Offense

The Commodores may have finally found an answer at quarterback in Jordan Rodgers, who took over for Larry Smith at the middle of the season. Rodgers led the team with 1,524 passing yards and rushed for another 420 yards and four scores, despite not starting until the 7th game of the season. . If Rodgers is able to live up to the hype, the Commodores are going to continue to surprise teams in 2012..

Vanderbilt’s ground game last year was very successful and the emergence of Zac Stacy was the main reason for the team’s success. Stacy had a single-season school record carrying the ball 201 times for 1,193 yards and 14 touchdowns. Stacy had his chance after Warren Norman was forced to redshirt following a devastating knee injury. Warren will come back in 2012 and his ability to stay on the field and produce will be a key factor for the team’s continued success moving forward.

Big things are expected out of junior wide out Jordan Matthews and sophomore Chris Boyd coming into 2012. Matthews became the first Vanderbilt wide out in school history with three straight 100 yard performances (151, 170, 131). Meanwhile Boyd was second on the team with 31 catches for 473 yards and a team-high 8 touchdowns.

The fact that Vanderbilt was still able to rush for 164 yards/game last year, despite losing left guard Jabo Burrow after only a game and starting center Logan Stewart after five, is a testament to the team’s depth on the line. Both Burrow and Stewart have graduated along with guards Kyle Fischer and Mylon Brown. Despite that, Vanderbilt is still in good shape because of the good amount of experience coming back (four with starting experience) and should at the very least match last year’s numbers.

Defense

Defensively, the Commodores took a huge step in the right direction last year. The defense went from giving up 31.2 ppg in 2010, to only allowing 21.6 ppg last year.. Offenses managed just 323 yards of total offense, which was a major improvement from 2010 (419 ypg).. They get back seven starters on this side of the ball, but lose a number of key players, including their top three tacklers from last season.

On the defensive line, the Commodores must find a way to replace their best pass-rusher in defensive end Tim Fugger. They do bring back three starters in talented defensive tackle Rob Lohr, defensive tackle Colt Nichter and defensive end Walker May. They should continue their strong play against the run as they as have both tackles returning as well.

While the Commodores return starting middle linebacker Chase Garnham and starting weak-side linebacker Archibald Barnes, it might still be difficult to replace strong-side linebacker Chris Marve, who was considered by many to be the heart and soul of the entire defense.

The secondary will also miss a couple of key players in 2nd Team All-American corner Casey Hayward and starting strong safety Sean Richardson. A drop off in production is to be expected from this unit in 2012, especially since a huge reason for their success was due to Hayward and the pressure applied by Fugger and Lohr last year.

Head over to Football Free Picks for all your Vanderbilt betting needs. You will find the best odds available for every Commodore game, plus get expert advice on who to take against the spread.

SEC Prediction – 6th SEC East

While their offense will most likely keep them afloat for most games, their defense has taken such a hit that it will be hard for them to win. Vanderbilt will more than likely be a middle of the pack in the SEC East standings, but they still have a great shot of making it back to a bowl game. Winnable road games against Kentucky and Mississippi will likely dictate the outcome of their bid for a back-to-back bowl berth in 2012.

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Vanderbilt Football: Commodores Headed For Bottom Half Of SEC East is a post from: WiredWriter