Vanderbilt Football

Just a couple weeks ago the Vanderbilt football program was heading down a road so bright after winning their second bowl game in two years, but the coaching carousel changed that quickly as Penn State nabbed James Franklin as their new head coach.

Instead of a straight and positive road, Vanderbilt has reached a shaky crossroads that could wipe out all of the progress they made under Franklin.

It ended up just being wishful thinking that Franklin would continue on as the head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores. Despite all his success and popularity in Nashville, Franklin had to go chase his dream job. No shame there.

For the Commodores, they have to move on quickly. Franklin has put them in a position to remain successful and relevant in the SEC for years to come if they handle this coaching change in a smart manner.

There are currently several impressive candidates in the pool of possible replacements for Franklin. Many of these names would have never even been considered three years ago when the Commodores were winning two games a season.

Even a respected NFL name like Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is getting in on the interview process for the Vandy coaching vacancy.

Respected college coordinators like Stanford defensive coordinator Derek Mason have also risen as strong possibilities to replace Franklin and continue the progress he made.

However, a wrong move here by Vanderbilt could send them spiraling back down to the SEC cellar. They can't pick themselves back up quite as easily as the SEC powerhouses can when they lose a head coach.

There is one thing working in the new coach's favor, and that's a very favorable 2014 schedule that offers eight homes games. That schedule also has no Alabama, no LSU and no Texas A&M.

Something else that's working in favor of Vanderbilt and the new head coach is a fanbase that probably feels somewhat betrayed. They've been called out countless times for not filling up the smallest stadium in the SEC.

Will that mean that these fans come out with a vengeance in 2014 to prove the doubters wrong? They have plenty of home games to prove it, and fans usually respond when you push them hard enough.

This process has to move swiftly in the coming days as the recruiting rankings for Vanderbilt are slipping rapidly with no head coach in place. They've dropped from the mid-20s all the way back outside of the top-60, according to Rivals.com.

There is still plenty of time for them to recover if the right coach gets in there fast and restores order. Recruiting rankings are always a fluid process.

It will be interesting to see if the resurgence of Vanderbilt football ends up fizzling out or maintains its course next season.

Vanderbilt is on the hunt for its 28th head football coach in school history. The Commodores will have to work hard to replace former head coach James Franklin, who recently defected to Penn State after three seasons at the helm of the program.

Updates from Friday, Jan. 17

Jeff Lockridge of The Tennessean reports that Derek Mason will be the Commodores' new head coach:

According to ESPN's Joe Schad, Mason has been offered the job:

According to Bruce Feldman of CBS, one candidate has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Vanderbilt job:

However, Shannon Terry of 247sports.com reports that a candidate has been decided upon:

Jeremy Fowler of CBS writes that while Mason is the front-runner and is having a second interview, the deal isn't done yet:

 Stanford defensive coordinator Derek Mason appears to be Vanderbilt's next head coach but the process is not yet done.

Mason has a second interview with Vanderbilt this morning and the Commodores will make the final decision this afternoon, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation.

247Sports.com reports that Mason will soon be named the head coach of Vanderbilt.The second interview could be a formality but Mason has not been offered the job yet.

Tennessean reporter Jeff Lockridge offers an update from Vanderbilt athletic director David Williams:

Updates from Wednesday, Jan. 15

Shannon B. Terry of 247Sports.com (via Barton Simmons of 247Sports.com) reports Vanderbilt currently has a front-runner to fill its vacant head-coaching position despite interviewing additional candidates:

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com later confirmed Schottenheimer's interview:

Updates from Tuesday, Jan. 14

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports on a coach from the NFL who is a potential candidate for the Vanderbilt job:

Updates from Monday, Jan. 13

ESPN's Joe Schad says Vanderbilt is considering a Pac-12 defensive coordinator to fill its vacant head-coaching position:

Updates From Sunday, Jan. 12

Jeff Lockridge of The Tennessean provides the latest update on Vandy's coaching search: 

Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports reports on how the university plans on finding its next head football coach:

 ---Original Text---

It’s been three years since the university has had to conduct a coaching search, but it seems that athletic director David Williams is prepared to turn over every stone in order to unearth the best candidate for the opening.

According to NewsChannel5.com, Williams sent out a press release that should help alleviate the doubts of concerned Commodores fans:

I want to assure our campus community and Commodore Nation that we are prepared to begin the process that we've used in the past to identify and hire our other very successful head coaches. We have every expectation to hire an outstanding new football coach to build upon the progress that has been made in recent years.

