Over the course of the next several weeks, the SoBros Network crew will be going team-by-team through the SEC, previewing the upcoming American tackle football season. Up next, the 2019 Vanderbilt preview!
2019 VANDERBILT PREVIEW
Derek Mason enters his sixth season over on West End – though he’s been to a couple of bowl games (and lost both), he’s yet to achieve that elusive winning season. It’s hard work coaching the Vanderbilt Commodores and trying to build that into a program that wins consistently. Unfortunately for Mason, if those wins don’t start coming soon, his seat may begin to heat up (if it isn’t already).
On offense, the ‘Dores have to worry about replacing three very seasoned veterans along the offensive line. Perhaps more importantly, they have to worry about replacing one of the greatest quarterbacks in program history, Kyle Shurmur. That replacement figures to be Riley Neal, who actually has some NFL aspirations. But, it’s also possible for Deuce Wallace to sneak up and steal the job. If they can sort out the questions along the offensive line and at quarterback, this could be a lethal offense.
I don’t know that the Commodores have ever had a trio of play-makers like running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn, tight end Jared Pinkney, and wide receiver Kalija Lipscomb. These are guys who will be competing for national awards come December. They’ll probably all end up in the NFL, and could combine to make for one of the most explosive offenses in the SEC. Kinda weird to say, huh?
The problem is…that defense could be bad. Really bad. There’s not a lot of proven talent, and some of their most active players from a season ago are gone. Hell, for a defense that gave up 30+ points SIX TIMES last season, maybe new faces are a good thing?
I still don’t know that I’m willing to look past that 668-yard game the Commodores allowed for Baylor in the Texas Bowl. This defense is going to have to play mistake-free football and generate turnovers like it did last year. The question is whether or not you trust ’em to do that.
All in all, 2019 is probably going to feel different than years past, when the Commodores defense was good enough to carry it to victory. If they’re going to be successful this year, it’ll be because of an explosive offense that can score more points than their defense allows.
2019 COMMODORES SCHEDULE
8/31, vs. Georgia – What a brutal way to kick off the season. 0-1 for Mason and the ‘Dores.
9/7 @ Purdue – Jeff Brohm has this Purdue program heading in the right direction. This one won’t be easy, but the Commodores are perfectly capable of winning this one.
9/21 vs. LSU – Another SEC loss to start 0-2 in conference play.
9/28 vs. Northern Illinois – Some turnover in the Huskies program should make for an easy home win for the Commodores. This ain’t the team that’s storming the Orange Bowl.
10/5 @ Ole Miss – This is a game the ‘Dores could really use. It’s fortunate that it has to happen in Oxford. The Rebels could surprise some teams this season – I’m counting the Commodores among them.
10/12 vs. UNLV – Armani Rogers could make UNLV a surprise bowl team in 2019. I wouldn’t expect them to get the win in Nashville, though.
10/19 vs. Missouri – At least this one’s at home. The ‘Dores might not have to worry about playing defense in what could be an entertaining sprint. I actually think they have the firepower to hang with the Tigers, but I trust Kelly Bryant a little more than whoever the ‘Dores quarterback is.
11/2 @ South Carolina – Like the Ole Miss game, the ‘Dores really could’ve used this one at home. I’m a little higher on South Carolina than some – I think the Gamecocks are a bowl team, and should get this win at home.
11/9 @ Florida – Nope. No way.
11/16 vs. Kentucky – I actually think the Wildcats are going to take such a large step back in 2019 that they could totally come to Nashville and lose this game because they won’t be able to score enough points to keep up with Vandy.
11/23 vs. East Tennessee State – This should be a convincing win for the Commodores.
11/30 @ Tennessee – The only team that I think could be worse than Vandy in the SEC East this season…again,
Prediction
The games they could really use all come on the road (Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee), and that concerns me when we’re talking about this team’s bowl eligibility. That’s the goal, by the way – I don’t give this team much of a chance to make much noise in the SEC, but they should be eyeing that first winning season for Mason.
The problem is the way this schedules sets up. I mean, this could easily be a 3-9 team, matching Mason’s worst record as Vanderbilt’s head coach. Then again, they have the offensive talent to surprise some people – if they steal one of those Missouri or Kentucky games, and win one or two of the Ole Miss/South Carolina/Tennessee gamut, maybe they get past the .500 mark on the season. The key, to me, is going to be staying mentally tough enough to win that Purdue game on the road in between battles against SEC juggernauts Georgia and LSU.
Regardless, 2019 is going to be a long row for Mason and the Commodores to hoe.
OTHER 2019 SEC SEASON PREVIEWS
Alabama Crimson Tide
Auburn Tigers
Florida Gators
Georgia Bulldogs
Kentucky Wildcats
LSU Tigers
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Missouri Tigers
South Carolina Gamecocks
Texas A&M Aggies
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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