2020 Vanderbilt Commodores Preview
CFB Saturdays presents its inaugural team previews. Below you will find our comprehensive 2020 Vanderbilt Football Preview. (Note all recruiting rankings are based upon 247Sports composite rankings).
A Look Back and a Peek Ahead
In 2019 Vanderbilt finished the season 3 – 9. The Commodores were 3 – 4 at home but 0 – 5 away from home. They did not have a winning streak during the season and never found any momentum. There wasn’t much that went well for Vanderbilt football in 2019, but they will attempt to bounce back in 2020.
The offense was a disaster. Vanderbilt finished the season ranked 125th in scoring offense at a meager 16.5 PPG. The rushing offense and passing offense were almost equally inept finishing the season 113th and 115th in the country respectively. There is no silver lining for the offense as the main player who had some success was running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn, but he is now in the NFL. Vanderbilt needed a reset on offense and switched offensive coordinators, bringing in Todd Fitch who had some success in the same position at Louisiana Tech this past season.
The defense was not good either. the Commodores were 95th in scoring defense allowing a whopping 31.4 PPG. The pass defense was close to the middle of the pack at 66th giving up 227.8 YPG, but the run defense was terrible allowing 208.8 YPG good for 115th in the country. The run defense was so bad that we can’t say for sure if the pass defense was actually better or just not tested very much because it was so easy to run on the Vanderbilt defense. If you look closer, the pass defense was 115th in the country with 8.4 yards allowed per pass attempt. Like the offense the defense needed a reset and got one with new defensive coordinator Ted Roof who came over from Appalachian State where his defense ranked 21st in scoring defense.
Vanderbilt has been at the bottom of the SEC standings for most of Head Coach Derek Mason’s tenure and he may be running out of time to find some success. There isn’t a lot of returning talent on offense but there are some promising recruits arriving this fall. The new coordinators need to find players that fit their schemes and get some results from the younger players on the roster and show promise for the future. James Franklin proved that Vanderbilt could be competitive and it’s imperative for Mason’s future with the team that the Commodores become competitive again.
2020 Vanderbilt Commodores Preview – Offense
Quarterback
The quarterback position was not a strength for Vanderbilt in 2019. The leading passer was Riley Neal but he has since graduated and is trying to make an NFL roster. Junior Deuce Wallace attempted 101 passes as well but is now in the transfer portal looking for a new school. Junior Mo Hasan attempted 11 passes a year ago but has transferred to USC and freshman Allan Walters who attempted 9 passes has transferred to Mississippi State. If you don’t see a trend here you haven’t been reading carefully. Of the four only Hasan averaged over 7 yards per attempt last season and that was in a limited sample.
2020 recruit Ken Seals arrives with a lot of fanfare. He was the # 21 Pro Style QB in the country in the 2020 class. The 6’3″ 203 lb Seals has a good arm and can make throws to all levels of the defense. He has solid accuracy as well but needs to be consistent with his throwing mechanics. He moves his feet well and can make plays outside the pocket in the passing game and as a scrambler picking up yardage on the ground. Seals has the potential to be a multi year starter for the Commodores and that may have to start in 2020. In a perfect world Seals would have time to mature physically and mentally before facing down the SEC, but all of the QB depth at Vanderbilt just walked out the door.
The only other scholarship QB on the roster this spring was JUCO transfer Jeremy Moussa from San Bernardino Valley College where he was the conference co-offensive player of the year. There is a large jump from the junior college ranks to the SEC so it will be difficult to project if Moussa can make an impact for Vanderbilt this year. Moussa has some experience and will be able to provide a veteran presence but beyond that we wouldn’t count on him just yet.
Michael Wright was a three star recruit in the 2020 class and is an excellent athlete. He is a tall prospect but is still rather skinny and will need to add weight. He is a true dual threat who is dangerous running with the football. Wright has good speed and can make big plays with his legs. He has some arm strength but needs to work on his mechanics, especially with his footwork. Wright is a good prospect and could be effective with his legs but will likely need time to add weight and mature as a passer before he can be counted on at the collegiate level.
Danny Clark also arrives form the JUCO ranks this summer. Clark was a decent recruit out of high school and enrolled at Kentucky but since transferred to Junior College and is now at Vanderbilt. He has a chance to play but will likely be a reserve for the Commodores. We would be surprised if Clark is able to resurrect his career and win the job with the other options at quarterback for the Commodores.
