March 9, 2015
On campus in Nashville – After being away for Spring Break, the Commodores returned Monday with a quick-paced one-hour practice in the Indoor Practice Facility.
Head Coach Derek Mason was pleased with the team’s focus and energy during the practice, the Commodores’ first workout after taking the break last week.
“It was good to get all the guys back out on the practice field. This was a day to recalibrate, and evaluate how they came back from the break,” Mason said. “From that standpoint, the guys returned healthy and excited, and really practiced with intent and energy. It was a good day.”
Dressed in limited gear, the Commodores hustled through 20 minutes of 11-on-11 team drills and two periods of special teams instruction, then closed with 1-on-1 and 5-on-5 fundamental teaching segments.
The team will return to full pads Wednesday and Friday in preparation for an expected scrimmage Saturday.
With the Monday session in the books, the Commodores are beyond the midpoint of Spring Practice. The team has six more practices planned before the Black & Gold Spring Game, which is scheduled Saturday, March 21 at 1 p.m. in Vanderbilt. Stadium.
Pro Day on Campus Tuesday
How youthful were the 2014 Commodores? Only five senior standouts from the squad are expected to demonstrate their abilities at Pro Day activities Tuesday in front of scouts representing NFL teams.
Expected to participate on Tuesday are snapping specialist Andrew East, defensive tackle Barron Dixon, defensive tackle Vince Taylor, offensive lineman Joe Townsend and defensive end-outside linebacker Kyle Woestmann.
Last year, 14 Commodore seniors participated in Pro Day, include five who eventually made NFL rosters as rookies: wide receivers Jordan Matthews and Jonathan Krause, offensive tackle Wesley Johnson, cornerback Andre Hal and safety Kenny Ladler.
The former Commodores will perform an array of measurements and physical tests mirroring the recent NFL Scouting Combine. Besides official height and weight measurements, each participant gets tested in the 40-yard dash, standing broad jump, vertical jump, bench press repetitions of 225 pounds, three-cone drills, 60-yard shuttle and position-specific drills.
The activity, which is closed to the public, starts in the McGugin Center football weight room. After measurements and jump testing, Pro Day moves into the on-campus Indoor Practice Facility for all running tests and position drills.