Oct. 16, 2011
For as close to the vest as James Franklin plays it to avoid tipping off his game plan, upon careful inspection it is apparent that someone has been giving away bits and pieces of the Commodores’ plan of attack. And it’s been going on since last December.
The leak has been identified and it is none other than … James Franklin! The fiery Commodore coach has said since his introductory press conference that his team would be aggressive in every phase of the game. Over the last 10 months he has told anyone and everyone that would listen how his team planned to play. It would fake punts and go for it on fourth down. It would do the unexpected, it would play team defense and it would make big plays on special teams. It would be in great shape and play physical football.
Sounds like the Georgia game plan to me. Everyone present or watching this electric game on national television can verify James is a man of his word. The Commodores, double-digit underdogs, played their hearts out but don’t dare suggest it was a moral victory. There are none of those and there were no excuses. It was a loss and physically spent Vanderbilt warriors had to dial back emotion long after the final gun.
They say that the politicians are generally behind the public’s curve in sizing up the mood of the nation. It appears to this scribe that right now some of our fans are well behind the team’s never-say-die attitude. They apparently think this is the same old Vandy. Why else would they head for the exits with a couple precious minutes left on the clock? Those who did came within a whisker of missing one of the great finishes of all-time.
This was a big-time battle, the way Southeastern Conference football games are supposed to be played. Momentum shifts. Mistakes followed by fantastic plays. It was a big boy game.
Bulldog quarterback Aaron Murray showcased his powerful arm, keeping the Black and Gold’s scrappy defense off-balance much of the night.
Murray was countered by a valiant Vanderbilt crew that has had to work overtime to generate offense, but generate it did. How about the production from cat quick Zac Stacy, who rushed for 97 yards and tossed the longest touchdown pass in his life – 43 yards to Jordan Matthews!
We’ve all seen fourth down gambles over the years, some foolish and others daring, but Vandy’s brilliantly executed fake punt in the second quarter changed the momentum of the game and sent a message that the guys in black would not go quietly into the night.
Let the word go forth that things are different on Dudley Field these days, even if the head coach is giving away the game plan. Commodore football is becoming quite a show.