2020 Outlook: He may not be ready but expect Ken Seals to win the job. There will be some growing pains but Seals should grow as the year goes and could provide future stability for the Commodores. Moussa is the other name to watch as he has had some success at the JUCO level, if Seals shows he is not ready Moussa would get the call. Wright could play some in specific packages but will likely redshirt and get the time he needs to develop.
Running Back
Ke’Shawn Vaughn was the leading rusher for Vanderbilt in 2019 but has moved on to the NFL. Vaughn ran for over 1,000 yards and the rest of the team ran for less than 500 yards. There is a void in the backfield that needs to be filled. A new quarterback could really benefit from some consistency on the ground. Unfortunately the Commodores don’t have a proven option at running back but instead will have to hope for one to emerge.
The second leading rusher last year for Vanderbilt was sophomore Keyon Brooks. The young back ran for 252 yards on 56 carries and 1 TD. The 6’1″ 202 lb Brooks has some potential and showed flashes of that his freshman year. Brooks is a patient runner, who should continue to get stronger. He has good speed and can break a long run when the opportunity presents itself. Brooks will get the first crack to be the lead runner for Vanderbilt this coming season. We chose Brooks as a 2nd year breakthrough player in the SEC East.
Behind Brooks, Ja’Veon Marlow (5’11” 190 lbs) was a redshirt freshman last season and only got 10 carries for 42 yards. He was a three star recruit in the 2018 recruiting cycles and will be given an opportunity to earn more reps. Mitchell Pryor (6’1″ 211 lbs) was a sophomore last season and got a meager 5 carries for 49 yards and 1 TD. Neither back got much run in 2019, and it is difficult to project if they can be real contributors in 2020.
In the 2020 recruiting class the Commodores added running back Rocko Griffin, who was rated a three star but has good speed and athleticism. Griffin isn’t the biggest guy at 5’9″ 187 lbs but he does run a 10.97 100 M. He could provide Vanderbilt with a big play threat in the backfield, and make his impact that way as a true freshman. The Georgia star has some speed and the Commodores would be wise to use it when possible.
2020 Outlook: Brooks will be the starter and should be a solid runner, if the line can give him some running lanes. It will be interesting to see if one of the backups can emerge and be a viable second running back. Expect Brooks to run for about 1,000 yards in his first year as the starter.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
2019’s leading receiver for Vanderbilt was senior Kalija Lipscomb, him and top tight end Jared Pinkney are both gone now. Also departed is senior wide receiver Justice Shelton-Mosley. On one hand the passing game was horrible last year, so all the turnover could end up being addition by subtraction, but on the other hand, losing your most productive players means you have to find new players that can produce. Receiver and tight end are two positions where the Commodores do have some promising options.
Cam Johnson is the leading returning receiver for the Commodores in 2020. He was a four star recruit in the 2018 recruiting class and had a promising redshirt freshman season in 2019, catching 30 balls for 316 yards and 3 TD. The 6’0″ 190 lb Johnson has good ball skills, some speed and some big play ability. With some progress at the QB position he may blossom into a good receiver. Johnson will need to be a star in the receiver room because there are not many proven options behind him.
Chris Pierce (6’4″ 225 lbs) is a big receiver entering his senior year but he’s never had more the 14 catches in a season before. James Bostic (6’3″ 218 lbs) will be a junior and saw playing time for the first time in 2019 but only had 11 catches for 112 yards. Both players have good size and it would be huge if one of them could step up in 2020 and take some pressure off Johnson. If they can’t do the job the Commodores will look to some new blood to step up.
Tyrell Alexander (6’3″ 190 lbs) transfers in from Oklahoma State but the last time he caught a pass was in 2017. Mac Hereford also arrives via the transfer portal but he never caught a pass for Alabama. A few three star recruits have arrived over the last two years but none of them played last year so its tough to know if they can be counted on in 2020. Will Sheppard (6’2″ 180 lbs) arrives as a freshman and shows decent speed and good ball skills, perhaps he could crack the rotation and make some plays this season.
At tight end look for Ben Bresnahan to be the starter as a redshirt sophomore. In 2019 Bresnahan was the second tight end catching 7 passes for 105 yards. He was a three star recruit out of Georgia and has good size at 6’4″ 245 lbs. If he can grow in the starting role and be a reliable target it will take a lot of pressure off the rest of the offense. Gavin Schoenwald was a high three star recruit in the 2018 class but has yet to make a catch for the Commodores. Joel DeCoursey arrived in 2019 and should also be an option at the position. Neither player has played much so it’s tough to say if they will have a meaningful impact. If they cannot cut it, true freshman Diego LaMonica could get a chance. LeMonica is a good athlete with some upside but will need some time to develop.
