Vanderbilt’s first loss of the season came with the kind of self-inflicted wounds that can make a coach’s blood boil. The Commodores were in a gritty, ugly game at Auburn, but missed chances kept piling up: a punt and a field goal were both blocked, the punt turned into a touchdown, and MK Young had what looked like a sure touchdown end with his face in the turf after he was tripped up by a blocker’s foot with nobody else between him and the end zone.
Special teams was the loudest problem. Brock Taylor remains elite, and opposing teams seem so wary of Vanderbilt’s return game that they keep kicking away from it.
The punt unit, though, has become a mess. This was the Commodores’ second punt blocked for a touchdown after Delaware also did it, and neither block came with the punter trapped in his own end zone.
Taylor also had a field goal tipped that still nearly went through from 47 yards. Jeff LePak has work to do with the blocking units, and the fake punt situation was a disaster too.
Whether that was a punter’s read that nobody picked up or something else, the result was ugly.
Penalties are another recurring headache. After being flagged 13 times against NC State, Vanderbilt picked up eight more at Auburn.
That included at least two false starts for not having all 11 players set and a delay of game. It’s hard to square that with a team that keeps hearing about not beating itself and trying to play from the best possible punting position.
On offense, the story starts with the quarterback situation. Curtis is clearly gifted, but the jump in competition is showing.
His mechanics slipped on several throws, with too much leaning back and shoulders square to the line of scrimmage. He can make off-platform throws, but he needs to stay on-platform when he can.
Even so, the numbers were solid: 22 of 33 for 199 yards with one interception, plus 18 carries for 46 yards. ESPN’s QBR had him at 71.3.
Still, he won’t play against Georgia because of the injury, and that changes everything for Vanderbilt.
Junior Sherrill has handled the WR1 role well. He’s up to 21 catches for 367 yards through four games, already ahead of the pace he had last season when he finished with 54 receptions for 784 yards. Curtis has been feeding him the ball whenever possible.
Cole Spence also needs to be full go. He caught two passes for 18 yards, including a fourth-and-4 conversion, and when he’s healthy he can be a real help alongside Sherrill. The concern is that his blocking may not be where it needs to be yet, which could tip defenses off.
Beyond Sherrill, though, someone has to step up. The Commodores had too many easy drops.
Cole Adams had a screen hit his facemask as he tried to turn upfield, and there were other passes that should have been caught. If Vanderbilt can start making the routine plays, the offense should stay on schedule more often, especially if the penalties ever calm down.
Right now, Sherrill needs somebody else to catch more than 11 passes in four games, because he’s carrying too much of the load.
The offensive line has its own problems. Auburn’s front seven pushed them around, and simple blitzes were enough to create confusion and leave rushers unblocked.
That’s a dangerous mix. Vanderbilt did create a few creases in the run game, but 23 carries for 66 yards isn’t going to cut it.
Lyndon Cooper was banged up at times against Auburn, so there’s hope he’ll be ready today. McConnell did not play well at center.
Defensively, the line has been quietly effective even if the splash plays have cooled off some. Vanderbilt didn’t blitz as much as it had in earlier games, yet it still kept Byrum Brown from getting comfortable.
The Commodores got pressure on about 80% of four-man rushes on passing downs, and Auburn’s backs were mostly contained outside of two longer runs. Jeremiah Cobb finished with 58 yards on eight carries, with a long of 21, and Omar Mabson II had three carries for 24 yards with a long of 19.
Brown did pick up some yards on the ground, but that had more to do with linebackers and safeties overpursuing than the defensive line getting driven back.
The bigger question is whether the defense is truly settling in or whether Brown was simply a quarterback Vanderbilt could plan for more easily. Auburn did hit a few completions of 33, 20, and 19 yards, and the longest came on a double move against Martel Hight that he’d want back. Still, holding an offense to 279 yards and 14 points usually gives you a chance to win.
That’s where the conversation shifts to Georgia. Vanderbilt is almost certainly not winning this game without Curtis.
The real question is whether the Commodores can compete, stand up, and show some progress even if the numbers end up looking rough. Georgia is elite, a team that looks like a heavy favorite to win the CFP title.
They have depth everywhere and no obvious weakness. There’s also the added wrinkle that they may have a chip on their shoulder about Curtis flipping, a public storyline that could add some edge for Kirby Smart’s team.
Give an elite opponent a reason to be angry, and things can get ugly fast. Vanderbilt learned that last season against Alabama, and that’s the warning sign hanging over this one.
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The Razorbacks are trying to end a long SEC skid, so the margin for error is thin on both sides. For Vanderbilt, the issue is not just replacing production but finding a way to stay competitive in conference play when the schedule is already unforgiving, and the next answer under center will go a long way toward determining whether the Commodores can make this trip more difficult than it looks on paper. [Read more 🡒]