Fulmer Farewell Tour stops in Nashville

What a difference a year makes. This time last year UT was on there way to the SEC Championship game and we desperately seeking our sixth win. Well this year has us on our way to our first bowl game in a long time and UT on it's way to their worst record in a long time.

 

This game will be decided by defense. Our defense has the "Bend Don't Break" mentality it has had all year and the Vols defense has the "We need to score and get turnovers to have a chance" mentality. Both teams have struggled on offense this year. Johnathan Crompton was heralded as the next Peyton Manning but wound up being the next Ryan Leaf. Chris Nickson started out 5-0 then proceeded to get benched in favor of Mackenzi Adams after the loss to Miss. St. Horrible playcalling has plagued us since the loss in Starkville but we seemed to have put that behind us at Kentucky last week.

I do think this game will be close with a lot of pride at stake. I don't see the Vols quitting like they did against Wyoming.I hope I'm wrong but I think UT wins by a field goal in the 4th quarter

VandyPride pick

UT 20 Vandy 17

 

Vandy falls to Illini 69-63

 

 

 

 

It was a disppointing night for our first real test of the year. We got to see a glimpse of the future with Taylor and Tinsley coming up big in crucial spots but we also saw them play like Freshman too. We got bombarded underneath the boards in the second half and that proved to be the difference. Illinois got 11 rebounds (4 offensive) in the last five minutes to our 5.

Luckily the loss comes early in the season and we can still regroup and move forward. We did lose to Furman a few years ago and then went on to make the Sweet Sixteen.

 

Bowl Eligible!

It was all Commodores last night in Lexington. We took the lead on the opening possession and and never looked back. The Wildcats shot themselves in the foot repeatedly with three roughing the kicker penalties and one roughing the passer penalty.

 

DJ Moore did fumble a punt that led to a Kentucky turnover but he was the hero with two touchdown receptions and two interceptions. Chris Nickson returned as the starter and look like he did in the Miami of Ohio game were he ran at will all night. He rushed for 118 yards and passed for 3 TDs.

The win sets up for our first bowl game since 1982. There are many possibilities and it will take a week or two for it to all shake out to know where we are going for sure. A win over UT and Wake Forest would set us up for a possible New Years Eve Bowl game in Atlanta or Birmingham. Let's just focus on beating UT next week.

 

All Gators

It was 21-0 after one quarter and it was pretty much over then. Tebow looked like the Heisman trophy winner from last year. He threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more. The win guarantees the Gators a spot in the SEC title game against Alabama in December.

The loss leaves us scrambling looking for that elusive 6th win to make us bowl eligible.

McKenzie Adams suffered a hip pointer and left in the second quarter. Chris Nickson came in and led two scoring drives in the 2nd half. Next up is Kentucky in Lexington next Saturday.

 

Next up Florida

After a 5-0 start and a visit from ESPN Gameday we lose 3 straight games. Now #5 Florida comes into town fresh off blow out victories over Kentucky and Georgia. It's your typical chainsaw vs. marshmallow scenario, or is it?

The game will be played at night on ESPN2 in 30-40 degree weather. This isn't that big of a deal but it is worth noting that this will be the coldest game that Florida has played all year. Also, Darlon Spread will be returning that will bolster an already pretty good secondary.

The key to the game will be Florida's ability to get pressure with their front four. If they can do what Duke did, which on paper shouldn't be very hard it could be a long night for our QB. If we can set up some screens and keep them off balance with our running game we may be able to keep this game close late and have a shot in the fourth quarter.

The main thing Vandy has to do is not get conservative and stay conservative. A QB draw on 3rd and long is not going to work against Florida, nor any of our opponents all year. We need to play with the mentality that Texas Tech had against Texas. Whoever has the ball last is going to win. If we are lucky enough to have a lead late DO NOT get conservative and play not to lose. I see this one closer than the guys in Vegas but it's still a win for the Gators

VandyPride pick

Florida 28 Vandy 20

 

Heartbreak

Thoughts on Duke loss

I originally posted this on Vandymania but I wanted to post it here as well.

