WATCH: Derek Mason previews motivational locker room speech against Tennessee
Vanderbilt has won two straight against Tennessee, but if you ask Commodores coach Derek Mason, that’s no time to sit back and enjoy it.
During a visit on “Thinking Out Loud” on the SEC Network, Mason gave a preview of what his message will be on Saturday before his players take the field.
“For us right now, if it don’t challenge you, it don’t change you,” Mason said. “You got to make sure you’re up for the challenge. We worked hard to get here, but here’s the deal. You can’t just step out there and hope you’re going to get it. You got to take it. Football’s a game where it’s man whoopin’ man. So if you want to whoop a man, it’s got to be today. It’s got to be now. Let’s get ready to anchor down. Let’s do what we do. Let’s get it.”
Surprisingly, Vanderbilt has taken control of the in-state series recently, with four wins in the last six meetings, though Tennessee still controls the overall mark at 75-32-5. This year, a bowl bid is at stake. The Vols, for example, went 28-1 from 1983-2011.
Vanderbilt’s 45-34 victory over Tennessee in 2016 was believed to have cost the Vols a Sugar Bowl berth. Vanderbilt’s 42-24 win last year at Neyland Stadium meant Tennessee set a school record for losses and the Vols went winless in SEC play.
Tennessee is dealing with key injuries to QB Jarrett Guarantano and WR Marquez Callaway. Callaway reportedly has a bruised chest, while Guarantano is dealing with a head/neck injury.
.@CoachDerekMason has us ready to run through a brick wall. #TOL pic.twitter.com/KzPetZpNnZ
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) November 20, 2018
While Derek Mason has had recent success against Tennessee, it says more about the poor state of the Tennessee football program than it does about the coaching abilities of Derek Mason. He may get another win this year as well, but I believe that his window is closing quickly. He can go back to his punk rhetoric and mediocre performance as a head coach. Be careful about “anchoring down” Mason. That anchor is tied around your neck and the water is getting deep.
It’s Vanderbilt. The team with the highest academic standards and the poorest resources in the conference. Yet, they’ve won four of six against Tennessee. You have no room to talk trash against him.
@LSUMC – Vanderbilt has more resources than most and they use special admits for football just like everyone else. What Vanderbilt has refused to do is invest the money they have in football but they definitely have the money and resources to do it.
And when it would take a team over 40 years just to even the series with you, you have plenty of room to talk.
Vandy doesn’t admit players just like everyone else. Their APR is significantly higher than most, and so are their standards. The school having money doesn’t mean it filters to the football team. Harvard has way more money, but their football team isn’t competing with anyone. Tennessee places way more emphasis on football than Vandy does and still Vandy is the king of that rivalry lately. My only point was that no Tennessee fan should be cracking on Mason. That, and your fans should quit living in the past. You aren’t good now. Vandy isn’t either, but they own the scoreboard for now and are on the verge of history if they win their third in a row over UT. When beating Vandy is a real goal, you have serious issues. Fix your own house before cracking on others.
Haha Another Vol fan trash talking Vandy when they have owned you the past few years with 2 and 3 star athletes when UT gets 4 and 5 stars. Vols fans wish they had a motivator and coach like Mason over Dooley and Jones. Love it when UT trash talks Vandy because the Vols haven’t been relevant in years.