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Tennessee @ Vanderbilt Analysis

Jan 232012

Tennessee has amazed the Southeastern Conference in the early goings of league play. Cuonzo Martin has really stepped up the performance of his squad lately and that is clear after witnessing the Volunteers defeated both Florida and Connecticut. And their play against Kentucky was quite impressive too. Tennessee has come a long way since losing to Austin Peay earlier in the season, and they are sure to give us a much better game than we expected coming into the season. Jarnell Stokes, along with some improved play across the board, is the big reason for that. While their loss to Georgia was extremely unimpressive, improvement in the play of the Vols is still clear. I was interested in seeing just how much better this team is than that it was in December.

Jarnell Stokes caught my eyes really early. Not just because he was one of the best prospects in the nation, but also because his massively scary frame sticks out quite a bit on the court. He is freaking huge and already has a body ready for the professional game, even though he is basically a senior in high school (and it is really weird to think that this guy is barely older than me). Stokes, in case you do not know the story, was unable to play basketball this high school season because he transferred and apparently misread the rules on basketball in this state. So when he graduated early this December, he was not interested in sitting around. And because basically every school had their scholarships filled, he would have to become a walk-on player at the majority of universities he was interested in. Cuonzo Martin had plenty of open scholarships though, and was able to sell his program and brought Stokes in for this season. So, we will probably be dealing with this guy for a year and a half before he leaves for the NBA.

Anyways, he really is, for lack of a better word, a beast. His strength allows him to finish plays through contact and attract multiple defenders the majority of the time. He is a double-double machine and his point and rebound numbers have gone up every game he has played (along with his minutes, as he is already starting three games into his college career). Not only does he have the same kind of instinct Arnett Moultrie has to go after the boards, but his build allows him to just be a space eater in the paint. He does need to get a little more creative on the offensive end though, and learn a few more post moves before he become dominant. Also, while it is clear he is not afraid to take a mid-range jumper, he struggles to knock it down for some reason. I really think he spends a little too much time away from the basket in his time on the court. Other than that, his weaknesses that have caught my eye so far are his poor free throw shooting abilities and his tendency to give up an easy move in the post. However, this does not mean is a terrible defender all around, as he can be known to send a few shots into the stands if opposing guards want to attack the basket. Just remember though, this analysis is suspect to flaw because, after all, the guy has only played three games of college ball. And, just so you know, those rhymes were an accident.

Trae Golden is the next guy to breakdown. He has really improved this year as opposed to the last and has actually become the leading scorer for the Volunteers. Golden is playing with a very high level of confidence right now, and I have seen him hit some very difficult shots from all over the floor this season. His assist numbers are really something to marvel at as well, as he leads all point guards in the conference at that stat. He is without a doubt the most improved player in the SEC, too bad that is not an award we give out. Golden does a lot of his best work inside the perimeter, as he is really quite inconsistent with the deep ball. He could have a real solid game from outside, or he could really go overboard with the his shooting. He has shot more threes than anyone on the team, even one more than specialist Skylar McBee, but they just are not falling at an efficient rate (not due to percentage, but due to being very streaky). His other problem is turning the ball over. He tries to do so much that he mishandles the ball at times, and has some really silly turnovers. As a team, the Volunteers turn it over almost as much as we do. And that is terrible.

Cameron Tatum, who has been playing ball at Tennessee for a good 87 years now, is critical to the team due to his very high amount of playing time. He, like a few other guys, has nights were he is either on his game or off his game. Tatum has a terrible field goal percentage and really should be providing more consistency given the fact that, you know, he is an eighty-seventh year senior. His three point percentage is actually good though, and the rate at which he knocks them down is second only to Skylar McBee. His defense is solid and his contributions are seen in many areas across the board. Where he really struggles is his decision making. Much like a lot of his teammates, he makes stupid mistakes. And while I have not mentioned this yet, is should be clear that the Vols do not have good transition defense at all. Considering their turnovers, that is a huge game-changer for this team. I hope we see our guys take advantage of that.

