What Would Be A SUCCESSFUL 2024 Season For Vanderbilt Football?

[Music] 2023 was a total disaster for Clark Lee and his third Vanderbuilt team after the September 2nd win over Alabama State the Kor did not win another game you saw signs probably in that early game against um to against Hawaii that is probably gonna be a long year and the worst part is that Lee is a defensive guy and the Vanderbilt defense in 2023 once again was not a good unit the comodos were 126 in scoring D and 128 in Total Defense and eight foes scored at least 35 points against Vander bille to be fair to Clark Le this is as tough as a job as it has ever been but there is no denying that 2024 is a big year for Lee at his Alma moer another disastrous season like 2023 could make the administration to maybe start to ponder what direction they go with vanderville football but I'm here to ask the question what is success for Vanderbilt in 2024 I know it this is probably one of the hardest ones to do I mean Vander has the over under set at two and a half I mean uh yeah Vegas is the over under set for vander's win total at uh two and a half right now so do they get over that we'll look at the schedule here you know how I do this segment we'll give a black and white record prediction but we'll dive in immediately into two things if I was a vainer Bo fan minus the win loss total I would like to see that first of all in offense it needs to start it the Run game needs to be improved vander's Run game in 20223 was second to last in the SEC with 1,144 total yards they averag 95 I think roughly three uh yards per game on the ground and 3.3 yards per carry Cedric Alexander is back in 2024 after leading the commodor in rushing and will lead what will most likely be a committee approach or by kind of a by committee approach I would say here but AJ Newberry another attorney who should see his role increase Chase m glaspie is another guy who could also get some more work in but one thing to keep in mind here if you're a Vanderbilt fan when it comes to Vanderbilt's running game in 24 is that new OC from New Mexico State Tim Beck the offense the quarterback is gonna be utilized a bunch in the Run game Diego pava y'all remember him had a phenomenal game against Auburn last year had a massive game uh p had a him and Tim Beck's offense Auburn couldn't stop I mean Auburn's offense Ron Robertson could not stop them he is at vayer now and also Nate Johnson backup quarterback for Utah who started against Florida last year I mean if you want to be honest I mean pava and Johnson are both two and 0 against SEC teams via against Auburn Johnson in that uh first start against uh Florida and Salt Lake City last year when cam Rising was out and Johnson's biggest strength is his leg so I'm I suspect the Run game to be a little improved they have some depth on the offensive line a lot of Versatility a lot of guys that can play on the inside and outside uh so I think that run game is going to improve if if not by scheme alone when you factor in the quarterback run game on the defensive side of the ball some things you'd like to see improve the secondary has to get better there's some returning talent in the secondary but they that may not be the best thing for vandero after the comor finished 126 against the pass last season don't be surprised if some newcomers do most of the heavy lifting here as there's only one found piece one foundational piece and that's a linebacker transitioning back at CJ for a linebacker transitioning back at safety and CJ Taylor who has made 55 tackles 7 seven and a half tackles for a loss and he had a pair of interceptions in 23 Marlon Jones and Eastern Washington transfers had some FCS success was there for the spring and impressed it one corner and he should be joined by the returning Martell height who got work as a freshman last year Michel Bell a Notre Dame transfer Marcus Davis from Southern Illinois and Kobe Taylor from Wyoming along with Tyson Russell will all be in fight all be kind of in that fight for that rotation Davis played a lot in his three seasons and could be heavily involved joining Taylor at safety will be S Dante Wright who takes over after the post spring departure of uh der Ricky Wright but remember der Ricky Wright kind of had that thing where he came back to the program so Carter vy's top signning the 2024 cycle in fourar Prospect uh he should be getting a big look there in the secondary as well so either there a bit of a little like baptism by fire maybe for Carter there you you have to throw him out there because the talent uh ceiling is through the roof there so he could also have some Star Quality then you have Marlon Su and Jaylen Gilbert who add depth and if the potential is met this group could go from a liability to a to a strength from a Vanderbilt standpoint um overall just an overall standpoint there from the secondary uh if we're wanting to get into the black and white schedule standpoint here of course we will do that let me pull it up on the screen here vandero opens up with Virginia Tech alorn State go at Georgia State they'll play at Turner Field there and then from a non-conference standpoint their other game is against Ball State uh and the Cardinals there so yeah I mean Virginia