Aug. 21, 2012
Another Vanderbilt football training camp is in the books under second-year head coach James Franklin.
With only nine days until the season opener against ninth-ranked South Carolina in Nashville, the Commodores shift their focus to game-planning for their highly-anticipated matchup against the Gamecocks.
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by Brandon Barca (Archive) |
To put a wrap on the preseason, VUcommodores.com polled media members that cover the Commodores regularly to get their selections on standout performances during camp. The group surveyed included Jeff Lockridge (The Tennessean), Jesse Johnson (VandySports.com) and Barton Simmons (Vandy247.com).
TOP PLAYER
Jeff Lockridge, The Tennessean: Jordan Matthews, WR. Several solid options here, but Matthews remains this team’s most impressive practice player in terms of his consistency and playmaking ability. I can’t recall a day of camp when the junior didn’t jump over one or two defensive backs and make one of those “wow” catches. He takes pride in the way he practices, and that’s a promising habit for a guy that could play at the next level.
Jesse Johnson, VandySports.com: Jordan Matthews, WR. There were numerous guys to choose from, but Matthews’ camp was probably the one that strikes me as best overall. He was very consistent throughout the open portions of camp, continuing from his strong sophomore season. He caught basically everything that came his way and had moments of pure dominance. Matthews also showed more explosiveness after catches than he has in the past. It seems like he could be in line for an even bigger year than last season.
Barton Simmons, Vandy247.com: Jordan Matthews, WR. No player was more consistent than Matthews throughout camp. He is Vandy’s best deep threat and he made a ton of big plays on a daily basis. Maybe most impressive though was that Matthews seems to have embraced a leadership role and he set the tone with his work ethic as well as his play.
OFFENSIVE STANDOUT
Lockridge: Kris Kentera, TE/HB. A good argument can be made for Jordan Rodgers or Wesley Johnson, but I’ll take the redshirt freshman who was a fourth-string quarterback at this point last season. Now a H-back/tight end who runs his routes like a slot receiver, Kentera has expanded his pass-catching skills and role in this offense since spring practice. He will become – if he’s not already – a matchup dilemma.
Johnson: Josh Jelesky, OG. The Commodore offensive line was probably the surprise of the camp and it was in large part due to Jelesky’s performance. The senior was steady throughout, not only dominating in one-on-one’s, but opening up several lanes for VU’s talented running backs and providing good protection in the passing game. Jelesky came on strong at the end of last season after moving from defensive tackle to offensive guard, and I believe this year he could challenge for conference postseason honors, he’s been that impressive and steady.
Simmons: Wesley Johnson, OT. With Jordan Matthews as my top overall player, I’ll mix it up here and go with Wesley Johnson for the offensive standout. He’s really the pace-setter on an offensive line that was solid throughout camp and he’s got the look of an elite SEC tackle from where I’m standing.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUT
Lockridge: Johnell Thomas, DE. Nearly half of the anticipated defensive starters missed a decent chunk of camp due to injuries, so the selection list is whittled down. Thomas is deserving because of his work habits and leadership. He did something impressive every day, including registering two tackles for loss, plus a sack, in the first scrimmage. His speed will help Vandy’s containment on one side of the field.
Johnson: Kenny Ladler, S. There were a few other individuals like Barron Dixon, Jared Morse and Eric Samuels that have had pretty solid camps, but I feel like Ladler’s performance was probably the best of the bunch. The junior was active against the run but perhaps even better against the pass. He created several turnovers for the defense during camp, as his ability to cover has improved with better instincts and timing. Ladler could be in line for a real breakout season this fall.
Simmons: Andre Hal, DB. Vanderbilt’s defensive backfield has a chance to be really good again and Andre Hal is a big reason why. Every day he made plays and got his hands on footballs defensively. I think he has a chance to step in and pick up right where Casey Hayward left off.
