Week 3 - Game Notes and Depth Charts

by Barca Blog - I just posted Vanderbilt's and Mississippi State's game notes and depth charts on our Gameday Central page. Go here and look at the drop down menu underneath the team logos.

As you know, redshirt sophomore right tackle James Williams is out indefinitely with a broken ankle. The depth chart has either redshirt freshman Caleb Welchans or redshirt junior Reilly Lauer starting in his place. Jeff Lockridge from The Tennessean reported yesterday that redshirt sophomore Kyle Fischer could be in the mix as well. Lauer and Fischer would be switching from guard, although both played tackle last season.

Also, senior safety Ryan Hamilton is not listed on the depth chart after suffering an injury against LSU. Seniors Joel Caldwell and Brent Trice are the key candidates to replace Hamilton. Trice, who currently starts at linebacker, began his Commodore career as a safety, so if he makes the move, expect junior John Stokes to start at linebacker.

I'll let you know if I find out any more info on Hamilton's injury after Coach Johnson's press conference, which you can watch live on VUcommodores.com at noon CT.

Players of the Game - LSU

by Barca Blog - Each week during the season, Vanderbilt's football staff recognizes outstanding player performances on the gridiron. Here's the list of honors for the LSU game:

Offensive Player of the Game
OL Bradley Vierling

Defensive Player of the Game
DB Casey Hayward

Specialist of the Game
S Joel Caldwell

Scout Offensive Player of the Week
OL Wesley Johnson

Scout Defensive Player of the Week
DL Thad McHaney

Johnson's Presser, Call-In Show Monday

by Barca Blog - Two quick Monday reminders...

*Coach Johnson will field questions from the press about this week's matchup vs. Mississippi State today at noon CT. We will webcast the event live on VUcommodores.com.

*The Bobby Johnson Call-In Show, presented by Martin and Zerfoss Insurance and Auto-Owners Insurance, will be broadcast tonight at 6:30 p.m. CT inside the Holiday Inn Vanderbilt. For out-of-towners, the show can be heard live on VUcommodores.com. Click Here

Defense buckles down in 2nd half

by Barca Blog - Even with a banged-up unit (see previous blog), Vanderbilt's defense put up an impressive second half showing in the Commodores' 23-9 loss to LSU Saturday night in Baton Rouge.

"We came out of the locker room at the half knowing that we needed to stop them in order for us to win," said sophomore cornerback Casey Hayward. "We just wanted to give our offense a chance."

The defense did just that.

Trailing 16-7 midway through the third quarter, Vanderbilt forced the Tigers into three consecutive three-and-outs deep in their own territory. Hayward contributed tackles for loss on each of those possessions while two series ended with sacks by Patrick Benoist (one assisted by Brent Trice). Unfortunately, the offense wasn't able to capitalize on the field position and the momentum.

Overall, Vanderbilt limited LSU to only 94 yards of total offense and seven points in the second half after giving up 232 yards and 16 points in the first half.

"We just went out there and played 100 percent, full-speed," said linebacker Chris Marve, who had 11 tackles and a forced fumble. "With the injuries to our team, the second string just came out and played their hearts out."

Worth Noting

Hayward had an outstanding night in only his second career start. The Elko, Ga., native led the team with a career-best 13 tackles, including a career-high four tackles for loss.

"Casey's a very versatile player and doesn't mind mixing it up," head coach Bobby Johnson said. "He's a good player, which is just what we expected out of him."

(AP Photo/Bill Haber)

Missed opportunities

by Barca Blog - While inclement weather wreaked havoc on both team's inside Tiger Stadium Saturday night, lack of execution ultimately doomed Vanderbilt's upset bid of No. 9 LSU.

Each error -- from costly penalties, to dropped balls, to fumbled snaps, to subpar special teams play, to not converting 3rd downs while giving up key ones -- factored into the 23-9 loss and proved to be too much to overcome.

