Vanderbilt Commodores Football: 2015 Season Preview

Oct 25, 2014; Columbia, MO, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Johnny McCrary (2) drops back to pass during the first half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Breakout Player to Watch

It’s not a matter of thinking Johnny McCrary will break out this fall, it’s a hope. Because without solid starting quarterback play, the Commodores are destined for another two or three win season.

Like last season, the Commodores will enter fall practice with a quarterback controversy. In 2015, the Commodores managed to start four different quarterbacks, using three different quarterbacks in their opening contest against Temple.

McCrary enters the season as the Commodores’ most experienced quarterback. McCrary was a four-star quarterback out of high school, and was an Army All-American. He was highly touted as a recruit, so expectations were set pretty high upon arrival.

Last season, McCrary’s redshirt freshman season, started out extremely terrible. McCrary managed to throw two interceptions in his first three passes as a Commodore, and as a result, he sat on the bench for five straight games without taking a snap.

McCrary then went on to start the remainder of the season, however he was pulled early in the season finale against Tennessee.

The Commodores are returning two of their starting four quarterbacks from a year ago, McCrary and Wade Freebeck. Freebeck got snaps early in the season, but the true freshman never hit his stride and was then benched for the remainder of the season.

Vanderbilt also has two freshman quarterbacks waiting for their first snaps as Commodores, true freshman, Kyle Shurmur, and redshirt freshman, Shawn Stankavage. On some recruiting sites, Shurmur was the highest rated quarterback to ever sign with the Commodores, and Stankavage, the redshirt freshman, had an impressive spring and continues to draw praise from the coaching staff.

There is a big question mark at the quarterback position for the Commodores, but if all goes well, McCrary will hopefully emerge as the starter, allowing Shurmur and possibly Freebeck the ability to redshirt, giving the Commodores more depth in the future.

Next: Prediction