(Photo Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB AJ Swann, WR/KR Jaden McGowan, WR/PR Will Sheppard, OC Julian Henandez, OG Bradely Ashmore, OG Delfin Xavier Castillo, OT Gunnar Hansen, DE Nate Clifton, DT Devin Lee, LB Ethan Barr, CB BJ Anderson, NB CJ Taylor, FS Jaylen Mahoney, SS De’Rickey Wright and PT Matt Hayball.
Key Players Departing:
RB Re’Mahm Davis, RB Mike Wright, OG Ben Cox, OT Bradley Ashmore, NT Christian James, LB Anfernee Orji, LB Kane Patterson, CB Jeremy Lucien, CB Tyson Russell, DS Maxwell Worship and PK Joseph Bulovas.
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: CB Martel Hight (Rome, Georgia), WR London Humphreys (Nashville, Tennessee), LB Prince Kollie (Notre Dame transfer), WR Kamrean Johnson (Theodore, Alabama), OL Anthony Miles (Birmingham, Alabama), LB Dante Kelly (Itta Bena, Mississippi), DL De’Marion Thomas (Tulsa, Oklahoma), RB Sedrick Alexander (Austin, Texas), RB AJ Newberry (Grand Prairie, Texas).
2022 Results:
G01 @ Hawaii W 63-10
G02 ELON W 42-31
G03 #23 WAKE FOREST L 25-45
G04 @ Northern Illinois W 38-28
G05 @ #2 Alabama L 3-55
G06 #9 OLE MISS L 28-52
G07 @ #1 Georgia L 0-55
G08 @ Missouri L 14-17
G09 SOUTH CAROLINA L 27-38
G10 @ #24 Kentucky W 24-21
G11 FLORIDA W 31-24
G12 #10 TENNESSEE L 0-56
Team Info:
2022 Overall: 5-7 (7th in SEC East)
Home: 2-4
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 0-0
SEC: 2-6
Non-SEC: 3-1
Head Coach: Clark Lea
Vanderbilt: 7-17
Career: 7-17
Bowls: 0-0
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: AJ Swann (115-198, 1274 yards, 58.1%, 6.4 avg., 10 TD, 2 INT)
Rushing: Patrick Smith (56 rec., 92 yards, 2.5 avg., 0 TD)
Receiving: Cam Johnson (56 rec., 151 yards, 2.7 avg., 1 TD)
TD’s Scored: Will Sheppard (9)
Sacks: Kane Patterson (2.5)
Tackles: CJ Taylor (59)
Interceptions: De’Rickey Wright (3)
Pass Deflections: De’Rickey Wright (7)
Tackles For Loss: Jaylen Mahoney/CJ Taylor (7)
Forced Fumbles: Matt Hayball (1)
Kick Returns: Jayden McGowan (16 ret., 384 yards, 24.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Will Sheppard (9 ret., 42 yards, 4.7 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Will Faris (0-0 fg/fga., 0%, 1-1 xp/xpa., 1 point)
Punting: Matt Hayball (58 punts, 2634 yards, 45.4 avg., 18 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 5 AJ Swann (SO)
RB: 28 Sedrick Alexander (FR)
WR: 14 Will Sheppard (SR)
WR: 3 Quincy Skinner Jr. (JR)
WR: 6 Jayden McGowan (SO)
TE: 16 Cole Spence (RS FR)
LT: 55 Gunnar Hansen (RS SO)
LG: 64 Delfin Xavier Castillo (JR)
OC: 62 Julian Henandez (GR)
RG: 50 Bradley Ashmore (SR)
RT: 77 Junior Uzebu (GR/TR)
KR: 6 Jayden McGowan (SO)
PK: 38 Will Faris (RS SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 11 Darren Agu (SO)
DT: 5 Yilanan Ouattara (SO)
NT: 99 Devin Lee (JR)
DE: 00 Aeneas DiCosmo (GR/TR)
LB: 19 Kane Patterson (SR/TR)
LB: 10 Langston Patterson (SO)
NB: 1 CJ Taylor (JR)
CB: 26 BJ Anderson (GR)
CB: 8 Tyson Russell (JR)
FS: 23 Jaylen Mahoney (GR)
SS: 2 De’Rickey Wright (SR)
PR: 14 Will Sheppard (SR)
PT: 45 Matt Hayball (GR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams:
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: A
Schedule:
08/28 HAWAII RAINBOW WARRIORS | Last season’s 63-10 win was the first meeting between schools.
09/02 ALABAMA A&M BULLDOGS | Vanderbilt won (42-0) the only prior meeting between schools in 2017.
09/09 @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons | Vanderbilt leads the series 10-7. Last season’s 25-45 loss was the first meeting between schools since 2013.
09/16 @ UNLV Rebels | Vanderbilt lost (10-34) the only prior meeting between schools in 2019.
09/23 KENTUCKY WILDCATS | Vanderbilt trails the series 43-48-4. The Commodores are 3-7 since 2013 and their last series loss (17-34) was in 2021.
09/30 MISSOURI TIGERS | Vanderbilt trails the series 4-10-1. The Commodores are 2-8 since 2013 and their last series win (21-14) was in 2019.
10/07 @ Florida Gators | Vanderbilt trails the series 11-43-2. The Commodores are 2-8 since 2013 and their last series loss (0-42) was in 2021.
10/14 GEORGIA BULLDOGS | Vanderbilt trails the series 20-60-2. The Commodores are 2-7 since 2013 and their last series win (17-16) was in 2016.
10/28 @ Ole Miss Rebels | Vanderbilt trails the series 40-55-2. The Commodores are 2-8 since 2013 and their last series win (36-29 OT) was in 2018.
11/04 AUBURN TIGERS | The series is tied 21-21-1. The Commodores lost (16-23) the last meeting between schools in 2016.
11/11 @ South Carolina Gamecocks | Vanderbilt trails the series 4-28. The Commodores are 0-10 since 2013 and their last series win (24-17) dates back to 2008.
11/25 @ Tennessee Volunteers | Vanderbilt trails the series 33-79-5. The Commodores are 4-6 since 2013 and their last series win (38-13) was in 2018.
Predictions:
Home: 3-3
Away: 0-6
Neutral: 0-0
SEC: 1-7
Non-SEC: 2-2
Overall: 3-9 (7th in SEC East)
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