Vanderbilt Football

Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin continues to work miracles on the recruiting trail for the Commodores.

After years of relative futility attracting SEC-caliber talent, Vandy has 22 verbal commitments.

With only one year of head coaching experience under his belt, Franklin caught college football by surprise in 2011 and made a statement to all SEC teams that Vanderbilt will no longer be an easy win for any team.

The Commodores are a team on the rise, and recruits from all over are jumping on board.

Franklin’s message has helped recruits decommit from other schools and switch to Vanderbilt.

Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year Patton Robinette, a quarterback from Maryville, switched his commitment from North Carolina to Vandy.

Former Arkansas commitment Jakarri Thomas, a linebacker from Tallahassee, Fla., committed to the Commodores on Jan. 26.

Reports are former Razorback defensive coordinator Willy Robinson was high on Thomas. Once Robinson was released from his duties the Hogs cooled on Thomas.

A loss for Arkansas becomes a valuable gain for Vanderbilt.

Chris Moody, a rare safety/quarterback prospect from McDonough, Ga., committed to the Commodores on Sunday Jan. 22, after taking an official visit to the campus the weekend of Jan. 20.

Moody is taking his last official visit to South Carolina before National Signing Day on Feb. 1.

He also visited the University of Central Florida and the University of South Florida previously.

The lone recruit no longer committed to Vanderbilt is wide receiver Andre McDonald from Minnetonka, Minn.

McDonald, rated as high as the third best prospect in the state of Minnesota, committed to his home-state university and is now a Golden Gopher as of Jan. 26.

The only "soft" verbal commitment on the Commodores list is defensive end Josh Dawson from Tucker, Ga.

University of Georgia has aggressively recruited Dawson over the past weeks after he officially visited the Bulldogs on Jan. 13.

The University of Minnesota is not ranked in Rivals.com top 50, while Scout.com has the Gophers ranked No. 62.

With three scholarships remaining, Franklin hosted Dawson, linebacker Harding Harper from Montgomery, Ala., offensive tackle Andrew Jelks from Paris, Tenn., Vanderbilt commitment Will Holden, wide receiver Herbert Waters from Homestead, Fla., and Vanderbilt commitment Jaborian McKenzie the weekend of Jan. 20.

Offensive tackle Kevin McCoy from Seffner, Fla. is scheduled to visit this weekend.

Scout.com has Vandy as the No. 33 recruiting class in the nation, which places them No. 10 out of the current 12 SEC teams, with Kentucky at No. 34 and Ole Miss at No. 60 being behind them.

Rivals.com rates Franklin’s haul much higher, at No. 25.

The bump in rankings on Rivals.com places Vandy at No. 9 in the SEC, ahead of Mississippi State at No. 30, Arkansas at No. 31, Ole Miss No. 41, and Kentucky, which is not ranked.

New SEC members—come this summer—Texas A&M and Missouri, are ranked nationally at No. 10 and No. 49 respectively.

Here’s a list of the 22 current verbal commitments to Vanderbilt:

QB Patton Robinette, 6’5”, 200 pounds, 3-star, Maryville, TN

RB Jaborian McKenzie, 5’9”, 180 pounds, 3-star, Natchez, MS

RB Brian Kimbrow, 5’9”, 165 pounds, 4-star, Memphis, TN

WR Cory Batey, 5’11”, 180 pounds, 3-star, Nashville, TN

OT Andrew Jelks, 6’6”, 260 pounds, 3-star, Paris, TN

OT Will Holden, 6’6”, 271 pounds, 2-star, Green Cove Springs, FL

OT Blake Fromang, 6’8”, 280 pounds, 3-star, Orlando, FL

OT Barrett Gouger, 6’4”, 275 pounds, 3-star, Chattanooga, TN

OG Adam Butler, 6’5”, 285 pounds, 3-star, Duncanville, TX

CB Torren McGaster, 6’0”, 180 pounds, 2-star, Daphne, AL

CB Brandon Banks, 5’11”. 170 pounds, 3-star, Brandywine, MD

FS Chris Moody, 6’0”, 197 pounds, 3-star, McDonough, GA

SS Paris Head, 5’10”, 170 pounds, 3-star, Buford, GA

DE Ladarius Banks, 6’2”, 263, 2-star, Dallas, GA

DE Stephen Weatherly, 6’4”, 190 pounds, 2-star, Atlanta, GA

DE Josh Dawson, 6’4”, 225 pounds, 4-star, Tucker, GA

DE Caleb Azubike, 6’5”, 240 pounds, 3-star, Nashville, TN

DE Torey Agee, 6’4”, 250 pounds, 3-star, Opelika, AL

LB Jakarri Thomas, 6’1”, 195, 3-star, Tallahassee, FL

OLB Jacob Sealand, 6’1”, 220 pounds, 3-star, Tucker GA

OLB Darreon Herring, 6’2”, 195 pounds, 3-star, Stone Mountain, GA

K Colby Cooke, 6’3”, 175 pounds, 2-star, Goochland, GA

All commitments are verbal and non-binding. National Signing Day is February 1. 

Vanderbilt has long been the doormat of the SEC in football, sitting in the proverbial cellar for years.

