The Vanderbilt Commodores did well to make a bowl game last season. Yet, they left some wins on the table. The clear goal in 2017 will be to win those extra games and see if this historically beaten-down football school can make a run at nine wins.
How Did They End 2016
Vanderbilt – which had come so close to winning important games for much of the 2016 season – was 4-6 after 10 games. Then, however, the offense played its two best games of the year against Ole Miss and then Tennessee. Kyle Shurmur had shown glimpses of his potential for much of the season, but in those final two games, the Vanderbilt signal-caller came alive and smoked the two secondaries he faced. Vanderbilt takes on an entirely different look when its passing game is explosive. The Commodores have enough defense to make great offensive performances stand out. Not every team in the country can say that – a lot of teams in the Big 12 Conference routinely waste high-scoring outputs from their offenses. Vanderbilt doesn’t do that. The end-of-season 1-2 punch against Ole Miss and Tennessee points the way to the template for the 2017 team’s success. The Independence Bowl featured a punchless performance by that same offense against North Carolina State. Everyone in that offensive huddle knows it must carry the load for the Commodores this upcoming fall.
Offseason Changes
Zach Cunningham was a holy terror at linebacker, and he also blocked kicks by exploiting gaps in an opposing team’s block formation. Cunningham made incredible plays all over the field and in a full range of assorted situations. He was the anchor of the team whose slogan is “Anchor Down!” He was magnificent, and now he is off to the NFL’s Houston Texans. No one linebacker or defensive player will fully be able to compensate for him, but if the Commodores can get even 50 or 60 percent of his production this season in his absence, they will wind up doing well, better than most expect.
Team X-Factor
Quarterback Kyle Shurmur is the man of the moment. Running back Ralph Webb will need help, and Shurmur has to be able to throw the ball downfield not only to give Webb protection, but to make use of what Webb does for the team. Whenever defenses key on stopping Webb, and they often will, Shurmur needs to make defenses pay the ultimate price – not a 15-yard gain, but a long score. Vanderbilt has to go for kill shots in the passing game so that it can rack up the big totals seen in the Ole Miss and Tennessee games last season.
What To Expect From The Commodores This Year
Vanderbilt is not a realistic SEC East championship contender – not with Florida and Georgia having so much elite talent. However, Vanderbilt can certainly finish third or even second if one of those two teams in front of the Dores falters. In order for this to happen, Shurmur has to be great. He did not show enough last season to suggest that he will be outstanding. He showed that he could be outstanding, but over 12 games, he still has to prove it. A bowl game should definitely be in the cards, but this team legitimately expects to do more than the 6-6 regular season from 2016.
Record Last 5 Seasons
2016: 6-7
2015: 4-8
2014: 3-9
2013: 9-4
2012: 9-4
Schedule and Outlook
Vanderbilt has an easy start to the schedule with two cupcakes in the first two weeks. They should be 2-0 after visiting Middle Tennessee State and hosting Alabama A&M. However, after that, things get dicey. They’ll have to host a quality Kansas State team and then hosting Alabama before visiting Florida.
Vanderbilt failed to beat Kentucky but it did beat Georgia. If it can go 1-1 against those teams again, that will be decent. Winning at Tennessee won’t be easy, but Vanderbilt might have more talent on the field in that game. All in all, six wins feels just right for this team, but because of a challenging non-conference schedule, six feels closer to a ceiling than a floor.
Regular Season Win Total Prediction: Under 6
Click here to bet on the college football futures for the 2017 college football season right now. DSI will have all of the latest lines, spreads and props for this year’s action!
