I’m certainly not envious of Clark Lea and the job he’s undertaken as the head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores. The program is long way away from competing for SEC East titles, but that is nonetheless the task at hand for Lea when it comes to the long-term reconstruction of the Vanderbilt program. He just hopped off the stage at SEC Media Days, and I thought that he handled it pretty well and said all the right things, even if some Twitter users are claiming his delivery was enough to put them to sleep. A few of the highlights I want to touch on:
Clark Lea said Mike Wright will enter the fall as the starting quarterback for Vanderbilt football
— Aria Gerson (@aria_gerson) July 19, 2022
Clark Lea says that if the most money his players can earn in their lives is while they’re in college then they have failed tremendously. #SECMD22 pic.twitter.com/N2d6KLTxiQ
— Chris Marler (@VerneFUNquist) July 19, 2022
“We’re trying to do what is our best.” ~ Coach Clark Lea, The 2022 vandy football head coach
— BigOrangeHeupel (@BigOrangeHeupel) July 19, 2022
- Let’s start with the big news: there will be no quarterback controversy, at least this summer, as Mike Wright is heading into the season as the starter. Lea mentioned the importance of simply “moving the ball” on offense, and Wright has the added dimension of his dynamic rushing ability that can help this offense move the ball. He has explosive potential, and this Vandy offense needs explosiveness above all else. I think Wright was the solid choice, and it’s a good thing to have that position solidified heading into the season.
- I like hearing a head football coach acknowledge his responsibilities in shaping quality young men beyond just good football players. It sounds like Lea takes the responsibility of getting his guys ready for success, be it in the NFL or out in the real world, seriously.
- The “our best” line sparked an interesting discussion on the SEC Network following Lea’s appearance at the podium. What is Vanderbilt’s best? And why haven’t they been able to get there? Tim Tebow brought up the old James Franklin Vandy teams that used to be such a competitive tough out. He pointed out that the ingredients are there for success – when you come to Vandy, you get to go to one of the best schools in the country, you get to play in the SEC, and you get to live in Nashville. That’s a hell of a foundation to build upon – this program just needs a guy who can leverage that into recruiting and improving the product on the field. Can Lea be that guy? I think he’ll get ample time for a rebuild, but only time will tell. There is something about this program that, as bad as it has been, still feels like it has real potential.
Vanderbilt is such a fascinating institution in the SEC to me. At a time when the rest of the SEC East seems to be reloading for a run at the Georgia Bulldogs, the Commodores feel like they’re so far behind that there’s an ocean to cross before they catch up to the rest of the pack. And, that shouldn’t be the case for a program in an “it city” in the SEC. But, how long have Vandy fans heard guys “say all the right things” in the beginning? This is why I understand when they say “it’ll never get better.” I also think those conditions are what should give the fans hope – now Lea just has to leverage that into wins. Also, before I get out of here, you can check out my 2022 Vanderbilt season preview here.
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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