2020 Outlook: There are more questions than answers for 2020, Johnson should be the number one receiver but beyond that it’s a mystery on the outside. He will need someone else to step up to keep teams from gameplanning him out of the game. At tight end Bresnahan has some experience but the room has little experience or success to lean on.
Offensive Line
The good news is the Commodores return three starters on the offensive line. The bad news is left tackle Devin Cochran decided to transfer and was the best offensive lineman on the team. Left guard Saige Young has graduated but the Commodores do return their center, right guard and right tackle. Cochran was a big blow but the team has some options to sure up the offensive line and make some progress up front. This unit will be counted on to protect the new quarterbacks.
Grant Miller (6’4″ 295 lbs) started at center the first five games last season as a redshirt sophomore but was replaced by Junior Sean McMoore (6’4″ 292 lbs). Neither is a star but both have some experience and will be the likely options at center again in 2020, . Cole Clemens (6’6″ 320 lbs) started nine games at guard last year before missing the final three with an injury. He also started twelve games in 2018 and is likely the best and most experienced lineman on the team. He has been solid at guard for two years and should be the starter at one of the guard spots again. Tyler Steen (6’5″ 305 lbs) started all twelve games at right tackle last season as a redshirt freshman. Steen should be much improved this year with added strength and technique, and will be a starter at one tackle spot.
Jonathan Stewart (6’7″ 326 lbs) was the backup to Devin Cochran last year, and did earn three starts last year as redshirt sophomore. Stewart is a big offensive tackle and will need to show good development and play well if the Commodores are going to be successful in 2020. Dan Dawkins (6’3″ 305 lbs) was a reserve at guard last year and will be in consideration to start at the open guard spot or potentially at center. Dawkins will be a redshirt sophomore but arrived as a highly touted recruit in the 2018 class and has the potential to be a good player for Vanderbilt. Bryce Bailey (6’5″ 305 lbs) also started two games last year at guard and played some tackle as a reserve. Bailey will be a redshirt junior and should be in the mix to play this coming season.
Also in the mix on the interior will be graduate transfer Stephen Spanellis from Michigan. Spanellis played in 13 games for the Wolverines and will play his final year at Vanderbilt. He is an interior offensive lineman but will provide veteran leadership and some experience on the line. A couple of young tackles who may be ready to contribute are Brayden Bapst (6’6″ 270 lbs) and Donald Fitzgerald (6’8″ 300 lbs). Both are long prospects who needed some time to fill out, if they can become contributors it would go a long way towards providing good depth on the offensive line. The Commodores did add four offensive lineman in the 2020 recruiting class but we don’t expect them to play a big role this season.
2020 Oulook: There are many questions on the offensive line and a lot will have to go right for this group to be above average this season. Look for Steen and Stewart to get the first crack at the tackle spots, while Dawkins, Miller and Clemens should start on the interior at the start of the season. There are a lot of players who have some experience, hopefully they grow with that experience and can form an adequate unit for Vanderbilt.
2020 Vanderbilt Commodores Preview – Defense
Defensive Line
The Commodores return everyone from the two deep on the defensive line. That experience will be needed as Vanderbilt looks to improve on last years poor defensive performance. There may be opportunity for a talented younger player to unseat a veteran but for the most part this unit will be a year more experienced version of last years defensive line.
The best news for Vanderbilt is that star defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo is back for his senior season. The 6’6″ 275 lb defensive end had 45 tackles and 12.5 TFL last season and will be counted on to lead the defensive front again. Odeyingbo has great length and a great frame to continue to grow into, he should continue to improve his game, which is scary. Andre Mintz played at the other end position and did a decent job picking up 4.5 sacks and 7.5 TFL last season. Mintz is 6’3″ 242 lbs and more of a hybrid linebacker/defensive end, he will be a senior this year and will be expected to improve as a pass rusher. At tackle starters Drew Birchmeier (6’4″ 300 lbs) and Cameron Tidd (6’3″ 296 lbs) both return as rising seniors but will need to elevate their play.
Daevion Davis (6’2″ 302 lbs) could push for more playing time at defensive tackle this year. He played as a true freshman last year and recorded 14 tackles and 1 TFL. Davis was one of the top recruits in the Commodores 2019 recruiting class and is a talented player on the inside. Malik Langham is another interesting option upfront, the transfer from Florida who was a four star recruit in the 2018 recruiting class, will be a redshirt sophomore and has great size at 6’5″ 290 lbs. Langham and Davis would likely play a major role in any possible resurgence of the Vanderbilt defense.
