Defense Ready for Unique Challenge

Commodores must slow down Kentucky's dangerous run game

by Chad Bishop

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt’s defense faces a unique challenge this week when Kentucky comes to town.

Because of injuries and inexperience at the position, the Wildcats earlier this season turned to Lynn Bowden Jr. to run the show from behind center. Bowden is a junior wide receiver with more than 1,600 receiving yards to his name through 35 career games.

Kentucky has crafted its offense around Bowden’s ability as an elusive and explosive weapon. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound junior from Youngstown, Ohio, has 712 yards rushing this season.

He reminds Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason of one of Kentucky’s all-time greats Randall Cobb.

“We all know what Randall Cobb could do with the ball in his hands,” Mason said. “That’s sort of what you have to keep in mind and that’s what I talked to the defense about – understanding that (Bowden) can make a play from any point on the field.”

The challenge for Vanderbilt’s defense will be much akin to going against an option offense. The Wildcats (4-5, 2-5 SEC) have completed just 18 passes in the last four games and were held to just 2 of 16 passing in a 21-0 loss at Georgia on Oct. 19.

Bowden has thrown the ball 44 times this season and has completed only 43.2 percent of those throws for 213 yards. But on the ground he’s averaging 7.1 yards per carry and 153.3 yards per game over the last four contests.

“Yeah, it’s different,” Vanderbilt redshirt junior defensive lineman Drew Birchmeier said. “It’s similar to what they had been with their past quarterback before he, unfortunately, got hurt. It’s going to be different to prepare for. (Bowden) is a great athlete and they have a really good offensive line and they’re going to try to run the ball a lot which makes sense.

“They’re going to run the same things they always run. And with him at quarterback and how good the offensive line is it will be good to go against.”

Vanderbilt (2-7, 1-5 SEC) has already faced a rushing quarterback this season when it traveled to Mississippi on Oct. 5. It was there that John Rhys Plumlee ran for 165 yards on 22 carries – but the difference in that matchup was the Commodores had to honor Plumlee’s ability to throw the ball.

Kentucky hasn’t thrown for more than 100 yards since Sept. 21.

That doesn’t mean, however, the Dores can just forget about pass defense.

“It’s very much like facing an option offense with strong wildcat (formation) elements in it,” Mason said. “(Bowden) can run, he can attempt to throw the football and with that they’re going to find creative ways to do it. They run, run, run and, much like the triple option, you look up and he’s backing off the line of scrimmage or it’s a reverse pass, it’s something that’s meant to get your eyes some place then all of a sudden you look up and someone is slipping behind you.”

Vanderbilt hasn’t beaten its East Division rival since 2015. Last year in Lexington, Kentucky, Bowden had three catches for 18 yards and just two runs for five yards.

But now UK is getting the ball in Bowden’s hand nearly every play inside an attack that ranks 23rd nationally in time of possession (32:16 per game) and has gone for it on fourth down 19 times.

“Defensively we have to find ways to get them off the field,” Mason said. “Every possession is four-down opportunities. Defensively we have to find ways to get behind the chains.”