July 17, 2018
By Zac Ellis
VUCommodores.com
NASHVILLE — Vanderbilt takes the stage at SEC Media Days 2018 on Thursday, live from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Head coach Derek Mason will be joined by quarterback Kyle Shurmur, offensive lineman Justin Skule and defensive back LaDarius Wiley at the SEC’s unofficial kickoff to football season.
The Commodores begin the 2018 campaign on Sept. 1 against Middle Tennessee at Vanderbilt Stadium. Until then, here are four storylines to watch heading into Vanderbilt’s appearance at SEC Media Days:
Kyle Shurmur: Senior leader at quarterback
Kyle Shurmur returns as one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the SEC. Shurmur has started 30 career games at Vanderbilt following a strong junior campaign in 2017. The senior’s 2,823 passing yards were second-most of any Commodore junior, and his 26 touchdown passes set a new program single-season record. Shurmur, whose father, Pat, became head coach of the NFL’s New York Giants this offseason, will garner plenty of NFL draft chatter by improving on his performance a year ago.
“Our quarterback situation is fantastic,” Mason said. “I like to see a veteran quarterback back there at the helm in Kyle Shurmur. Kyle’s had a great offseason. He’s worked extremely hard to be better than he was in 2017.”
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Staff additions
For the first time in three seasons, Mason will not call plays for Vanderbilt’s defense. Mason brought in longtime coaching colleague Jason Tarver as the Dores’ new defensive coordinator, one piece of a new-look coaching staff on West End. Tarver has overseen defenses in both the NFL and college, serving as co-coordinator alongside Mason at Stanford in 2011. That year, the Cardinal ranked 28th nationally in total defense.
Tarver has arrived in Nashville alongside three other new coaches on Mason’s staff. Aaron Moorehead coaches the Commodores’ wide receivers after three seasons in the same role with Texas A&M. After a three-year stint at Washington, Terrence Brown joins the Dores to oversee the cornerbacks, while Shawn Mennenga capped seven seasons with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns to take over Vanderbilt’s special teams.
Replacing Ralph
For the first time in his Vanderbilt tenure, Mason must search for a starting running back. The departure of Ralph Webb, the Commodores’ record-breaking all-time leading rusher, leaves a void that must be filled in 2018. But running back might be one of the deepest positions for the Dores this fall.
Senior Khari Blasingame is looking to bounce back from just 147 rushing yards in 2017, a drop from his 449 yards in backup duty to Webb in 2016. Electric sophomore Jamauri Wakefield (115 yards on 18 carries in 2017) is one year more experienced. The X-factor might be redshirt junior Ke’Shawn Vaughn, an Illinois transfer who impressed as a scout-team tailback last season and was “as good as advertised” this spring, Mason said.
PODCAST: Blasingame on Vanderbilt running backs in 2018
Leadership on D
The Commodores lose three of their top five tacklers from a year ago as part of a defense that returns just four starters. Mason said that group is on the hunt for new leadership after the departure of linebacker Oren Burks and safety Ryan White, among other seniors.
Expect senior outside linebacker Charles Wright to garner a brighter spotlight in 2018. In his first year as a starter last season, Wright recorded nine sacks — the most by a Dore defender since 1994 — to rank fourth among SEC players. Senior safety LaDarius Wiley, Vandy’s leading returning tackler (88 stops), is the headliner of a secondary that loses seniors like White and corner Tre Herndon.
Zac Ellis is the Writer and Digital Media Editor for Vanderbilt Athletics.