Behind Enemy Lines: Q&A with Adam Sparks, Vanderbilt beat writer
By Drew Laing
Published:
The Florida Gators (4-3, 3-3) were soundly defeated by the Vanderbilt Commodores in 2013 as a James Franklin-led team dominated in The Swamp, winning 34-17.
However, the script has flipped somewhat just a season later as the ‘Dores are reeling in 2014 and Florida seems to have the momentum back in its favor following a big upset over Georgia.
It’s clear this is a much different Vanderbilt team in 2014 than Florida fans saw a year ago, so SDS spoke with Adam Sparks of The Tennessean to give fans a different perspective of what to expect on Saturday night.
You can follow Adam Sparks on Twitter: @AdamSparks
Drew Laing: Johnny McCrary has been the big story for Vandy recently. Talk about what kind of things UF fans can expect from the redshirt freshman quarterback on Saturday night?
Adam Sparks: Johnny McCrary is a long (6-foot-4) lanky athletic guy with a good arm. He’s been billed as a dual-threat QB, but I see more of a mobile passer. In other words, he runs more to extend passing plays rather than tuck it and take off too soon. His longest run so far is only 10 yards. But I think his legs help him buy enough time to find different receivers. Vandy’s passing attack has been better the past two games, albeit one of those was against Old Dominion. McCrary will take chances with the ball, try to fit it in tight windows. It worked well against Old Dominion and Missouri — he has tossed seven TDs and 1 INT in the past two games — but the jury is still out on if he can protect the ball over the long haul. McCrary tossed two picks in three pass attempts in a season-opening loss against Temple and sat the bench for five games, but this recent version looks far more disciplined. His growth is a curious game-to-game thing to watch.
Laing: How has Vandy adjusted to replacing guys like Jordan Matthews and Jonathan Krause in its receiving corps?
Sparks: That’s been a very, very noticeable difference. There were no proven receivers returning on the roster. Early in the season, the offense tried to plug different young players in the role, but it just didn’t work out. Lately, Vandy has gone to its deep corps of tight ends like junior Steven Scheu, redshirt freshman Nathan Marcus and Stanford graduate transfer Davis Dudchock, and that has worked far better. Scheu is the most productive tight end in the SEC, and Vandy tight ends have four TD catches in the past two games. And ever since the tight ends took the lead role, the wide receivers have benefitted. Redshirt freshman CJ Duncan (25 rec., 416 yds., 4 TDs) is the team’s best wideout, and sophomore Latevius Rayford is coming into his own as a tough over-the-middle receiver.
Laing: What’s the fan base’s general mood toward Derek Mason? Obviously, it’s his first season, but they can’t be thrilled with how this season has turned out, right?
Sparks: The fan base has different levels of patience and frustration right now. Some threw their hands into the air after a 37-7 loss to Temple in the opener, and they have not bought into Derek Mason since. Others have accepted at least some of the tough circumstances he and his staff have endured. The team he inherited definitely had some holes. Vandy played 31 freshman (true and redshirt) this season, the most in the FBS. I think most fans see that, but they don’t like the tone of the wins or losses. Vandy had to rally to beat UMass and barely beat FCS foe Charleston Southern. A blowout loss to Temple wasn’t a pretty debut. Obviously, the biggest frustration has been the QB carousel. Vandy has started four different QBs, the most of any FBS team this season. Injuries have had something to do with that, but the coaching staff has also been indecisive at times. Most fans — patient or frustrated — just want Mason to pick a QB and stick with him. He declared that Patton Robinette was that guy a couple weeks ago, but Robinette has yet to return from a concussion against South Carolina on Sept. 20. Robinette was cleared two games ago, but McCrary has been too good to bench. Mason said Robinette might make a special appearance in this game. We’ll see.
Laing: Do you believe Vanderbilt can win a SEC game this season? If so, where’s the most likely spot out of the remaining three games?
Sparks: Hmmm. Good question. Well, it wouldn’t be at Mississippi State. So it’s got to be either Florida or Tennessee. Neither matchup is great. Truth be told, Vandy’s best chance was at Kentucky (17-7 loss) or at Missouri (24-14 loss), but it couldn’t pull it out. There is a formula to beat either Florida or Tennessee, but things have to go very well. Vandy is better against the run than the pass, so if it can keep the Gators’ ground game in check maybe this one is close late. Tennessee is a different team if QB Josh Dobbs is as good as last week, so that matchup could change. But a rivalry can always get interesting, so Vandy could contend in that one, too.
Laing: Mason was one of the better defensive coordinators while at Stanford. What defensive player has thrived this season under Mason’s coaching?
Sparks: Nigel Bowden is the easy answer. The 3-4 scheme has been a work in progress, but Bowden, a redshirt freshman inside linebacker, has thrived from day one. He leads the team with 68 tackles — also tops among SEC freshman by a wide margin.
Laing: What do you think Vanderbilt has missed the most this season with James Franklin leaving for Penn State?
Sparks: Swagger seems to be an overused term, but it might be as close to accurate as any. I think performance tends to breed confidence, and it just hasn’t been there. I think the season-opening loss to Temple just really put some doubt around the program, and a 41-3 loss to Ole Miss the next week didn’t help either. The team has been in catchup mode since then. That being said, confidence seems to be far higher in the second half of the season. I’ve covered college football for about 15 years, and I’d say this may be the first team I’ve seen up close with a losing record that had felt better about itself in November.
Laing: How do you see Saturday’s game playing out?
Sparks: I think Vandy has some success early on defending the run and perhaps moving the ball a little. Florida is a tough one to figure out, though you could say that about any East Division team this season. I think it’s close at the half and maybe even three quarters, but the Gators pull it out. Florida 31, Vandy 17.
Drew Laing will be providing analysis and insight on Florida, Georgia, Missouri and South Carolina.
