Vanderbilt heads into Saturday’s matchup with No. 9 Ole Miss still sorting through its offensive line health, watching the weather, and trying to find a way to make life difficult for a Rebels defense Clark Lea believes will be ready for the challenge.
The biggest injury question from Wednesday night’s availability report centered on Mitchell Smith, who was listed as doubtful. Lea said Thursday that the freshman lineman is working through a knee issue that kept him out of practice this week.
“Mitchell is dealing with a little knee [injury]. It’s banged up.
It just kept him out of practice this week and could be something we need to address. I think we’re just trying to see how it responds” Lea said.
“It’s not a big injury, but it’s enough to slow them down right now and perhaps be something we need to address.”
Smith, a 6-foot-6 freshman, has played in every game this season and started Vanderbilt’s opener against Austin Peay, making him a key part of the line rotation. His doubtful tag points toward him likely sitting out Saturday.
Quarterback Jared Curtis, meanwhile, was listed as probable, and Lea sounded upbeat about where the five-star freshman stands with kickoff getting closer. Barring any late setback, Curtis appears on track to play again for Vanderbilt.
Weather could also play a role in Nashville. With Tropical Storm Isaias moving closer to landfall off the coast of southern Alabama and the panhandle of Florida, rain is in the forecast for the weekend. The Weather Channel’s Nashville forecast shows a 70% chance of rain during the day Saturday, with heavy rain possible, then a 90% chance of rain Saturday night along with more heavy rainfall and winds of 10 to 20 mph.
Vanderbilt has already taken steps to prepare for a wet game. Lea said the team used Gatorade bottles during Thursday practice to spray the football and simulate the conditions it may face in a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff.
“Some of it is making sure they know they’re prepared, but also we’re not going to let the conditions beat us on the field on Saturday. We’re going to use that to our advantage and play our game through it. And we’ll see what comes,” Lea said
On the field, Vanderbilt knows the task in front of it. Ole Miss brings a dangerous offense, but Lea also pointed to the Rebels’ defense as a unit that has shown some vulnerability. That gives Vanderbilt a possible path through its ground game, with Sedrick Alexander and MK Young forming the backfield tandem the Commodores could lean on.
Still, Lea was clear that the Rebels’ defense deserves respect. He praised the front seven and said Vanderbilt will need to be sharp to move the ball.
“I think they have a good sound system. They’re well-coached.
We’re playing an SEC opponent. And so we need to be on our game.
We need to be able to create the run wall offensively to move them, to create space for those guys [Alexander and Young] to get going,” Lea said. “Ole Miss is a team that’s talented.
They’re prideful, they’re coming off a bye week. They’re going to have things for us that are going to challenge us.”
In Other News...
Vanderbilt Gets A Massive Jared Curtis Boost For Ole Miss
Jared Curtis is on track to give Vanderbilt a major lift at quarterback heading into a daunting home date with No. 9 Ole Miss. The five-star freshman has flashed plenty through his first four games, and his return would give the Commodores a different level of upside on offense after veteran Blaze Berlowitz handled the job in Curtis' absence.
Curtis is expected to be back in the lineup after missing last week, a development that matters even more given the opponent and the setting. Vanderbilt will need every bit of his playmaking against a Rebels defense that has struggled, and the Commodores are clearly better equipped to test it with their most talented quarterback available. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt's Quarterback Twist Could Be Its Best Hope Vs Ole Miss
Vanderbilts quarterback situation has become one of the more intriguing parts of its matchup with Ole Miss, and it is already changing how the Rebels are getting ready for the game. Ole Miss coach Pete Golding said the defense has spent plenty of time on the different ways Vanderbilt can operate with Jared Curtis or Blaze Berlowitz at quarterback, since the offense does not look quite the same depending on who is taking snaps.
Curtis is listed as probable despite a knee bruise, while Golding has also pointed to the possibility of seeing Berlowitz on the field in multiple roles. For Ole Miss, the challenge is less about solving one look than staying ready for a scheme that can shift quickly, with Vanderbilt capable of changing its personnel and presentation from series to series. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Has A Real Shot At Ole Miss If One Thing Changes
Vanderbilt heads into its matchup with No. 9 Ole Miss knowing the odds are steep, but not treating the game like a lost cause. The Commodores have spent plenty of time this season dealing with the kind of self-inflicted mistakes that can bury an underdog before the fourth quarter, and that makes this trip even more about discipline, ball security and finding a way to stay on schedule against one of the SECs more dangerous offenses.
Still, there is a real reason for optimism if Vanderbilt can clean things up in the right places. Ole Miss has shown some vulnerability on defense, and the Commodores believe there is a path to stress that side of the ball while keeping the Rebels from ripping off the explosive scoring drives that can change everything in a hurry. The question is whether Vanderbilt can make enough of those small gains add up before Ole Misss firepower takes control. [Read more 🡒]