As we bring our final check-in from Vanderbilt fall camp and attention turns to game prep for Hawai’i, a quick invitation to join us for Commodore Hour live from the Commodore Grille on West End this fall. Starting Monday, Aug. 28, Kevin Ingram and I host the show from 6-7 p.m. with weekly guests including head coach Clark Lea. If you can’t make it, be sure to listen live on 102.5 The Game or the Vanderbilt Athletics app.
North of New Orleans, Louisiana is a small community called Mandeville. It features a beautiful lakefront park, more than a few drive-thru beignet stores and a quaint high school football field named Sidney Theriot Stadium.
“The Riot” was home to the high school careers of Will Sheppard and Joe Bulovas – two players with sizeable roles in the early days of the Clark Lea era. Of course, Bulovas drilled the game-winning kick in Coach Lea’s first win, and Sheppard grabbed the game-winning touchdown in his first SEC victory.
One former Skipper (Mandeville High School’s mascot) is back in 2023. One is gone. So this week I spent time with special teams coordinator Justin Lustig on how the Commodores have approached replacing two-time SEC Special Teams Player of the Week Joe Bulovas.
KICKER COMPETITION
“We had a rough first field goal day of camp,” Coach Lustig conceded. “As a coach you can’t freak out. You understand it’s not an effort thing. You try to be as consistent as you can in practice and just iron out the kinks.”
His group has come a long way since then. Earlier this week at practice, Kansas transfer Jacob Borcila drilled a 51-yard field goal to “win” the game in a two-minute drill.
The competition has come down to Borcila and freshman Brock Taylor. Lustig describes it as a 1a-1b situation. Taylor owns a slightly stronger leg (about 55-plus yards). But perhaps Borcila inches ahead of Taylor right now because of experience.
“You’ve got the senior guy who’s been around and done it,” said Lustig. “So the advantage goes to Jacob in that area.”
Admittedly, it was a tough 2022 season at Kansas for the Ohio native. While he went 48-48 on PATs, he was an uncomfortable 7-13 on field goals. A significant part of that struggle was rooted in a preseason injury.
“The first week of fall camp last season I was doing a kick-off and tore my hip labrum in my kicking leg,” said Borcila. “I talked with the coaches and decided to keep playing because I could still kick – it was just uncomfortable.”
But, Borcila continued, “by the time I got into the season I had so much inflammation in my hip, it was like I was swinging and hoping. I had 20 yards off my distance. It was pretty brutal.”
Borcila had surgery, finished his degree at KU and entered the transfer portal. Vanderbilt contacted him the first day his name became available.
His transition to Clark Lea’s program has been comfortable and smooth. Most importantly, Borcila heaps praise on the sports medicine staff at Vanderbilt for helping him through the rehab process.
“Getting here in the summer, my kicking was rough. But the rehab timed up well. I have all my strength back and it’s pain-free. I really like where I’m at in camp right now.”
Whether it’s Borcila or Taylor atop the depth chart when it comes out, Vanderbilt has two kickers that finished fall camp with confidence – ready to replace a Skipper turned Commodore who authored some signature moments over the past two years.
PUNT RETURNER
Now, to the Mandeville Skipper who returns for 2023.
I feel like there’s been a simmering conversation externally about Will Sheppard’s role as punt returner. Talking with Coach Lustig, his perspective is clear – a muffed punt can impact the game as much as any play in football. The offense loses a possession. The field is flipped. And the defense is put in a pressure situation.
Or, you know, the long snapper could just recover the football in the endzone for a touchdown…
Either way, a muffed punt is a recipe for a 14-point swing. Impeccable hands are vital in a punt returner. Enter Will Sheppard.
It’s also worth noting many teams featured important cogs as punt returners last year. Elite corner Kool-Aid McKinstry fielded punts for Alabama. CFP participant TCU placed Derius Daivs, a top wide receiver, back for punts. Oregon State wide receiver Anthony Gould led the nation in punt return yardage and finished second on the Beavers in receiving yards. The list goes on.
Coach Lustig said freshmen Martel Hight and Junior Sherril are going to be great returners – eventually. But right now, Sheppard’s poise and hands are the winning the ticket at punt returner for Vanderbilt.
