Vandy Continues to Confound

Despite early troubles, Commodores have not quit on season

by Greg Frayser

At this point, I'm quite convinced that Vanderbilt Football is my mortal enemy.  I think its entire existence is predicated on 1) proving me wrong and 2) driving me crazy.  After a humiliating loss to Northwestern at home, I predicted that the 'Dores wouldn't win more than 2 games.  At the conclusion of Week 5, their record stands at 2-3.  So what do I know?

But in all seriousness, this might be the most frustrating Vandy team in years... and that's saying something! Say what you will about Bobby Johnson and his abrupt departure from the program, but the success (ok, maybe not success in the way most SEC teams would measure it, but we did win a bowl game and put a lot of players into the NFL) of the program during his tenure resulted in some great recruiting classes.  So there's certainly some talent on this team.  In particular, the defense looks a lot more physical and athletic, all around, than most Vandy fans are used to.  On paper, that 27-3 loss to LSU looks like your typical Vandy game, but that was a game that we were very competitive in.  Considering LSU is still hanging around the Top 15, it's a loss to feel good about.

On Saturday, Vandy did something that rarely ever happens... they blew someone out.  They looked like a great football team.  Hell, Larry Smith even looked like a quarterback!  But, as someone prone to heartache at the hands of the Commodores, allow me to temper any excitement over this "huge" win.  Saturday was an example of what can happen when you have an abnormally talented Vandy team play a non-conference opponent with even bigger line problems than we have.  Because, when all is said and done, the biggest issue with Vanderbilt football is on the lines.  The Commodores just cannot recruit physically dominant linemen (I'll leave the discussion as to why to the comments).  So when Vandy plays a team where they can actually pass block, run block, and rush the passer, their current talent can show.  And, as I've said, this is a talented team.

But now the reality sets in.  Here are the next four games on the schedule:  at Georgia, South Carolina, at Arkansas, Florida.  And the simple, ugly truth is that we'll be lucky to take one game out of those four... and even that is against the odds.  Larry Smith is just not going to have the time to sit back in the pocket and pick apart the secondary.  I've been wildly impressed with Vandy's young crop of RBs, but they're not going to see the consistent success against these SEC defensive lines.  Still, they are probably are best hope at victory.  If we're going to come out of this brutal four-game stretch with any wins, it's going to be because Zach Stacey or Warren Norman play the role of game-changer (in the run game or the return game).

Still, it's always nice to be on the other side of a blowout.