Once in a blue moon the Commodores have sprung out of the basement, for maybe one six or seven win season, with a player like quarterback Jake Cutler leading the team in years past.

However, for the most part, there has been light success in Nashville.

It has come to be that 2011 was a year of change for the Vanderbilt program.

New head coach James Franklin, the previous offensive coordinator at Maryland, took over the reigns last off-season.

He slowly but surely changed the disposition of the team, the attitude of the players and the perception of what Vanderbilt football is and can be.

Past coaches leaned on academic standards as the reason for so many losses.

How do they explain Stanford, Northwestern and Baylor? Those programs have had big seasons and upward growth amid their difficult academic standards.

Franklin doesn't believe in excuses. He doesn't let his players believe in them either.

He has his team believing they can win any game and play against any program.

The exciting thing for Commodore fans is that the team did just that.

Winning six games in Franklin's first season in Nashville, Vanderbilt was awarded a bowl invitation. Those invites haven't come all to often in past years. 

Not only did they win six games, including wins over Connecticut, Ole Miss, Kentucky and Wake Forrest, they took highly ranked teams to the wire.

The Commodores lost to top-10 ranked Arkansas by just three points, after missing a game tying field goal with seconds left on the clock.

They also fell to Georgia by just five points in a game they had every opportunity to win, lost to Florida by just five and were barely edged out in overtime in a loss to Tennessee. 

After a successful season and hints of Vanderbilt rising from the bottom of the SEC totem pole, people began to wonder if this was a one-year wonder or a trend of things to come.

Recruiting is the life blood of a program, especially in the Southeastern Conference.

To truly build a winner in Nashville, Franklin needs to bring in top talent to compete with the big programs in the SEC.

Franklin knows that to maximize the positive season in 2011 the Commodore program needed to sign play-makers this off-season.

Where do they stand in this effort?

As of today, Vanderbilt is ranked No. 24 in the nation for its current recruiting commitments, according to Rivals.com.

To highlight the significance of that ranking, be aware that in the previous decade (before the arrival of Franklin) Vanderbilt failed to finish with a top-50 ranked recruiting class in the Rivals.com team rankings.

From outside the top 50 to ranked in the top 25.

Yes, significant change is happening at Vanderbilt.

The current commitment list for the Commodores is stocked with impressive talent that chose the 'Dores over major programs. 

Four star running back Brian Kimbrow chose Vanderbilt over six other SEC schools, including Alabama and Arkansas.

Four star offensive tackle Andrew Jelks picked the Commodores over top programs Stanford, Alabama and Tennessee.

One of the top 15 defensive end prospects in the nation, four-star Caleb Azubike, chose Vanderbilt over a laundry list of school such as Miami, Boston College and Kentucky.

Even better news for Franklin's program is the fact that they are not having to settle for lackluster talent.

Vanderbilt has zero one or two star players on its current commitment list of 20 recruits.

In contrast, over the past three recruiting classes (2009-2011) Vanderbilt signed 16 total two star players, averaging just over five per class.

The Commodores class averages 3.2 stars per player currently. In comparison, LSU, Tennessee and Georgia are just ahead of them at 3.3 and the Commodores are ahead of teams like Arkansas (3.1), Missouri (3.0) and Mississippi State (2.9).

Franklin and his staff aren't done yet and are still going after players like three star linebacker Nardo Govan and four star corner-back Sheldon Dawson.

We all know stars don't always mean much, but they can be a good general indicator of a class.

Vanderbilt will happily trade this class of three and four star players for the classes in years past dotted with overlooked and undersized two star guys.

Six wins and a bowl game, a top 25 ranked recruiting class and a tenacious new head coach.

Things are changing at Vanderbilt and no longer a pushover in Nashville.

Teams around the conference should continue to take notice.

Based off the momentum James Franklin has created for Vanderbilt in recruiting circles, one would think the Commodores are a perennial SEC East powerhouse instead of a program coming off just their fourth bowl game in school history.

Having no previous head coaching experience to help his cause, Franklin hit the recruiting trails in 2011 with little more than a promise of a top-notch education and the ability to play in the SEC.

In a few short weeks leading up to National Signing Day, he did the unthinkable. He turned Vanderbilt into a destination school for highly-regarded talent, and in the process, paved the way for the Commodores to be a contender in the SEC East for years to come.

Vanderbilt’s 2011 recruiting class was not on the level of other high-profile SEC teams like Alabama, LSU, Georgia and Arkansas, but what cannot be denied is the immediate impact Franklin made. He hauled in the two 4-star recruits: quarterback/wide receiver Lafonte Thourogood (Virginia Beach, Va.) and tight end Dillon van der Wal (Westlake Village, Calif.).

To put this achievement into prospective, Vanderbilt had not signed a 4-star recruit since 2003—tight end Jonathan Loyte (Danvers, Mass,).

In the process, Vanderbilt posted their first Top 50 recruiting class in over a decade, finishing ranked No. 49 (Scout.com).

Still not impressed? Of the 21 recruits Franklin signed, 13 were rated as 3-star or better.

