Vanderbilt Commodores Predictions & College Football Preview
Vanderbilt started off last season with a solid 5-3 record before plummeting to the bottom of the SEC East by losing 4 straight games to end the season. With only two returning starters on offense, it’s going to be tough to see how this team can even improve on their 326.6 yards per game which ranked 103rd nationally and their 176.4 passing yards per game which ranked 107th nationally. If teams can’t score, than they’re not going to win very many ball games in college football. Check out what Info Plays thinks of the Commodores with out 2008 Vanderbilt NCAA football predictions below.
Offense:
Vanderbilt will need a bounce-back season from senior quarterback Chris Nickson after he battled injuries all last season. Nickson finished with 2,779 yards of total offense in 2006, a fourth-best mark in school history. If Nickson is unable to go, than Mackenzi Adams is next in line. Adams started six games last season so he has experience, but like Nickson, he is a good runner with a lazy arm. Backups Larry Smith and Jared Funk got their share of snaps in the spring because of it. Smith appears to be the program’s quarterback of the future after earning the Mr. Football award in Alabama high school football.
WR Earl Bennett bypassed his senior season to head to the NFL while left tackle Chris Williams is also gone. These were, hands down, the two most important players on the Commodore’s offense last season. Sixth-year senior George Smith will likely lead the team in receptions this season. Thomas Welch will replace Williams after getting his frame up to 300 pounds to be able to handle the bigger, faster SEC ends. The offensive line will feature five new starters in all, which is never a sign of a winning program. Tailbacks Jeff Jennings and Jared Hawkins will get most of the carries, but they will also have most of the defenders up in their grill due to breakdowns by this inexperienced offensive line.
Defense:
Vanderbilt allowed its fewest points since 1997 last season. Head coach Bobby Johnson attributes it to the speed and athletic ability he has recruited over the years. This unit finished 16th in the nation in total defense and 18th against the pass. The improvement started with the secondary, where cornerbacks D.J. Moore and Myron Lewis both return as juniors this season. Moore tied for the SEC lead with six interceptions and is becoming one of the nation’s best at his position. Veteran safeties Reshard Langford and Ryan Hamilton pack a punch over the middle.
The Commodores’ coaching staff is giving much praise to ends Steven Stone and Broderick Steward. Stone was a dependable starter in 2007 against the run, while Stewart’s blazing speed helped him to six sacks in a reserve role. The Commodores are really lacking at tackle. They can’t realistically hope to replace starting linebackers Jonathan Goff and Marcus Buggs either, but there is some decent experience returning. Patrick Benoist is the only returning starting linebacker.
Vanderbilt Commodores Predictions at Info Plays: 6th in SEC East
The Commodores will finish in last in the SEC East. This Vanderbilt football program looks to be in shambles this season, with only two returning starters on offense and gaping holes on the interior of their defense. The Commodores will be the SEC’s worst rushing defense and won’t be able to run the ball on offense behind a completely revamped offensive line. Winning the battle in the trenches is everything in the SEC, and the Commodores simply don’t have what it takes to compete.
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