It wasn’t quite the breakthrough Northwestern experienced in 1995 or the revival witnessed at Rutgers in 2006, but the Vanderbilt football program enjoyed a renaissance of its own last fall. The Commodores didn’t capture a league title (like Northwestern in ’95) or reach double-figures in wins (like Rutgers in ’06), but they did accomplish something that hadn’t been done at the school in more than two decades — win more games than they lost.

“It was huge. We can’t downplay it,” says Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson, who led his team to a 7–6 record capped off by a win in the Music City Bowl. “It was big for the program. It was the next step we had to make — go to a bowl game and have a winning record.”

The Dores’ 2008 season featured a 5–0 start, an appearance on campus by ESPN’s College GameDay, four wins in league play — the most since 1982 — and the school’s first bowl victory since 1955. Before you dismiss the Commodores as a one-hit wonder who will quietly slip back to the bottom of the SEC food chain, keep in mind that Johnson welcomes back 17 starters — tied for most in the league — including nine on a defense that ranked 21st in the nation in scoring (19.6 ppg). “I don’t think we will ever get to the point where we are a dominant team against the schedule that we play,” Johnson says. “But I like where we are and what we have coming back.”

Quarterbacks

Vanderbilt ranked 117th in the nation in total offense, due in large part to a passing attack that averaged an SEC-worst 112.6 yards per game. So it wasn’t too much of a surprise when the coaching staff shook things up in the spring, implementing a no-huddle attack in an effort to jump-start an offense that has struggled to score points since Jay Cutler’s senior season in 2005. Senior Mackenzi Adams and sophomore Larry Smith will battle for the starting assignment in preseason camp. Both have the skill set to operate the new offense, but the no-huddle appears to be an ideal fit for Smith, who ran a similar attack in high school. Last season, neither Chris Nickson, the opening day starter, nor Adams, the relief specialist, was able to play with enough consistency to seize the position. With both Nickson and Adams banged up late in the season, the Commodores turned to Smith in the Music City Bowl. Smith responded with a solid performance in his first career start, completing 10-of-17 passes for 121 yards in the Dores’ 16–14 win. Johnson, like most coaches, prefers a veteran quarterback, but Smith is very skilled and is regarded as a great leader. The plan is to announce a starter a few weeks into preseason camp.

Running backs

Jared Hawkins performed adequately in his first season as a starter, averaging a respectable 4.3 yards per attempt en route to a team-high 593 yards. But he had only one carry that went for more than 25 yards and failed to hit the century mark against an SEC opponent. The Commodores, who have not had a 1,000-yard rusher in more than a decade, simply need more of a big-play threat from the running back position. That is where the freshman class comes in. Vanderbilt signed three three-star tailbacks — Zac Stacy, Warren Norman and Wesley Tate — and Johnson has indicated the rookies will have an opportunity to play right away. “We think all three will help,” he says. “We have some good potential with these guys coming in.” Veterans Gaston Miller and Kennard Reeves will be in the mix as well, but expect Hawkins and two of the freshmen to emerge as the primary ball-carriers.

Receivers

Vanderbilt lost two starting receivers (George Smith and Sean Walker) to graduation and another starter (Justin Wheeler) to a torn ACL in the spring, yet the coaches are comfortable enough with the talent at the position that they elected to move all-purpose threat Jamie Graham to cornerback in the offseason. UConn transfer Terence Jeffers, redshirt freshman John Cole and holdover Alex Washington figure to be the top three options, though sophomore Udom Umoh, Tray Herndon, a transfer from Minnesota, and incoming freshmen Brady Brown and Collin Ashley should also be factors in the Dores’ multiple-receiver sets. Jeffers, who led UConn with 44 catches and 582 yards as a sophomore, could end up being the top offensive player on the team. Cole earned a spot in the rotation as a true freshman but went down with a season-ending injury in the 2008 opener. Cole was still having some issues with his knee during the spring; his return to good health is of paramount importance. The Dores are well-stocked at the tight end position, where Brandon Barden, a freshman All-SEC pick who caught 28 passes last fall, and Austin Monahan will see the majority of the snaps. Expect the tight ends to be heavily involved in the attack.