How about the fact that Vanderbilt finished the recruiting season ranked ahead of Baylor (50), West Virginia (53), UCLA (55), Maryland (56), Kansas State (61) and Arizona State (64)?

On the field, Franklin translated his message into wins. Vanderbilt surpassed the win total of the two previous seasons (four wins), winning six games and besting teams like Ole Miss, Connecticut, Kentucky and Wake Forest along the way.

In four heartbreaking losses to Arkansas, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee by a total of 19 points, Franklin showed they are close to taking the next step. He just needs a few more talented players to round out his roster.

2012 is shaping up to be an even better year for the Commodores on the recruiting trail than 2011. Vandy is currently ranked No. 35 according to Scout.com, with 21 total recruits verbally committed.

Running back Brian Kimbrow (Memphis, Tenn.) and defensive end Josh Dawson (Tucker, Ga.) are two 4-star recruits highlighting the early recruiting season for Vanderbilt.

Another recruit Commodore fans will be happy to see on campus is kicker Colby Cooke (Goochland, Va.). Cooke is rated the 16th-best place-kicker in this year’s senior class. He was awarded spots on Parade Magazine and Sports Illustrated All-American teams after making 17-of-21 field goal attempts and helping his team advance to the state championship game.

If Vanderbilt’s pledges stay true, nine different states will be represented in this year’s haul.

As the final two weeks of the recruiting season heat up, all eyes will be on Franklin, hoping he can continue pulling top talent to Nashville.

The following is a complete list of all 21 current verbal commitments:

QB Patton Robinette, 6’5”, 200 pounds, 3-star, Maryville, Tenn.

RB Jaborian McKenzie, 5’9”, 180 pounds, 3-star, Natchez, Miss.

RB Brian Kimbrow, 5’9”, 165 pounds, 4-star, Memphis, Tenn.

WR Adre McDonald, 6’3”, 210 pounds, 3-star, Minnetonka, Minn.

WR Cory Batey, 5’11”, 180 pounds, 3-star, Nashville, Tenn.

OT Andrew Jelks, 6’6”, 260 pounds, 3-star, Paris, Tenn.

OT Will Holden, 6’6”, 271 pounds, 2-star, Green Cove Springs, Fla.

OT Blake Fromang, 6’8”, 280 pounds, 3-star, Orlando, Fla.

OT Barrett Gouger, 6’4”, 275 pounds, 3-star, Chattanooga, Tenn.

OG Adam Butler, 6’5”, 285 pounds, 3-star, Duncanville, Tex.

CB Torren McGaster, 6’0”, 180 pounds, 2-star, Daphne, Ala.

CB Brandon Banks, 5’11”. 170 pounds, 3-star, Brandywine, Md.

SS Paris Head, 5’10”, 170 pounds, 3-star, Buford, Ga.

DE Ladarius Banks, 6’2”, 263, 2-star, Dallas, Ga.

DE Stephen Weatherly, 6’4”, 190 pounds, 2-star, Atlanta, Ga.

DE Josh Dawson, 6’4”, 225 pounds, 4-star, Tucker, Ga.

DE Caleb Azubike, 6’5”, 240 pounds, 3-star, Nashville, Tenn.

DE Torey Agee, 6’4”, 250 pounds, 3-star, Opelika, Ala.

OLB Jacob Sealand, 6’1”, 220 pounds, 3-star, Tucker, Ga.

OLB Darreon Herring, 6’2”, 195 pounds, 3-star, Stone Mountain, Ga.

K Colby Cooke, 6’3”, 175 pounds, 2-star, Goochland, Ga.

If Franklin continues to open 4-star and 3-star doors, the Commodores will be a team to be reckoned with for years to come.

All commitments are verbal and non-binding.

National Signing Day is Feb. 1. 

James Franklin came into Nashville last season and took the Vanderbilt Commodores by storm. His enthusiasm, football smarts and bravado appealed to the dormant fanbase. But after one 6-7 season, does Franklin deserve the right to talk so much?

He reminds me of Rex Ryan from the New York Jets. Ryan was an excellent defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens for years and stayed relatively quiet.

But as soon as he was hired to be the head coach of the Jets, he couldn't shut up. He claimed that he wouldn't "kiss the rings" of Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.

When you win, people love the talk. But if and when you lose, it all backfires. Until Franklin has earned it, he ought to tone down the chatter.

Mouth of the South

Already, he has developed a reputation as a "talker." At the end of the Georgia game, he yelled at an opposing player for a "cheap shot" and then had a heated discussion with Bulldog assistant coach Todd Grantham.

First of all, Franklin's own lineman Josh Jelesky cut Tennessee's Maurice Couch out at the knees on a completely irrelevant play. Just about every expert, former players included, concluded that it was a ridiculous cheap shot.

So Franklin has very little room to talk.

Second of all, is it really the business of a head coach to get involved with an opposing player or assistant coach in an altercation? That's unbecoming of a SEC head coach, to say the least. We'll leave that to you, hothead assistants.

The irony behind that last statement is that James Franklin is (or was) a hothead assistant. And unless he cools his engines, he'll soon return to being one.

