Everything you need to know about the Vanderbilt Commodores football team [VIDEO]

This Saturday, the Texas Longhorns will look to bounce back from their loss against Georgia last weekend with a win over Vanderbilt. Today, our Devon Messinger and Dylan DeRaud discuss their scouting report of the Vanderbilt Commodores in the YouTube video above.

Messinger’s Scouting Report of the Vanderbilt Offense:

Leading the way for the Vanderbilt offense is quarterback Diego Pavia. The graduate student has thrown for 1,391 yards with an impressive 11-1 touchdown to interception ratio. Additionally, Pavia is a threat on the ground, adding 470 yards and three touchdowns with his legs.

So far this season, 6’4″ tight end Eli Stowers has been Pavia’s favorite target, with 463 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Otherwise, at wide receiver, 5’11” sophomore Junior Sherill and 6’2″ senior Quincy Skinner Jr have combined for over 400 yards and three touchdowns. Overall, the Vanderbilt passing game has been just okay. The Commodores have averaged roughly 201 yards per game through the air, good enough for 94th in college football.

Now, the team’s strength has been its ground game. As previously mentioned, Pavia is a legitimate threat on the ground, leading his team in rushing. However, 5’9″ sophomore running back Sedrick Alexander, the pride of Austin LBJ, has also added some punch. This season, Alexander has rushed for 380 yards and five touchdowns.

Lastly, the Vanderbilt offensive line has been decently solid so far this season. As a unit, the Commodores have allowed only 1.57 sacks per game, making them the 53rd-best in the country.

DeRaud’s Scouting Report of the Vanderbilt Defense:

Vanderbilt’s defense, led by defensive coordinator Nick Howell, is a gritty unit that allows 22.1 points per game, ranking 50th in the country. Their pass defense gives up 215.1 yards per game, while their rush defense has been stronger, allowing 116.3 yards per game.

Obviously, the Commodores don’t have the same level of talent as the top teams in the SEC. However, this team is a scrappy bunch that will make the extra effort. To begin, sophomore linebacker Bryan Longwell has been an impact player, leading the team with 45 tackles and 5.5 tackles for a loss. Furthermore, TCU transfer Randon Fontenette, a linebacker-safety hybrid, adds an additional 36 tackles and had a pick-six against Alabama. Lastly, pass rusher Nick Rinaldi leads the team with three sacks, with one in each of his last three games.