NASHVILLE – On Saturday, Vanderbilt took the field at Vanderbilt Stadium for the team’s first full-contact scrimmage of fall camp.
Head coach Derek Mason, a defensive back coach by nature, couldn’t help but keep an eye on the Commodores’ secondary on a hot day in Nashville. That group has put together one of the more lively battles in camp thus far.
“Today was the first day we’ve had a chance to get it live,” Mason said. “I thought a couple of times early, we saw a couple of guys not finish. These guys have to be able to carry what they know is going to happen to the field, and let’s play the game. Today was a good starting point.”
Vanderbilt’s secondary entered the fall under a microscope after losing a host of experience. The unit lost the likes of senior safeties Arnold Tarpley and Ryan White as well as senior cornerbacks Tre Herndon and Taurean Ferguson. In 2018, senior safety LaDarius Wiley and junior corner Joejuan Williams are the only returning Commodore defensive backs to have started multiple games last season.
Those openings have turned into opportunities for several faces in the secondary. Redshirt freshmen Allan George and Randall Haynie turned heads this spring at cornerback. Redshirt sophomore Elijah Hamilton and true freshman Tre’ Douglas, among others, have done the same this fall. At safety, Frank Coppet, Tae Daley and Zaire Jones have big-play potential as sophomores.
“The back end of the defense has been anchored by Wiley, and that’s been good, but it’s also been good to see Zaire Jones, Frank Coppet, some of those young [safeties] roll through there,” said Mason, who played defensive back during his college career at Northern Arizona. “When I look at what it looks like in the middle of the field, I think guys are starting to show up, guys are communicating better. Which means that you’re going to get your corners lined up and guys in better positions.
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“On the outside, Joejuan continues to be what he is. I think Elijah Hamilton has had a great camp. I thought he’s played well and showed up. [Holy Cross transfer] Alim [Muhammad] has showed up for us. It was good to see Tre’ Douglas outside, make some plays as a young guy.”
Amid turnover, Wiley and Williams have embraced leadership roles as proven veterans. Wiley returns as the Dores’ leading tackler (88 total stops) from a year ago. Williams, meanwhile, was a stat-stuffer who amassed 39 total tackles — including 33 solo stops — 2.5 tackles for loss, 10 defensed passes and a forced fumble in 2017. Those two upperclassmen have taken it upon themselves to blaze a trail for Vanderbilt’s young defensive backs.
“The thing I really like about this group is guys like me, LaDarius and Zaire [Jones] have stepped up to lead the young guys,” Williams said. “As a freshman, you need that. It’s up to the older guys to guide you. I had a good leader in Willie [Tre] Herndon early in my career. I’m trying to become the same kind of leader.”
The results have been positive during camp. Senior quarterback Kyle Shurmur, who faces Vanderbilt’s secondary on a daily basis, said this new-look group has kept him on his toes.
“I’ve talk about communication,” Shurmur said. “Those guys are really on the same page. You never really see busted coverage, which I think is the first step, knowing what you’re doing. Then you can go play fast without thinking. They’re always very sound in their coverage, they compete hard. They challenge us and make us play on the other side of the ball.”
Vanderbilt’s defensive backs hope they can pose the same challenge to SEC offenses this fall. In the meantime, Mason said the Commodores are getting the reps they need.
“It’s about experience,” Mason said. “These guys are getting good experience. We’ll see the tape, get back to work and make sure the best players are playing.”
Zac Ellis is the Writer and Digital Media Editor for Vanderbilt Athletics.