"There’s no excuse for the way we played," quarterback Larry Smith said when asked about the sloppy conditions. “We did a poor job of executing. We had several opportunities to get back in the game but we just failed to."

"Overall, it wasn't any one thing or any one person," head coach Bobby Johnson stated, "but just some opportunities that we didn't take advantage of. It seemed like so many little things happened that went against us, or things that we could have done better to give us a better chance to win the game."

The Commodores were penalized 7 times for 52 yards highlighted by two 15-yard facemask calls on the Tigers' first touchdown drive. On third-down conversions, Vanderbilt was just 4-of-15 partly due to a couple of dropped passes that would have moved the chains. On the other hand, LSU was 9-of-17 in those situations.

“We really shot ourselves in the foot," defensive end Broderick Stewart said. "I remember at least two or three third-and-longs where we had a chance to get them off the field. The two facemask penalties hurt us... You can’t have penalties when you play a good team.”

"It's frustrating," tailback Zac Stacy added. "I think we should have come out with a win. It just goes back to not executing plays. Emotionally and mentally it was a heartbreaker... but you can’t take anything away from LSU. They're a very good football team and really athletic on defense.”

Commodores suffer key losses

by Barca Blog - Head football coach Bobby Johnson commented on the injuries to sophomore right tackle James Williams and senior safety Ryan Hamilton following the Commodores' 23-9 loss at LSU.

"James has a broken ankle," Johnson told Joe Fisher during Vanderbilt's postgame radio show. "That's just tough for him because he's worked so hard to be ready to play this year. He was doing a really fine job. Somebody is going to have to step up and take over.

"On Ryan, I'm really afraid that he may be hurt significantly, but we'll just see how it goes. I think his bicep is hurt. If it's torn, I don't know how long that would be, if he comes back at all."

Redshirt freshman offensive tackle Caleb Welchans replaced Williams in the late third quarter while seniors Joel Caldwell and Brent Trice spent time at safety for the entire second half. Defensive starters Sean Richardson, Jamie Graham, and Patrick Benoist also suffered injuries but later returned to action.

With major gaps to fill, especially in the secondary, Johnson had to dig deep into his bench throughout the game.

“We were jerry-rigging that thing (on defense)," Johnson added. "We had linebackers at safety and safeties at linebacker... and we had a freshman playing corner (Eddie Foster). You don’t have a long shelf life when you are doing that. LSU caught up with it and did a good job of controlling the ball. They kept us off the field offensively and that was the ballgame.”

To listen to complete postgame interviews, click here.

Pregame photos at LSU

by Barca Blog - Here are some photos I took of the 'Dores when they arrived at Tiger Stadium two hours ago.

Remember, you can keep up with tonight's game at Commodore Gameday Central. Also, we'll provide score updates on Twitter @VandyFootball with notes @BarcaBlog.

Click the images below to enlarge.

We are... McConaughey

by Barca Blog - First star sighting in Baton Rouge! Actor Matthew McConaughey is in the house to watch tonight's matchup between Vanderbilt and LSU.

The Hollywood star was jeered by the Tigers student section for wearing a burnt orange Texas polo to the game. When he was given an LSU shirt to wear, the avid Longhorn fan opted to keep his current look to stay loyal to his alma mater.

I did my best TMZ impersonation and grabbed the above photo (click image for bigger picture). Enjoy!

WBB kicks off 2009 Kidney Walk

By Weinman - It may be game day for the football team down in Baton Rouge, but the Commodore women's basketball team is still two months away from tipping off its season. Student-athletes and support staff still were up bright and early on Saturday to volunteer at the 10th Annual Nashville Kidney Walk at River Park in Brentwood.

The team hosted shooting contests on the basketball court, giving away T-shirts and logo basketballs while interacting with many of those who gathered to participate in the fundraising event. The walk raised money for the National Kidney Foundation while raising awareness to the need for organ donation and kidney disease prevention. Recent studies indicate that kidney disease is on the rise and as many as 26 million Americans have chronic kidney disease.

