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The New Dores?


CoachT
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Posted by coacht:

Can Coach Johnson turn it around? The negatives about Vandy being able to compete are much talked about. I, for one, think it can be done.

 

I think VU can improve; however, one difficulty VU will frequently have is a stacked East, and that will preclude bowl games in most seasons. UT and UF have shown they will be at or near the top year-in, year-out; Georgia is on the rise big time and may take the East this year. USC can be a perennial contender, even if Holtz leaves in the near future, if they could keep some of that in-state talent at home. UK occasionally will make some noise.

 

Does the 6-game win criteria for bowls still prevail with a 12-game schedule? If so, that helps VU (everyone really, but VU especially). However, they need to schedule 4 I-A patsies (and MTSU has proven they are not a patsie; and I think a school can use a win over a I-AA team, like a Furman, only once every few years) and win three or four of those. VU can pull off 2 wins a year in the SEC - the GA/TN/UF games are probably losses almost every year, but they should be able to pick off a KY or SC and someone out of the West.

 

I think the main problem is the attitude, not necessarily the athletes (although VU's recruiting classes are usually near the bottom in the SEC - no surprise given the academic criteria). I think it will take at least two years of winning seasons to get some confidence back into the program.

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One of many thngs that has to change is the Vandy crowd. It is like being at Wimbledon or the Masters. Polite applause. Even the sororities and frats seem like they are cheering only because..well, they are in sororities and frats. Of course, giving them a little more to cheer about on the field would help.

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Well the main problem is the academic standards at Vandy...I mean let's be honest, it keeps a lot of kids out, and keeps a lot of kids from trying(Ron Mercer being one)...I, for one, would have loved to have gone to college in Nashville especially at Vanderbilt...I mean its beautiful, its pretty quiet, and its in downtown Nashville.

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I think that the academic "problem" can be overcome. There are a LOT of players nationwide that would love to have the education Vandy can supply IF someone can convince then that Vandy can win, also. And, if that next Steve Sloan comes along, he needs to be someone who will stay there, too. That is the only way they can be competitive in the SEC.

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It can be overcome...but I think its kinda like Memphis in football...

 

Memphis gets one or two good players from the city of Memphis every year, problem is..its ONE or TWO good players, and Memphis is playing in Conference USA, much weaker then SEC competition. Vanderbilt would have to put together those winning seasons as you said (which is tough to do no matter who you are playing in the SEC) and then that would have to translate into at least THREE very good football recruiting classes. We have already established that the interest isn't really there, so it would be pretty tough. Vanderbilt is a pretty small college (which can be good or it can be bad). It is also neighbors UT which is never a good thing to compete against. I think if I was a kid from Alabama or FL it would be hard to convince me to go to a program that is extremely challenging academically, lacks the interest that other SEC schools have, plays basically second fiddle to UT in football, is not close to home, and shows no signs what so ever of progress.

 

Let's think about it...what is Vanderbilt really good at? Basketball wise they have never been terrible really, but never the second or third best team in the SEC.

Baseball wise they are not bad, but definitely not a LSU or Mississippi State, Ole Miss, UT, or South Carolina

 

Women's basketball they are good, but I think women have higher GPA's on the whole, as opposed to men in the NCAA...so its hard to say.

 

I really think it is academics, not only at Vanderbilt but at other academic institutions.

 

Let's think about some other really really good academic schools...Stanford (great but the interest and lure of the West Coast really helps them)...and the PAC-10 isn't nearly as hard as SEC, and they dont even win the PAC-10...Duke (horrible)...UNC (just recently turned it around)...Northwestern (was good but now they are average)...Cal-Berkely (mediocre)...Even the great Notre Dame has had many players be ruled academically ineligbile...Purdue (picked it up a lot but still not the best)...Tulane (horrible)...the Ivey league schools dont even play it D1 football.

 

What do UT, Texas, LSU, Michigan, Illinois, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Auburn, Michigan, Missouri, Florida, Alabama, Colorado, FSU, Nebraska, etc. all have in common? They are all public, state schools. They are also very populous, as opposed to Vanderbilt which I thought had around 5800 on campus students, but I could be completely wrong...

 

I say all of this stuff, but I have two friends that play for Vandy, and I wish them the best...and they are my second favorite team besides UT, and if they beat UT...I would probably just shake my head and smile.

[Edited by TheEgoHasLanded on 8-5-02 11:43P]

 

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Posted by coacht:

Can Coach Johnson turn it around? The negatives about Vandy being able to compete are much talked about. I, for one, think it can be done.

 

I have been going to Vandy games for nearly 40 years and I have not seen much change. I just wonder, if Stanford can do it , why can't Vandy do it??? You know I have a real respect for the Vandy situation, but there comes a time when you must put up or get out. I know there are stringent academic requirements, but some schools seem to excel no matter what. Why can't Vandy do this? I will always pull for Vandy, but my season tickets are gone, gone, gone. I like the new coach but I believe it will be the same old Vandy. Sorry, it has come with much agony over the years.

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  • 3 weeks later...

The new Vandy looks worse than the old Vandy. I am amazed at the calibur of athlete that Vandy is getting. I really do not believe they could win the SunBelt. Coach Johnson is going to have to open up his offense, but you know what, he can't because he doesn't have any premier specialty players. This team is doomed to the cellar. GT was not as good as the SEC teams that he will play. Sorry, but it is not the same old Vandy; it is worse! :)

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  • 2 weeks later...
Posted by TheEgoHasLanded:

the Ivey league schools dont even play it D1 football.

 

What do UT, Texas, LSU, Michigan, Illinois, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Auburn, Michigan, Missouri, Florida, Alabama, Colorado, FSU, Nebraska, etc. all have in common? They are all public, state schools. They are also very populous, as opposed to Vanderbilt which I thought had around 5800 on campus students, but I could be completely wrong...

[Edited by TheEgoHasLanded on 8-5-02 11:43P]

 

First, the Ivies do play Division I--specifically, in football, they are members of Division I-AA. Second, the 5800 is about right for undergrads (the relevant value for NCAA purposes), but approaches 10k if you include grad students (which may be needed to compare apples to apples).

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I agree that Vandy hasn't looked like world beaters although there were a few moments in the Auburn game that gave rise to hope. But Coach Johnson must be given a chance even if some of us long suffering Vandy fans are probably setting ourselves up for another fall?

 

I like the discipline he has instilled and he seems to be very well organized. I think he has a good idea of what it will take to be competitive in the SEC.

 

The current team has little hope for a good season and as someone mentioned earlier, a very unimaginative offense. But I think to a great degree that the new staff is basically handcuffed with a tremendous void of talent, left by Coach Woody, who was a very nice man but a pretty medicore head football coach.

 

I am not looking for an SEC title, just a team that can be competitive each Saturday. I think that that Coach Johnson can get Vandy to that level. It will most certainly take 2-3 seasons, but it would be great to have the excitement of the Whit Taylor-Norman Jordan days... or even a back that could be pronounced over the PA sysytem as GOOOOOLS-Beee!

 

We can all hope. It's good to be able to mingle with some Commodore fans...lol

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