VANDERBILT
5 biggest takeaways: Robinette is Vandy's clear-cut best option at QB
Here are five takeaways from Vanderbilt’s Week 3 win over UMass:
- Vanderbilt won’t go winless: It hasn’t looked pretty — at all — this season, but the Commodores showed determination most of us were not sure they had in the second half of Saturday’s win. Trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter, Vanderbilt responded with an opportunistic defensive score and forced a crucial three-and-out with less than five minutes to play that enabled Patton Robinette to lead his team on a 3-play, 53-yard march to score the eventual go-ahead touchdown.
- Robinette separates himself in the quarterback competition: Jump pass touchdown. Leap over the pile across the goal line for another score. The sophomore dual-threat did a little bit of everything for his team in relief of true freshman Wade Freebeck. Robinette’s most crucial plays were two passes on Vanderbilt’s final drive to C.J. Duncan that set up Ralph Webb’s game-winning score from four yards out.
- When the going gets tough, give it to Webb: Safe to say this freshman has taken over Jerron Seymour’s spot as the Commodores’ featured back this season after his first career 100-yard game. Webb’s rushed for 281 yards on a league-high 58 attempts through three games.
- Derek Mason praises his coaching staff for finally making adjustments: Pleased with the effort his team displayed against UMass, Mason credited his staff for their second-half performance during Saturday’s win. Karl Dorrell’s quarterback switch and defensive coordinator’s David Kotulski’s blitz packages helped Vanderbilt stave off the upset.
- Linebacker Caleb Azubike continues all-league caliber start: As a unit, Vanderbilt’s defense is struggling a bit, but not Azubike. The junior from Nashville collected three tackles for losses and two more sacks in his second start as the Commodores’ most prolific pass rusher.