College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Vanderbilt Commodores season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Vanderbilt Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2019 Record: 3-9 overall, 1-7 in SEC
Head Coach: Derek Mason, 7th year, 27-47
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 99
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 116
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 62
No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: Vanderbilt Commodores Offense 3 Things To Know
– It was a rough run. The offense that scored 370 points in 2018 only managed 198, coming up with 14 or fewer points seven times and finishing dead last in the SEC in scoring. The O averaged fewer than 300 yards per game, was dead last in the SEC in rushing, and was second-to-last in passing.
Enter Todd Fitch, the former Louisiana Tech offensive coordinator who steps in to try finding something that consistently works, preferably with the passing game.
If it’s possible to have less than no experience at a position, that’s the Vanderbilt quarterback situation.
Leading passer Riley Neal is done, second-leading passer Deuce Wallace is transferring, and Mo Hasan left for USC. The hope is for true freshman Mike Wright to be ready to roll right out of the box. He has 6-3, 190-pound size and the athleticism be dangerous whenever he’s in the open field. He’ll have to battle with fellow recruit Ken Seals along with JUCO transfers Danny Clark and Jeremy Moussa.
CFN in 60 Video: Vanderbilt Commodores Preview
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– Leading receiver Kalija Lipscomb is done after a disappointing year – not his fault – but sophomore Cam Johnson is back after finishing second with 30 catches for 316 yards and three scores and 6-4, 225-pound senior Chris Pierce. Tight end Jared Pinkney is done, but 6-4, 245-pound Ben Bresnahan has good size and upside.
– The offensive line has to be a whole lot better. It didn’t do much of anything for the ground game, and it struggled to do anything consistently well in pass protection. To be fair, it was a rebuilding group that started a slew of young parts, and now there’s more work to do.
Left tackle Devin Cochran left for Georgia Tech, but in comes Stephen Spanellis from Michigan to potentially take over a starting guard spot.
No matter what, the front five has to do more for a ground attack that finished with fewer than 1,500 yards and just 11 touchdowns, even though Ke’Shawn Vaughn ran for 1,028 yards and nine scores.
Vaughn is a Tampa Bay Buccaneer now, but 6-1, 202-pound Keyon Brooks is back after finishing second on the team with 252 yards and a score. Freshman Rocko Griffin was a nice recruit, but 211-pound junior Mitchell Pryor and 5-11, 190-pound sophomore Ja’Veon Marlow will be in the rotation.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Vanderbilt Commodores Defense 3 Things To Know