Sept. 12, 2011
Press Conference, Quotes | Notes & Depth Charts | Gameday Central
The Commodores are 2-0 for the first time since 2008 and will look to move to 3-0 for the first time since that very season when they host Ole Miss at 11:21 a.m. CT Saturday. The Rebels enter the game 1-1 with a win over Southern Illinois (42-24) and a loss to BYU (13-14).
As each other’s cross-division rival, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss have waged some outstanding battles over the years. Although the Rebels own the all-time series lead 47-36-2, it is the Commodores that have found the most success as of late.
Vanderbilt has won four of the last six meetings and there is no SEC team Vanderbilt has been more successful against in recent years than Ole Miss. Last year, Vanderbilt won 28-14 in Oxford.
“I honestly think just playing them year to year and really having a gauge on what they are going to do helps us,” wide receiver John Cole said.
For Ole Miss, Saturday’s game will mark the seventh time in the last nine years it will open SEC play with Vanderbilt. The early season tilts have been in Vanderbilt’s favor lately with the Commodores winning the last four games played in September.
The recent wins by the Commodores have only increased the intensity of the rivalry with Ole Miss – a squad Vanderbilt has played more than any other school besides Tennessee.
“It is fun a game,” defensive end Walker May said. “It is always heated. There is always a lot of discussion after and during plays.”
One Week at a Time
Since the season began, Coach Franklin has been adamant about taking the schedule one game at a time. It’s a sports cliche that has been beaten into the ground over the years, but one that Franklin truly believes in.
When asked about the importance of Saturday’s SEC opener against Ole Miss, Franklin made a point to let everyone know that each game really does mean the same to him and the program.
“This game is no more important than what Elon was,” Franklin said. “This game is no more important than what UConn was. The game we are playing this week is the most important game on our schedule. No other game exists.”
The approach has not been lost on the players either.
“It is kind of hard to not look forward, but at the same time Coach Franklin is doing an excellent job of keeping us grounded and having us take it one game at a time,” quarterback Larry Smith said. “Hopefully everything will work out for us if we keep that mindset of one game at a time.”
“It isn’t very hard at all,” Walker May said. “It is one game at a time still. We are talking about Ole Miss and being 0-0 going into this week. Coach Franklin does a great job of delivering that to us.”
Smith on the Mend
Quarterback Larry Smith took a lot of hits Saturday against UConn but he kept on ticking. Each time he hit the turf you could see the pain in his face, but no matter how much pain he was in, he got up every time. In total he was sacked seven times, and knocked to the ground many more.
Despite the number of shots taken, Smith actually feels better now than after the Elon game. “I’m feeling a lot better now than I did this time last week,” Smith said.
As for what kept him coming back after each hit?
“Adrenaline. I really don’t feel those hits until Sunday morning after I wake up. A lot of times, I am out there playing off of adrenaline.”
Franklin Expects Barden to be Back
Tight end Brandon Barden left Saturday’s game with an injury in the first half and did not return. However, Franklin said Monday that he expects to have Barden play again this season.
“I’ll get into more details about that on Wednesday,” Franklin said. “But our plan is to have Brandon. All the reports I’ve gotten back so far have been positive.”
Barden is currently second all-time in career receptions among Vanderbilt tight ends.
“Not Same Old Vandy”
Following Saturday’s win against UConn, Franklin talked about how he ran up and down the sideline reminding the whole team that “this is the 2011 Vanderbilt over and over again” after the Commodores trailed by seven in the fourth quarter.
The topic again came up on Monday and Franklin said it was none other than a fan that inspired Franklin to spread his message to the sideline.
“I don’t spend a whole lot of time reading what the media says. I don’t spend a lot of time listening to the fans, but I will tell you this. During the game someone sitting right behind our guys said, ‘same old Vanderbilt, coach.’ That was really what kind of made me think about saying that to our team.
“My two reactions were that I wanted to go up in the stands and let him know how I felt, but I felt it was more important that I directed my energy toward my team. I’m glad he did it because it made me recognize that maybe that’s what we were thinking too, and I needed to swing that back in our direction.”
Black Helmets Again?
The black helmets Vanderbilt wore Saturday have been a hit among Vanderbilt fans and players, but will we see them again? At this point, Franklin is non-committal about what fans can expect to see this week. He relayed that a reason for wearing the black helmets against UConn was because it was a night game and that with an “afternoon game, heat could be a little bit more of an issue.”
With that said, Franklin still has no plans on showing his hand early.
“We will keep you on your toes,” Franklin quipped. “We might have the Tennessee state flag as our entire uniform.”
Matchups to Watch
Franklin pointed out a few matchups that he believes will be key for the Commodores on Saturday. They included:
– Jeff Scott – Ole Miss’ running back and kick/punt returner. Scott is a 5-foot-7, 175-pound sophomore from Miami who leads the team in rushing and return yardage.
– Kentrell Lockett – The defensive end is in his sixth season with Ole Miss and was a preseason All-SEC first team selection by many.
– Ole Miss D-Line vs. Vanderbilt O-Line – After surrendering seven sacks to UConn, Vanderbilt will face an experienced defensive line that includes three senior starters.
Running on the Rebels
As aforementioned, Ole Miss’ defensive line is experienced, but it hasn’t exactly been great at stopping the run. Last season, Vanderbilt gashed Ole Miss’ defense by rushing for 227 yards on 41 carries. Ole Miss once again has seemed prone to the run in 2011. The Rebels have given up an average of 157 yards on the ground in two games. Last Saturday, Southern Illinois totaled 223 yards on 38 carries.
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