Click here to see a photo gallery from Saturday's Nashville Kidney Walk

The Nashville community has always been integral in the Commodores' success (Vanderbilt went 7-0 against SEC opponents last year in front of the home crowd at Memorial Gymnasium) and opportunities to give back by volunteering in the off-season are especially important to the team.

Tidbits before kickoff

by Barca Blog - Some numbers from both team's game notes to get you ready for kickoff:

After week one, Vanderbilt's offense ranks among the NCAA leaders in rushing (2nd), total offense (4th) and scoring (T-18). The Commodores 433 rushing yards was the most since 1978.

Vanderbilt is 14-4 in September since 2005 and has won seven straight in the month dating back to a 24-10 loss to Alabama in 2007.

Vanderbilt is looking for its first victory in Tiger Stadium since 1951.

In the last three seasons, Vanderbilt has beaten five nationally-ranked opponents, including three last year. LSU comes into the game ranked N0. 9 USA Today/No. 11 AP.

Vanderbilt senior receiver Alex Washington will face two former prep teammates now starting on the LSU defense -- linebackers Perry Riley and Kelvin Sheppard. All three attended Stephenson H.S. in Stone Mountain, Ga.

Vanderbilt freshman cornerback Trey Wilson is the only Commodore from Louisiana (Shreveport, Evangel Christian Academy).

LSU has won 30 consecutive Saturday night games at Tiger Stadium. The streak dates back to the 2002 season (last loss: Alabama 31-0).

LSU will try to snap a 4-game SEC losing streak carried over from 2008.

LSU has won 17-straight games on the ESPN family of networks since losing to Tennessee in 2005. Vanderbilt was 5-2 on ESPN networks in 2008.

LSU sophomore Jordan Jefferson is the youngest starting quarterback in the conference. Last week vs. Washington, Jefferson became the youngest Tiger QB to start an opener since Y.A. Tittle in 1945.

Gameday Prep

Vanderbilt at LSU - 6 p.m. CT

Location: Tiger Stadium (92,400) in Baton Rouge, La.

TV: ESPNU - Eric Collins, Brock Huard, and Quint Kessenich

Radio: 104.5 the Zone, XM 198, Sirius 216 (More affiliates)

Web: Live Audio, Live Stats, Twitter (Not on ESPN360.com)

Weather: High 82/Low 72/60% Chance of rain

Series: LSU leads 20-7-1 (10-1-1 at Tiger Stadium)

Commodore Gameday Central: Click Here

Other Games in the SEC: Live Scores
Troy at Florida, 11:21 a.m. CT (SEC Network)
UCLA at Tennessee, 3 p.m. CT (ESPN)
South Carolina at Georgia, 6 p.m. CT (ESPN2)
FIU at Alabama, 6 p.m. CT, (PPV, ESPN GamePlan)
Mississippi State at Auburn, 6 p.m. CT (FSN)

Mike the Tiger's status: questionable

by Barca Blog - Mike the Tiger may not make it to LSU's home opener on Saturday, reports USA Today.

Apparently, Mike VI has been unwilling of late to get into the trailer that takes him from his on-campus habitat to Tiger Stadium.

The famed Bengal Tiger is a fixture on gameday. LSU's official site, LSUsports.net, describes his pregame activities as the following:

Mike's ride through Tiger Stadium before home games in a cage topped by the LSU cheerleaders is a school tradition. Before entering the stadium, his cage on wheels is parked next to the opponent's locker room in the southeast end of the stadium. Opposing players must make their way past Mike's cage to reach their locker room.

Tradition dictates that for every growl elicited by Mike before a football game, the Tigers will score a touchdown that night.

