Thursday, August 25, 2011

Play-Calling Duties Unclear as Vanderbilt Approaches Opener

That's Jeff Lockridge's story in today's Tennessean:
Offensive coordinator John Donovan wants it to be his voice delivering the play calls to Vanderbilt’s quarterbacks this season. Now it’s a matter of whether Coach James Franklin is willing to relinquish that control.

Franklin has said he will decide by next week if he or Donovan handles the play-calling for the Sept. 3 opener against Elon at Vanderbilt Stadium.




Either way, the personnel on the field is starting to come into sharper focus as the coaching staff appears to be tipping its hand as to who their starters will be.

More from the Lockridge piece about Vanderbilt receivers continuing to struggle holding on to the ball:
Receivers coach Chris Beatty said dropped passes remain a “big concern” for his group, particularly given the struggles in Saturday’s scrimmage and the history of drops over the last two years.

“You can’t put the ball on the ground, and many tipped balls lead to picks,” Beatty said. “It’s a concern because it’s something we’ve done in the past that we’re trying to get rid of.”

Beatty said he is working to get Udom Umoh, who had four drops in the scrimmage, to keep his hands closer together. Umoh had just 12 catches in 2010 after pulling in 20 in 2009.

“Udom does a great job of getting open,” Beatty said. “We just have to work on looking the ball all the way in. He’ll make some great catches, then come back and drop an easy one. That’s just concentration.”

Finally, Coach Franklin continues to collect quarterbacks as Vanderbilt announced the transfer of Austyn Carta-Sanders from Wyoming.

8 comments:

Anything but Gatorade said...

I posted on this earlier, but 1) Shouldn't they already know who's gonna be calling plays? Game 1 is in 9 days; 2) A wide receiver who can't catch is supposed to be a DB, not a wide receiver; 3) All these QBs and not one of them can take the reins from Larry Smith? WTF?

Sdubs said...

Tomorrow I am offering play by play in the comments section throughout the day as I follow "Bobby O'Shea" around his "office."

Updates will be at random times.

Anonymous said...

Totally agree with Bob....in all due respect, Udom should have been moved to DB at the start of summer workouts. Those of us who have followed the team the last few seasons (and seen the drops) know that he is a solid player but not an SEC WR. Some of his poor wr skills should be attributed to the previous position coach. We know that depth has been a problem at WR but to continue trying to make an SEC WR out of him seems to waste his solid ball skills; as he would be a better contributor to the team in another position. Pruit, Boyd, and Cole should all be ahead of him on any WR depth chart. If not, it really does not say much about our WR's after the 1st 3 WR's, Krause, Mathews, and maybe Boyd. Can't wait to see this coaching staff in a game-day mode; hard to imagine that CJF has not figured out who will call the offensive plays yet ? Go Dores !

Sdubs said...

Sitting next to BOS right now. He's looking at his iphone.

updates to follow.

Sdubs said...

BOS just read my comments with me sitting nearby.

This is awkward. Not sure if he knows it is me.....

Sdubs said...

BOS eating donuts. Loves them...

Sdubs said...

BOS headed back home on a bus.

Query whether he will blog anything tonight.

AD said...

Poll question answered: http://twitter.com/#!/VandyFootball/status/108225274864349185