See, when your football team plays in the toughest and most publicized conference in America, you are held to a higher standard. How many times has Nick Saban called into the local radio show when a high-schooler decided not to go to Alabama?

None.

How many times has Franklin done it? I know for a fact: twice, because I've heard it myself.

Vandy Has Gone 6-7 Before

While the Commodores don't have a historically good football program, they have had decent seasons in the recent past.

Under Bobby Johnson, Vanderbilt won five games twice in three seasons and won seven games, including a Music City Bowl victory, in another. The incessant talk wasn't going on at that time. Why?

Because Johnson knew his place as an SEC head coach: If you win, thank your players and move on. If you lose, promise to work harder and show results.

James Franklin's talk has duped many into believing that 2011 was a brilliant success.

While I openly acknowledge an improved Vandy squad, when your best three wins are at Wake Forrest, Kentucky and UConn, your success is owed in large part to a cupcake schedule, too.

Tread Carefully, James

Besides taking jabs at Tennessee's obvious decline as a program, Franklin has ruffled the feathers of at least one 4-star prospect who recommitted to Ole Miss after he said he got the run around from Vanderbilt.

If Franklin makes it a point to address every rumor and every bad word against his young program, he runs the risk of being seen as thin-skinned and weak-minded.

In the SEC, you can afford to be neither. Just look at the coaches who dominate(d) the conference.

They deserved to take a verbal jab here and there but didn't. Franklin doesn't deserve to but does.

The 9-3 Cincinnati Bearcats out of the Big East will take on the 6-6 Vanderbilt Commodores of the SEC in the Liberty Bowl on Saturday in a game that is sure to be nip and tuck throughout.

Cincinnati earned a share of the Big East Championship, but was not given the opportunity to play in a BCS bowl because they lost out to West Virginia on tiebreaker as the Mountaineers were ranked higher in the BCS standings.

Even so, the Bearcats have to consider 2011 a big success, and they'll look to end it in style.

Vanderbilt had to scratch and claw against a brutal SEC schedule to qualify for a bowl, and while they only went 2-6 in the conference, they were a tough team to play against. Losses of five, three and five points to Georgia, Arkansas and Florida, respectively, are a testament to that.

Both teams have bright futures ahead of them, so it would be a great springboard into next season for whichever squad is able to come out on top in the Liberty Bowl.

Where: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tenn.

When: Saturday, Dec. 31 at 3:30 p.m. EST

Watch: ABC

Listen: WLW 700 AM (Cincinnati) and WRQQ 97.1 FM (Vanderbilt)

Betting Line: Vanderbilt (-1.5)

Key Storyline: Can Jordan Rodgers Come Through in the Clutch?

His numbers may not be overly impressive with nine touchdown passes, nine interceptions and a completion rate of just 51.5 percent, but Vanderbilt junior quarterback Jordan Rodgers has spunk. Being the brother of Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers may be one reason for it, but the younger Rodgers seems to have some great intangible qualities.

Rodgers has impressed since taking over the starting quarterback job following the first month of the season. His passing is hit and miss, but Rodgers makes up for it with great mobility that ranks him second on the team in rushing yards.

It is clear that the Commodores are improving, but Rodgers will get to prove just how much against a nine-win team under the national spotlight.

Who Might Not Play for Cincinnati: QB Zach Collaros

Bearcats senior quarterback Zach Collaros has not played since Week 11 when he broke his ankle. While it is far from a sure thing, Collaros is listed as probable and expected to start, according to USA Today.

The game would be the final one in Collaros' impressive collegiate career. He paced Cincinnati with 26 passing touchdowns last season, and this year he had 24 total touchdowns in just eight full games.

While the Bearcats persevered in his absence, they would get a major boost if he could suit up and play against Vanderbilt.

Who Might Not Play for Vanderbilt: DB Eric Samuels

While Vanderbilt isn't expected to be without any starters on Saturday, one of its best depth players in safety Eric Samuels could be out of commission. According to USA Today, the junior defensive back is questionable with an ankle injury.

Samuels may not start, but he plays often and is a stalwart in nickel and dime packages. On top of that, he plays special teams and is capable of returning kicks.

It may not have a huge effect on the game, but being without a player as versatile as Samuels could certainly hurt a bit.

What They're Saying

Despite starting the season as a backup, Vanderbilt quarterback Jordan Rodgers, brother of Green Bay Packers' Super Bowl champion quarterback Aaron Rodgers, has taken over the starting job and led Vandy to the Liberty Bowl.

While it wasn't easy at the time, Rodgers learned a lot by getting to face some of the nation's top defenses, including Alabama, according to Greg Sullivan of The Tennessean.

"They were big moments, I think, and looking back on it, it was getting thrown in the fire a little bit when I got in at Alabama," Rodgers said. "But those (games) just helped me become a better player and helped me get used to the game speed in a crash-course type way."

"I was thrown into it and I had to catch up as fast as possible."

Cincinnati Player to Watch: RB Isaiah Pead

As good as the Cincinnati defense was this season, it is hard to argue with the notion that no player was more important to the team's success this season than running back Isaiah Pead. Even when quarterback Zach Collaros went down with an injury, the team was still able to excel thanks to the play of Pead.

