March 18, 2011
After two hours of directing his first practice as a head coach, Vanderbilt’s James Franklin was having a blast – and letting his Commodore players know about it.
“Isn’t this awesome? Really, where else would you rather be?” Franklin asked the entire corps of Vanderbilt offensive linemen preparing for one final conditioning run to close the Friday night practice. “Does it get any better than this!”
The team’s initial spring practice, held under ideal conditions at the John Rich Practice Complex, mirrored Franklin’s own energy level. The tempo started fast and seldom slowed from the moment the head coach signaled the session to start.
“The energy is contagious,” Franklin said. “They (the players) know we’re going to put them in position to be successful. They know we’re going to push them extremely hard, but in a positive manner, and we’re going to have fun doing it. I think the players are embracing what we’re doing and have bought in.”
The practice mixed a variety of playbook installation, thorough individual instruction by Franklin’s enthusiastic staff and competitive 1-on-1 and 7-on-7 segments, all woven together with the assumption that every aspect would be done with quick tempo and full effort. The variety of drills proved that much can get accomplished without the aid of full pads.
In the 7-on-7 segments that consumed the final hour of practice, Franklin made sure both offensive and defensive players benefited from their efforts. Players were told to run to the football until they heard Franklin blow the play dead. When the coach’s whistle blew, both units hustled back to their respective huddle to prepare for the next play. The drill accomplished plenty, helping introduce the playbook while demanding pursuit on defense and extra effort on offense.
Afterward, Franklin said he hoped to build on the initial practice. “As long as we improve each and every day, we’ll be where we need to be,” he said.
Signees Take In Practice
Three members of the team’s highly regarded 2011 signing class, all hailing from Tennessee, watched the first practice.
The future Commodores in the audience were offensive linemen James Lewis of Arlington and Joe Townsend of Hendersonville, and defensive back Derek King of Brentwood Academy.
Haye Also Visits
Jovan Haye, the former Commodore standout and National Football League veteran who played defensive tackle the last two years for the Tennessee Titans, also watched much of the session. He was joined by other former letter winners, including 2010 starting linebacker John Stokes.
Haye, a resident of nearby Brentwood, is a frequent visitor to the Vanderbilt weight room during the offseason.