Tag: Commodores

What is wrong with Vanderbilt?

What is going wrong at Vanderbilt? On Tuesday six more Vanderbilt players became unavailable for the Texas A&M game. There was one more opt-out. This time is was starting LB Feleti Afemui who became the sixth person to walk away from the 2020 season. Afemui joins kicker Oren Milstein and offensive linesmen Cole Clemens, Bryce Bailey, Jonathan Stewart and Stephen Spanellis in deciding to sit 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. Then there was an injury to LB Elijah MacAllister and S Brandon Harris, and  LB Michael Owusu, who will miss Game No.1 because of COVID-19 quarantine. Harris was one of Vanderbilt’s leading tacklers last year.   The news has infuriated some of the Vandy faithful. On Twitter, @NotVandyOC said: “Look around the SEC and find another school

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Sophomore Vanderbilt TE loses fight with cancer

In news far bigger than any football game, Vanderbilt tight end Turner Cockrell has died of cancer aged 21, the school has announced. Cockrell was a redshirt sophomore, missing the entire 2018 season after he was diagnosed with melanoma. When the disease spread to his lungs, there was little the doctors could do. He passed away on Thursday. “My heart is broken for Randy, Noelle and the Cockrell family, for all of Turner’s teammates, and for all who came in contact with Turner,” Vanderbilt head football coach Derek Mason said in a statement released by the university. “Turner had a wonderful spirit and fought an incredible fight. He was a Vanderbilt Man through and through, and he will always be remembered here.”

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Missouri’s the worst team in the SEC: Week 8 rankings

OK, so I’m still trying to work out who the worst team in the conference (Missouri, South Carolina or Vanderbilt). I know one thing for certain: Missouri’s got the worst offense (and one of the best defenses). South Carolina got a win after Spurrier left, but they are still awful. And Vanderbilt is still….Vanderbilt. And that’s despite beating Missouri. Jeez, it’s difficult. Anyway, I took some smelling salts (sold to me by Maty Mauk) and came up with the answers…. After a lay-off of rankings last week, here’s our rankings after Week 8: Alabama (1): Derrick Henry will be a Heisman candidate. If it wasn’t for him – and some horrific Tennessee field goal kicking – this game against Tennessee

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Vanderbilt Head Coach James Franklin to go to Penn State – reports

Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin is going to leave the SEC and be the next coach of Penn State, according to reports. Franklin, who had been head coach in Nashville since 2011, took the Commodores to an unprecedented two straight bowl games, going 2-0. They beat Houston 41-24 in their last one only last week. But Vanderbilt has denied the rumors. “Until I hear otherwise, he (James Franklin) is Vanderbilt’s football coach,” said Vandy AD David Williams to Jeff Lockridge at the Tennessean, who tweeted this out. Penn State site Fight On State said Franklin had signed a contract, but the deal had yet to be approved by the Penn State Board of Trustees. BOTTOM LINE: Franklin’s enthusiasm for the Vanderbilt program

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Is Mizzou The Truth? SEC Week 6 Predictions

This week doesn’t have your cream-pie match-up in the SEC. Which is good, because some of us have only just finished relaxing after THAT LSU vs Georgia game. But it has a lot of matches that ask the question: Are you REALLY any good? Are you really any good, Missouri? We’ll know after you visit Vanderbilt. Are you really any good, Auburn? We’ll know after the clash with Ole Miss. Are you really going to surprise us? Arkansas and Tennessee will answer the question when they play Florida and Georgia respectively. Oh, and the short-term future without HaHa Clinton-Dix is going to be OK, Bama fans….Georgia State’s not going to cause y’all any problems. So here are the previews: MISSOURI

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SEC Preseason Preview: Will Vanderbilt continue moving on up?

A lot of people are very excited about the Vanderbilt Commodores this year. After all, they’ve been making a lot of noise on the recruiting front lately, and James Franklin put together a team that doesn’t just give up – hence why they lost four desperately close games (one in overtime), and this could be a season when Vandy puts together a winning regular season record for the first time in a decade. People are saying that they could upset South Carolina on the first game of the season… Anyway… LAST YEAR Vanderbilt fans may have celebrated going bowling, but really, it could have been so much more than that if they hadn’t broken their fans’ hearts over and over

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Recruiting: Vanderbilt lands defensive commitment

Vanderbilt has added defensive end Landon Stokes to its 2013 recruiting class, 24-7sports has reported. The Orlando Prep star had offers and interest from over 30 schools, including Missouri, the two Mississippi schools, as well as Clemson and West Virginia. Stokes – Vandy’s 13th overall commitment – is ranked as Rivals’ 31st-best weakside defensive ends in the country and the 96th player in all of Florida.  

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Recruiting: Vanderbilt adds two commitments

Vanderbilt continued an excellent recruiting season so far by adding the commitment of cornerback Darius Sims from Memphis – the 11th ranked player in the State. This was widely reported on Twitter. Sims, who is ranked as a three-star defensive back by Rivals committed to the Commodores on Sunday. Vanderbilt beat Alabama, Mississippi State, Ole Miss amongst other schools to Sims. Sims is 5 ft 9,  can run a 4.65 40 and has a 32 inch vertical – and Vanderbilt will hope he can frighten quarterbacks for years to come. The commitment is the second to be announced this Sunday after defensive end Sean Spencer – the 52nd player in Georgia – committed to Vandy. Spencer was recruited by LSU and

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Recruiting: Four-star WR commits to Vanderbilt

Four-star wide receiver Carlos Burse has committed to Vanderbilt. Burse said on Twitter this morning: “So it’s about that time!! I’d like to let everyone know that…. My commitment goes to the Vanderbilt Commodores! ‪#AnchorDown‬ ‪#VU‬“ Burse, who was offered by the likes of Florida, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Tennessee, and Oklahoma- and had interest from Alabama, plays his school in Alpharetta, GA. The player is ranked as the 18th player in the state and 234th nationally – and is a super pick-up for James Franklin and the Commodores, who are starting to make waves on the commitment trail. Keith Niebuhr, college football analyst at Rivals tweeted: “Quick thoughts on new #Vanderbilt 4-star WR commit Carlos Burse: Good feet. Strong route runner. Excellent hands. Big

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