Learn more about Mike by visiting this link. (Photo courtesy of LSUsports.net)

'Dores arrive in Baton Rouge

by Barca Blog - Well, we made it to Baton Rouge Friday afternoon, but were welcomed by scattered showers. Due to the wet field at Tiger Stadium, the team walk-through was moved to LSU's indoor practice facility. At the end of the session, though, we were able to catch a glimpse of Death Valley from outside the tunnel of the locker room.

View Photos from Walk-Through

As far as the weather goes, it has rained in Baton Rouge since Wednesday. Saturday night's forecast shows a 60 percent chance of precipitation, so get your ponchos out if you're coming to the game.

One side note... A bus full of Vanderbilt students will be traveling from Nashville to LSU early this morning. I love the school spirit. Even though the ride will take 11+ hours each way, students filled every seat on the bus for a chance to support the Commodores in enemy territory. The trip was sponsored by the Vandy Fanatics.

Say cheese... or don't... either way....

By Weinman -- Wednesday was Photo Day for the Commodore women's basketball team. Two hours of pictures were sandwiched in between an afternoon workout and some evening classes in order get all the shots for the upcoming 2009-10 media guide (headshots, action of the newcomers, team photos, etc.). Vanderbilt photographer John Russell was behind the camera and kept everything running smoothly. Above is an "outtake" from Wednesday's session (click for a larger image). I'll post more pictures next week once the final edits are done.

Movin' right along

by Barca Blog - Two more links to get you ready for gameday!

First, The Voice of the Commodores Joe Fisher previews the LSU matchup with wide receivers coach and passing game co-coordinator Charlie Fisher. Watch Video

Also, David Namm gives us an inside look at the storylines and players you need to know. Click to Read

Oh, and make sure you check out all of the articles from Around the Web on VUcommodores.com.

I am packing up right now to travel with the team to Baton Rouge. The Commodores will have a walk-through at Tiger Stadium this afternoon. Check back later tonight for updates and pictures from the road! You can follow me on Twitter @BarcaBlog.

Go 'Dores!

What a rush

by Barca Blog - Since I wasn't a collegiate athlete (tough to believe, right?), I've always wondered what it's like to go into these massive stadiums on the road where all odds were stacked against you.

Junior defensive tackle Adam Smotherman tried to explain it to me yesterday during his Ask A Dore interview.

“My family asks me that all the time," Smotherman said. "Just think of the biggest rush you’ve ever had in your life and that’s every second that you’re on the field. It’s a great feeling with the entire crowd screaming.

"I’ve heard that LSU is the only stadium to register on the Richter Scale, so I’m going to be excited to go down there."

It's comments like these that get me excited about making my first trip to LSU. You see, I've been to the 11 other SEC venues and just need Tiger Stadium to finish my list. I'm looking forward to seeing if Saturday nights in Baton Rouge live up to the hype.

And yes, legend has it that after LSU scored the winning touchdown against Auburn in 1988, the eruption of the crowd was so loud that it was detected by a seismograph in LSU’s Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex. The game is now referred to as The Earthquake Game.

That's college football folks.

I'll leave you with the video of the day... Phil Collins singing "Against All Odds" in front of a jam-packed Wembley Stadium during Live Aid in 1985.

Don't sweat it

by Barca Blog - Redshirt sophomore cornerback Jamie Graham has played in some of the toughest collegiate sports environments, both on the gridiron and the hardwood.

So what advice does Graham have for the younger Commodores making the trip to Death Valley Saturday?

"The first thing I’d tell them is to try to control their sweat and put on a lot of deodorant because it’s a long day on the field," Graham joked. "You’re going to have fans yelling at you, and you might even get something thrown at you.

"There’s a lot of emotion that goes on when you play on the road especially at a place like LSU. You’ve got to be prepared for everything they’re going to throw at you. Not just what they’re going to throw at you physically, but how you can take things mentally. It’s a different environment and you have to be ready for it."

Twenty-four players participated in their first collegiate game in a Commodore uniform last Saturday against Western Carolina with seven of those being true freshmen (Zac Stacy, Warren Norman, Collin Ashley, Brady Brown, Eddie Foster, Eric Samuels and Trey Wilson).

