Here is the position group that could be Vanderbilt football's most improved in 2024

Cornerback has been a position of consistent trouble for Vanderbilt football under Clark Lea.

But with spring ball nearing its conclusion, it's a position group that could see significant improvement in 2024. Martel Hight, Trudell Berry and Tyson Russell, who combined to start 21 games a year ago, all return. So does redshirt sophomore Gumbo Gaskins, who began to flash at the end of the 2023 season when other players at the position suffered injuries, and redshirt junior Taco Wright, who appeared in all 12 games as a reserve.

Along with running back, corner is one of two position groups that didn't lose any regular starters to the transfer portal or graduation. The Commodores also brought in Wyoming transfer Kolbey Taylor for spring ball and Eastern Washington transfer Marlon Jones Jr. for the fall.

Wright even noted Thursday that one of his freshmen teammates has stood out.

"(Alvin Williamson Jr.), he's going to be a baller, I'm telling you," Wright said Thursday. "Two years, maybe next year, All-SEC."

The staff is also high on Taylor. Though Taylor's stats don't jump off the page, he is big for a corner at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, and brings a bulldog mentality to the position.

"He is that guy, can't thank Kolbey Taylor enough," Vanderbilt cornerbacks coach Jamaal Richardson said. "He comes out here and brings it, if the receivers ain't ready that day, he's going to tell you about it."

TRANSFER TRACKERVanderbilt football spring transfer portal tracker 2024: Who is joining, leaving Commodores

Offensive line coming together under Klenakis

After the 2023 season, offensive line coach AJ Blazek left for Wisconsin. To replace him, coach Clark Lea brought in Chris Klenakis, who was most recently the offensive coordinator at FCS Kennesaw State. Klenakis also did a stint at Arkansas and was the co-offensive coordinator at Louisville during Lamar Jackson's Heisman season in 2016.

Under Klenakis, Vanderbilt has a blend of youth and veterans. Redshirt freshmen Anthony Miles and Misael Sandoval look to step into a larger role in 2024 along with returning stalwarts like Gunnar Hansen, Xavier Castillo and Charlie Clark and Mississippi State transfer Steven Losoya.

"The transition has been great," Klenakis said. "First off, the Nashville area, an exciting area to live, very vibrant community and exciting place to live, and offensively, we're installing a new mindset and attitude. It's gone really well. The kids have been awesome to work with. They come every day, they work. They're coachable."

The Commodores have dealt with injuries in the spring that have left them with just eight available linemen at times, though none of those injuries are expected to spill into the fall except Jake Ketschek, who has begun the process of medically retiring after multiple surgeries.

Vanderbilt hopes that a new strength and conditioning program, led by Robert Stiner, can help get more out of the offensive line.

"I think all the guys on the team really appreciate the strength program we've had," Clark said. "It's awesome. It's super hard. I think everyone would agree it's some of the hardest workouts we've ever done. They've got us to do things that we didn't previously do."

Hansen returning as the left tackle could prove to be the key. He has been working on cleaning up his hip technique in the spring, while football intelligence (which Klenakis abbreviates as "FBI") has been a focus of the entire group.

Vanderbilt's depth is still thin at the position, which could lead to the Commodores seeking help at that position via the spring transfer portal. But for now, the new approach of Klenakis could help to get more out of the already existing group.

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.