The 2016 football season begins today, as Vanderbilt is set to kick off spring practice. The Black & Gold Spring Game will take place next month, March 25, and feature a “Friday Night Lights” theme, according to head coach Derek Mason. Over the next month, Vanderbilt will look to retool on both sides of the ball in preparation for the exhibition game.
The Black & Gold Spring Game will help give us a better idea of what to expect once the regular season kicks off next fall. With that in mind, here are the five storylines that you need to follow during spring practice.
Simplified Defense In The Spring
Expect to see Mason trim down the defensive playbook for the spring so that he can see his players’ raw abilities at full speed. Within the 3-4 scheme, Mason will only have four base calls and four more calls in a nickel package. “We are going to recalibrate, bring this thing right back to ground zero,” said Mason, whose defense was among the best in the SEC last season. “We have tweaked this defense a little bit, so you are going to see some guys in different positions. There will be more speed on the field and a more athletic look.”
Same OC and Quarterback
Vanderbilt will most likely be sticking with their starting Quarterback, Kyle Shurmur, who started five games at the end of his 2015 freshman campaign. Shurmur passed for 503 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions last season. Offensive Coordinator, Andy Ludwig, is back as well, giving the Commodores more stability on the offensive end this spring. Strong quarterback play will be the most important factor for Vanderbilt if they hope to see improvement this season.
Spring Game Standouts
A good spring practice does not necessarily translate into a successful season. However, there is no question that some individual breakouts begin in the spring. Look no further than Ralph Webb, who had a big performance in the spring game two years ago before going on to break Vanderbilt’s freshman rushing record that fall. Mason hopes to see some running backs and wide receivers show promise during this spring game so that the team can really open up the offense.
Aggressive Up Front
The new offensive line coach, Cameron Norcross, will make his on-field debut with the Commodores this spring. He was hired just last month, previously serving as the Nevada/Fresno State assistant coach. Norcross shared his aggressive philosophy with his new players heading into spring practice. “The big thing with him is that we’re going to be aggressive in everything we do,” said offensive lineman Andrew Jelks, who returns from a 2015 torn ACL. “He wants us up front to be labeled as aggressive types that will hit you in the mouth every play.”
Who Will Be The Go-To Players
Mason stated that is the overall goal for the spring is to get a “true understanding of exactly what our personnel is because you want to design scheme around your best players.” This means that Mason will be moving around players on the defense to try and find the best fit. Norcross will try to get his offensive line solidified, so we can expect some experimentation as he looks to find a group that works best together. Lastly, Shurmur is hopeful to find some new targets in the passing game in the second year of Ludwig’s offense.