Cornerbacks space that can be strengthened by healthy return of transfers

In a season 2024, which showed improvements for an improvement almost everywhere VanderbiltOne area was not noticeably moving forward: pass defense. The Commodores showed number 105 nationwide by allowing 7.9 yards per pass, hardly better than 8.0 yards per pass in 2023.

The harder defense of running helped a unit that took sufficient step forward to make a bowl game and a season with seven wins. But an often forgotten action is that the black and the gold without at least one projected starter at Cornerback and possibly two: transfers played Mark Davis Jr. And Marlon Jones Jr.

Davis injured an Achilles tendon last summer, while Jones was never enrolled after diagnosing cancer. Both are now with the team and will practice to a certain extent this spring, with Davis returning closer to a full return.

“I believe Clark Lea on Tuesday. “He was impressive in winter. He is one of our most explosive players in the weight room, and he has accumulated many snapshots on the field. So it was great to have him out here again. We will keep an eye on him when we go through spring, but it looks like he is going well.”

Davis, a transfer of South Illinois Who started his career at buffaloHas played 1,069 career snapshots according to Pro Football Focus. Jones, from East Washingtonhas played 2,037 snapshots per PFF. No other cornerbacks on Vandy's squad can match these numbers.

Although Davis and Jones came to the west end from FCS programs, they showed themselves at this level through every yield of all-conference recognition in 2023. Martel Hight Has the insider route to start after a strong season last autumn, but the Dores need more quality in addition to the emerging junior.

Read Vandy247's practice report from the first day of spring ball here.

In particular, Lea said that last season he wanted to go away from Vandy's Zone Haavy team on the way to Mann last season because Vandy acted as a team of zone due to sketchy reporting skills. Lea has Tennessee Wide Receiver Dont'e Thorntons 86-Yard touchdown against little resistance as a game type that the Commodores have to eliminate, and better playing at Cornerback could help.

“These games cannot happen for us to win in these games,” said Lea. “A guy like Mark – with his experience, speed, his self -confidence – can make a great contribution to helping us to close these gaps.”

Familiar face

With Lea, the defensive Play calling tasks handed over to a new coordinator Steve Gregory While LineBacker trainer Nick Lezynski The Commodores takes over as a co-defensive coordinator and mixed their braintrust on this side of the ball. An old friend will give this group instructions: Newly shaped defensive analyst Bob Shoop.

Shoop served as a defensive coordinator under the then Vanderbilt trainer James Franklin From 2011 to 2013, part of the top defense in the program history. Since then, the 58-year 0LD has coordinated the defense at Penn StatePresent TennesseePresent Mississippi State and Südflorida. Most recently, Shoop 2024 trained in Marshall.

“From the jump I wanted to make people not see the cracks in the cup and not to see the challenges here, but to see the chances. Bob is a good example of this,” said Lea. “Bob's time here was previously shaped by good luck in the field, some really great defense that played and won.

“His attitude towards Vanderbilt is that this is the best place in the world. He and I are able. What we bring with us is someone with a lot of experience as a play-aller. He has a great coordinator spirit.

Coaching room

Lea said offensive duels Grayson Morgan And Anthony miles Both medically in retirement due to recurring back injuries, which led to several operations. Due to the retirement, neither Morgan nor Miles count against the 85-man scholarship limit of the Commodores.

“Obviously I have both recruited with great visions for their football career,” said Lea. “Both are so positive members of our community. I can't say enough about people.

“Egoistic, I want everyone to play and I want everyone to play for a long time. But when they start talking about their back and dealing with operations, and the struggle to play this game with a weight that controls in and in themselves. In cooperation with them and their families, they decided and we have the best that they are.