Seven rash predictions for the coming year

[BrentVU]

Here are seven (semi-informed) predictions I'm putting out there for the upcoming season...

1. David Raih's offense is going to start putting up a lot of points... eventually. Maybe not the first or second or third week, but eventually you are going to see an explosion. Raih is going to run a wide-open, high-octane offense that is going to excite fans, and why shouldn't he? He's got two QB's who can deliver the ball, and he's got a fleet of experienced receivers. What's been needed is a scheme that lets them play to their potential; Raih will provide it.

2. OK, we know Seals is going to start, and Wright is going to play some. Seals is Mr. Consistency, but Wright is Mr. Excitement. My prediction is: within the first three games, you're going to see Wright make a play as a backup that is going to make people say, Wow. Just wow.

3. Just as Vandy's offense is (eventually) going to put up a lot of points, Vandy's defense is going to give up a lot of points. There are a number of reasons for this, but let's just say the second and third levels of Vandy's defense are probably not up to SEC standards, although they will hopefully improve some in the first three weeks against OOC opponents.

The one thing that might change this is...

4. Elijah McAllister is ready to come into his own as a breakout player. And Vandy's defensive line depth, as we enter the season, is not too shabby. Jesse Minter's defense will put McAllister in a position to make plays. And if Minter, a cagey cat, can engineer some ways for Vandy to pressure QB's (something that didn't happen much last year), Vandy's defense has a chance to be better than I think.

5. I'm predicting five wins for this team, including two SEC wins. Four wins would probably be enough to satisfy the fan base in Year One, but I think the upside is there for a better season than that. Maybe I'm just getting Kool-Aid drunk, but I really like the vibe coming from Clark Lea and McGugin right now. Lea wants Vandy to be "the team no one wants to play," and I think he will take a few steps in that direction his first year. I keep thinking back to James Franklin's first year; the focus on attitude and doing the little things right was enough to get VU to six wins and a bowl in his first season.

6. Vanderbilt will NOT finish in the cellar of the East this year, as most everyone predicts; that honor should go to the team that is getting very proficient at going up staircases. The Vandy-UT game should be very personal to Clark Lea, who played in three painful losses to the Vols in the Philip Fulmer era.

7. And I think Auburn might be the surprise team in the SEC this year. They did well in hiring Bryan Harsin. Harsin is not an SEC guy, but he did a brilliant thing in bringing in Mike Bobo and Derek Mason as his coordinators-- two guys who ultimately failed as head coaches, but who should be very, very good now that the pressure is off and they are back to doing what they do best.

[dore74]

Thanks Brent, you always have something interesting to say. I do hope that a lot of points come sooner rather than later as i think game two, CSU, is a game that can go either way for us, and a win against them would be very, very critical if we are to surprise to the upside.

Speed kills and not having it is really deadly. Last year anyway, schemes or not, we were always slower than the other team. Hopefully you're right that the D-line can rush things along and make up for some of it.

Re the staff agree that the vibe is totally different and Lea so far seems to have what it takes. Re Mason and coaching D, the jury is definitely out on that. He seemed to me to have the team's heart more times than not but never the organizational skills or moxie that was needed. Not sure if limiting his purview to just defense changes that. Wish him well regardless...

[VU1970]

I agree with all seven!

[BrentVU]

Here is another prediction:

8. The Dr. Pepper "Fansville" commercials will continue to be unwatchable.

[vutrain]

Here is another prediction:

8. The Dr. Pepper "Fansville" commercials will continue to be unwatchable.

Yea, What happened to Larry Culpepper the Dr. Pepper vendor?
Fanville sucks

[LawoftheWest]

Here is another prediction:

8. The Dr. Pepper "Fansville" commercials will continue to be unwatchable.

Yea, What happened to Larry Culpepper the Dr. Pepper vendor?
Fanville sucks

Agree,
He was kind of funny in a goofy way. The "Fansville" commercials are among the worst.

[JWCommodore]

Maybe I'm just getting Kool-Aid drunk,

It is the season my friend. Hope springs eternal whenever a new coach and a new season are about to start. Pass the Kool-Aid, I want some too. We are VANDY fans by Golly, this is what we do. Anchor Down!

[alathIN]

Speed kills and not having it is really deadly. Last year anyway, schemes or not, we were always slower than the other team. Hopefully you're right that the D-line can rush things along and make up for some of it.

There are different levels of speed on defense.
1) I'm so fast, I can be out of position and take a bad angle and still make the play
2) I'm fast enough that I won't get burned deep unless a) I'm out of position or b) I get faked out of my socks or c) I'm trying to cover a guy with elite speed and there's no pressure on the QB
3) I'm fast enough to cover the opponent's #2 guy, but probably not their #1 guy.
4) I'm fast enough to play decent coverage if coach calls the right play and either the D-line gets pressure on the opposing QB or I get help deep
5) I'm so slow I can get burned by mediocre players even if I'm in the right position and the rest of the defense is doing their job.

Vanderbilt certainly did not have a lot of 1)'s last year.
I don't think the Vanderbilt D was at level 5) last year, because we never met the "I'm in the right position and the rest of the defense doing their job" criteria.
There are some of those middle levels where you can still have a serviceable defense and compete against the low- to mid-level SEC teams.

My predictions:
1. There will be a disappointing loss somewhere early in the season to a team we thought we could beat. My candidate is Colorado State.
2. There will be a surprising win later in the season against a team we did not expect to beat
3. The offensive line will struggle early, but will start to gel by midseason - and this will be a major factor in the surprise win

[VandyPhile]

Maybe I'm just getting Kool-Aid drunk,

It is the season my friend. Hope springs eternal whenever a new coach and a new season are about to start. Pass the Kool-Aid, I want some too. We are VANDY fans by Golly, this is what we do. Anchor Down!

Someone called for Kool-Aid?