Not only did Pead lead the team in rushing with 1,110 yards and 11 touchdowns, but he was heavily involved in the passing game, reeling in 36 balls for 304 yards and three scores. Pead's dual-threat nature makes him invaluable to the team.

With Collaros back in the fold, Pead will still be integral in beating Vanderbilt in the Liberty Bowl.

Vanderbilt Player to Watch: RB Zac Stacy

As much talk as there is about quarterback Jordan Rodgers, the most important offensive player for Vanderbilt is running back Zac Stacy. The junior back had a monster season with 1,136 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the year.

While he struggled against top defenses like Alabama and South Carolina, he was key in almost every Commodore win.

Cincinnati's defense is a tough nut to crack, but Vanderbilt must commit fully to Stacy if it is going to have any chance of winning. While Rodgers is capable of making some plays, he needs support from the running game to be at his best.

If Stacy can get things going on the ground, it will open up the entire Vandy offense.

Key Matchup: Cincinnati Pass Rush vs. Jordan Rodgers

With 44 sacks on the season, no team in the nation was more successful at getting to the quarterback this year than Cincinnati. While some of that has to do with the level of competition, the Bearcats have a bevy of relentless pass-rushers that can make life miserable for opposing signal-callers.

You had better believe that pressuring Jordan Rodgers will be priority No. 1 for the Cincinnati defense on Saturday. While Rodgers is a junior, this is his first season in major college football and he has only started about half the season.

If the Bearcats can get to him, he may make some mistakes, but if Rodgers can use his mobility to his advantage, then the Cincinnati defense will be susceptible to some big plays.

Prediction

Vanderbilt 27, Cincinnati 24

The Liberty Bowl has a storied tradition of producing can’t miss bowl games and this year’s contest is no exception. On December 31, Memphis, Tennessee, will host an up-and-coming 6-6 Vanderbilt team against a powerful 9-3 Cincinnati squad in a SEC versus Big East showdown.

Both teams feature head coaches looking to establish themselves at their new schools.

In his first year at Vanderbilt, James Franklin has brought an excitement to the Commodore program not seen since the mid 1970s when Steve Sloan and Fred Pancoast were roaming the sidelines as the head coach. No coincidence that was the last time Vandy had back-to-back winning seasons.

Franklin managed to surpass the Commodores’ total wins from 2009 (2) and 2010 (2) while changing the mentality of an overlooked program to one opposing team’s fear.

Vandy had an opportunity to beat Georgia, Arkansas, Florida, and Tennessee this year. As with many young teams the Commodores are still learning how to win and appear to be only a year away from being a SEC East contender.

After three seasons at Central Michigan (2007-2009), Butch Jones followed his predecessor Brian Kelly from CMU to Cincinnati when Kelly departed for the Notre Dame job opening.

Jones had a tall order to fill in 2010. The Bearcats were 12-1 in 2009 coming off an undefeated regular season and a Big East Championship with their lone loss coming in the Sugar Bowl to No. 5 Florida. Cincinnati struggled to a 4-8 record, but Jones instilled in his players a blueprint for what would be a great 2011 campaign.

The Bearcats' hard work paid off in 2011 with tough wins over Louisville, South Florida, and Pittsburgh. A heartbreaking three-point loss to West Virginia November 12 led to a let down loss to Rutgers the following weekend that cost the school a BCS bowl game and the outright Big East Championship.

It is no coincidence that Cincinnati struggled after the injury to senior quarterback Zack Collaros in the WVU game. Despite missing the final three games of the season due to a fractured ankle, Collaros finished the season ranked No. 7 in the Big East in total passing yards (1,854) and second in quarterback rating (139.9).

Scouting the Offenses

Call it overcoming adversity or plug and play, Vanderbilt and Cincinnati both went through quarterback changes during the season on their way to the Liberty Bowl matchup.

Senior quarterback Larry Smith started the season for Vandy before giving way to Jordan Rodgers October 22, against Army. Rodgers looked uncomfortable in the pocket at first, but has grown into a dual-threat quarterback. He has 10 or more rushing attempts and 10 or more passing attempts in every game he has started this season.

Rodgers finished the season with a quarterback rating of 119.6 and was sixth in the SEC with 1,498 total passing yards. His touchdown-to-interception ration (9 to 9) leaves room for improvement.

The top receiving target for the Commodores is Jordan Matthews. Matthews finished the season fourth in the SEC in total receiving yards (722) and first in average yards per catch (19.5). He had three 100 yards games with Jordan under center—Arkansas, Florida, and Kentucky.

Chris Boyd is the big-play possession receiver for the Commodores. Of his 29 catches on the season, seven were for touchdowns. He had 404 total receiving yards during the regular season.

The down-field threat of Jordan Matthews and Chris Boyd coupled with the improved offensive line play has allowed junior running back Zac Stacy the opportunity to break the single season rushing record for Vanderbilt (1,136).

Stacy had five 100-yards rushing games (Ole Miss, Army, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Wake Forest) and added 13 rushing touchdowns. He finished third in the SEC in total rushing yards and second in rushing touchdowns.

Stacy is not a receiving threat out of the backfield. His best performance is three catches for 51 yards against Arkansas.