Offensive linemen

Vanderbilt returns seven offensive linemen who started at least five games during the 2008 season. The group had its moments, but when an offense averages just over 250 yards per game, it’s safe to assume the offensive line was not a strength. “We need to get better there,” Johnson says. The coaching staff believes the new, no-huddle offense is a good fit for the Commodores’ line, which is athletic but a bit undersized. Center Bradley Vierling and right tackle Thomas Welch were the only linemen to start all 13 games. The coaches mixed and matched at the other three spots, before settling on Reilly Lauer, a converted defensive end, at left tackle, Kyle Fischer at left guard and Eric Hensley at right guard for the final four games. The line doesn’t have a ton of starting experience, but it is a veteran group; Fischer, a third-year sophomore, is the only player expected to be in the rotation who has not been in the program at least four seasons.

Defensive linemen

Vanderbilt likely will never boast one of the SEC’s top defensive lines, but position coach Ricky Logo has molded his collection of blue-collar types into a solid unit. All four starters return, headlined by defensive tackle Greg Billinger, a one-time Georgia commitment who recorded 47 tackles — an impressive total for an interior lineman. Billinger, Adam Smotherman and T.J. Greenstone handled the majority of the snaps at the two tackle spots, but Johnson expects redshirt freshman Rob Lohr to step into the rotation this fall. The two starting ends — Broderick Stewart and Steven Stone — combined for 10 sacks last fall. Stewart packs only 225 pounds on his 6'5" frame, but he has been one of the SEC’s better pass-rushers over the past two seasons. He sat out spring practice while recovering from a broken leg sustained against Tennessee last season, but he should be ready to go in the fall.

Linebackers

The strength of the defense is undoubtedly the linebacking corps. Patrick Benoist received second-team All-SEC honors in 2008 after leading the team with 109 tackles, but the real star of the group is sophomore middle linebacker Chris Marve. Under-recruited because of his size — he’s listed at 6'0" — Marve impressed the coaching staff during his redshirt season and lived up to expectations. “We thought he would be good, and he was,” says Johnson. Marve, who ranked fourth in the league with 105 tackles, was a unanimous pick to the SEC All-Freshman team last season. His goal line strip of Ole Miss’ Dexter McCluster in the final minutes of the Dores’ win in Oxford was perhaps the biggest defensive play of the season for Vanderbilt. Strong-side backer John Stokes, the most highly recruited player on the team, battled injuries through most of the 2008 season. He sat out spring practice after undergoing shoulder surgery. Former safety Brent Trice played well in the spring and figures to push Stokes for the starting assignment. He is an outstanding athlete who brings strong cover skills to the position. Johnson is hoping Brandon Bryant will return to the lineup after missing all of last season after breaking his leg in the offseason. He will see significant playing time if healthy.

Defensive backs

Johnson is pleased with the quality of the players in the Vanderbilt secondary. There just aren’t enough of them, especially at cornerback. “The numbers are going to be scary,” he says. “A freshman is going to have to come in here to play.” Vanderbilt lost D.J. Moore early to the NFL, two reserve corners (Jared Fagan and Josh Allen) to graduation and a full-time nickelback (Darlron Spead) who decided not to return for his fifth season. As a result, Graham, who worked with the cornerbacks during his redshirt season, was moved back across the line of scrimmage. He will battle emerging sophomore Casey Hayward for the start at Moore’s old position. The loser of that battle will likely be the nickelback. The other corner is third-year starter Myron Lewis, a 6'3" senior who the coaches believe is every bit as good as the All-American Moore. Steady senior Ryan Hamilton is back for his fourth season as the starting free safety, but the Dores must replace big-hitting strong safety Reshard Langford. Sophomore Sean Richardson, who played in all but one game as a true freshman, is the overwhelming favorite to take over.

Specialists

Punter Brett Upson, the MVP of the Music City Bowl, is back for his senior season, but the Commodores must replace kicker Bryant Hahnfeldt, who drilled three field goals in the bowl game. Upson hasn’t handled placements since high school, but he kicked the ball well in the spring. He will battle redshirt freshman Ryan Fowler for the kicking duties. Moore’s loss will be felt in the return game, where he ranked 11th in the nation in punt returns (14.4 per) and also handled kickoffs. Graham, one of the most versatile players in the league, will be heavily involved in the return game.

This preview appears in the 2009 Athlon Sports Southeastern Magazine. Click here to order yours today.

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