Atlanta-based firm Parker Executive Search will be assisting the school with the hire, but it won’t be easy to find just anyone to fill this position. USA Today’s Paul Myerberg listed a handful of potential candidates that Vanderbilt may consider for the vacancy:

• Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson
• Ball State coach Pete Lembo
• Stanford defensive coordinator Derek Mason
• Colorado State coach Jim McElwain
• Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris
• Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi
• North Carolina State tight ends coach Tom O'Brien
• Vanderbilt defensive coordinator Bob Shoop
• Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart
• Louisville offensive coordinator Shawn Watson
• Utah State coach Matt Wells

CBS' Jeremy Fowler says Vanderbilt will also be interviewing Herb Hand, who is already on staff:

As per NewsChannel5.com, Williams has made it clear that there will plenty of responsibility and accountability involved for the candidate that is eventually hired:

Our objective is to hire an outstanding football coach, one capable of running the program like a CEO, and do so in a timely manner. We are confident in our process and ability to hire a coach that will be able to advance the tremendous progress our program has made over the past three years.                       

It’s important not to understate the impact that Franklin had on this program. The Commodores went from making one bowl appearance during a 28-year stretch that spanned the 1983 season all the way through the 2010 campaign to making three in a row under the now 41-year-old coach.

Franklin had his work cut out for him upon being hired, but managed to overcome the obstacles and engineer and incredible turnaround. He oversaw the rebuilding of a Vanderbilt team that went 2-10 in back-to-back seasons by guiding it to a 6-6 regular season record and a bowl appearance in his first year.

The new Nittany Lions coach took things a step further by putting together back-to-back 9-4 outings that also included bowl victories—he was the first coach in school history to accomplish this feat—and rankings in the final Associated Press Top 25 polls.

To say the least, this will be a tough act to follow. However, Vanderbilt is no longer a perennial laughingstock that always finds itself at the bottom of the uber-competitive SEC.

This program is now garnering respect, wins and recruits. Bringing in a new coach ahead of Feb. 5’s National Signing Day will be absolutely imperative to the school's sustained success. 

The Vanderbilt Commodores lay three points to the Houston Cougars in this year’s edition of the Compass Bowl, as Vandy makes its third straight bowl appearance under coach James Franklin.

Vandy arrives at Legion Field in Birmingham on an 8-2 against-the-spread run when playing away from home. They face a Houston team that has been turning major profits at the betting window.

Point spread: The Commodores opened as 1.5-point Compass Bowl favorites; the total was 53.5 in mid-December. (Line updates and matchup report)

Odds Shark computer prediction: 37.7-29.1 Cougars

Why Houston can cover the Compass Bowl spread

The Cougars (8-4) won their first five games of the season with an explosive offense that averaged 39.8 points in those games. In winning seven of its first eight games, Houston averaged 41.1 points per game.

Houston, which has covered 12 of 14 dating back to 2012, is making its eighth trip to the postseason over the past 11 seasons. The Cougars, who are 9-11-1 all-time in bowls, return to the postseason after last year's 30-14 win against then-No. 22 Penn State in the 2012 TicketCity Bowl.

The Cougars covered their last five as an underdog and have cashed out in seven straight games away from home.

Why Vanderbilt can cover the Compass Bowl spread

Vanderbilt, which won seven of its last nine games to close out the campaign, will depend on its defense to slow down Houston's offense. The Commodores will be without the services of quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels, who had surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee.

The Commodores (8-4) aren't used to losing football games as they're 15-4 in their last 19 games dating back to last season.

This is a team that has knocked off Georgia, Florida and Tennessee for the first time in the same season. Coach Franklin is rumored to be in the mix for the Texas head coaching job, according to odds posted this week at Odds Shark, so it remains to be seen whether that emerges as a distraction.

Smart Pick

This total is mysteriously low for a rather high-scoring Houston team, which is an indicator the oddsmakers think this one will play low, and we do too. The Compass Bowl betting odds history is littered with recent UNDER bets, as six of the past seven Compass Bowls have played UNDER the total.

This is the second-lowest total of the season involving the Cougars. With Vandy playing an SEC-savvy game, and having to step up its effort on defense, the Cougars will have to match intensity in what will be a grind-it-out game.

Look for a tight game and this one to stay low and UNDER the posted number.