Isaiah Pead is the focal point for the Bearcats offense. He finished second in the Big East in total rushing yards (1,110) and first in rushing touchdowns (11).

Pead played his best against Cincinnati’s better opponents. He had 155 yards rushing against Tennessee’s defense, 167 against North Carolina State, 151 against Louisville, 118 against Pitt and 113 against WVU.

Pead is a threat to move the chains as a receiver. He had a season high nine catches for 112 yards against Syracuse with one touchdown. He broke loose for a 69-yard receiving score in that same game.

Cincinnati is not deep at tailback. Even though he has missed the last three games of the season, Collaros is second on the team in total rushing yards (242) with eight touchdowns. Backup running back George Winn is fourth on the team in total rushing yards.

Sophomore quarterback Munchie Legaux filled in for the Bearcats under center after the injury to Callaros. The big 6’5” quarterback did not play well in his first two games with extended playing time. He struggled with his accuracy and opted to run for yardage instead of checking down his progressions.

In the last two games of the season against Syracuse and Connecticut, Legaux found his footing passing for 169 and 217, respectively. He had a season-high three touchdown passes against Connecticut.

Through the quarterback changes wide receivers Anthony McClung, Kenbrell Thompkins, and D.J. Woods made the most of their opportunities.

McClung finished the season sixth in the Big East in receiving yards (675) and tied for sixth with five receiving touchdowns. McClung had a season-best eight catches for 142 yards with two touchdowns against Connecticut.

Scouting the Defenses

Defensively, both teams get after their opponents, especially with their pass defense.

Cincinnati’s Derek Wolfe ranked No. 10 nationally in sacks (9.5) for a total of 63 yards lost. As a group, the Bearcats sacked the opposition 44 times and forced 14 interceptions.

Senior defensive tackle Tim Fugger leads the Commodores with 6.5 sacks, 47 yards lost. As a team in a run-first conference Vandy has 24 total sacks.

Another similarity between the two defenses is their heart and soul senior linebackers, Chris Marve for Vanderbilt and J.K. Schaffer for the Bearcats.

Schaffer is the active leading tackler in the Big East. His 105 total tackles in 2011 ranks No. 48 in college football. He is tied with teammate Devan Drane for most interceptions on the team with three. Marve has 47 solo tackles and a total of 84 on the year.

Casey Hayward is the shut-down cornerback for Vandy. He has a team-high five picks on the year for a unit that came up with 17 total interceptions.

Vanderbilt may have the sixth best total defense (324.58) in the SEC, but do not let that fool you. That translates to a No. 19 ranking in college football.

Cincinnati has the No. 47 ranked total defense allowing 362.58 total yards per game.

The special teams nod goes to the Bearcats. Freshman kicker Tony Millano has made 16 of his 22 attempts and 43 of 46 extra point attempts.

Field-goal kicking is not a strong suit for Vanderbilt, having only converted seven out of 13 attempts.

The Analysis

Will he or won’t he play?

That is the question centered on Zach Collaros. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Collaros returned to full participation in practice on Friday. Even if his ankle was at full strength would he be sharp enough against Vanderbilt’s defense after missing so much time?

Having Collaros in the lineup gives the Bearcats a presence and leadership not provided by Legaux. Much of Callaros’ game is the ability to pick up yards with his running. If he is slowed by his ankle, Vanderbilt could have a field day with him sitting in the pocket.

The Schaffer versus Stacy and Marve versus Pead matchups should be worth watching the Liberty Bowl alone. If one of these backs can break a long score, that could be all either team needs to win.

Should Jones stick with Legaux, Vanderbilt should do a good job of containing Legaux and forcing fourth-down plays.

College football fans are well aware of the great matchups The Liberty Bowl provides. In the past seven years, the average margin of victory has been 5.6 points. Look for this one to follow suit.

Common 2011 Opponents

Vanderbilt 21 – Tennessee 27

Cincinnati 23 – Tennessee 45

Vanderbilt 24 – Connecticut 21

Cincinnati 35 – Connecticut 27

All-Time Bowl Records

Cincinnati is 6-6 having lost their last two bowl games – Virginia Tech 2009, Florida 2010.

Vanderbilt is 2-1-1 in bowl games having won their last bowl game – Boston College 2008.

The Prediction

If Collaros does not play against Vanderbilt, the Vandy defense should be able to keep the Bearcats offense in check.

Cincinnati should keep the Commodore offense in the zone, but Rodgers has a way of breaking a run off here and there to keep drives alive.

The Bearcats secondary can be exploited if the defense front is not getting enough pressure.

Both teams have something to play for, but James Franklin has his players believing they can win every game.

Final Score

Vanderbilt 24 – Cincinnati 13

Kickoff for the Liberty Bowl is set for 3:30 p.m. EST December 31. 

You don't get to say this very often, but the Vanderbilt Commodores are heading to a bowl after walloping Wake Forest to finish 6-6 in the regular season.

It's only the fifth time in the school's history that the Commodores will get to play in a bowl game, and first year head coach James Franklin deserves a ton of praise for how quickly he improved this program.

