Sept. 27, 2017
By Zac Ellis
VUCommodores.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Road trips to Florida always mean a little more to Ralph Webb.
“We want to get the win each and every Saturday,” Webb said. “But this is my last time at The Swamp. It’s always good to go back home and play in front of family and friends.”
Webb, a native of Gainesville, will play college football in his hometown for one final time this Saturday, when Vanderbilt takes on No. 21 Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The Commodores are looking to bounce back from a 59-0 loss to No. 1 Alabama last Saturday.
But Webb and his backfield teammates seek a spark of their own. While the Commodores’ offense has shined in spurts in 2017, the run game has yet to fully take off. Webb hopes that changes against Florida.
“We know our time is coming, and we trust in the process,” he said.
Behind another career year for Webb in 2016, Vanderbilt averaged 164.2 rushing yards per game. The redshirt junior cemented himself as the program’s all-time leading rusher by setting a single-season record with 1,283 yards. But this season, the Commodores’ offense has averaged just 87.5 rush yards (2.97 yards per carry) through four games. Both numbers rank 13th in the SEC.
Instead, Vanderbilt’s 3-1 start has hinged on the passing game. With early opponents loading the box, quarterback Kyle Shurmur threw for eight touchdowns and completed 71 percent of his passes during the Dores’ first three games. That stretch included an upset of No. 18 Kansas State on Sept. 16.
Head coach Derek Mason said Vanderbilt has yet to tap into its full potential without a balanced offense.
“We’re 3-1 without a running game,” Mason said. “We need a running game, and when you get the running game, there’s no telling how far we can go.”
Webb hopes to reprise his role as a sturdy presence in Vanderbilt’s offense, which helped him earn All-SEC recognition the past two seasons. He heads to Gainesville with 169 yards and two touchdowns on 64 carries, but he boasts 3,511 career rushing yards to his name. Alongside redshirt junior Khari Blasingame (26 carries for 110 yards) and redshirt freshman Jamauri Wakefield (17 carries for 70 yards), Webb knows there’s more to come for Vanderbilt’s offense.
“We trust in our offensive line,” Webb said. “A lot of defenses are game-planning around the run, so it’s going to open up shots for receivers. Once we complete more of those shots, it’ll give us some lanes to run.”
The Commodores will learn more about their run game against Florida. Recent history suggests a hard-fought matchup in The Swamp, as well. The Gators claimed a 9-7 win in Gainesville in 2015 before they clinched a 13-6 victory over Vanderbilt on West End last season. Webb has been known to shine in front of a hometown crowd; his 74-yard touchdown run against Florida in 2015 remains the longest of his career.
A little more Webb could help Vanderbilt get over the hump in this SEC series. That’s the senior’s plan for Saturday.
“I’ll do everything in my power to help my team win,” Webb said. “It’s whatever I can do to leave my legacy here as a winner.”
Zac Ellis is the Writer and Digital Media Editor for Vanderbilt Athletics.