It was a slow painful drive home today. Thoughts of previous losses ran through my mind. The 24 point comeback that Rutgers pulled on us in the 2nd half, MTSU in 2005, MTSU in 2002, UGA last year, UT last year. But this is different. Yesterday I talked my wife into going to Lexington in November for the Kentucky game. I just told her we aren't going and I may not go to another game the rest of the year. I kept thinking about how fitting my screen name truly is.

My first memories of being a Vandy fan start when I was 5 or 6. My parents went to Knoxville for a game and brought me back a foam finger that said Volunteers #1. I pulled all the letters off and wrote Vandy on it. I don't know what inspired it but that's what I remember being the birth of a Vandy fan. I started buying season tickets when I was 16. I even started my own Vandy site VandyPride.com to give back to other Vandy fans like me.

Please click here to read entire commentary

 

UGA game thoughts

 

Once again we gave a top-tier SEC team a scare late but the Bulldogs came away with the 24-14 win in Athens.

Knowhon Moreno rushed for a season-high 172 yards and A.J. Green lit up the secondary for 132 yards.

Vandy came out with a run first mentality in the first quarter running the ball 7 straight times. Adams threw for 131yards with 2 TDs and 2 intercpetions. Both TD receptions were to Jamie Graham.

The loss drops the Commodores to 5-2 with a big home game against Duke coming up next.

 

Would Bobby Johnson go to Clemson?

With Tommy Bowden resigning today rumors are floating around that Bobby Johnson is one of the names being considered for the head coaching position at Clemson.

Coach Johnson did graduate from Clemson after a decorated career and he was the defensive coordinator there in 1993 and worked there as an Athletic Academic Counselor in 1980.

After a 5-1 start Coach Johnson would be a nice choice but would he be interested? He did however interview for the Duke head coach position last year. I was told by a recruit that Coach Johnson informed him that the interview was a formality and he wasn't interested. The interview was just to get the administrations attention.

This however is a different animal. Coach Johnson has ties to Clemson and does have family there. There isn't anything to worry about until after the year. Receivers coach Dabo Swinney is the interim coach and hopefully he will run the table and be offered the job.

Other coaches rumored to be under consideration are Skip Holtz, Tommy Tuberville, Will Muschamp, Rich Rodrgiguez and Lane Kiffin

 

VU falls to Miss St

 

Well it couldn't last forever but it sure would've been nice. Vanderbilt went down to Starkville and came home with the loss.

Chris Nickson was not very effective all day. After an early fourth quarter interception that would lead to a Miss. St touchdown Nickson was pulled and Mac Adams went in and led the Commodores to a TD.

After holding Miss. State to a punt VU couldn't move down the field and that was all she wrote.

It was announced today that Adams would be the starter for the game in Athens against a Top Ten Georgia team. It will be the Raycom game of the week at 11:30 Saturday morning.

 

Vandy 14 Auburn 13

5-0=#13

It was an amazing day. ESPN Gameday came to town, Lee Corso disrespected the team, Kenny Chesney jumped on the bandwagon and Vanderbilt knocked off #13 Auburn in Nashville.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was a sea of people for the Star Walk. There was a small pocket of Auburn fans that started a cheer but they were quickly drowned out by an overjealous Vandy crowd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I originally posted this on Vandymania but I wanted to post it here too.

When Auburn got up 13-0 the guy in front of me was doing some obnoxious booty dance looking like a monkey in a cage at the zoo. When we went up 14-13 I tapped him on the shoulder and asked him if I was doing the dance right (I was gyrating my hips like something in a Britney Spears video) and he said "Just you wait. It's not over."

With two minutes to go he left and I still am not sure whether or not I did the dance right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commodore Commentary

Trey Holloway

Vanderbilt Center 2002-2005

 

 

 

 

 

Vanderbilt loses a multitude of key senior players from the previous year’s squad which was expected to break the squad’s long standing streak of seasons without a bowl but failed to do so.  But the team rallies and finds a way to start 4-0.  The student body is buzzing and hopes are high on West End.  National media even hops on the bandwagon and USA Today comes to town and puts a picture of Herdley Harrison on its front page. 

