Three-star 2022 Vanderbilt tight end Cole Spence had a big senior season with Mount Pisgah Christian. Playing in nine games for the Patriots this fall, Spence hauled in 55 passes for 957 yards with five touchdowns. Locked in with the Commodores since April 1, Spence gives insight on his relationship with the Vanderbilt’s coaching staff ahead of a planned in-home visit on Thursday.
Q&A Interview
Cole, you’ve been locked in with Vanderbilt since April. Given that time, how has your relationship with the Commodores coaching staff grown?
“The reason I have been locked in for so long is the relationship is so good,” Spence said. “They are at the school I have always wanted to be at. When I committed, my recruiting just started to blow up. I didn’t want to mess around with other schools when I can go to the school I want to go to.”
Spence continued, “I believe in what the coaching staff is putting together, you can see it. You can see it in their practices. Everyone believes they will be a top-tier program, and the players believe it too. You see the entire school backing it with $300 million in new facilities. They are talking the talk and walking the walk. And the coaches are genuine good people with so much knowledge. I cannot wait to tap into that knowledge. That is something I am excited for.”
After the prolific season you had, what feedback did you get from Vanderbilts’ coaches on your improving skills?
First of all, they knew I was not at my best after I tore my knee (ACL) last season,” Spence stated. “I missed my first two games, and it took five or six games before I felt like I did back in the spring. They encouraged me through it. I talked to my tight ends coach, coach Justin Lustig, for tips on blocking; I had no idea. I would give him a call and get tips because I am not very good at it. He will have to work on it with me. He would give me tips and advice; it was good.”
With all that you can do and with how their scheme works, how do they see you fitting into their offense?
“That is the cool thing, you can do just about everything with a tight end,” Spence said. “You can line up at tight end, at Y and H, or spread out. At Vanderbilt, sometimes they have two and three tight ends on the field at one time. That is really cool. I can see there will be a lot of dynamic things happening with me in their offense watching their tight ends split out, with a hand in the dirt, and at H-back. It is something else. In terms of their offense, I have an idea how they will use me, but it will be cool.”
When did you visit Vanderbilt this fall?
“I went on several visits, and I was there two other games; the Stanford and Georgia games,” Spence said.
Overall, how did it go with visits?
“They were awesome. End of the day, what matters is if you win or lose as a program, but you can see the improvement each week. They didn’t win, but you can see plays where they were one block away from getting a touchdown or one tackle away from a big play. You can see how close they are to being a top SEC program, they just need a couple of extra pieces. Seeing the coaches every time, they are awesome and great people. And I have great relationships with the other commits.”
Being around recruits on campus or talking to them over the phone, how are you pitching others to join you in Nashville?
“I tell them why I committed,” Spence said. “There is a reason I committed to Vandy. It is pretty much an Ivy League school. That is a big piece of it. I would love to play in the NFL. I’d love to have a 20-year NFL career, but I have to have a life after it. Vanderbilt is as good as it gets.
Spence added, “I love Nashville. It is a great place to be and live for four years. The coaches and the program, you have to go there and meet them; and I believe in them. The $300 million into the program is a big statement by the school that we are going to build the program and be a winning program.”
Is Vanderbilt doing an in-home visit with you?
“Yes, they are going to stop by school at 1:00, and then I think we’re going to hit the field, go back to his hotel room, and then he’s coming over for dinner that night,” Spence shared. “It will be fun.”