Trends:

• Six of past seven Compass Bowls played UNDER total
• Vandy won seven of nine SU to end the season
• Houston is 12-2 ATS past 14 games overall dating to 2012

Note: All spread and odds data powered by Odds Shark—follow on Twitter for injury updates and line move updates.

The coaching carousel started spinning early this season when USC fired former head coach Lane Kiffin in September. 

One name that has been mentioned prominently for that job, according to Scott Wolf of the Los Angeles Daily News, as well as several others over the last few seasons, is Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin. 

The third-year coach of the Commodores has led the program to two straight bowl games, has posted a 5-4 record this season and is fresh off of a 34-17 shellacking of the Florida Gators in Gainesville—the first victory for the program in the Swamp since 1945.

The program averaged less than 20 points per game in each of the two seasons before he got to Nashville and has averaged more than 26 points per game in each of his three seasons at the helm.

After routinely chiming in ranked in the high 40s or low 50s in the 247Sports.com recruiting rankings, Franklin hauled in the nation's No. 26 class in 2013 and is currently ranked No. 24 for the class of 2014, according to 247Sports.com.

Is it time for Franklin to move on and take the next step?

He only makes $1,842,771 per season, according to the recently updated USA Today coaches' salary database, although that number likely doesn't include bonus figures and other income that Vandy—as a private institution—doesn't have to release.

He received a raise and an extension last December, according to Edward Aschoff of ESPN.com. That extension will keep him at Vandy for "a number of years," according to athletic director David Williams.

But he certainly can make a move if a big offer comes along. So when does Franklin make the jump?

He likely isn't USC's first choice for the job. Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin is, according to the Daily News. That's important, because Franklin seems content winning at Vanderbilt and waiting for "the big one."

He's essentially Will Muschamp when he was Texas' defensive coordinator and coach-in-waiting. He passed on several opportunities to take "the big one" when it opened, and it did when former Florida head coach Urban Meyer retired following the 2010 season.

There's no doubt, building Vanderbilt—Vanderbilt—to a perennial bowl team has elevated Franklin to near-elite status and absolutely has earned him serious looks from athletic directors looking to make a splash during coaching searches.

But Franklin isn't in a position to turn down jobs; he's in a position to pick and choose.

He's earned a new gig. The only question is, how big of a gig will it be?

If he keeps this up, it will be a destination job at a high-profile program with all the resources to win big. Franklin at USC or a program similar to USC would be a scary thought.

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With the college football season rolling right along, we still have yet to learn that much about the Vanderbilt Commodores other than they're once again a competitive team that can hang with pretty much anyone.

A few convincing nonconference wins and a tough season-opening loss to Ole Miss is all we really have to go on right now for the Commodores as they sit at 3-2.

A win over Missouri this week could teach us that this team is in fact for real and that last season was no fluke when it strung together seven consecutive wins to finish 9-4.

The Commodores are also getting ready to enter a rough spot in their schedule that has matchups against ranked opponents Georgia, Texas A&M and Florida.

If the Commodores drop this game against the high-potent offense of Missouri, then it could mean that a rude awakening is in store for a team that has high aspirations.

After going though the toughest part of their schedule, the Commodores still have a tough road contest with Tennessee left on the schedule. That would put them on the fringe of missing a bowl game entering that game, and it would fuel the fire even more about whether or not head coach James Franklin is going to stay with Vanderbilt or go for another more glamorous coaching position.

Even if the Commodores may be a slightly better team than Tennessee at this moment, they still don't want to go into Knoxville needing a win to get bowl eligible.

On the flip side, a win over Missouri puts the Commodores in great shape to build their confidence and be in good position to lock up another bowl berth under Franklin.

Bowl appearances are major for a program that is trying to build a new foundation like the Commodores are.

The Commodores defense will be tested greatly in this game with Missouri, a team that is ninth in the nation in points per game.

It's also somewhat of a revenge game for Missouri as it lost at home to Vanderbilt last season in a very close contest in sloppy weather conditions.

The Commodores will counter with a strong offensive attack of their own that's led by quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels, who is getting better by the week.

This is a very winnable game for the Commodores at home. It's a matter of if they're ready to deal with the pressure that comes with being a successful SEC football program. 

A win here over Missouri will keep that positive momentum rolling for this program, but a loss will almost certainly force it to get a major upset on the remaining schedule to keep that momentum going.

It was only a matter of time before James Franklin came up in a coaching search for a respected program, and that is exactly what is happening now with the firing of Lane Kiffin at USC.

