Sunday, August 15, 2010

VSL Hotline: Lounging by the Pool, Edition

With the bar over, some of us planning of a wedding, others of us starting new jobs, and still others of us on vacation, the VSL Brain Trust hasn't been as "on top" of things as we might have otherwise been. Still, a lot has happened over the last few days that we need to catch you up on:

1. TE Austin Monahan has a torn ACL and will miss the entire 2010-11 season. As ESPN.com's Chris Low points out, this is the 3rd consecutive season where Monahan will miss action.

2. Offense continues to struggle. Unfortunately, Jeff Lockridge's piece in today's Tennessean is of the "dog bites man" variety. On the bright-side, a defense that struggled to stop opponents once they got in the Red Zone last season appears to have improved. On the not-so-bright-side, I'm not sure Vanderbilt's offense, as currently constructed is representative of what the Commodores defense will be facing come the fall. Coach Caldwell put this positive spin on things: ""We've got a little work to do there (offensively) . . . [w]hat you guys see is the ball not being moved, but you don't see that we're working on some things that we don't do very well. We have a lot of good things that we can do well. We know that." I hope for all our sake's the coach is correct.

3. Larry Smith emerging as QB1. Jeff Lockridge's Sunday piece in the Tennessean writes that the red-shirt juniors grip on the starting position is tightening. Perhaps most heartening, Smith's accuracy appears to be much improved, a source of much concern for Commodore fans last season. Given Vanderbilt's potentially potent running attack, Smith's ability to make plays down field with his arm will preclude the defense from stacking the box, and thereby give Warren Norman, Zac Stacy, and Wesley Tate more room to run.

In between tee times, and trips to the beach, I'll be sure to keep the Commodore information flowing.

2 comments:

Chuck Heston said...

The season opener against Northwestern may be one of the most important first games in recent memory. A loss would herald (another)disappointing season. A win, especially one involving a competent passing game, would make it an interesting season, indeed.

Bobby O'Shea said...

Couldn't agree more. Commodores win, there is reason for optimism; Vanderbilt loses...and VSLNation will be clamoring for a basketball preview