Sept. 2, 2016
By Zac Ellis
VUCommodores.com
On campus in Nashville – Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason didn’t mince words when asked to describe his locker room after Thursday’s home opener against South Carolina.
“It’s angry. It’s upset. It’s disappointed,” Mason said. “It’s every emotion you could have.”
Those in attendance at Vanderbilt Stadium likely understood Mason’s frustration. The Commodores fell short against SEC East foe South Carolina in a tight 13-10 decision, a loss which extended the Gamecocks’ win streak over VU to eight games. It was a contest in which Vanderbilt dominated for a half before watching a seemingly comfortable lead chip away in the final few minutes.
Suddenly Vandy starts the 2016 season facing an 0-1 hole in conference play. But the way in which it happened is what left a bad taste in Mason’s mouth.
“We let this one slip away,” Mason said.
A quick glance at the stat sheet shows several reasons why the Commodores could have emerged with a win on Thursday. Vanderbilt won the turnover battle 2-0 after committing five miscues in last fall’s road loss to South Carolina. The ‘Dores controlled time of possession (33:15 to 26:45) and also rushed for more yards (169 versus 121) than the Gamecocks. Indeed, a home crowd yearning for an SEC win saw plenty of opportunity on Thursday.
But a 10-0 lead at halftime – by which time the Commodores had established themselves as the superior defensive team – disappeared in the second half. South Carolina quarterback Perry Orth kept his team alive with key third-down throws, which kept the chains moving on three late scoring drives. The Gamecocks ended up scoring the game’s final 13 points, and the last three came on a 55-yard Elliott Fry field goal that barely cleared the uprights with 35 seconds to play.
In the end, a win in Vanderbilt’s grasp vanished on Thursday night. But Mason wouldn’t let a disappointing result detract from what lies ahead in 2016.
“This is a game that we’ll learn from,” the coach said.
Mason is right, and that is the exact mindset these Commodores need going forward. Amid the disappointment that resonated throughout Vanderbilt Stadium on Thursday night, Vanderbilt’s roster showed flashes of potential. The ‘Dores avoided committing a single turnover against South Carolina just one year after giving up more in a season (25) than any other SEC team. Running backs Ralph Webb and Khari Blasingame looked the part of a lethal one-two punch that could come to define VU’s ground game. And Vanderbilt’s defense showed moments of greatness early against the Gamecocks, much like it did last season when Mason took over play-calling duties,
For Mason, the next step is about emphasizing the good — and improving on the bad — from the South Carolina loss. Late Thursday, as the coach faced reporters in the bowels of Vanderbilt Stadium, he offered an obvious-but-forgettable fact to those in attendance: This was just one game. Teams in September are rarely the same as they are in November, and weekly improvement remains a priority for every successful SEC coach. Next week, the Commodores regroup to face Middle Tennessee State in Nashville, which is why Mason won’t let his players dwell on a single missed opportunity.
For Vanderbilt, the season is far from over. That was Mason’s message to his players on Thursday night.
“These guys will wake up in the morning, and the sun will come up,” Mason said. “And we will be better.”