At first glance, Franklin's brief coaching record at Vanderbilt spells average. However, he's 18-13 at a program that was lucky to win more than three games in a season before he arrived in 2011.

Franklin gave the normal answer to questions surrounding the buzz around the USC coaching vacancy, basically saying he's focused on Vanderbilt.

That may be true, but it's hard to ignore the glitz and glamour of USC. It's being speculated by SportingNews.com that Franklin is at the top of the list for USC.

What Franklin has been able to do with such little talent in a short amount of time is what makes him so appealing to the bigger programs, and Vanderbilt will have to do everything in their power to retain him past this season.

If Vanderbilt heads to another bowl game this season, which it appears they will, then Franklin will get even more enticing offers in the offseason. 

Unfortunately for Vanderbilt, they remain a stepping stone program for up and coming coaches until they can establish themselves as an SEC power year after year. That's obviously no easy feat, and that is why it will be so difficult to keep Franklin much longer.

It is always possible that Franklin does choose to stay at Vanderbilt and continue to build his own legacy at a program that was at the bottom. If he continues to embrace the challenge of building a program from the ground up, then Vanderbilt has a small chance to keep him for many more years.

This is where the fans come into the equation. Franklin has always been very outspoken about getting the fanbase involved and them turning out in big numbers to give Vanderbilt a home field advantage that they have never enjoyed in SEC matchups.

He's made progress in that department, especially if you watched how much black and gold was actually in the stands for the matchup with Tennessee last season. Usually, that home contest for Vanderbilt is filled more than half with the orange colors of Tennessee, but it was much more in favor of Vanderbilt in the most recent meeting in Nashville.

This year's season opener against Ole Miss was another good example of how Franklin has ignited the fanbase into making Vanderbilt Stadium a tough place to play for SEC opponents.

Franklin deserves a ton of credit for that, as do the fans who responded. They have to continue to show that Vanderbilt is a program worth staying with for such a talented coach like Franklin. 

The reported attendance for Vanderbilt's last home game was over 32,000 for UAB, and that number needs to be a sellout when Missouri comes to town this upcoming week. Those kinds of things, like soldout stadiums full of crazy fans, can help keep a passionate coach like Franklin on the sidelines in Nashville.

A huge fork in the road is about to come up for Franklin on his head coaching journey that is less than three years old. He certainly has a bright future ahead of him, but the jury is still out on if that will be with Vanderbilt or a more glamorous program.

The Vanderbilt Commodores suffered a heartrending 39-35 defeat in Week 1 of the college football season to the Ole Miss Rebels on Thursday night, Aug. 29

The final quarter of the game was like an emotional roller coaster for the coaching staff, players and fan base.

After just one game, many have marked the Commodores off for the season. While they believe that Vanderbilt will still make a bowl game, hopes of another nine win season are over in their opinion.

However, the “anchor” dropped into Nashville over the past two seasons still holds plenty of weight and the Commodores are not going anywhere.

The Commodores are no longer the “Dore-mat” of the SEC and will rebound from this disappointing loss.

In my preseason selections, I had the Commodores going 9-4 with a win in the Gator Bowl. While their bowl outlook might have changed with the loss, I still think Vanderbilt will win nine games.

The defeat to Ole Miss did not change my opinion of this Commodores team. Perhaps most importantly, they have a coach in James Franklin who knows how to motivate his team and get them back on course after a setback.

Last season, Vanderbilt did not win its first game over a FBS school until Oct. 6. The Commodores started the season 1-3 with their lone win coming over FCS Presbyterian. After their first road win against the Missouri Tigers, the Commodores lost again, this time to the Florida Gators.

With the Commodores at 2-4, the critics were chanting, “Same old Vandy”

However, under Franklin, you can knock the Commodores down but you can't knock them out. Like their head coach, they are forever resilient. 

Franklin kept his team focused and confident. The Commodores won seven straight games to finish the season, including a 38-24 win in the Music City Bowl over North Carolina State.

Can Vanderbilt still win nine games this season? A closer look at its remaining schedule has me believing it will.

The Commodores next host Austin Peay at Vanderbilt Stadium. The two schools are close in geographical proximity, but there is a vast difference in their talent level. The Commodores will dominate Austin Peay the same way the Tennessee Volunteers did this past week in a 45-0 win over the Governors.

