Vanderbilt Commodores: 10 Players Who Can Make the Commodores Bowl Bound

There's change in the air surrounding the Vanderbilt Commodores football program, and the charge is led by first-year head coach James Franklin.

If the Commodores are going to breakthrough with an unexpected bowl berth in 2011, then the 11 returning starters on offense are going to have to show their experience.

The defense, mainly the defensive line, is deep and should at least keep the Commodores within striking distance all season long.

Special teams could end up being an issue for the Commodores, but there are a few weapons here as well.

Overall it's hard to hold the expectations too high for this perennial last-place team, but like every SEC team, there's still plenty of talent on the roster.

Tim Fugger is one of the up-and-coming players on defense, and he'll need to have a huge year for a defensive line that has a lot of questions.

He's got speed and has a knack for forcing turnovers. He had four forced fumbles last season.

The Commodores aren't going to light up the scoreboard in 2011, so guys like Fugger will have to play at the top of their game.

It's not very often that Vanderbilt gets to say they have one of the best in the nation at a certain position, but Casey Hayward is just that at defensive back.

He'll be leaned on heavily to keep the opposition from getting big gains through the air.

Hayward was among the nation's leaders in pass deflections and interceptions.

He's one of the most experienced players on the entire team with 24 consecutive starts. Hayward should help the Commodores be a solid team in pass defense.

Zac Stacy is the first of a three-headed monster at running back for the Commodores.

The coaches have said that Stacy has bounced back nicely this past spring from a late-season concussion that forced him to miss the last three games.

Stacy has the ability to be an every-down back that can run between the tackles and grind out short gains for first downs. He just needs to stay healthy.

Like many of the other top players on the Commodores, Stacy's experience will be leaned heavily upon for an offense that has always struggled to score points.

Wesley Tate could be the X-factor in how the Commodores fair in 2011 on offense.

He's a power back who showed flashes last year of being a reliable player to move the chains.

Tate is the younger brother of former Notre Dame standout Golden Tate, who now plays for the Seattle Seahawks.

If Wesley Tate turns out to be anything like his brother was for the Fighting Irish, then the dog days on offense for the Commodores could be long gone.

He won't get as many opportunities as he may like considering the backfield is loaded for the Commodores, but he'll still be called upon on plenty of occasions in 2011.

Hands down Chris Marve is the leader of the defense, and he needs to play like one for the Commodores to keep the score low.

Marve's defensive IQ will almost certainly lead him to a career in the NFL. He seems to always play a part in bringing the ball carrier to the ground, and it wouldn't be shocking to see him post another 100-tackle season.

Staying healthy is of the utmost importance due to the fact that the Commodores are razor thin at linebacker.

Although Jordan Rodgers is technically a backup, it won't take much for him to become the starter this season if things go sour with Larry Smith under center.

Recent history shows that Smith will struggle again, and Rodgers will get his much deserved chance at running the show.

Rodgers is a junior college transfer from California, and broke all of the records of his older brother Aaron Rodgers at that same junior college.

An injury kept Rodgers from fully participating in spring drills, leaving the coaching staff to name Smith as the starter for now.

However, I see Rodgers getting an opportunity this season and he'll deliver more than any other quarterback has for Vanderbilt since Jay Cutler.

There was little to cheer about at the wide receiver position last season.

Krause looks like the receiver with the most to offer coming into the 2011 season, and he's joined by several receivers who are returning starters.

Vanderbilt has very few deep threats, but Krause is one of them. He's got the ability to get behind the defense and make game-changing plays.

Krause had a strong spring game, and his numbers should dramatically increase with an offensive-minded head coach running things.

Not only can Krause obviously catch the ball, but he's a legitimate threat to take the ball out of the backfield in special packages.

Points are always a premium for Vanderbilt offenses, and Ryan Fowler has to be consistent in the field-goal department if the Commodores are going to have any chance of winning in the SEC.

Fowler has had his ups and downs during his two seasons at Vanderbilt. He had a great 2009, but struggled last season.

If Fowler can cash in on the few opportunities he's given, he'll maximize the chances of the Commodores pulling off a few upsets in conference play.

Arguably the biggest offensive threat the Commodores have is Warren Norman.

As a freshman in 2009, Norman took the SEC by storm, winning Freshman-of-the-Year honors. Now he's a junior with a huge chip on his shoulder after his season ended prematurely with a wrist injury.

He's shifty, fast, and can always use his strength to grind out first downs. He basically offers it all.

Now he just has to stay healthy. He was unable to do that last season and the offense suffered as a result of it.

Norman can also turn short completions into long touchdowns, and an expected fair catch into a scoring opportunity on special teams.

Even though the Commodores are loaded at running back, it's still vital that Norman leads the way on offense. His abilities should give him the most touches and always give the Commodores a puncher's chance.

Perhaps the player who has the best chance at making the Commodores bowl contenders is Brandon Barden.

He was one of the few bright spots on the entire team last season, finishing with the most receptions and yards.

Barden is one of those guys that just makes a quarterback's job easier by being a big target with great hands. He's also a great blocker for a Vanderbilt run game that figures to be a good one.

He offers so much for the Commodores, and they need him to play like an All-SEC player in 2011 to get that offense out of the basement.

Let's be honest here, that the main reason the Commodores have struggled for so long is due to their anemic offense, and Barden is one player who could easily change that.

Don't be shocked if Barden goes for 600 yards and five or six touchdowns this season. He's that good and he's looking to take his talents to the NFL.