Jeronne Maymon has been a pleasant addition to the team this season. His is, of course, a transfer player from Marquette and has become one of the most efficient players on the team this season. His field goal percentage is outstanding and his abilities around the basket are very clear to me. He is also a strong rebounder, which leads to a deadly combination when is playing with Jarnell Stokes. He is not a strong free throw shooter though, and is known to get in early foul trouble if opposing teams attack him. All in all though, he is certainly one of the more crucial players on the team. He is probably a little better than he is given credit for.

Josh Richardson is the final starter to be named, but his impact is felt more off the stat sheet. Richardson does not shoot it very well not shoot it particularly well and is not going to be the type of guy who lights us up. Still, he is a great defender and contributes greatly to the much improved defensive play of the Volunteers. He recently gained the starting job over Jordan McRae and is simply a big part of the Cuonzo Martin defensive plan.

Tennessee has four significant players on the bench right now. Jordan McRae is a former starting guard, and his minutes are dwindling but he still deserves some respect off the bench given how big of a scorer he was earlier in the season. His defense is very susceptible though, and we should attack him offensively when he gets in the game. Kenny Hall has stepped up this season but still does not have a very complete game. His field goal percentage is good because he does not step outside, but he does have nice rebounding skill and has greatly improved his free throw shooting from last season. Chances are he will not be a huge factor on the game as a whole, but his time on the court is well spent. Skylar McBee is a huge three-point specialist who I worry about the most off the bench. He is deadly from beyond the arch and nothing in the game of basketball resurrects a team like a three point shot, so we have to keep an eye on him when he steps on the court. You know what his real weapon is though? His mustache. Who wants to guard that thing? Anyways, Renaldo Woolridge is another former starter who has taken a huge hit in minutes, but still has to be mentioned. Cuonzo Martin likes to occasionally put this 6’9″ forward at the three spot when he plays tall, and Woolridge actually fits in quite well with his unique play style and ability to hit deeper shots than most guys his height.

All in all, this is a game that worries me. Mostly because of the high emotions after the weekend, and there is really no telling how it will affect our game. I think getting in the head of Cuonzo Martin will be a big factor though. It will be his first game in Memorial, and the conditions could have him making decisions he would not normally go with. Such as if we jump out to an early lead, and he decides to go with offensive firepower over the defense of his starting five. And that is how we can blow this game up. I do worry about Skylar McBee more than anything though. Not because he is just a breathtaking scorer, but more because we played idiotic perimeter defense against Mississippi State last week and I know McBee will torch us if we want to do that again. I hope Stallings chewed the guys out, and we can get back to playing the defense that started our winstreak.

We will kill them if they play anything like they did against Georgia (seriously, it was that awful). I would not expect that though. I think they will come out a little more prepared tomorrow, and the game should be close for a while unless Cuonzo just makes a foolish mistake. Festus Ezeli looked much better in our last game and I think he is ready to show his dominance again. We will need all we can get from him against the Volunteer rebounding efforts, but I do think he has the edge against their questionable post defense. He should be able to get things going early. And then when the bench backcourt comes in for Tennessee, it will be time for the Jenkins and Taylor show. And fastbreak points could be critical as well, given the fact that Tennessee turns the ball over quite often and is not the best team at getting back on defense.

Vanderbilt wins this game from balanced scoring efforts, much improved perimeter defense, and a rebirth of Memorial Magic.

Go ‘Dores!

Mississippi State @ Vanderbilt Analysis

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Jan 212012

Mississippi is an interesting team. After their win against Baylor, they looked one of the better teams in the nation. Yet here they are with an even record in conference play. And after watching their last two games, it is really crazy how quickly this team can go from great to terrible on all areas of the court. The Bulldogs have skill, which of course gives them a chance in every game, but they make so many errors that they struggle to produce at times.