What?  Herdley Harrison?

That’s right.  I wasn’t talking about 2008 my friends.  I was talking about 2005.  Unless you just became a Vanderbilt fan you remember that season all too well.  Four straight wins to start the season followed by six straight losses with a season ending win over UT-Knoxville.

Please click here to read the full article

 

What former players are saying

I contacted a few former Vanderbilt football players and asked them what they thought about the Commodores 4-0 start and place in the Top 25. Curtis Gatewood I think this is an amazing accomplishment for our players and especially our coaches who have worked extremely hard to get to this point. Each year and each game we would come so close yet fall short. This year seems to to be the year that we finally break that trend. Teams better watch out because the Vandy train is battle tested, well oiled and ready to go to work! I'm excited! Justin Giboney I'm extremely proud of this Vanderbilt football team.  It's obvious that they expect to win and have put in the work to make it happen.  Coach Johnson, Coach Sisk and the rest of the staff have done an excellent job in getting the team ready to hit the gridiron in the number one conference.  And it never hurts to have several big time playmakers on the field at all times.  This is only the beginning of a historical season.  We're all behind those guys 100%.  Go Dores!  Gabe Hall I'm jacked up just thinking about how the guys are smacking people in the mouth. All the hard work in the summer and go hard sessions with Coach Sisk, Coach Teeple and Coach Turner have proven not to be in vain.. Being in the top 25 just shows that when a talented and driven team lays it on the line and refuses to be beaten, it doesn't matter who you play. I had a teacher ask me how is Vandy so good this year...I told him "Some teams talk trash, but we just smack you in the mouth" Keep going hard and flying around guys..They have to kill us to beat us...Next up Auburn! Bill Alford I’m proud of all of the players, coaches and fans. It takes commitment from all of them to build a successful program. Dustin Dunning I think it's been a long time coming. It's great for the school to finally get a little recognition for all of the hard work that everyone involved with the football team has put into the program. It's the best fealing to know that Vandy fans across the nation are wearing their black and gold with pride. Cassen Jackson Garrison I have to be the happiest fan/alum at this moment. We had the chance to do something special while I was and we did beat a few big time programs but the players now have took it our program to the next level. While I was there went from being a door mate for many to a pain and a team that they will have to game plan for. The old Vanderbilt is gone and Bobby Johnson have done a great job seeing to that. No matter if they stay in the top 25 for the rest of the season or not they will have an winning season and go to big bowl this year for the first time in decades. From the time I made my commitment to Vanderbilt and till I decease I will be a die heart Vandy fan. I have the star V tattoed with my number in on my arm for a reason Marcus Buggs I think its great. There has been a lot of hard work put in around there and the results are starting to show. The team has a long road ahead of them but I believe they have what it takes to get the job done. Theo Horrocks I think it is great that they are doing so well. I am very proud of them. They worked extremely hard to get to where they are now. Being ranked in the top 25 at Vandy is something special, getting national recognition for vanderbilt football is not easy. I think this is a great team and i am very excited to see how the rest of the season goes and I WILL be at the bowl game. When Vandy does good things everyone notices, all of our coaches and players here in jacksonville have been talking about it to me this week. Good luck DORES! Antuian Bradford I think it's a great thing for the program to see them begin to have success and also to see them stick with Bobby Johnson as they have. I think he has been great for the program and I he is exactly what Vanderbilt needs. It just goes to show what continuity in staff, belief in a system (with opposition from many), and the change of attitude that winning is important can do to a program. I'm excited as I have ever been about Commodore football and I'll be there screaming dynamite til the end. GO DORES!!!

 

Q & A with Alan Metcalfe

Now that you graduated are you going to pursue professional basketball overseas or are you planning to do something else?

I have signed a contract to play pro in England in the BBL. Guildford Heat, based about 40 minutes outside of London won the playoffs last year. So I hope to go into a team and help them regain their title.

What are you most proud of from your time at Vandy?

Being part of a graduating class that changed the way college basketball critics look at VU basketball.

Who was the toughest player to guard?

Please click here to read the entire interview

 

 

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