The following week, the Commodores will travel to Williams-Brice Stadium to face the South Carolina Gamecocks. Vanderbilt will be an underdog, but don't count it out just yet. In all likelihood, the Commodores will begin preparation for the Gamecocks this week while South Carolina will be preparing for a slugfest with the Georgia Bulldogs.

Win or lose at Georgia, this is a trap game for South Carolina and the Commodores could pull off a major upset.

After South Carolina, the Commodores will have a three-game stretch where they will be favored in games against Massachusetts, UAB and Missouri. If they are able to win those three, they will be looking at either 5-1 or 4-2.

After the Missouri game, Vanderbilt will have a tough three-game stretch that includes Georgia, at Texas A&M and at Florida.

However, the Commodores have a bye week prior to facing Georgia and Florida looked very beatable in its opener. Even if they lose to South Carolina next week, the Commodores only need to win one of these three games to still be on track for nine wins.

Vanderbilt will complete the regular season with three more games that it will be favored in against Kentucky, Tennessee and Wake Forrest.

In other words, the Commodores' season is far from over. The Anchor remains strong and so does their resolve to win.

Who would have thought two years ago that this week's SEC season opener between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Old Miss Rebels would be considered the Battle of the Rising Stars?

When the two teams faced off in Week 3 of the 2011 season, both teams were coming off disastrous seasons. Their two records combined was an anemic 6-18 and 2-14 in SEC play. Fast forward to 2013, and Vanderbilt has the SEC's longest winning streak while Ole Miss had the largest jump in the win column of any SEC team in 2012.

Both teams return most of their starters on both sides of the football and believe Thursday's game will be the launching point for the next level in their program's progression.

Why Ole Miss could win this ball game

Vanderbilt should have a top-three SEC secondary this season and also returns five of its back seven on defense, including All-SEC cornerback Andre Hal. However, the Rebels enter the game with confidence knowing that Bo Wallace and the Ole Miss offense have already proven they can move the ball against the Commodores defense.

Last season, Wallace completed 31 of 49 passes for 403 yards and a touchdown against Vanderbilt. Moreover, the Rebels led Vanderbilt by as much as 17 in the third quarter. However, the Rebels kept settling for field-goal attempts instead of touchdowns and eventually surrendered the lead in the final seconds of the game.

The Rebels were second in the SEC last season in sacks and could be better this season. This is problematic for the Commodores because their quarterback, Austyn Carta-Samuels, will be making his first start in the SEC.

Carta-Samuels is a former Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year and threw for over 3,600 yards in two seasons with the Wyoming Cowboys. However, if the Rebels can get pressure on Carta-Samuels, it will be a long night for the Vanderbilt offense.

Why Vanderbilt could win this ball game

The Commodores will be playing at home, where they are 9-4 under head coach James Franklin and have been competitive in all four defeats, which were at the hands of nationally ranked teams.

The Commodores posted a home record of 5-2 in 2011 at Vanderbilt Stadium. Both Commodore losses were against nationally ranked teams in Arkansas and Georgia. Moreover, the two losses were by a combined total of eight points, and both games came down to the last play.

Vanderbilt was once again efficient at home in 2012 as it finished the season with a 4-2 record. The Commodores' only losses came at the hands of the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Florida Gators. Both teams finished the season ranked in the top 10 in the AP poll. Both games were close, with the Gamecocks needing a controversial no-call to defeat Vandy, and Florida was only up by a single touchdown with two minutes left in the game.

The bottom line is that in every home game under Franklin, the Commodores have played above their ability.

They were no match talent-wise against Florida, Georgia, Arkansas and South Carolina, but they played them to the final horn.

Conclusion

The Ole Miss Rebels are three points better than Vanderbilt on a neutral field after the suspension of wide receiver Chris Boyd. However, playing in Nashville should give Vanderbilt an additional six points.

I expect Vanderbilt to run the ball more than usual because of the suspension of Boyd. Instead of replacing Boyd on this week's depth chart, the Commodores have dropped the third wide receiver spot and added fullback Fitz Lassing in his place.

Look for Franklin to not only use sophomore running back Brian Kimbrow and senior running back Wesley Tate in an increased rushing role but in the passing game as well, and the moment that they sink in, Carta-Samuels will find Jordan Matthews for a big gain.

If Vanderbilt wins in the special teams department, they will win this game. However, if they don't, it will be a long night for Vanderbilt fans.

While I believe this game is a tossup, I can't go against Franklin at home.

Score prediction: Vanderbilt 27 Ole Miss 24

Stat line prediction: Ole Miss three turnovers