Dee Bost has been the heart of this team for as long as I can remember. His confidence is unmatched on the court and is one of the most clutch players in the conference today. However, one of the big reasons he has to be so clutch at times is because he puts his team in trouble. He is so trusting in his own abilities that he throws up extremely difficult or contested shots. Bost is a good passer, but his weak court vision causes his him to miss guys at times. And when that happens, the possession normally leads to a poor shot by Bost. He struggles to manage his team at times as well, and I have noticed multiple times where everyone just seems to be standing around and not looking for openings. In fact, I would say the random stalling in the Mississippi State offense is one of the biggest reason why they lose games. Nevertheless, you have to respect the pure talent Dee Bost brings to the court. And you better put the game away before the final minutes, because this senior point guard is the perfect type to lead his team to victory. He is also dangerous defensively, and is one of the better players at stealing the ball in the conference.

Arnett Moultrie is the story of the Bulldogs though. Since transferring from UTEP, the power forward has become a star on the national level. He is, like our own John Jenkins, on the 25 Wooden Award finalist list that was released earlier this week. Moultrie dominates the boards with intensity every time he leaps. He easily averages a double-double and is the leading scorer for the Bulldogs. His offensive boards usually equal a bucket or a foul, which he can draw pretty well as he moves somewhat awkwardly on the court. So sometimes he may not have even been fouled that hard, it just looks like it because he is, for lack of a better word, a little goofy. When he is not around the basket though, his team has been known to stand around a little instead of working for the board. And that leads to some offensive putbacks for the opposing team, just watch their last game. I think that may not be too much of a problem for them tonight though, as we just don’t have the type of players that look for the putback dunk often.

Renardo Sidney is the other half of the post game for Mississippi State. He is the one player everyone loves to hate, and draws attention with his massive build, childish attitude, and surprising shooting range. I will give him credit though, he has grown up somewhat and has developed more than most of the players in the conference. The Bulldogs love to go to him in the post early, where they like to find out how his big frame works on the opposition. Usually, he does a pretty good job of backing down his opponents. However, he struggles to finish his post moves at times which makes the whole play kind of pointless. I have just seen him air ball a few too many hooks to be very threatened by his game down low. Moreover, the body of Festus Ezeli will be the strongest he has faced in a while. What I do worry about is his ability to draw fouls, simply because it is hard not for players to foul a body that big. Good thing for us though is that he really struggles at the free throw line. Sidney does have some shocking range though, and can knock down the three somewhat easily if you give him time to set his feet. And after he has been doing this for more than a year now, it really makes no sense why teams continue to give him all kinds of space. He defense is very exploitable when he goes against lean guys with shooting range, such as when he played JaMychal Green. However, his post defense has improved and his big body can be disrupting. Still, that huge frame works against him and he is known to get called for fouls when, really, he did not do too much. His biggest problem though, is just those plays where he throws in the towel and does nothing. His conditioning and attitude are still a problem, even if they have improved some.

Other starters for the Bulldogs are Rodney Hood and Brian Bryant. I would say Hood is really that next guy for the team. He plays a lot minutes, and is probably the second most productive player on the team given his touches. I think the freshman small forward is very talented, and he contributes all over the stat sheet for his team. Hood is a very balanced guy offensively, but I have seen him get beat of the dribble a few times defensively. It will be interesting to see if Jeffery Taylor can expose that weakness tonight. Brian Bryant just recently took the starting shooting guard spot from Jalen Steele. His numbers have not been breathtaking by any means, but we may see more from him as he grows into his starting role more.

No one scare me off the bench for Mississippi State. As a team, they like to play their starters a good bit of the game. Jalen Steele will get some minutes as the backup guard and Wendell Lewis will give a break to the post players. Steele may be able to do something but his production is nothing to be feared. Lewis, meanwhile, seems to lack offensive game to say the least.