Everywhere signs

by Barca Blog - Vanderbilt's new no-huddle offense triggered one of the most impressive outputs in recent school history last Saturday against Western Carolina. The uptempo attack ran on all cylinders, piling up 45 points and 620 total yards to rank the Commodores fourth in the NCAA in total offense to start 2009.

But this week will be drastically different as the Commodores travel to one of the loudest places in the country -- LSU's Tiger Stadium. You can expect 90,000+ fans to create havoc on every down. That being said, how will the noise effect the 'Dores offensive routine outside of Nashville?

"It certainly has the capability of causing problems," head coach Bobby Johnson said during Wednesday's SEC Teleconference. "Once you get past a certain noise level, you can’t hear in any stadium to tell you the truth. Hopefully our signaling system will be good enough that we can get the calls in. Since we’re not huddling, we hope it will prevent us from having too many situations where we don’t have time left on the play clock."

The Commodores' offense relies heavily on non-verbal signals from the sidelines to communicate with the quarterback, running backs and wide receivers prior to each play. One of the challenges, though, will be when the quarterback has to use his voice (over the crowd) to relay the call to his linemen. Last week, Vanderbilt ran into very few problems using this system, only committing three penalties, none of which had to do with delay of game. That same focus and efficiency will be needed in Death Valley Saturday.

"It is by history a tough place to play and we’re not taking it lightly," Johnson added. "We’re trying to make sure everyone’s paying attention and doing what they can. We’ll see if we can be as efficient in this game as we were in the first game."

Travisodes: Nerf Hoops (Prize Winner)

by Barca Blog - Find out how many free throws intern Travis hit (out of 10) on the office nerf hoop. We'll be in touch with this week's winner, who will receive a Ted Skuchas name card from the 2007 NCAA Tournament (Skoooooch). Check back for more contests.

If you missed part 1, click here.

Picture Page - Tame the Tigers

by Barca Blog - One cool thing about old school sports publications was the gameday illustrations featuring the team mascots! This picture is from the Vanderbilt/LSU program in 1950. Get 'em, Mr. C!

(Oh, notice the book only cost a quarter)

Video of the Day

by Barca Blog - Do you wanna get down?

Then get down on it!

Who doesn't love this song by Kool & the Gang? Even the Commodore football team has been playing the tune regularly during warmups and workouts.

Watch the video below and pay special attention to the keytar solo at the 2:38. Jam!

Commodore Time Machine - 1951

by Barca Blog - I'm back with another edition of the Commodore Time Machine. This week, we'll take a trip to 1951.

That year marks the last time Vanderbilt came away victorious in Baton Rouge with a 20-13 win over the Tigers. The Commodore captains were right tackle Bob Wreckle (70) and quarterback Bill Wade (12), pictured above.

Wade, who ended up being named SEC Player of the Year, had a stellar game with touchdown passes to Dick Foster (57 yards), Ben Roderick (15 yards), and Roy Duncan (21 yards) to account for all of the Commodores' scores.

Vanderbilt's defense came up big in the second half, not allowing the Tigers to score. One key moment was Birdie Gleisner's interception in the middle of the fourth quarter to halt LSU's drive at Vanderbilt's 33. LSU also threatened to tie the game in the closing seconds, but the clock ran out with the Tiger offense at Vanderbilt's 11-yard line.

Up for the challenge

by Barca Blog - With two new starters in Vanderbilt’s secondary, Western Carolina quarterback Zack Jaynes instead chose to go after one of the nation's top senior cornerbacks last Saturday.

Myron Lewis welcomed the test, breaking up three passes (which tied a career-high) while just missing interceptions on two of them.

“I was a little surprised,” Lewis admitted, “but I love it when people challenge me. I’m always up for it. I’ve always got to stay on my toes. I was ready to make plays and was prepared for them to throw my way. It just gives me more practice and prepares me for later in the season.”

