2 minute drill: Vanderbilt quarterback(s) cannot afford seven more turnovers

Vanderbilt’s season opener against Temple was a night to forget, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

The Commodores did not score a single point on offense and committed seven turnovers in a 37-7 loss at the hands of the Owls. Vanderbilt looked completely out of sync, routinely giving the Temple offense a short field upon committing costly turnover after costly turnover.

Part of the Commodores’ lack of rhythm can be blamed on their lack of a quarterback. Three different signal callers played against Temple and the quarterback situation remains an unknown entering today’s game against Ole Miss. Vandy coach Derek Mason has kept his starting quarterback a secret, and for all we know he may play all three guys for a second straight game.

But whoever Mason inserts at quarterback needs to protect the football better than last week, overcoming a potential lack of timing with his teammates at the skill positions. If Vanderbilt struggles to move the ball through the air, it can still rely on a steady defense and strong rushing attack, led by Ralph Webb, to compensate.

There’s no compensating for turnovers, especially not seven of them. The Rebels are far and away the more talented team in today’s showdown in Nashville, but the game could be decided by which offense protects the ball better: Vandy and its many quarterbacks, or Ole Miss and quarterback Bo Wallace.

Vanderbilt is not a finished product on offense, but it cannot continue to give the ball away and stick its defense with short fields if it wants to turn its season around, beginning with this afternoon’s contest.

Ethan Levine

A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.