| Nashville Tennessean
Vanderbilt’s first two results were so different that Saturday’s game against South Carolina could indicate the direction the Commodores are headed.
Vanderbilt could be competitive, as it suffered a 17-12 loss to number 20 in Texas A&M. He could also routinely suffer bursts like the 41-7 loss to LSU number 16 last week.
But there were not many differences between the performances, which means that Vanderbilt has little margin for error in hopes of overthrowing South Carolina.
Here are five things to watch for Saturday’s game (11 am, SEC Network):
Stop some moves
Credit Vanderbilt’s attack for avoiding losses by constantly moving the ball and chewing on the game clock. He avoided three e-outs and sometimes reversed the position of the field. But Commodores need big moves to stop their slow progress. They average only 3.9 yards per move, the worst mark on the SEC. Running season debut Keyon Henry-Brooks and wide receivers James Bostic and Devin Boddie may help in this effort as they have recovered from injuries or illness.
Pair pass rush with good coverage
Against Texas A&M, Vanderbilt brought in a steady passing race, which helped his secondary in coverage. Against LSU, both regressed. Safety Brendon Harris and cornerback Jaylen Mahoney are back to injury, which should help solve some coverage problems. But resetting the pass rush is perhaps more important. Look for coaches to be creative in their alignments with pioneers Dayo Odeyingbo and Andre Mintze.
Eliminate red zone errors
Freshman quarterback Ken Seals scores reasonably well in some areas, but decision-making near the red zone is not among them. Three of his four interceptions launched were taken from the goal line, 6-yard line and 7-yard line. These are missed opportunities for potentially 21 points in a team averaging 9.5 points per game. Seals completed some impressive passes in the red zone, including two for touchdowns. But he cannot force late passes for heavy coverage.
Extend the advantage in special teams
South Carolina ranks last in the SEC in kickoff, net punting, kick return and punt return coverage. This creates a scenario where Vanderbilt could potentially find an advantage in special teams. Commodores have their own problems there. The Placekicker Pierson Cooke is just 1 to 3 in the field goals, and the punt coverage should be better. But Vanderbilt also has the SEC’s top kickoff coverage unit and the league’s biggest kicker, Donovan Kaufman.
Finish tackles, poke the ball
Against Texas A&M, Vanderbilt missed just a few tackles and forced five fumbles. Against LSU, the Commodores’ attack was bad and they caused no confusion. It was perhaps the biggest difference between the two games. An experienced unit like Vanderbilt’s defense must be able to correct these fundamental errors.
If that happens, this can be a difficult game. Otherwise, South Carolina has enough shipowners to run with the victory. The Wide Receiver Shi Smith will exploit such errors. And quarterback Collin Hill, a graduate transferred from Colorado State, is experienced enough to make Commodores pay for mistakes.
Talk to Adam Sparks at [email protected] and Twitter @AdamSparks.