Considering I think Alabama is a better team than Mississippi State, you should know I am picking the Commodores for this one. Dee Bost really struggled to get going on the road against ‘Ole Miss earlier this week and something tells me tonight could be very similar. Moultrie will probably give us trouble on the boards, but Lance Goulbourne is just not going to make that as easy as Alabama made it last Saturday. Sidney should have some offensive production early but he has been known to fall apart as the game progresses. Hood, along with Moultrie, is the real guy I worry about for a full forty minutes.

Vanderbilt controls this game with their outside shooting and defense. Mississippi State has seemed to have our number at times, but they will need a heck of game from Dee Bost to beat us at home tonight.

Go ‘Dores!

Vanderbilt Silences Alabama

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Jan 192012

With all the hype and anticipation this game brought, it seemed like the perfect scenario for the typical disappointment. However, that was not the case by any means. Actually, this is one of those games that a Kentucky or Florida fan is going to think is impressive by looking at the final score, without even knowing that the game was not anywhere near the ten-point differential shown at the bottom of the screen. Not even in the same ballpark. Vanderbilt controlled that game like no one would ever expect, even when playing a poor outside shooting team like Alabama.

It was awesome. Our basketball was smart and our defense was stellar. I spent the majority of the game actually trying to figure out how we were shutting the Crimson Tide down so well. I know they have not been playing up to their skill level recently, but they looked absolutely stunned out there on the court. Alabama is not a bad team folks, just watch some of their games. Heck, I feel like they are a better squad than Mississippi State. And that is the truth. I was so blown away by our performance that I really do not even know what to say.

I am serious too. It seems like all anyone wants to do these days is spit out some numbers from Ken Pomery and call that analysis. And while I know Pom has a good system and advanced stats are cool, they just do not tell the full story. You know, if you really watch Alabama play, you can see for yourself that they are a darn good team with their use of effective post offense and crushing defense. Nothing like the team that was seen playing Vanderbilt tonight. Or in this certain case, you can actually look at Ken Pomery and his rankings call Alabama the fourteenth team in the nation. What we just did to them on their homecourt was fantastic and unexpected, as they simply could not even function on the basketball court. It was like the Crimson Tide team that played Mississippi State over the weekend just decided to stay in Starkville. I was blown away.

We can play with anyone with performances like that one. Right now though, we just need to look ahead to our own game with Mississippi State. I will give my breakdown of the Bulldogs tomorrow, which will hopefully turn out as good as the Alabama analysis yesterday. I am not trying to toot my own horn, but I was proud of myself for being quite accurate in picking out the strengths and weaknesses of the Crimson Tide. Anyways, I will talk to you guys tomorrow.

Go ‘Dores!

Alabama Basketball Anlyasis

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Jan 182012

Alabama is much more complex than I first thought. And their game against Mississippi State was an excellent basketball game that was even closer than the four-point difference indicates. The Crimson Tide never give up and have a pretty wide range of techniques to throw at opposing teams, and it will take everything we have to top them in Tuscaloosa. I have done my research though folks, and may have spotted some keys to victory. Hope you enjoy it.

JaMychal Green is the first guy I have to breakdown. Alabama is decisive in getting him going early, and he was given control of the ball four out of the first five possessions. It is clear to me that he likes to establish his stellar offensive game along the baseline, facing up with opposing post players that usually cannot match his skill set. He is never afraid to take the long two-point shot and actually prefers to get his stroke going further away from the basketball in the early parts of the game. As his oppositions get tired is when he likes to post up, and he clearly has a great touch on hook shots from the evidence I witnessed. One of the more surprising parts of his game is his solid court vision and natural passing abilities. He finds cutting teammates with ease and is a tough player to matchup with from a defensive standpoint. As for his own defense, he is not the best. When defending against a post up player, he gets pushed around quite easily and has a bad habit of fouling. He isn’t always in great position for the defensive rebound either, which hurts his team. However, he has great instinct when it comes to blocking a driving offensive player. Which, considering the sometimes faulty defense his teammates have, patches up a lot of mistakes of the Alabama defense as a whole and naturally intimidates opposing players. Overall, he is surprisingly one of the most clam players on his team and is good at getting the game under control when the Tide get a little too fast for their own good.