Tech at home first bank I think it's gonna be a loss they they sh have to should get alorn state I'm not so they beat Georgia State I'll be honest with you I'm going to probably give them the win there against Georgia State uh so you're two and one after three at Missouri I don't think they get by week Alabama I don't think they get at Kentucky I don't think they get Ball State smort that up as a win uh te at Texas at home probably not um at Alburn no South Carolina no maybe I mean South Carolina at home is probably the game conference wise they could get if you were to Circle win out of all the games out of the eight conference games I would say that is the game they probably South Carolina Vanderbilt get the home game against South Carolina I don't think they will just saying that's the one most likely by week at LSU know then finish in the season hosting Tennessee I don't best case for Vander four and eight worst case two and 10 probably maybe just out Corner State and Ball State would be your win because again I'm not automatically giving Georgia State the automatic win Del McGee M Georgia's running back's coach coming over uh from that standpoint so I'm not overly um I'm I'm not overly for sure that's a loss for Georgia State in a win for vanderville vice versa on that standpoint so I think realistically Vander a three- win team I would go just over that half win mark for Vanderbilt there if for Vegas like I mentioned Vegas has it set up at two and a half right now I would go just over that win total at three that's how I would look at it if if I'm just being honest here like I said most likely Conference win South Carolina at home after that I mean look maybe at Kentucky or at alurn maybe but I mean that I think both of those are major stretches here I mean it's not an easy conference slate I mean none of them are easy for B because they're they go into every match up not having the best roster and again it's a very tough job for Clark Lee right now where does he go I mean he made both coordinator changes he demoted both of them he took over the defense himself so he's essentially saying like hey if we're going down with the ship it's gonna be under my terms so I I can respect that as a head coach I can I can respect that this is it's a difficult schedule when you have vayer roster and you only see three wins there so I I really don't blame Vegas for having the over under sad at that two and a half win tot I think it's about right now I was a guy last year it was shouting from the rooftop I thought it was a blood bank guarantee Vanderbilt would get over the three and a half win total that Vegas set going into 2023 I thought they get four wins I thought they would but you watch that Hawaii game that first that that week zero for some whoever you call whatever you want to call it week one for some you just kind of like man and then they struggle against Alabama State I think it was Alabama state or Alabama A&M the next one you're like I don't know if they're gonna get UNLV and weight force and they didn't they didn't and then uh you didn't see them getting a conference game and I don't see him getting a conference game this year guys I really don't I hate being that guy but I think realistically here if we're talking about what would be a successful season for vand in 2024 again I'm on here I've stated can't call anything a success uh when it's a losing record or 500 it just isn't in me someone say but for Vanderbilt a realistic successful season I think it'd be four and eight and you got to improve in the Run game which I think you will with the scheme with both quarterbacks Diego PVA and Nate Johnson I think you're gonna improve of both of them in the secondary it can only improve you can't keep keep being Bombs Over Baghdad uh explosive plays over the top all the time because I think the Deep defensive line depthwise and the linebacker unit is going to be good again the the roster across the board it's improved it's just it's tough to keep that developmental Talent at Vanderbilt now it just is what it is so I think they improve Run game they improve secondary play you win three non-conference games you can lo afford to lose that Virginia Tech game opening year and you get a conference win you beat alorn State you beat Ball State and you beat Georgia State and you get a conference and SEC win 4 and eight hate to call that a success but if you improve in those other two categories I think for Vanderbilt that would be a successful 202024 campaign even going into Clark ley's fourth year but again I appreciate you joining us for what would be a successful season segment for Vanderbilt heading into 2024 again guys don't forget to like subscribe hit the notification bell all things SEC 247 365 SEC media days in Dallas are on their way we got College World Series content coming at you have Chris Phillips there uh live in Omaha at amerit trade um uh Park so TD am trade part so that'll be a fun event obviously everybody's going to be locked in for that but again don't forget like subscribe stay with us again I'm your host Dave shate longtime Personnel guy in the college football world and especially in the SEC coming at you bringing you SEC content all the time have a fantastic day [Music]