),” says the coach. Also, expect to see more of starting cornerback D.J. Moore on offense this fall. “We will do more things with D.J.,” Johnson says. “He will run some routes for us. We won’t just hand it to him like we did last year.” The tight end hasn’t been very involved in the passing attack over the past two seasons, but that could change this year. Jake Bradford, who heads up the depth chart, caught only four passes in ’07.

Offensive linemen

Despite losing all five starters on the offensive line, Vanderbilt will feature a veteran group that surprisingly has a decent amount of experience. Four spots appear to be set — and all four projected starters are fourth-year juniors who have seen significant action. Thomas Welch, a former high school quarterback, will replace Chris Williams, a first-round draft pick, at left tackle. Welch was thrust into a prominent role as a freshman in 2006 and has progressed nicely over the past two seasons. Right tackle Eric Hensley broke his ankle in the spring game but is expected to make a complete recovery. The big battle in fall camp figures to be at right guard, where junior Drew Gardner will have to fight off a host of candidates, most notably two promising redshirt freshman, Kyle Fischer and James Williams. Depth will be an issue, but don’t be surprised if there isn’t much of a drop-off from the line this fall.

Defensive linemen

Johnson didn’t hesitate when asked what was his biggest concern heading into the fall. “Depth on the defensive line,” he said. Vanderbilt lost three starters, including both tackles, from a group that helped the Dores rank 16th in the nation in total defense. There is some quality among the starters, most notably playmaking end Broderick Stewart and emerging tackle Greg Billinger. The 6'5", 228-pound Stewart, who led the team with six sacks, will make the transition from a pass-rushing specialist to an every-down lineman. The staff has been pleased with the development of sophomore tackle Adam Smotherman, but he has some ongoing issues with his knee that may limit his snaps.

Linebackers

Despite the loss of two solid veterans at linebacker — Marcus Buggs and second-team All-SEC pick Jonathan Goff — Johnson expects his linebacking corps to be a team strength. The steady Patrick Benoist will move to the middle to replace Goff. Benoist shined in the Dores’ upset win at South Carolina, recording six tackles (including one sack) and forcing a fumble. Strong-side backer John Stokes, who turned down offers from Michigan, Alabama and Tennessee coming out of high school, impressed the coaching staff during spring drills. Brandon Bryant, a starter last year until injuring his foot at Auburn, will battle Nate Campbell on the weak side. Redshirt freshman Chris Marve will find a way to get on the field somehow.

Defensive backs

The Commodores should field the school’s best defensive backfield since the mid-1990s, when three future NFL players  — cornerbacks Fred Vinson and Corey Chavous and safety Eric Vance — roamed the secondary for the black and gold. The 2008 unit features four returning starters, highlighted by Moore, a first-team All-SEC pick as a sophomore. “D.J. just knows how to play the game,” Johnson says. “He knows the scheme very well, and he knows what the offense is trying to do.” Moore will be joined by fellow cornerback Myron Lewis and safeties Reshard Langford and Ryan Hamilton. Add in playmaking nickel back Darlron Spead (if healthy), and you have the makings of a quality secondary. “They are an extremely confident group,” Johnson says. “Our corners are solid, and we have solid backups. It’s a good group.”

Specialists

Placekicker Bryant Hahnfeldt struggled through a disappointing junior season. He converted only 13-of-20 kicks and has made 21-of-37 over the past two seasons. He missed a 49-yard field goal in the final minute of a 25–24 loss at Tennessee. Incoming freshman Ryan Fowler will have a chance to win the job. Vanderbilt ranked last in the SEC in net punting (32.8 per), but Johnson was pleased with Brett Upson’s work. He averaged 39.2 yards on his 61 attempts and downed 22 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Moore figures to be one of the top kickoff return threats in the league.

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