I know Georgia is expected to roll over Vanderbilt in the season opener, but Vandy is an SEC team, which means while the ‘Dores may be short on depth, they’ve got some players. Here’s a list from Dawgs247 of a few names to watch. In particular…
RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn: The 5-foot-10 215-pound back was tremendous a year ago. He averaged just under eight yards per carry en route to a 1,244-yard, 12-touchdown season and it was his first as the feature back. He won’t have Khari Blasingame around to spell him but he has to be considered one of the top play-making running backs in the SEC. His blend of speed and power isn’t easy to come by.
In my humble opinion, Vaughn is the most under the radar player in the conference. Even in last year’s rout in Athens, he still managed almost nine yards a carry. Damned good running back.
Vaughn will be great if he can stay healthy. The rest of the team, not so much.
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I’m not saying the kid is no good but just like a good running game helps a QB, Shurmur’s general competency helped the Vandy running game terrorize LuLu and Junior for the third year in a row last year. If they don’t find a quality QB replacement, which seems in doubt, opponents can key on Vaughn and the other backs with impunity.
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Tennessee mostly shut down their running game, and Vaughn left the game with an injury after only six carries. Shurmur and their defense (or UT’s offensive ineptitude) won the game.
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My fault for not checking the stats, maybe I am thinking of one of the other beatings Vandy has given Tennessee in 5 out of the last 7 years. I play fast and loose when it comes to dumping on Big Urnge.
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Ahhh, the old Vandy hump! 5 out of 7, eh? Music to my ears.
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My point stands though, Shurmur was the key. If Vandy has a hard time replacing him, it’ll go ill for running back productivity also.
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I never thought Shurmur got the attention he deserved. He was a very good QB .
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Shurmur would have been frustrating if I was a Vandy fan. He had games where he looked like an All-American candidate, and then he had games where he made just awful decisions and inaccurate throws. He was more consistent his last year, and his receivers did him no favors, but he still had a couple of real stinkers.
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Sounds like we’ll find out what our run defense looks like early this year.
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Here are the kids carries against us in order: 7, 43, 0, 4, 3, 3, 13, 4, 2.
I think we’ll be ok.
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Yep, he averaged nearly 9 yds/carry. Sounds about right.
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And the median is 4. Like I said, I think we’ll be ok.
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Three runs, first down.
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Why even wait for the Heisman ceremony?
Wait until you see their long snappah!
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I hope the kid has a Heisman winning performance in Knoxville.
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I watched the 2018 game again the other day (twice actually because it came on SECN late one evening) and Vandy pummeled us through the first half even though we led 21-6 (I think) at half. They drove from the 20 to the 20 and then couldn’t score. They gashed us on the ground.
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