Vanderbilt Commodores Football – Week 6 Notebook

Vanderbilt wide receiver Jonathan Krause (17) catches a pass against the Alabama-Birmingham Blazers during the first half at Vanderbilt Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt likely knew it would miss RB Zac Stacy despite returning his talented understudy, Wesley Tate. Without Stacy, the run game has lacked dynamic rushes and has never fully gotten on-track. So far this season, Tate is averaging just 4.4 yards per carry and has obviously been supplanted as the featured back. In the last two games, Tate has received just 16 total carries. RB Jerron Seymour has gotten more carries. He rushed for 65 yards on 12 attempts during last week’s loss to Missouri. With the Commodores still trying to help QB Austyn Carta-Samuels become more comfortable, coach James Franklin would really like to have a steady run game on which his first-year starting quarterback could rely. It simply hasn’t worked that way through the first half of the season. Vanderbilt currently ranks dead-last in the SEC in rushing offense…

The development of WR Jonathan Krause continues and is paying dividends for position-mate Jordan Matthews. Krause caught 5 passes for 81 yards and a TD against Missouri last week. Matthews finished the game with 7 receptions for 123 yards and another TD. Matthews leads the conference in receptions per game. Having Krause as a second option should enable Carta-Samuels to continue to grow as a passer…

Vanderbilt’s loss means the Commodores are now 0-3 in SEC play a year after they went 4-4 in conference action. For Franklin’s team to make a bowl game, it needs to go at least 3-3 down the stretch. That could be easier said than done. After this week’s bye, the Commodores host Georgia before playing road games at Texas A&M and Florida. The final three-game stretch against Kentucky, Tennessee and Wake Forest might require for Vanderbilt to run the table to play in the postseason.