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Vanderbilt Commodores

A healthy C.J. Duncan brings optimism for the Vanderbilt passing game

Nick Cole

By Nick Cole

Published:


NASHVILLE — Streaking across the middle of the field, with a hop in his stride as he tried to avoid chasing defenders, C.J. Duncan emphatically announced his return to the Vanderbilt offensive scene.

Duncan’s 32-yard reception Friday night was the longest play from scrimmage during a modified Black and Gold spring game won by the offense.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Duncan said, with a sense of relief in his voice. “It’s just a blessing to be back on the field.”

While that play wasn’t the highlight of the night, getting a healthy Duncan into simulated game action was an important bullet point on the list of things accomplished by Derek Mason’s team at Vanderbilt Stadium.

After leading Commodores receivers in receiving yards (441) and touchdowns (4) during his freshman campaign in 2014, Duncan was unable to play a single down in 2015 due to a lower leg injury he suffered during fall camp.

His two catches for 50 yards in Friday night’s contest cap off a healthy spring practice period, which Duncan enjoyed with a newfound sense of the fragility of a football career.

“I try to take each day and each rep like it’s my last,” Duncan said. “Because at one point it was for a period of time. So I definitely think about that each and every day, and work hard to be the best receiver that I can.”

Let’s be clear — Vanderbilt needs Duncan just as much as he needs to be back with the Commodores.

After all, the Commodores ranked 112th out of 128 FBS teams in passing offense with just 171.8 yards through the air per game and had just one pass catcher cross the 350-yard threshold for the season.

“It was good to see C.J. get back out there,” Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason said. “He’s healthy and he’s ready to go. He and Trent Sherfield are ready to play. Those guys are going to play opposite of each other.”

The presence of Trent Sherfield is what makes the return of Duncan especially exciting to Commodores fans. It gives the team a chance at a pair of productive receivers who could pose a threat to opposing defenses for the first time since Jordan Matthews and Jonathan Krause left campus following the 2013 season.

In Duncan’s absence, Sherfield assumed the leading role for the Commodores receiving corps last season. He turned in a solid sophomore campaign with 51 catches for 659 yards and three touchdowns, all of which were team highs.

With both rising juniors on the field at the same time, it should give second-year offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig a chance to balance out the workload on RB Ralph Webb a little bit. Or at least keep teams from stacking the box against the run quite as much.

That is assuming, of course, that the Commodores are able settle on a quarterback that can consistently deliver the ball to Duncan and Sherfield after a couple of years of turmoil at the position. Duncan said he’s worked to develop some chemistry with presumed starter Kyle Shurmur, as well as Wade Freebeck and Shawn Stankavage. He’s covering all the scenarios.

“I think the biggest thing for Shurmur, and all of the quarterbacks really, is that they’ve really matured mentally,” said Duncan, who is a former high school QB himself. “They’ve really stepped it up at the leadership role and just knowing the offense. And that’s making us more confident as a (receiver) corp. It’s been a big help to have them step up the way they have.”

Shurmur, who is a rising true sophomore that has yet to play a real game with Duncan, is the man that delivered the strike on Duncan’s 32-yard gain.

When asked about having Duncan out there as an added option, you could see his eyes light up.

“Oh, man. C.J. Duncan … he’s awesome,” Shurmur said in the moments following the spring game. “He’s great. He’s a huge weapon for us and I’m so happy to have him back.”

Shurmur is not alone in that sentiment. Everyone involved is happy to have C.J. back.

NOT ALONE

Duncan isn’t the only key starter returning to the lineup after missing most or all of the 2015 season.

Andrew Jelks, a two-year starter, was expected to be the team’s left tackle last fall, but suffered a season-ending knee injury during fall practice. He is expected to return to protecting Shurmur’s blindside this fall.

Inside linebacker Nigel Bowden, who missed the final 10 games of last season due to a concussion, also is expected back — having dropped from 260 during the winter to 238 this spring.

Along with Zach Cunningham, a healthy Bowden could give Vandy the best pair of inside linebackers in the SEC.

It seemed like everything that could go wrong in Mason’s first 18 months on the job did go wrong. But with these three players back on the field, perhaps that luck is changing.

Nick Cole

Nick Cole is a former print journalist with several years of experience covering the SEC. Born and raised in SEC country, he has taken in the game-day experience at all 14 stadiums.

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