Sept. 30, 2011
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Joe Fisher’s Mailbag Submit Your Question Wondering about a player, a game or another topic involving the Commodores? The Voice of the Commodores Joe Fisher will answer a variety of questions from fans during the season on VUcommodores.com. |
On the reception/interception, the announcers on TV said the rule is the tie goes to the offensive player. It was shown over and over, with the ruling being an interception. Could you ask Coach Franklin what the explanation was on the field?
– Gerald Barksdale, Nashville
Obviously there were a number of questions about this. It is correct that if possession is ruled to be simultaneous that possession does indeed go to the offensive player. The officials ruled that the defensive player, in this case, had possession first and then was “tied up” by the receiver. Looking at replays, I could never see a clear cut possession by either player, so even though the play was reviewed by replay, I don’t think there was indisputable video evidence to change the call.
Joe, of the 23 pass attempts Saturday the average attempt was 3.2 yards with only one first half attempt downfield. Even with these short pass attempts, we were sacked six times. Is the problem Larry Smith or the offensive line? Larry seems to hesitate with the ball even when he has good blocking. Is Larry just choosing the short routes? Go Dores!
– Walt, Atlanta
Whether Larry is checking down to short routes or those are all called plays, I couldn’t say. I do know, and Coach Franklin has said it numerous times (especially after South Carolina), that Larry is getting hit far too much. I think Larry might hesitate on occasion because he’s really focused on not making the big mistake or creating the big turnover. I have always been amazed at the mental toughness displayed by a quarterback who stands in the pocket and delivers the pass when he knows he’s going to get hit immediately afterward. Larry is one tough young man.
It would be very nice to know the truth of Warren Norman’s health. I believe Coach Franklin owes the fans a reasonable status update and quit tiptoeing around the question.
– Larry Baker, Franklin, Tenn.
The Warren Norman question has been the most popular in the mailbag each week. I look forward to Alabama week as a reasonable chance for Warren to return to the field. His knee has been getting a little better and stronger each week. The open date came at a good time to buy him another week and hopefully find his way onto the field. I know many fans like to believe there is some ulterior motive or behind the scenes story to this, but Coach Franklin has been straight up about this all along. The performance of Jerron Seymour added quality depth and has made it easier to give Warren the time he needs to get to 100%.
With all of the podcasts, interviews, YouTube postings, and Twitter updates, Vandy’s athletic program has done an excellent job with generating buzz and keeping fans abreast of the football team. Can we expect to see such extensive coverage with respect to basketball and baseball in the future?
– Pax, Charlotte, N.C.
Pax, thanks for the comments. I agree; our web staff, led by Brandon Barca and Ryan Schulz, with help from many in the media relations and news service staffs, provide top-notch coverage of all our sports. Yes, you can expect the same standard of coverage with basketball and baseball.
Joe, it seems like Larry Smith looks adequate when he has lots of time to pass, however he holds the ball way too long at times. While he has gotten better, I don’t feel we can ever beat a quality SEC opponent with him as he can’t handle the pass rush. When will coach Franklin give Rodgers or another quarterback a chance that has a quicker release? Smith seems like he has hit his ceiling and good teams don’t respect the pass when he is the QB. Nice kid, just seems like he is over his head as QB.
– Patrick Marine, Perryville, Md.
I don’t think you can put all the blame on Larry, though it’s very easy to do when things don’t go well offensively. Opponents have sacked our quarterback 16 times in four games. Granted, a couple of those were based on holding the ball too long. But, the vast majority were just break downs on the line where the quarterback didn’t have enough time. Hopefully this open week has helped address some of that. Suffice it to say, the coaches have plenty of confidence in Jordan Rodgers, but they also believe Larry Smith gives us the best chance to win right now. As long as they feel that way, he will be the starter.
Any chance Coach Stallings is going to let us experience Midnight Madness this year?
– Steven, Lebanon, Tenn.
It won’t be at midnight, but there will be a Memorial Madness event on the evening of October 14th. It will start with an autograph session at 8 p.m. The men’s and women’s teams will both take part. It will feature short scrimmages, as well as a slam dunk contest and a 3-point shooting contest. You can get more information on the event here.