NASHVILLE, Tenn. — It has undoubtedly been a trying and uncomfortable few days for the Commodores.
But after a 41-0 loss at Missouri on Saturday and a head coaching change Sunday, there’s only one mindset Vanderbilt’s student-athletes had when they returned to practice Tuesday,
“The only thing you can do is focus on the next week,” Vanderbilt quarterback Mike Wright said. “We’re all dedicated and ready to go down to Athens and compete our butts off.”
Vandy (0-8, 0-8 SEC) will take its last road trip of the season this weekend when it heads to Georgia to face the No. 11 Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT and the game will be televised by the SEC Network.
The contest will be the first for Vanderbilt under the direction of interim head coach Todd Fitch. The team’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach will do his best over the next few days to prepare his student-athletes for a the daunting task of beating Georgia and breaking a nine-game losing streak dating back to last season.
Fitch is also tasked with keeping his team focused amidst the distractions associated with the changing of a head coach.
“The first thing you try to do is be open and honest with the guys. Don’t put your head in the sand and act like nothing is going on. Address the issue straight forward. I think it’s important,” Fitch said. “It’s hard for some people to understand this, but it’s important that you go right back to work to keep them in some sort of semblance of a normal schedule – even though it’s not normal times for them – to give them structure because most people do better in structured situations than loose ends.
“Give them structure, give them a message that’s consistent – that message has been simple. We’re going to prepare and make sure that the players are thought of first. This whole ting is about our players and making sure that we do it right by them. That message is going to carry through right into Saturday.”
Georgia (6-2, 6-2 SEC) had hopes of winning the SEC East this season, playing for an SEC title and even advancing to the College Football Playoff. But with just one scheduled regular-season contest left, the Bulldogs need to win Saturday and have No. 6 Florida lose twice to win the division.
So Georgia will have much to play for Saturday as it tries to remain perfect in home games in 2020 and extend its overall winning streak to three. The Bulldogs feature one of the league’s top defenses that gives up just 20.6 points, 338.1 totals yards per game and 75.2 rushing yards per contest (the latter number ranks third nationally).
Wright and Commodores know what’s in store.
“There are going to be challenges every week,” said Wright, a Georgia native. “We play in the SEC. Our goal every week no matter who we’re playing is to go 1-0. So despite what has happened in the past we always look forward. We’re walking into someone else’s house playing and playing a ranked team in Georgia. We understand that Georgia is good, but we’re going to go there and we’re going t o compete. We’re not going to down there expecting to lose – we expect to win the game. We expect to win every single time we step on the field.”
Saturday’s game could also be the last for Vanderbilt this season. A matchup with arch-rival Tennessee, originally scheduled for Nov. 30, was previously canceled and no official makeup date has been announced – Vanderbilt and Tennessee administrators and the Southeastern Conference are continuing to work toward a resolution on the matter.
If Saturday does indeed turn out to be the last look at the Commodores in 2020, going out with a victory would be quite a finish.
“We have to play with unbelievable passion and energy,” Fitch said. “It’s going to be our job to make sure we’re peaking at the right time and making sure everyone is one the same page.”
— Chad Bishop covers Vanderbilt for VUCommodores.com. Follow him @MrChadBishop.