The main bowl that most experts (including ESPN's bowl projections) seem to be predicting for the Commodores is the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, which would pit the Commodores against a team from Conference USA. If the Commodores do end up in the Liberty Bowl, it would give them a great chance at winning their second bowl game in as many tries.

Some people think it's still possible that the Commodores could end up just a mile down the road from campus and play in the Music City Bowl. The Commodores previously played in the Music City Bowl in 2008 when they defeated Boston College in thrilling fashion.

An ACC foe would be waiting for the Commodores in the Music City Bowl, and the Commodores just hammered a team out of that conference that finished 5-3 in conference play. Playing right down the road would also guarantee the Commodores getting a strong showing from their fans, but it seems more likely that Mississippi State will get the invite to the Music City Bowl.

That leaves one more possible destination: the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham, Alabama.

The likelihood of the Commodores ending up in a bowl game is slim considering most bowl projections don't have an SEC team playing the game at all.

Even though the SEC has a tie-in with the Compass Bowl, there will likely be two SEC teams in the BCS Championship game, and that leaves one less SEC team to fill a normal bowl game.

With all of that said, all signs point to the Commodores heading to Memphis for the Liberty Bowl. They'll most likely be favored in that game against a Conference USA opponent.

Much like the Music City Bowl, the Commodores should be able to bring a strong home crowd down Interstate 40 for the Liberty Bowl, especially with the decent draw of national attention with Jordan Rodgers (younger brother of the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers) leading the team at quarterback.

Franklin already has one of the strongest recruiting classes the school has ever seen, but a win on the national stage will give the program a ton of momentum heading into the offseason and could mean that the Commodores will finally begin to shake that tag of being the doormat of the SEC.

Tennessee controversially defeated Vanderbilt in overtime Saturday night, thanks, in part, to a misapplication of college football's instant replay rule—even if the end result was practically correct.

When Vanderbilt quarterback Jordan Rodgers attempted to connect with a Commodores receiver on third down in overtime, Volunteers' defensive back Eric Gordon stepped into the passing lane and came away with the football, returning it 90 yards for a game winning Tennessee touchdown.

Or did he?

As the Vols celebrated wildly on the field, Commodores head coach James Franklin pointed towards the ground while the on-field officials huddled up to discuss the play.

When the crew emerged from their conference, SEC referee Marc Curles explained the play to the Knoxville crowd: "The ruling on the field [is] the ball was fumbled, recovered by Tennessee [DB Gordon] with his knee on the ground. Therefore the runner is down, Vanderbilt's series is over and Tennessee gets the ball, first and 10 on the 25 [yard line]."

Ok, that is understandable even if it is distressing. An inadvertent whistle resulted in a dead ball, killing the play and ending Vandy's series of downs. Once the Vols kick their gimme of a field goal, the game will be over.

But that's not where it ended. Instead, the situation was drawn out and things got awfully screwy.

As any official knows, games can be at their easiest when the ball is live. Contests can fall to pieces when the ball is dead, which is exactly what happened here.

After a buzz from the replay booth, Curles once again addressed the Tennessee hometown crowd: "The previous play is under further review. Although the runner's knee was ruled down, there was no whistle or signal."

One problem.

Head linesman Gus Morris appeared to have blown his whistle while signaling Gordon down at the Vols' 11-yard line.

Relying on Curles' explanation, replay official Ben Oldham completed his review, logically ruling Gordon should not have been declared down en route to his game winning TD.

What Curles failed to tell Oldham was that Morris blew and marked the ball dead—Curles had said the exact opposite, that "there was no whistle or signal."

Per NCAA football rule 12-3-3, had there been no whistle or signal—as Curles had announced—the play would have been reviewable.

However, because there was both a whistle and signal, the play was not reviewable.

Unfortunately, per Fox Sport's in-house football officiating analyst Mike Pereira, there is no audio in the replay booth. In other words, Oldham was relying entirely on Curles' explanation to recreate the auditory events that occurred during the play.

It was therefore incumbent of Curles to inform the replay booth that a whistle had indeed blown and the ball had been signaled dead. Alas, he did not and Oldham had no way of finding out until the game was over.

This grave error ended up prematurely ending the game.

The incorrect call was so high profile that SEC coordinator of officials Steve Shaw—you might remember that name from Shaw's own officiating career which included two BCS national championship games and four SEC championship games—saw it fit to issue the following statement:

On the last play of the Vanderbilt-Tennessee game, in overtime, the Tennessee defender intercepted the pass, his knee did not touch the ground and he returned the interception for a touchdown. During the play, the head linesman incorrectly ruled that the Tennessee player's knee was down when he intercepted the pass by blowing his whistle and giving the dead ball signal. The play was reviewed as if there was no whistle on the field, and as a result, overturned the incorrect ruling. By rule, if there was a whistle blown, the play is not reviewable.

On the one hand, it is important to note the correct call—an inadvertent whistle causing the ball to become dead after the interception at the 11-yard line—would have still resulted in a turnover and likely would have prolonged Vanderbilt's defeat as Tennessee would have just been required to kick a chip shot of a field goal to win the game.

