Oct. 21, 2016
By Zac Ellis
VUCommodores.com
On campus in Nashville — The weather is still warm on West End, but this week Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason opted for a winter metaphor in assessing the Commodores’ 17-16 win at Georgia last week.
“That was a snowflake,” Mason said. “We’re trying to turn it into a snowball.”
The victory over the Bulldogs was Vanderbilt’s first in Athens since 2006 and Mason’s first SEC road win as a head coach. Now the next step in building off that momentum comes against Tennessee State on Saturday at Vanderbilt Stadium. Here are three keys to the Commodores’ homecoming matchup:
1. Spark another fast start.
Vanderbilt (3-4, 1-3 SEC) did something against Georgia it had struggled to do all season: start fast. Darrius Sims returned the Dawgs’ opening kickoff 95 yards, which set up a Ralph Webb touchdown run two plays later. Just like that, the ‘Dores held a 7-0 lead in Sanford Stadium less than a minute into the game.
Never mind that Georgia eventually fought back to a 16-10 lead in the fourth quarter. That early blow helped give Vanderbilt much-needed confidence in the first half, which carried throughout the eventual win. “If this team gets off the right start, anything is possible,” Mason said.
The Commodores hope they can do the same at home on Saturday. And while Tennessee State (5-1, 2-1 OVC) plays in the FCS, Vanderbilt isn’t looking past its fellow Nashville-area program. TSU has started the season 5-1 on the heels of an offense that has scored 30 points in six straight games to open the season, a first since 1984. In all the Tigers average 36.3 points per game, and Vanderbilt expects a challenge from its cross-town visitor.
“They’re obviously a good team, and we’re not going to take them lightly,” Sims said.
2. Win the turnover battle.
Tennessee State ranks fourth in the FCS in turnover margin (+1.67 per game), a number that would put the Tigers third among FBS squads. They forced five turnovers in last week’s 35-28 win over Eastern Kentucky and sealed the victory with an interception by linebacker Chris Collins in the final moments. That’s why Vanderbilt knows it must be smart with the football on Saturday.
The good news is, the Commodores did just that last week. They committed no turnovers in the win over Georgia, but Tennessee State is set to bring its own ball-hawking defense to Vanderbilt Stadium. The Tigers have snagged 12 interceptions this season, second among FCS teams, and cornerback Terrell Bonds has three picks on his own. Moreover, TSU opponents have thrown just eight touchdowns passes against those 12 interceptions.
Playing error-free football, especially on offense, could prevent a homecoming upset for the ‘Dores. “As an offense, our main goal number one is to win the game,” quarterback Kyle Shurmur said. “Number two is ball security. It’s definitely an emphasis for us.”
3. Don’t underestimate TSU’s kicking game.
Tennessee State boasts one of the most – if not the most – lethal kicker in the country. Junior Lane Clark is the only player at any level of college football (FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III) to kick three field goals over 50 yards this season. Against UT-Martin on Oct. 1, Clark set a new school record twice with 54- and 57-yard kicks. His 57-yarder stands as the longest field goal at any level of football this season.
Clark’s leg means Vanderbilt must respect a much longer distance for Tennessee State’s field-goal range. Field position expects to be crucial in this matchup.
Vanderbilt kicks off against Tennessee State at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday on ESPNU.