Tony Mitchell is the other deadly forward for Alabama. He, much like his teammate, can stretch the court quite well for a post player and has actually taken more threes than any of his teammates. However, his a little too aggressive for his own good sometimes. My thoughts are that he gets a little panicked when controlling the ball too long and throws up tough shots. Still, his offensive outburst can really be a difference maker for Alabama if he gets going. Mitchell seems to like to play parallel to the baseline, and lacks the post up game Green can present. He does have that odd talent of being a good passer, and can find his fellow forward easily if Green establishes position in the paint. His defense overall seemed decent, although he lacked some of the explosive blocks his teammate had. Mitchell has been known to nearly foul out of games, but he generally plays a lot more minutes than the foul happy Green. And this is one of the reasons why his value is similar to that of Green, although he is not as skilled.

On the perimeter, the Crimson Tide start to look a little foolish at times. No one really hits the long ball with any consistency. All of the guards really rush if they get caught in a momentum trap, as in they do the exact same thing that everyone is told not to do. Instead of slowing the game down, they like to push the ball even harder which leads to many mistakes, especially considering that their passing is not the greatest. And that is one of those moments when they are better off giving the ball to Green and letting him work. However, they do excel in some areas. In man-to-man defense, they play as tight as any team in the conference and really know how to run as soon as opposing teams make a mistake. All of the guards are textbook in fastbreak execution and know how to finish in those scenarios. And when they drop back into zone defense, they are great at reading opposing teams and snatching passes that lead to more breaks. Trevor Releford, in particular, is a great finish and without a doubt the most threatening of the Alabama guards. Other than he, they can really struggle in halfcourt situations when Green or Mitchell are not getting the ball.

Off the bench, only two players are really going to do anything. Andrew Steele is a really tough guard of the bench who could pose some problems if we let him. Nick Jacobs is a freshman forward who actually has a decent post game put will not get many plays designed for him, and his defense can really be exposed by opposing players. I expect both to get decent bench playing time, especially if Green is in foul trouble and one of the starting guards is struggling (both of which are very possible).

Overall, Alabama has some good pieces and they are a serious threat to our winstreak. We cannot allow Green to get to the free throw line eleven times again, and we must make sure he gets his foul. Overall, our essential game plan should be to get some things going in the post, because Alabama as a team is known to foul and allow offensive rebounds. And that is why I expect Lance Goulbourne to have a pretty nice day for us. I say this because Arnett Moultrie to abuse them on the glass this past weekend, and Goulbourne has the same rebounding intensity of Moultrie (although he lacks the same offensive instinct). If Festus Ezeli could magically come back to form over this longer break then his post moves could probably destroy Green, but we cannot but all our faith into that. We need our perimeter players to take control of the ball and be ready to scare Alabama out of their deadly zone by shooting the ball. I know that sounds a little funny but if the Mississippi State game was evidence of anything, then Alabama plays a darn good zone defense that simply does not allow for post play. It took Dee Bost making some great plays from the perimeter for the Bulldogs to top Alabama, and we will need our guys to do the same.

Analyzing the Cincinnati Bearcats

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Dec 302011

We are just one day away from the most anticipated Commodore football of my lifetime, and it is time to put the Cincinnati Bearcats under the microscope. It took a good bit of research to get this all together folks, so I hope you enjoy it.

