Vanderbilt hit the field Saturday for its annual Black & Gold Spring Game. Heading into 2022, the Commodores will be looking to improve on a 2-10 record during Clark Lea’s first season leading the program.

Junior QB Mike Wright was the first player to post a highlight in the action and opened the scoring in the first quarter. On a long third-down play, Wright scrambled and was able to roll more than 50 yards for a long touchdown.

⚡⚡⚡ speed from @mike5wright. 50+ yards for the TD❗#AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/cHUXbS2yab

— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) April 16, 2022

Wright and Ken Seals split the action under center during the 2021 season. Wright did appear in 10 games with over 1,400 yards of offense and 9 total touchdowns.

The offense also punched in a couple of short runs for touchdowns with RBs in Patrick Smith and Maurice Edwards.

8️⃣ ➡️ 4️⃣ for the TD.#AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/SV9EFbuJCh

— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) April 16, 2022

Touchdown Dores❗#AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/DL1IXng0DS

— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) April 16, 2022

Smith enters his sophomore season at Vanderbilt after running for 360 yards and a touchdown. Along with returning 2021’s leading rusher in Rocko Griffin, the Commodores should have a stable backfield for 2022.

As far as Edwards goes, he will be a true freshman after coming to Vanderbilt as a 3-star recruit in the 2022 recruiting class. Listed at 6-feet and 198 lbs., Edwards was Vanderbilt’s fourth-highest rated signee for the cycle.

Other freshmen to put a highlight up on Saturday were QB A.J. Swann and WR Jayden McGowan. Late in the action, Swann was able to find McGowan deep down the field for a big pickup.

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🏈 @jay3mg
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🏈 @ajswann10#AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/CBt6kjrgxF

— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) April 16, 2022

Swann is a 3-star QB out of Canton, Georgia while McGowan comes to the Commodores as a 3-star WR out of Laurens, South Carolina. Swann was the No. 25 QB nationally for the class of 2022 and generated Power 5 offers from Maryland, Colorado and Georgia Tech, among others.

The duo also connected for a touchdown:

Last Vanderbilt TD of the day courtesy of AJ Swann to Jayden McGowan pic.twitter.com/xZX6ZMBBuB

— Chad Bishop (@MrChadBishop) April 16, 2022

Here are the rest of the highlights from Saturday’s action:

Justin Harris with the pick pic.twitter.com/jhILUszG7k

— Chad Bishop (@MrChadBishop) April 16, 2022

Quite the grab by Will Sheppard here pic.twitter.com/5Fgp7ruKhF

— Chad Bishop (@MrChadBishop) April 16, 2022

Jaylen Mahoney the hit, Daniel Martin the recovery pic.twitter.com/pXZ1rbemgu

— Chad Bishop (@MrChadBishop) April 16, 2022

Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.