Vanderbilt’s season opener was a win on the scoreboard and a mixed bag everywhere else.
The Commodores handled Austin Peay 28-9 on Saturday night, but it took longer than expected for Vanderbilt to separate itself in the new post-Diego Pavia era. Clark Lea said he hopes it ends up being the worst game his team plays this season, and Vanderbilt did at least leave the night 1-0 as it turns its attention to Delaware.
A few players gave the Commodores real reasons for optimism. Others left more to prove.
The biggest boost came from the return of defensive lineman Issa Ouattara. Vanderbilt missed him for all but a few snaps of the 2025 season a year ago, and his presence showed up immediately against Austin Peay.
Ouattara was active in the middle of the line, consistently creating pressure inside and finishing with 1.5 sacks, one solo tackle and four total tackles. That was the third-highest tackle total on the Vanderbilt defense.
For a defense that needed more disruption up front, Ouattara looked like exactly the kind of piece that changes the feel of the unit. The more push he creates, the easier life gets for everyone else behind him.
Nick Rinaldi also opened the season the right way. The former walk-on and current team captain put together a strong outing with six total tackles, three solo stops and 0.5 sack.
He tied safety CJ Heard for the team lead in total tackles and reinforced why he was expected to be one of the leaders of this defense. With Rinaldi, Bryan Longwell and Bryce Cowan forming a veteran linebacker group, Vanderbilt got a steady performance from one of its most important voices on that side of the ball.
Offensively, the cleanest performance came from Sedrick Alexander. Vanderbilt’s offense was messy and disjointed overall, but Alexander was the most productive player on that side.
He touched the ball on the first four plays of the game and finished with 10 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown. The numbers weren’t eye-popping, but six yards per carry is a solid start, especially with an offensive line still working to build chemistry.
Alexander said after the game, “I put my trust in my coaches and whatever they call. We’re going to run the play, we’re going to try to do the best we can do to accomplish the play, whatever yards we need to get,” Alexander said postgame.
The bigger question for Vanderbilt’s offense is what comes next from Blaze Berlowitz. The starting quarterback wasn’t awful against Austin Peay, but he also didn’t do enough to settle the debate.
He completed 11 of 16 passes for 149 yards, a line that lands somewhere in the middle. Not disastrous.
Not dynamic, either.
What stood out most was how little Vanderbilt asked him to push the ball downfield. Junior Sherrill did catch passes of 31 and 27 yards, but both came on crosser routes and were within 10 yards down the field.
There were no true shots down the sideline and no meaningful throws over the middle in the 20- to 25-yard range. Maybe that was by design.
Maybe Vanderbilt was keeping things conservative. Either way, it left plenty of room to wonder why Berlowitz didn’t get more chances to test Austin Peay vertically.
If he gets another turn against Delaware and shows he can deliver downfield, that conversation changes fast. For now, Vanderbilt’s ceiling on offense still looks limited.
Brycen Coleman also had a quiet night. Listed as the No. 2 receiver on the depth chart entering the game, he was targeted just once and finished with one catch for seven yards.
Vanderbilt ran the ball a lot, which explains part of it, but only one target on 25 throws from the quarterbacks is not the kind of opening Coleman wanted after earning that spot. Coaches had talked in fall camp about his ability to threaten defenses down the field, and with his 6-foot-5 frame, he certainly brings the kind of size that can matter on 50/50 balls.
Saturday didn’t show much of that.
And then there was Carson Lawrence, another name worth watching after a rough first game. The starting STAR did not record a tackle, and he was beaten by Austin Peay wide receiver Denver Harper for a touchdown on the opening defensive drive. Lawrence won the starting job over Mason Lewis and Jailen Ruth for Week 1, so he’ll need to respond quickly if he wants to keep that role moving forward.
Vanderbilt got the win. That part is in the books. But after a shaky opener, the stock report is clear: Ouattara and Rinaldi are trending up, Alexander gave the offense a lift, and Berlowitz, Coleman and Lawrence all have something to prove when Delaware arrives.
In Other News...
Marlen Sewells Vanderbilt Return Says Everything About This Program
Marlen Sewells return for Vanderbilts 2026 season opener was the kind of reminder that says as much about the program as it does about the player. A former Commodore and team captain now on the Chicago Bears practice squad, Sewell showed up around the team he once led, spending time with current players and staff and reinforcing just how tight those ties remain long after a college career ends.
For Vanderbilt, moments like that matter because they speak to the culture around the program, not just the scoreboard. Sewell was cut from the Bears active roster after a preseason game, but his connection to Nashville has clearly endured, and his presence on campus underscored the way he still values the relationships and legacy he built in black and gold. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Is Making An Early Recruiting Push Fans Should Notice
Vanderbilts early recruiting board is already taking shape, and the range of offers says plenty about how broad the staff wants to cast its net. The Commodores have extended scholarships to a mix of prospects from Tennessee and Kentucky, while also reaching overseas to the NFL Academy in England, a sign that the program is willing to look beyond the usual footprint as it builds out future classes.
The 2027 class already includes 17 commits, but the staff is not waiting around before moving on to the next wave of targets. Offers have already gone out to players such as Augustine Irek, Jayden Jamerson, Braylen Batts-Hobbs and Gregory Kirwan, with Vanderbilt also beginning to make inroads into the 2028 cycle. It is an early push, but one that gives a clearer picture of how aggressively the Commodores want to stay ahead in recruiting. [Read more 🡒]
Sedrick Alexander Is Giving Vanderbilt Offense Something It Desperately Needs
Sedrick Alexander kept getting the ball early in Vanderbilts recent game, and the Commodores made a point of leaning on him from the start. He turned that workload into a touchdown, giving an offense in search of stability a back it can trust while the rest of the depth chart sorts itself out.
Blaze Berlowitz and Jared Curtis are still battling for the quarterback job, and Clark Lea has made clear the decision will come down to who gives Vanderbilt the best chance to win. Until that settles, Alexander looks positioned to remain a central piece of the plan, the kind of reliable presence that can help steady an offense still trying to find its shape. [Read more 🡒]