Fall Camp Notebook

Commodores through three days of preseason practice

by Chad Bishop

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt football completed its third preseason practice Monday, a training session in which the Commodores were in shoulder pads for the first time.

First-year head coach Clark Lea saw a team push through the August heat and have a solid two hours working out.

“I was disappointed Day One. It’s our first training camp together. It’s not lost on me that at every step we’re training. We’re conditioning this team to win,” Lea said. “I thought they responded on Saturday but weren’t able to push through the middle of practice the way that we wanted.

“I thought (Monday) was a pretty good day in terms of the enthusiasm. I was pleased with the spirit and it just gives us a chance to just coast through the emotions of a game. We have to keep maturing as a team. Every time we’re on the field is a chance for us to mature together.”

The Dores are in for a harsh week with temperatures forecast in the low- to mid-90s and evening practices scheduled for everyday leading into Saturday morning’s scrimmage. Thursday and Friday practices will see Vandy wear full pads for the first time.

Here’s more news and notes around Vanderbilt’s preseason practice:

What’s In A Number?

There has been much chatter about how Lea and his staff assign – or allow student-athletes to chose – jersey numbers this preseason. A residual effect of that process has been some curious numerals for players in positions where that number may not be so common – a No. 38 and a No. 39 for a pair of quarterbacks, an 80 for a defensive end, a 46 for a wide receiver, a 42 and 45 in the backfield, a 48 in the secondary and a 59 and a 61 for a couple kickers.

Lea explained jersey numbers are earned by escalating up a tiered system and individuals who excel are awarded the ability to choose a number for themselves. Those who don’t, or haven’t quite yet met the criteria, are given a number by the former Vandy fullback.

“We have a system for moving guys along in the program,” Lea explained. “The system is holistic-based. It’s not just based off weight room performance or speed performance or football performance. It’s everything. It’s how we meet and greet people in the hallway. It’s the extra work we do in conditioning. It’s the investment we put into the program outside of when we’re on the clock together. I want teammates talking to teammates about what they want to create here. 

“We have this understanding that we’re going to earn it every day at Vanderbilt. It’s not going to be something we just relax and default to what we did the day before. We carried that through the summer and the offseason training and I think that manifested itself in the journey to the numbers.”

Running Backs Few

The position group that may become the closest in 2021, by virtue of its inclusion being the smallest, is the running backs.

Vandy started fall camp with just five running backs and only one of those backs – Rocko Griffin (5-9, 203) – has ever toted the rock for the Commodores.

Griffin and junior Re’Mahn Davis, a transfer from Temple, will begin the season as the top two backs in Vanderbilt’s backfield. Griffin played in 8 of 9 games in 2020 and ran for 92 yards on 37 carries while Davis, originally from San Francisco, led Temple with 308 yards rushing in 2020 in just four games.

In 2019, the 5-foot-9, 205-pound Davis totaled 936 yards on 193 carries (4.9 ypc) while scoring eight touchdowns.

“(Davis) and (Griffin), they’ve been so consistent for us through the spring and through the summer. I’m pleased with them and excited for them,” Lea said. “Then we’ll bring the young guys along and see what we got.”

Behind Griffin and Davis are freshmen Patrick Smith and Dylan Betts-Pauley. Smith (5-10, 180) ran for more than 1,700 yards during his senior season in New Jersey while Betts-Pauley (5-11, 240) starred at Hoover High School in Alabama.

Former linebacker Luke Blanton has also taken reps at the running back position.

Discussing the Defense

Vanderbilt is not only adjusting to a new offensive scheme under coordinator David Raih, the defensive unit is polishing its playbook for coordinator Jesse Minter.

Part of that process has been urged along by a veterans like Daevion Davis, Elijah McAllister, Anfernee Orji, Maxwell Worship and Dashaun Jerkins, Lea said. The head coach added that while the install of the system is far enough along and that the leadership is in a good spot, that side of the ball needs to take the next step over the next few weeks leading up to practice.

“When you talk about defense you talk about shifting gears when it comes to third-down installation, shifting gears when it comes to tight red zone, red zone goal line. The volume is going to shift pretty dramatically,” Lea said. “We have a few guys that since the spring have been pretty steady for us and we have injured guys that have been returning. So it’ll be fun to watch those guys and may the best man win in the end.”

Quarterback Competition

Vanderbilt returns its top two quarterbacks from the 2020 team in sophomores Ken Seals and Mike Wright and the two have been splitting reps with both the first and second team offenses in the early part of camp.

Seals threw for nearly 2,000 yards and completed 12 touchdown throws while Wright played in seven games and scored a touchdown both via the air and on the ground during the 2020 season.

“They have both matured as leaders, they both matured in the way they trained over the summer,” Lea said. “We’ll look at practice film to see where the reads are right and not.

“I wouldn’t want to pass judgement just yet until we’ve had a chance to see it.”

Behind that duo is senior Jeremy Moussa – who did not see the field during his first season with the Commodores in 2020 – and freshmen Blake Jarrett and Wilson Long. Long is a former Princeton and Texas Tech verbal commitment who began his career with Texas Christian while Jarrett hails from San Diego.

Uniform Reveal

The Vanderbilt football program Monday unveiled a new look for the 2021 season.

“I’m proud of them. I’m proud of the design. I’m proud of the black and gold,” Lea said. “I think we have the best colors in all of sports and I want those featured and I want people to turn the TV on and see Vanderbilt and know it’s Vanderbilt they’re looking at.

“I think that V is so strong. We want to feature that as look to build this program anew. We’re proud of that, the players are excited for it and what we want to do is work to build pride in that uniform.”

— Chad Bishop covers Vanderbilt for VUCommodores.com.
Follow him @MrChadBishop.