The Sports Xchange
NCAAF Team Report – Vanderbilt – INSIDE SLANT
Commodores capitalize on big breaks
Much has been made of Vanderbilt’s inability to catch breaks all season long, from crucial calls that went against the Commodores to a schedule that featured three undefeated teams coming into Saturday.
This weekend, luck started turning in Vandy’s favor — and the Commodores made the most of it in a 19-15 victory at the Missouri Tigers.
The Tigers moved the ball for a pair of long scoring drives (two field goals) on their first possessions. But the Commodores knocked Missouri quarterback James Franklin out of the game on that second drive, and had a much easier time with backup Corbin Berkstresser, who lacks Franklin’s mobility. Still, Berkstresser is the same guy who started and finished MU’s win over 4-1 Arizona State a few weeks back.
The Commodores also caught huge breaks when Missouri snapped a punt through the end zone, and then botched a snap on a failed PAT. That meant that Missouri couldn’t try a potential game-winning field goal in the final three minutes on Saturday, so instead, a failed fourth-down conversion gave Vandy the ball with a chance to run out the clock — which it did.
Vandy also helped itself in ways it hadn’t all year. The Commodores had not performed well in the red zone (just four touchdowns in 15 trips), but got 5- and 14-yard scoring runs from running back Zac Stacy on Saturday. Stacy also picked up a first down to help VU run out the clock.
“Obviously when you can go on the road and win in the SEC, it’s very important. I think what is important for us is that our team found a way to win a tough one,” Vandy coach James Franklin (no relation to the Missouri quarterback) said afterward.
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NCAAF Team Report – Vanderbilt – NOTES, QUOTES
WHAT’S AHEAD: Three of VU’s five opponents thus far were ranked in the Top 25 coming into this weekend. The Northwestern Wildcats dropped out after losing to the Penn State Nittany Lions, but the Commodores pick up another ranked foe in a home contest against the Florida Gators this weekend. Vandy has lost 21 straight in the series, with its last win coming in 1988.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Vanderbilt pulled out all the stops with a variety of gadget plays a year ago that went for huge yardage, but hadn’t done as much of it this season. That changed on Saturday, as RB Zac Stacy threw a pair of passes (one, a 24-yard completion to QB Jordan Rodgers), VU gave the ball to WR Jordan Matthews on an option pitch that went for 18 yards, and RB Brian Kimbrow also got a touch on a jet sweep.
“You’re looking to see if you have them first,” coach James Franklin said later. “You run the first play and you’re looking to see how they’re defending. (Missouri) started to pursue like crazy. They were running to the ball extremely well.”
LOOKING GOOD: It was open season on Missouri QB Corbin Berkstresser after James Franklin left the game with an injury. The Commodores went after him time and time again, and while VU registered just one sack, it forced the freshman to get rid of the ball much faster than he wanted to most of the evening. Berkstresser completed just 9-of-30 throws for 189 yards, with almost half that yardage coming on a busted coverage that went for an 85-yard score.
STILL NEEDS WORK: Stacy may have made plays when they counted, but the Commodores’ offensive line had a lot of trouble giving him room to operate. He finished with 72 yards on 29 carries, a 2.5 yard-per-carry average.
QUOTE TO NOTE: Stacy, on his pass to Rodgers: “I just had to make the play. It’s just one of those things when your number’s called and you have to make the play. Jordan (Rodgers) did a great job of just catching the ball, and I did a great job of throwing it to him. It’s just a little wrinkle we have in our offense.”
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NCAAF Team Report – Vanderbilt – STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
PLAYER NOTES:
–RB Zac Stacy is getting to be a pro at the halfback option pass. He’s now thrown eight the past two seasons, completing three for 67 yards. That includes a touchdown from last year, but also two interceptions from last season.
–WR Jordan Matthews is consistent, if anything. His 91 yards receiving from Saturday is just under his 97.2-yard average.
–On the topic of consistency, P Richard Kent’s six kicks went for a 45.2-yard average. That’s exactly his season average on 26 punts.
ROSTER REPORT
–LB Jacob Sealand saw his first action of the season on Saturday. The Commodores desperately need LB depth, and Sealand contributed a tackle and a forced fumble. He’s just the fourth Commodore true freshman to play this year.
–RB Wesley Tate did not see a carry on Saturday after serving as VU’s primary backup there all season. Tate did play, and recorded a tackle.
–C Spencer Pulley got the start over Joe Townsend. Pulley started the first two games before missing the third with an injury, and had fallen behind Townsend the last couple of weeks.
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