Lewis, who was named to the Jim Thorpe Award preseason watchlist, leads all current Commodores with six career interceptions. You can bet he'll continue to make opponents pay for targeting him.

Travisodes: Nerf Hoops (Dore Prize)

by Barca Blog - How many free throws (out of 10) can intern Travis hit on the office nerf hoop? Watch the video below and put your guess on our Vanderbilt Athletics Facebook fan page to have a chance to win this week's Dore Prize.

Your response is due by 2 p.m. CT on Thursday. Obviously, several people will give the right answer, so we'll pick one winner from that group.

Please note: due to NCAA rules, current high-school students and collegiate student-athletes cannot participate in the giveaway.

Sunday soccer game time changed

by SID - Due to travel issues with Missouri (miscalculation on flight times, etc.) the soccer match against the Tigers on Sunday has been moved to a bright and early 9 a.m. at the Auburn Soccer Complex. This could be the earliest soccer match in Vanderbilt history. Will send Travis the intern into the vast archives to find out.

More pictures from last Saturday

by Barca Blog - Yes, coming off the Commodores' first bowl season in 26 years, there definitely was a different feeling inside Vanderbilt Stadium last Saturday. The atmosphere was wonderful... from the freshmen run, to the black and gold cheer, to the many variations of the wave, to the alma mater and of course, the victory flag.

Here's a photo (above) of what the inside of the stadium looked like from the press box side of the stands (thanks to Timothy Duncan).

Also, I just uploaded Steve Green's photo gallery from the game. Check it out

LSU players comment on Vanderbilt

by Barca Blog

Senior Tailback Charles Scott
“(Vanderbilt) has a bunch of guys that are well coached. They play hard. You don’t see the fastest guys in the world on their team, or see the biggest guys. They have guys that play hard and you can tell as a unit, they’re great. So we’re going to have to come out and make strides from last Saturday and really improve to come out and beat Vanderbilt. They’re going to be coming to play as well.”

Sophomore Center T-Bob Hebert
“I pretty excited about playing Vanderbilt. I know a couple of guys on their team. They have a good squad. It’s the first SEC game and both teams are going to be pumped up. We’re going to have to go out there and play better than we did against Washington if we want to win.”

LSU might be without Pep

by Barca Blog - During Tuesday's press conference, LSU head coach Les Miles said starting defensive end Pep Levingston might miss this weekend's game against the Commodores. Levingston, a junior, injured his knee in the Tigers' season-opening win at Washington.

“I think Pep is nicked," Miles stated. "It’s not terribly serious. It’s one that may keep him out of the (Vanderbilt) game, but I’ll have to let you know on a week-by-week or day-by-day basis because it’s really been good news. It’s not a surgical issue in any way. He’ll need some rest and some rehabilitation, but he’ll be fine."

If Levingston can't go on Saturday, look for either Lavar Edwards or Chancey Aghayere -- both redshirt freshmen -- to start, according to Glenn Guilbeau of the Daily Advertiser.

To read the rest of Miles media day quotes, click here. You'll notice that the Baton Rouge press didn't ask one specific question about the Tigers' upcoming opponent.

LSU tickets available

by Barca Blog - Are you thinking about making the trip to see the Commodores take on the Tigers in Death Valley Saturday night? Well, you better act fast... LSU officials announced today that only 800 tickets remain available for purchase. Click here for full details.

Week 2 - Game Notes and Depth Charts

by Barca Blog - I just posted VU's and LSU's game notes and depth charts on our Gameday Central page. Go here and look at the drop down menu underneath the team logos.

Coach Johnson said during Monday's press conference that senior tailback Jared Hawkins is probably doubtful for Saturday.

Also, Eric Samuels' staus is a question mark. The freshman defensive back turned his ankle after getting his first career interception in the fourth quarter against Western Carolina.