SPECIAL TEAMS STANDOUT
Lockridge: Richard Kent, P. When the Commodores ended practice by seeing how many times Kent could pin the ball inside the 10 when punting from midfield, there were typically a lot of cheers on the field thanks to his accuracy. Kent has a dependable leg that Vandy would prefer to utilize as little as possible.
Johnson: Richard Kent, P. The fifth-year senior was a model of consistency during camp, executing several punt drills to near perfection and showing a bit of leadership on the field. Kent’s strength looks to be improved as he’s kicked it further and higher than times in the past. He’s also done very well on directional and situational punts.
Simmons: I don’t know that you can give a special teams award based on preseason. Ryan Fowler and Carey Spear were both solid throughout camp but neither separated from the other decisively.
FRESHMAN STANDOUT
Lockridge: Caleb Azubike, DE. James Franklin announced three freshmen should play right away, and any of them could be plugged in here (RB Brian Kimbrow and LB Darreon Herring being the other two) along with LB Ja’karri Thomas. Azubike gets the nod because of his work in the one-on-one pass block/pass rush drills that we were able to watch daily. His strength off the edge gave everyone trouble.
Johnson: Brian Kimbrow, RB. This was really hard as a number of freshmen stood out in August, including Caleb Azubike and Darreon Herring. Kimbrow, however, made perhaps the biggest plays of any of the three. The running back received reps with both the projected first and second team units throughout camp, intermixing with veterans Zac Stacy and Warren Norman. Kimbrow posted several big runs and runs after the catch during camp, including one 55-yard touchdown at the end of VU’s first scrimmage.
Simmons: Brian Kimbrow, RB. Ja’karri Thomas, Darreon Herring, Adam Butler, Caleb Azubike, Patton Robinette and Andrew Jelks all deserve mention here. The class looks to be living up to its billing but I think you have to go with Brian Kimbrow. He’s going to provide a different dimension to the Vandy offense and he wasted no time earning meaningful reps and turning them into some big plays.
BEST OFFENSIVE UNIT
Lockridge: Running backs. The backs’ success goes hand-in-hand with the offensive line, and a more experienced line has made considerable strides. But if we’re talking quality and depth, there are four to five backs Vandy has to feel good about, and that makes it the deepest position on the roster. Zac Stacy, Warren Norman, Kimbrow, Jerron Seymour and Wesley Tate all looked strong in camp.
Johnson: Offensive line. The running backs made several plays, but it was the offensive line that provided most of the blocks to spring the rushers big plays. A question mark to some coming into camp, VU’s offensive line stayed relatively healthy throughout camp and played steady and disciplined. Veterans Wesley Johnson, Ryan Seymour, Josh Jelesky and Andrew Bridges seemed to solidify their spots as returning starters and sophomores Spencer Pulley and Joe Townsend emerged as strong options at center. Jake Bernstein and Chase White provided improved depth while six true freshmen showed promise while competing for jobs on the two-deep.
Simmons: Running backs. I really like this running back group for Vanderbilt. Zac Stacy has been as good as advertised throughout camp, Warren Norman looks like he’s back to his old self and Brian Kimbrow adds a new home run threat to the mix. I also thought late in camp Jerron Seymour really began to emerge. Then if you throw in newly-minted scholarship player Marc Panu and the hybrid H-back role of Kris Kentera, it really is a backfield stocked with weapons and guys filling unique roles.
BEST DEFENSIVE UNIT
Lockridge: Defensive backs. We didn’t get to see a lot of No. 1 cornerback Trey Wilson in camp, but Andre Hal more than held his own at the other corner and there’s good depth behind those guys. Kenny Ladler, Javon Marshall and Eddie Foster all made plays in the secondary, and I like the progress from veterans Eric Samuels and Steven Clarke. Don’t be surprised if Hal leads this team in interceptions.
