Sunday, November 23, 2008

Tough Tough Loss

After watching the Commodores play yesterday, I have to admit I have no idea what to expect from this team. This is the biggest roller coaster ride Vanderbilt football has been on in recent memory.

Yesterday was very disappointing. The offensive woes, which seemed to have subsided against Kentucky, returned in the face of our bitter rival. Tennessee's defense isn't what's been losing games for them, but our offense did everything in its power to make them look good.

It's obvious that serious changes need to be made on the offensive side of the ball next year, both at the offensive coordinator position and the quarterback position. If Ted Cain and Mackenzi are left in charge, I will be worried. Mackenzi, who played very well against Auburn, has been unable to recreate that kind of performance. It's tough when you have inconsistency at that position and it brings down the rest of the offense's production. Unless he is just dominating the field in spring practice and team camp, we should be looking at putting some new blood in that position.

Cain isn't helping matters either though, everyone in the stadium knows that Mackenzi is throwing nothing but quick slants or TE outs all the way down the field. That predictability means that the WRs are covered so tightly that Mac has to thread the needle and put the ball on the money. He just doesn't have that accurate an arm.

Granted, I'm only watching from the couch and not seeing the whole picture. Maybe he's just making bad reads and there's wide open people he's not seeing. But it sure seems to me that every time he makes a throw, it's contested.

You'd like to see Vandy make a splash in their first year of bowl eligibility, but keep in mind we have taken one step further with the program. But if we want to keep moving forward, we're going to have to get a consistent QB, a creative offensive mind, and a field goal kicker who we can rely on no matter what the situation (not that Hahnfeldt played poorly yesterday). That's really all there is to it.

7 comments:

Aaron said...

If Helen Keller and Brittany Spears had a baby..it would be Ted Cain

Tony Arnold said...

All long time Vandy fans are just so sick of watching this type of game happen time and time again. Why does UT always want it more than us? The only time in recent memory I can say this was not true was the Cutler win. They wanted it and they got it.

As far as not criticizing the coaching staff if you don't have a valid QB, I ask this. Who recruited them?

If we don't have a QB it because the staff did not recruit one or could not develop them.

All in all, despite how ticked off I am for having my guts ripped out again, CBJ is still a very good coach, but he and his staff have room for improvement just as the players do. I would have thought Miss St. and Duke would be enough motivation to not have another emotionally flat game, but I guess not.

I don't mind getting beat by a better team. But to lose when we are the better team multiple times this year hurts. Our offense, including both QBs could only muster 3 pts for the game?

Please!!!! That is just not tolerable for a team claiming to be bowl worthy. 6 wins is not a successful season this year given the 5-0 start and 3 lay-down games so far.

Anonymous said...

I would point out that Adam's pick was a long pass, right on the money, perfectly thrown. Graham just wasn't ready for it and it was tipped to UT. UT could not be flat vs. us because losing to us is total humiliation for them. It is tough to get good QB play when you are getting pounded every single play.

Anonymous said...

I heard a rumor about our esteemed offensive coordinator and confirmed it with several people. Cain had finally fallen out of favor with the rest of the coaching staff after the duke game and was suspended from calling plays for the florida game. I don't know if he was reinstated after that but either way, for that game and since then (with the exception of kentucky) our offense has looked just as bad. I think we need a change but I don't think simply getting rid of him will be enough. Oh ya, it would help if our players could learn to catch a pass.

Stanimal said...

If you have a link to a story or something like that, please post. Would love to see if that's true.

Tony Arnold said...

The Ted Cain story seems a bit far-fetched and something that would be hard to keep quiet if true. Also does not fit CBJ's style

Anonymous said...

Coach bags did not take long for their hand crafted bags and wonderful skills to spread. More and more customers would come to Coach Gallery for their high quality Coach Legacy and would search for the Coach Hamptons brand name.

In Hardy clothing knock-offs, the images are usually less detailed, especially on the smaller designs. Graphics on hardy shirt are usually very thin and detailed and not block-like compared to the fakes. Notice any "extra" designs. If the name Christian Audigier, CA, or hardy shirts is printed on the shirt repeatedly, chances are it's a hardy shirts knock-off.

Every scarpe Hogan combines art, top quality material, comfort, and the Hogan scarpe uomo design and cut that goes with every great creation. Hogan uomo is no wonder then that shoes from hogan donna remain the only choice among the worlds top athletes, specially the worlds finest basketball players.