Vanderbilt’s backfield looks built to keep coming at defenses in waves, and the Commodores seem to know exactly what that gives them.
Last season, Vanderbilt leaned on a true balance on offense, throwing the ball 401 times and running it 406 times. Even with that kind of split, Sedrick Alexander led the running back group with only 105 carries, a sign that the ball was being spread around and that the Commodores had more than one option to turn to on the ground.
That same shape is carrying into 2026. Alexander is back in Nashville, along with MK Young, Jamezell Lassiter and Gabe Fields.
Vanderbilt has also added freshman running backs Evan Hampton and Izayah Lee, giving the room even more depth. Running backs coach Ghaali Muhammad-Lankford sees that as a major asset for a team navigating the SEC grind.
“Yeah, you better have a couple of them that can play. Obviously, the strength of schedule week in and week out, the teams that we play, it's inevitable for guys to get a little banged up,” Muhammad-Lankford told Vandy On SI on what it is like having the running back depth in a tough, physical SEC. “However, having guys that can either spell them in practice, and kind of eliminate a handful of reps off of them, or guys that you trust that can go into a game and that production doesn't drop off - kind of the one, two punch with Sedrick and MK - so it definitely helps.”
Alexander and Young are the veterans anchoring the room, and Muhammad-Lankford said their influence goes beyond game day. They help set the tone in practice and away from the field, giving the younger backs a standard to follow.
That depth matters most when games start tightening up late. Vanderbilt’s constant rotation can leave its backs fresher in the fourth quarter, especially in conference play, when physical wear starts to pile up.
Muhammad-Lankford pointed to the Missouri game in October 2025 as a clear example. In a hard-fought win, Young broke loose for an 80-yard touchdown late in the third quarter, and he did it while logging just four touches in the game.
For Muhammad-Lankford, that kind of burst is tied directly to the way Vanderbilt uses its running backs. He also likes that the group isn’t made up of clones. Each player brings something different, which gives the offense more ways to attack.
“Yeah, it plays a big part of it. One of the things that I personally love is that each one of their skill sets are different from one another, and so each of those guys have a strength that they bring different to the table. You want guys that can do multiple things, so Sedrick and MK kind of lead the way being the all-around players they are, but it helps out a lot having those younger guys, having those situational players that you can insert at any time as well,” Muhammad Lankford said.
Alexander sees the same value from inside the room. The backs are learning from one another, blending different strengths into a group that can stress defenses in multiple ways.
“I think the biggest thing is just learning from each other. I think a lot of us have different strengths, and when you can learn something from everybody else and then put it all together, it can be dangerous,” Alexander told Vandy On SI.
In Other News...
Gabe Nesmith Commitment Gives Vanderbilt Fans Real Reason To Believe
Vanderbilt just landed a commitment that gives the program a different kind of buzz, one tied not only to upside but to real recruiting credibility. Gabe Nesmith, a 2027 standout with the kind of scoring pop and athletic profile that fits what Mark Byington wants to build, gives the Commodores an early centerpiece to point to as they keep trying to raise the ceiling of the roster.
The larger significance goes beyond one pledge, because Vanderbilt has spent years looking for more traction with top-end talent and this one arrives with plenty of momentum attached. Nesmith still has parts of his game to sharpen as he moves toward college, but the fact that he chose Vanderbilt this early is the sort of signal fans have been waiting for, even if the next steps in his development are still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]