Defensive line was an area of concern when began spring practice.
With four weeks of work and the now complete, there is no unit that the Commodores should feel better about as they Longchamp sale turn their attention toward the fall.
The 12 sacks and 19 tackles for the loss totaling minus-104 yards on Saturday summarized the progress made by the young players and a few veterans in creating more of a push up front this spring.
Last season, Vanderbilt averaged 2.4 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss, which ranked second in the SEC and 12th in the nation. This line is capable of more despite losing three starters to graduation and Jared Silver Hermes Bracelet Logo Printed Morse for a violation of team Hermes Birkin Handbag Crocodile Black Silver rules.
The line showed that potential despite going through the spring without projected starters Walker May and Barron Dixon due to injuries.
The pass rush on this team is tremendous, sophomore defensive end Caleb Azubike said. Last year, I had four sacks. This year, I hope to get into the double digits. So does every other Hermes Birkin Bag Dark Blue Silver defensive lineman.
Juniors Vince Taylor and Kyle Woestmann were among the players making the biggest impact this spring. Redshirt freshmen Stephen Weatherly and Ladarius Banks clearly looked to be two of the teams most improved players, along with refocused sophomore Darien Bryant. Redshirt freshman Adam Butlers switch from the offense appears as though it can pay immediate dividends in the defensive tackle rotation.
Tackle also is where Azubike found himself lining up much of the spring. The former McGavock star was utilized strictly at end last season. Coach likes the idea of using Hermes Birkin Bag 35 Light Pink Silver his size and speed against interior linemen in pass-rushing situations.
I think its something you could see, like the New York Giants do on third down where they have four defensive ends in the game, Franklin said. Thats a legitimate thing that we can do.
I kind of like it, Azubike said. Im going to talk to coach Franklin to see if I can play some regular snaps at tackle this fall because I feel like over the course of the spring its helped toughen me.
The play at safety and running back also gave cause for optimism. Returning starters Kenny Ladler and Javon Marshall will make for one of the top safety tandems in the SEC. Backups Andrew Williamson and Jamel McIntosh made plays the last four weeks and showed theyre ready to become a big part of the rotation.
There is no replacing Zac Stacy at running back. But the trio of Wesley Tate, Jerron Seymour and Brian Kimbrow has at least eased worries that the Commodores may be without a formidable ground game. Seymour has improved on his 2011 form after sitting out last year, and a couple of scrimmages revealed that the Wildcat can remain a very effective component of the offense despite Stacys departure.
The spring did nothing to alter the security that Vanderbilt enjoys with Jordan Matthews and Chris Boyd at receiver. The Commodores can feel equally secure in field-goal attempts inside of 45 yards with Carey Spear.
Austyn Carta-Samuels will enter August camp as the clear frontrunner at quarterback. But it appears that filling Jordan Rodgers shoes is still going to be a tall order.
The timing that Rodgers had with the receivers specifically Matthews at the end of last season isnt visible just yet with this batch of quarterbacks. There is still room for Carta-Samuels to improve when it comes to making his reads faster and hitting the receivers in stride if the passing game is to reach its potential. Otherwise, an offense that averaged 30 points in 2012 could taper.
Carta-Samuels and Patton Robinette had solid completion percentages in the spring game, but both struggled to get the ball out quickly Premium Hermes Victoria Tote Orange in the face of a pass rush that overwhelmed the offensive lines.
I thought was holding on to the ball a little long, Franklin said. Its hard because its not as realistic. Youre blowing the whistle . Most of our quarterbacks are athletic, so youre losing that whole element of their game. But you know theres going to be a quick whistle. Youve got to get rid of the ball.
The biggest area of concern remains tight end. The arrival of junior-college transfer Brandon Vandenburg this summer should help at a position where production has been scarce. Kris Kentera showed the most upside over the last four weeks and made two catches on Saturday for the projected starters.
