Sept. 11, 2016
By Zac Ellis
VUCommodores.com
On campus in Nashville – Derek Mason settled into his seat at his postgame press conference on Saturday and leaned into the microphone.
“Wow,” Mason said. “Long game.”
He took a deep breath. “I hope you enjoyed it,” Mason said. “I did.”
What, exactly, was Vanderbilt’s head coach enjoying this weekend? The successful removal of Week 1’s bad taste from his mouth. Nine days ago, the Commodores suffered a deflating 13-10 loss to South Carolina. The setback seemed to halt an offseason’s worth of momentum, raising questions about what Vanderbilt would look like in 2016. In that moment, it was hard to see Mason enjoying his job – let alone the pressures that come along with it.
But that vibe changed on Saturday, and it’s easy to see why. Mason and the Commodores successfully streaked past visiting Middle Tennessee State, 47-24, at Vanderbilt Stadium, earning the coach his first victory of 2016. The ‘Dores did so in convincing fashion, scoring their most points since 2013 and looking well-coached in the process. It was the kind of game that would make any coach smile. And for Mason, the win over MTSU showed exactly where Vanderbilt is headed in 2016.
After the game, Mason was asked if the ‘Dores’ performance against MTSU was the closest they’ve come to playing his brand of football in Nashville. The coach, stoic but determined, didn’t hesitate with his answer. “Yes,” a direct Mason replied.
The message was clear: Saturday’s performance was the real Vanderbilt.
That’s good news for Commodore fans, because they saw a bit of everything from their team on Saturday. Ralph Webb, the little-engine-that-could in the ‘Dores’ backfield, reeled off 211 rushing yards, the most by a Vanderbilt player in almost four decades. Quarterback Kyle Shurmur displayed poise in completing 15 of his 28 throws and leading several scoring drives. Moreover, the Commodores’ defense prevented a stellar quarterback — MTSU’s Brent Stockstill — from controlling the game; instead, Vanderbilt won the turnover battle and allowed just seven points after halftime.
Never mind that these successes came against a Conference USA opponent. This week, what Vanderbilt needed more than anything was tangible evidence of progress. That was particularly true on offense, where the ‘Dores’ managed just 10 points and 3.7 yards per play in their previous loss to the Gamecocks. But Mason seemed pleased with what he saw from his program’s attack against MTSU.
“This team — the same team that has struggled, especially offensively — put up the most points in a game since 2013,” Mason said. “I’m very proud of this team. They rose to the challenge… I thought they gave it their best at the end of the day. Was it perfect? No, but I thought they gave it their best.”
Indeed, the Commodores were a different team against MTSU. Now the hope is that progress shows up as the schedule becomes more daunting. Vanderbilt hits the road for its next two games: First against Georgia Tech, which won the Orange Bowl just two seasons ago, and then against Western Kentucky, which finished 12-2 in 2015. Oh, and the week after the Hilltoppers? That’s when Florida comes to Nashville. Thus, the Commodores won’t have time to forget that they still play in the SEC.
That’s why Saturday’s meeting with MTSU was so important for Vanderbilt. This program – for the moment, anyway – exorcized its demons from Week 1 and transformed into a team brimming with potential. The Commodores spent last week preaching the important of improvement from Week 1 to Week 2. Against MTSU, Vanderbilt fans saw that plan come to fruition, and it pointed to what this team can look like when it hits on all cylinders.
“We talk about the game being a 60-minute, four-quarter game, and that’s what it was today,” Mason said.
For now, that’s plenty of reason to smile, Coach Mason.