Johnson: Defensive tackles. Even with a few players sitting out due to injury or just for precaution, the Commodores interior defense was stout throughout camp and several players, including Barron Dixon, Jared Morse, Vince Taylor and even true freshman Ladarius Banks, seemed to step up. VU will feature one of its top NFL prospects in starting senior Rob Lohr and notable veteran Colt Nichter. This group is bigger than ever before and seems to be quicker, more agile and more aggressive than in years past.
Simmons: Defensive backs. The defensive backs look really good behind Coach Shoop and Coach Barlow. Andre Hal was the star defensively, but Steven Clarke had a great camp as did Eddie Foster. They’re also really deep at the safety position and I thought Kenny Ladler looked great all preseason. There are just so many guys that are capable of playing at a high level. I think this group will reload and surprise some people in how good they are.
BIGGEST SURPRISES
Lockridge: Jared Morse, DT, and Kellen Williams, LB. Morse was already a proven commodity, but he helped his cause for a potential starting spot more than I anticipated by how well he performed with Colt Nichter and Rob Lohr out of the lineup. Williams is a walk-on who I knew little about prior to camp, but he had a productive two weeks and may well be eyeing some playing time with the depth issues at linebacker.
Johnson: Brian Kimbrow, RB; Eric Samuels, S; Jimmy Stewart, DE; and Joe Townsend, C/OG. Kimbrow is a surprise just because he looks bigger than initially expected and runs with more power than one would think for a speedster. Samuels is a surprise due to being lost in the shuffle the last several years. He seems very comfortable at safety now, especially when free to roam. Stewart is a surprise due to the improvements he’s made physically and his ability to push some more experienced defensive ends. Townsend played in a handful of games last year, but this preseason he’s looked like a player that should play in every game and log a higher percentage of snaps whether it’s at center or at guard. The Hendersonville native has been one of the most improved performers on the team overall.
Simmons: Andrew Jelks, OL; Adam Butler, OL; and Will Holden, OL. I didn’t expect the freshman offensive linemen to be so college ready. Andrew Jelks, Adam Butler and Will Holden are all guys that look like they could step into live action and hold their own right now. The same can be said for Patton Robinette. He’s a guy that could be a serviceable number two option right now and I love his long-term upside.
MOST IMPROVED
Lockridge: Josh Jelesky, OG. A former defensive lineman, Jelesky’s jump to the offensive line in 2011 came with a learning curve. Now he’s toward that end of that curve. Whether it was 11-on-11 “thud” sessions or one-on-one drills, Jelesky evolved from a player who was regularly beaten last year to someone who won the majority of matchups in this camp. Centers Spencer Pulley and Joe Townsend also deserve consideration.
Johnson: Barron Dixon, DT, and Dillon van der Wal, TE. Dixon has become a very physical and difficult player to block this summer. He’s added several pounds of muscle to his already impressive frame and his blend of hands and quickness make him a difficult matchup for opposing offensive linemen. Van der Wal showed improvement as a pass-catcher after spending his first year as primarily a blocking tight end. Both should see their snaps increase during their second years with the Commodores.
Simmons: Barron Dixon, DT. I think Barron Dixon is in a position to really surprise some people this fall and be a factor on the defensive line of scrimmage. He pushed a lot of guys around in August and he has a chance to be really disruptive this fall.
TOP HEADLINE
Lockridge: The feel-good headline of camp was unquestionably walk-on fullback Marc Panu being put on scholarship and the reaction from his teammates when Franklin made the announcement, which led to massive public and media response after the video was posted. The most significant headlines were the departures of projected starting LB Tristan Strong (personal reasons) and DE Thad McHaney (physical condition).
Simmons: “Vanderbilt outscores opponent” – I’m using a future headline here because I think that for the first time in a long time, Vanderbilt has shown in the preseason that it has the pieces in place to win an offensive shootout in the SEC. On every level of the offense there’s stability and experience, and at the skill positions there are multiple playmakers. The preseason has shown that there’s a lot to be excited about offensively.
For more football news, visit the preseason blog.