Feb. 27, 2016
On campus in Nashville — The Commodores concluded their first week of Spring Ball with high-energy, enthusiastic practices Friday and Saturday in Vanderbilt Stadium.
After two earlier sessions held in limited gear, the Commodores practiced in full gear, going 90 minutes Friday afternoon and nearly two hours Saturday morning.
The stadium sessions provided Vanderbilt’s initial contact drills of Spring Ball, but Head Coach Derek Mason limited defensive players to “thud” tackles, intending to keep ball carriers off the ground.
Mason quickly introduced contact at both practices. Within minutes of starting pratice Friday, nearly every healthy position player except quarterbacks went through repetitions of the Oklahoma Drill. The physical activity requires a lone defender to beat a 1-on-1 block and form-tackle an oncoming ball carrier.
The rest of Friday’s fast-paced practice featured work on special team units, individual instruction, team drills, and an array of conditioning activities.
The same drill also opened the Saturday session. Afterward, the Commodores spent extra time on special teams and scheme development, then closed with team drills that provided impressive moments from both sides of the ball.
After both practices, Mason said the Commodores were making progress, providing the energy, focus and physicality his staff wants to see.
“I like where this team is right now and what we have accomplished through four practices,” the head coach said. “We’re playing with a great deal of effort and physicality. We just need to keep working to make the most of every practice opportunity.”
The Commodores will be away from the practice field Sunday, then return for morning sessions Monday and Wednesday.
Tidbits from Saturday team drills
Here’s some observations from the Commodores’ Saturday practice that included extended periods of 7-on-7, 9-on-9 and 11-on-11 drills.
• Both Trent Sherfield (Jr., WR) and Jared Pinkney (R-Fr., TE) went high in traffic to haul in passes resulting in first downs. Sherfield had receptions from quarterbacks Wade Freebeck, Shawn Stankavage and Deuce Wallace, while Pinkney made an athletic catch of a deep sideline pass from Kyle Shurmur.
• Running backs Josh Crawford (So.), Dallas Rivers (Jr.) and Jaire George (R-Fr.) produced carries for at least 15 yards. Rivers’s 38-yard carry off left guard was the longest rush of the day.
• Nifae Lealao (Jr., DT), Jordan Griffin (So., ILB), Oren Burks (Jr., safety/OLB), LaDarius Wiley (R-So., DB) and Jakarri Thomas (Sr., ILB) stuffed rush attempts at the line of scrimmage.
• Darrius Sims (Sr., WR) showed explosiveness on an end sweep that went for 15 yards.
• Caleb Peart (R-Fr., OLB) contributed the lone quarterback sack on defense, wrapping up Wallace for an 8-yard loss.