Elijah McCallister (6’6″ 258 lbs) played some at defensive end last season as a redshirt freshman. He has great length and a good frame to continue to get stronger. McCallister was productive as a reserve picking up 4.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks, look for him to be better in 2020 and continue to see more playing time. Rutger Reitmaier (6’3″ 270 lbs) is another name to keep in mind at defensive end. He also had 4.5 TFL last season in what was his redshirt sophomore season. He should be a part of the rotation at end again this year and help provide good depth.
Ohio State transfer Alex Williams is an intriguing prospect but it is unknown if he will be eligible for the 2020 season. If eligible Williams could see some time at defensive end. There is not a lot of room for players to breakthrough beyond the guys already mentioned. We expect most of the defensive line snaps to come from these players. The defensive line has good experience to lean on, hopefully they can get the results needed to improve the defense in 2020.
2020 Outlook: Odeyingbo is the only sure fire starter in the group. Look for McCallister to push Mintz for playing time at end, and for Davis and Langham to continue to take snaps from Birchmeier and Tidd. Competition is good, and the defensive line should be better off for it. This is a position that may be a strength for Vanderbilt in 2020, but to do so they will need a consistent pass rusher to emerge.
Linebacker
Vanderbilt returns its three leading tacklers at linebacker. The only loss in the linebacker room is Caleb Peart who played as a reserve and was fourth on the team in tackles. Peart has exhausted his eligibilty, but the Commodores have many capable bodies at linebacker returning. There is experience and production in the linebacker room for 2020, which should be a big step towards an improved defense in 2020.
Dimitri Moore will be a redshirt junior this year and was the leading tackler on the team in 2019, with 99 tackles, 6 TFL and 3 PBU on the season. Moore is a talented player with a good athleticism who has added good weight over his career. He has been productive the last two seasons and should be counted on to continue to perform in 2020. He will be joined at linebacker by Feleti Afemui who will also be a redshirt junior. Afemui got his first taste of significant playing time last season and was a solid performer with 45 tackles and 1.5 TFL. Afemui needs to continue to improve and become more of an impact player to give Moore the support he needs. Kenny Hebert will also get playing time at linebacker, the redshirt senior to be had 34 tackles, 7 TFL and 2 PBU last year and should be in the mix at linebacker again this year.
While the three linebackers listed above led the group in tackles last year there were a few other linebackers who showed signs of being contributors going forward. Brayden DeVault-Smith was redshirt sophomore as well and accounted for 23 tackles in a reserve role last season. He would likely have played more but it’s difficult to take a player like Moore off the field. He will continue to provide depth in 2020. Lashawn Paulino-Bell, Michael Owusu and Alston Orji all saw playing time last year. Paulino-Bell and Owusu had their moments and should provide good depth again, while Orji should get more time now with the departure of Peart. This group provides a good core of reserve linebackers for the Commodores in 2020.
There isn’t a lot of room for younger players to crack the two deep right now. We expect that these six players will play the majority of the snaps at linebacker for the Commodores. There will be a need for new linebackers to emerge in 2021, so it will be interesting to see who can impress in practice or mop up duty, but expect the depth chart to be filled by these six players in 2020.
2020 Outook: Moore is a star at linebacker and should continue to play well for Vanderbilt. Afemui and Hebert will get the first shot at the other two starting spots but could lose snaps to DeVault-Smith or Paulino-Bell if they do not continue to progress. We expect the linebacker play at Vanderbilt to be good in 2020.
Defensive Backs
Vanderbilt played a lot of young players in 2019 in the defensive backfield. Though they took their lumps at times, they should learn from the experience and come back a stronger unit in 2020. They do lose Cam Watkins, but he was likely the sixth Defensive back on the team by the end of the season anyway. Look for this group to show growth and progress in 2020 as the four youngsters who were thrown to the wolves last year will be much better this year.
