Vanderbilt started its first practice of the spring outside at the practice complex behind McGugin Center. The team wore black and white practice jerseys with the black matte helmets and the anchor emblem.
Coaching news
Vanderbilt got some unexpected bad news on Tuesday with the departures of inside linebackers coach Chris Marve, who left for Mississippi State, and defensive line coach Tony Eason, who left for the Bengals.
I saw defensive coordinator Jason Tarver, who worked with the outside linebackers, working some with the inside linebackers today.
As for defensive line, defensive quality control assistant Jovan Haye was spending time with those guys (as expected) and Osia Lewis, a senior defensive analyst who coached outside linebackers for VU before he got cancer, was also doing some instructing there. I saw head coach Derek Mason spending some time with the group, too.
There had been a rumor that wide receivers Aaron Moorhead might be leaving, but Moorhead was the first coach I saw on the practice field this morning.
Position changes
Jonah Buchanan has moved from defensive line to offensive line.
Tyler Steen is back working with the offensive line.
I asked media relations if there was anything else, they think that’s it. Of course, sometimes switches happen during or after spring.
Injuries and limited participants
VU starts spring practice with issues with its two presumed starting safeties.
Tae Daley was not participating due to a cast around his left hand, wrist and forearm.
Frank Coppet was also sidelined with a boot on his left foot.
Other players in red jerseys who were limited included:
DL Lorenza Surgers
DL Stone Edwards
TE Ben Bresnahan
An early offensive depth chart
Here’s who was where for the first offensive walk-through.
QB Deuce Wallace, followed by Riley Neal
RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn
WR Kaliija Lipscomb
WR Chris Pierce
T Jared Pinkney
LT Devin Cochran
LG Saige Young
C Grant Miller
RG Sean McMoore (not 100 percent sure, but I think that was him.)
RT Cole Clemens
I didn’t have an angle to see who the 11th player was, but did see WR Cam Johnson out there early.
Dan Dawkins and McMoore were also snapping the ball in some drills.
What’s changing with Gerry Gdowski as offensive coordinator?
I spent some time on that end of the field to listen to Gdowski’s instructions. Here’s what stood out.
First, communication. Gdowski wanted everyone to repeat three times what personnel they’re in before they line up. (For example, “11,” which means you’ve got one running back and one tight end.
Second, he’s instructing players that he wants the ball snapped quickly. (His words: “fast.”) I don’t know if that means they’re going up-tempo, or he just doesn’t want the team wasting time.
That's as much as I could glean from 20 minutes. We'll get access to players and coaches for interviews here in a bit and I'll post video of that later.
Coaching news
Vanderbilt got some unexpected bad news on Tuesday with the departures of inside linebackers coach Chris Marve, who left for Mississippi State, and defensive line coach Tony Eason, who left for the Bengals.
I saw defensive coordinator Jason Tarver, who worked with the outside linebackers, working some with the inside linebackers today.
As for defensive line, defensive quality control assistant Jovan Haye was spending time with those guys (as expected) and Osia Lewis, a senior defensive analyst who coached outside linebackers for VU before he got cancer, was also doing some instructing there. I saw head coach Derek Mason spending some time with the group, too.
There had been a rumor that wide receivers Aaron Moorhead might be leaving, but Moorhead was the first coach I saw on the practice field this morning.
Position changes
Jonah Buchanan has moved from defensive line to offensive line.
Tyler Steen is back working with the offensive line.
I asked media relations if there was anything else, they think that’s it. Of course, sometimes switches happen during or after spring.
Injuries and limited participants
VU starts spring practice with issues with its two presumed starting safeties.
Tae Daley was not participating due to a cast around his left hand, wrist and forearm.
Frank Coppet was also sidelined with a boot on his left foot.
Other players in red jerseys who were limited included:
DL Lorenza Surgers
DL Stone Edwards
TE Ben Bresnahan
An early offensive depth chart
Here’s who was where for the first offensive walk-through.
QB Deuce Wallace, followed by Riley Neal
RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn
WR Kaliija Lipscomb
WR Chris Pierce
T Jared Pinkney
LT Devin Cochran
LG Saige Young
C Grant Miller
RG Sean McMoore (not 100 percent sure, but I think that was him.)
RT Cole Clemens
I didn’t have an angle to see who the 11th player was, but did see WR Cam Johnson out there early.
Dan Dawkins and McMoore were also snapping the ball in some drills.
What’s changing with Gerry Gdowski as offensive coordinator?
I spent some time on that end of the field to listen to Gdowski’s instructions. Here’s what stood out.
First, communication. Gdowski wanted everyone to repeat three times what personnel they’re in before they line up. (For example, “11,” which means you’ve got one running back and one tight end.
Second, he’s instructing players that he wants the ball snapped quickly. (His words: “fast.”) I don’t know if that means they’re going up-tempo, or he just doesn’t want the team wasting time.
That's as much as I could glean from 20 minutes. We'll get access to players and coaches for interviews here in a bit and I'll post video of that later.
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