On the other hand, this was an egregious misinterpretation of the rules—gross miss or ICC, we call them—that directly and immediately determined the outcome of the game.

In determining who to blame for an inadvertent whistle or missed call, that can usually be traced to the one official who inappropriately blew a whistle or threw a flag.

Had this play been reviewed correctly and called a dead ball at the spot of the inadvertent whistle, Vols fans would likely have been terribly upset with head linesman Morris, but only for a few mere minutes until Tennessee would have presumably kicked its game winning FG.

Inadvertent whistles and other simple mistakes are part of the game—officials rarely commit such mistakes, but they do happen and occasionally happen during very high profile plays. 

In determining who to blame for an incorrect interpretation of the rules call, officials will tell you it's the entire crew's fault.

Misinterpretation of the rules calls are supposed to never occur. Officials are rules experts and have spent countless hours mastering their sport's rules.

Add that to the fact that a misinterpretation requires all on-field officials to incorrectly apply a rule and you can see why this type of a miss is an exceptionally rare event that might occur only once every three or more seasons.

Instead of Morris being in the hot seat for a few inconsequential minutes, Curles and the entire officiating crew have drawn the utmost ire from Vanderbilt fans for at least a week, because they disregarded what happened on the field of play.

We can't solely blame Oldham—he likely had no idea the whistle had blown.

We can't solely blame Curles—he was running down the field in anticipation of officiating Gordon's return for a touchdown. He might have never even heard the whistle.

We can't even solely blame Morris—we have no idea what he told his crew chief.

Commodores angry about how this game ended will perpetually use the "what if Tennessee's field goal would have been wide?" argument. For these fans, the officials acted as one to demolish Vanderbilt's overtime campaign.

It won't come down to Rodgers' inability to avoid the interception nor Gordon's ability pick off the star QB. It won't even come down to the logical conclusion of "even without the whistle, he would have scored that touchdown."

It will be about an appalling officiating error, a blatant disregard of the rules and—for the most ambitious Vanderbilt fans—yet another manifestation of the SEC's efforts to conspire against their team.

For Tennessee, this was a hard-fought battle that resulted in a well earned victory.

Unfortunately, the most devastating of officiating errors might have just marred this late-season overtime thriller.

It's always easier to blame someone else.

Author's Note: This is the fourth in a five-part series detailing coaches who deserve Coach of the Year Award consideration for the jobs they have done this season in turning around once-dismal programs. Part I can be found here. Part 2 can be found here. Part 3 can be found here.

Vanderbilt University is sometimes referred to as the "Harvard of the South." As far as academics go, that's a great title to have. However, the sports-related aspect of it isn't nearly so positive. 

Harvard plays at the FCS level, and isn't exactly a power team even in that lower division. Vanderbilt, on the other hand, plays in the SEC, where academics rank something like 20th on most of the schools' priority lists, right behind figuring out what appetizers to serve in the luxury boxes at football games.

The SEC is notorious for repeatedly neglecting academics in order to further their athletics. It's no surprise that one of the biggest academics-related sports scandals in history took place at an SEC institution—Georgia in the early '80s, where many of the players were illiterate and/or admitted with embarrassingly low SAT scores, among other things.

Since academics is the No. 1 priority at Vanderbilt, competing in the conference most renowned for obtaining football success at the expense of academic integrity is quite difficult.

In the past 30 years, the Vanderbilt Commodores have experienced all of two winning seasons (1982 and 2008). Some have argued that success at Vanderbilt is nearly impossible due to its standing as an academically-oriented school in an athletics-obsessed conference.

Vanderbilt's first-year head coach James Franklin is not among those who believe that Vanderbilt's academic standing prevents it from having success on the football field.

Under the guidance of Franklin, the Commodores currently sit at 5-5, and need only one more win in order to become eligible. With winnable games against Tennessee and Wake Forest remaining, there is a good chance that the 'Dores will be bowling this year. Considering that the team was 2-10 each of the previous two seasons, that's quite an accomplishment. 

The team is currently 31st in the nation in scoring defense, and their offense is finally beginning to show signs of life as well. Junior running back Zac Stacy is having a terrific season, as he has rushed for 891 yards and ninfe touchdowns so far, with a good shot at breaking the school's single-season rushing yards record of 1,103 yards. 

Meanwhile, Vandy has found a go-to quarterback in Jordan Rodgers, the younger brother of NFL superstar Aaron Rodgers. In only six games as the starter this season, Rodgers has thrown for 1,166 yards and seven touchdowns, while adding 305 yards and four touchdowns rushing.

Most important of all, the team believes that it can compete with the other SEC schools, regardless of academic standing, and it's showing on the field. 

In the past, the Commodores put up little resistance against their conference foes and looked much like the cupcakes that the other SEC teams are notorious for loading up their non-conference schedules with. This season, Vanderbilt has already beaten two SEC teams, and three of their conference losses were by less than a touchdown.

Franklin has sparked a complete turnaround in Vanderbilt's football program, and has them believing in themselves like never before. Add to that the fact that he is doing it a school which is at an extreme competitive disadvantage in its own conference, and it becomes obvious that Franklin should be getting some pretty serious Coach of the Year consideration.