Tae Daley will be a senior this season, he only played in 9 games but started all 9 of them. He really improved from his sophomore season and was a reliable player in the back end for the Commodores. Daley had 57 tackles, 2 PBU and 3 Int in 2019 and was a steady force in the secondary. Next to Daley, DaShaun Jerkins started 11 games at safety as a redshirt freshman compiling 58 tackles and 2 PBU. It was a bit of a baptism by fire but young players who get experience can be a big plus down the line. Jerkins had his moments in 2019 but expect him to have learned from his mistakes and be a better player in 2020. Brendon Harris got three starts at safety last year but played a good amount even as a reserve. He had a strong redshirt freshman season finishing with 51 tackles, 1 TFL and 2 PBU. He is a talented young player who will be difficult to keep off the field going forward. The trio gives Vanderbilt options at safety allowing them to find the best combination depending on the matchup and situation.
At corner, Allan George led the way with 11 starts as a redshirt sophomore and was solid, accumulating 39 tackles, 4 TFL, 5 PBU and 1 Int. George had some good moments but will need to be more consistent in 2020 for the Commodores to progress as a team. Opposite George, BJ Anderson started 9 games as a redshirt freshman last season. Anderson made 20 tackles and had 2 PBU on the season, but the experience he gained will pay dividends going forward. Anderson has good length and can be a good outside corner as he develops. The duo should be better in 2020 and part of a much improved Commodores secondary.
Jaylen Mahoney will also be a key contributor in 2020. As a true freshman he had 23 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 2 PBU and 1 Int playing mostly at the nickel position. Mahoney showed he was advanced beyond his years and could become a big part of the defensive backfield going forward. Randall Haynie has been a reserve corner the past two seasons and should continue to provide depth in the same role in 2020. Both players will be valuable in case of injury and in nickel and dime packages this season.
Watch for Anfernee Orji to continue to get more playing time at safety. He won’t unseat any of the three players above him but he will be a key part of the future and should see playing time at safety. The fact that Orji did not redshirt last year tells you the coaches think he is a player that can help them sooner rather than later. A key recruit to watch in the secondary will be Donovan Kaufman, he is a talented defensive back from Louisiana and could get some reps in mop up duty as the Commodores attempt to build depth going forward.
2020 Outlook: The youth movement from last year should pay off in 2020. George and Anderson can be a solid pair of corners. The safety play will be good with Harris, Daley and Jerkins all playing a lot of snaps. There is some depth available but a few younger players will need to step up if injuries arise.
Special Teams
Javan Rice will be the only kicker on the roster who has attempted a field goal at the collegiate level. He did make that that 1 attempt from 28 yards out last year. He also made all four extra point attempts he tried last season. At the least Rice will be able to convert short kicks and extra points. It remains to be seen if he can make longer field goals. Harrison Smith was an average punter last year averaging 43 yards per punt as a sophomore. There is no one with major return experience returning so we won’t know much about who could be returning kicks until camp starts but this could be a spot for some younger players to make an early impact.
2020 Outlook: The kicking game should be solid in 2020, Javan Rice should be at least adequate on medium and short kicks, with the potential to be better. Smith is an average punter and should continue to do a decent job for the Commodores.
Outlook in 2020
The offense will look very different in 2020 because of the turnover at all of the skill positions. Its difficult to imagine a scenario where a freshman quarterback steps into an offense with new players in key roles across the board and stars. We like running back Keyon Brooks and think he will do well which should help the new quarterback and Cam Johnson has potential at receiver. A reasonable goal would be for the offensive line to gel and Brook and Johnson to become dangerous weapons on offense. This way Seals or whoever the quarterback is can grow into the position and build momentum for 2021. An offense that ranks in the middle of the pack seems like the optimistic view at this point.
The outlook on defense is better than on offense. The linebacker core is solid and the defensive line returns experience. The secondary should be ready to take a big step forward this year, which will be a big plus for the defense. There is a need to find a true pass rusher who can get after the quarterback and we are not sure that player is on the roster right now. This defense could be above average in 2020 which would be a marked improvement from last year.
The out of conference schedule features one easy win in Mercer, two games Vanderbilt should win in Louisiana Tech and Colorado State (though Tech is a decent team) and a tougher game against Kansas State on the road. Fortunately the Commodores get Mississippi and South Carolina at home but have to play at Missouri which makes that game tougher. The defense could be above average but the offense will be challenged in conference play and will need to grow quickly.
We expect to Vanderbilt to win 3 or 4 games in 2020, if the offense shows significant progress that number could reach 5 but a bowl game is likely not in the cards this year. The important thing is going to be the development of the young quarterback and skill players on offense. If the offense shows improvement this year Derek Mason could keep his job, but if the offense is abysmal again Mason will not be back for the 2021 season. Vanderbilt has fallen a long way since James Franklin left and needs to show it can return to that level.
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