Zach Collaros was really the first guy I wanted to analyze. A lot has been said of how he is a huge difference maker for Cincinnati, especially from Bearcat fans who seem to think they can blow us out of the water because they have their recently injured quarterback playing. Nevertheless, no one can deny that he was playing at a very high level before his injury. Collaros’ completion percentage was 63.4% in the nine games he played, which is only behind AJ McCarron in terms of the quarterbacks we have played. However, not everything was coming as easily as that particular stat implies. He had one game, against North Carolina State, that drastically set increased his total completion percentage because, for lack of a better word, he did beast in that one. His actual QB rating was below guys like McCarron, Murray, Bray and even Brantley that we played on the season. And while most of those guys had a decent or good game against us, at least we know we have played multiple quarterbacks better than Collaros in the passing game. Also, one can only expect the mobility of Collaros will suffer from his ankle injury. While he has had a lot of time for rehab, in-game action is always an adjustment for someone who has not played in well over a month. After all this investigation, I was curios why Bearcat fans were so high on this guy who, while quite solid, is not quite what he is presented to be. Then I found out why. Compared to Minchie Legaux, who took over when Collaros was injured, he is a miracle worker. Legaux, meanwhile, was awful. It makes me think that their receiving corps is really not threatening at all, but Collaros causes them to overachieve. This explains why his numbers are not breathtaking, why Legaux’s numbers were terrible, and why so many think Collaros is great.

One Cincinnati player that I cannot argue against is Isiah Pead. The senior running back has numbers nearly identical to Zac Stacy in terms of yardage (1110) and touchdowns (14). Where he does not match Stacy in terms of yards per carry, he makes up for it with his receiving yards and touchdowns. So do not be surprised at all if they pass it to Pead out of the backfield. He has been slowed a little in the past three games, but he should return back to form with the return of Collaros. Pead ran for a total of 420 yards in the last four games he had with his top quarterback. His total numbers were good enough for Pead to be called the Big East Offensive Player of the Year, most notably over Geno Smith of West Virginia. It has been common for the Big East voters to call upon running backs in that award though, as running backs have won the last four Offensive Player of the Year awards.

Cincinnati also boast the sixth best rushing defense in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Now, while this is outstanding regardless of circumstance, something needs to be said on the level of competition. And no, this is not an ignorant remark on Big East football or even the Bearcats’ opponents for that matter, but it is a remark on how well their opponents run the ball. Of all the schools on the Cincinnati schedule, only one team was in the top 65 nationally in running the football. However, it can be said that the one team that was effective at running the ball, South Florida, did not gain a bunch of yardage on the ground in their game against Cincinnati. Still, the Bulls did pass for over 400 yards behind mobile quarterback BJ Daniels, who also happened to lead his team in rushing that game. This tells me that maybe the Bearcats struggle with quarterbacks that run, because Daniels was the only mobile signal caller that Cincinnati played all season long. It goes without saying that, as long as Jordan Rodgers is under center, this possible weakness plays in our favor.

Among all those poor rushing teams on the Cincinnati schedule, only two teams had a 100 yard rusher. South Florida was not one of those teams, as their quarterback accounts for a lot of team rushing yards as well. The two teams that had major rushers in the backfield were Syracuse and Connecticut. Antwon Bailey, running back for the Orange, had over 130 rushing yards in that game on pretty consistent running. Lyle McCombs, who we all know from our game against Connecticut, really struggled that game against the Bearcats. Regardless, Zac Stacy will be the best running back that Cincinnati has played all season. Bailey and McCombs match up well stat wise, but Stacy plays under a better system with Jordan Rodgers and his running ability opening things up. Not to mention, Stacy is really on a role. With Rodgers and Stacy both being a threat, our rushing attack could be dangerous. And it is not as if the Bearcats have never torched. Just look back three games ago, when they gave up 200 yards rushing to Rutgers running back Jawan Jamison. And that was Jamison’s only 1000+ rushing game of the season, as opposed to Stacy who has had six.

No deep research is needed to see how terrible the Cincinnati pass defense is though. A quick look at their stat sheets prove they are the the 106th worst team in the entire nation at defending the pass. Granted, that stat is a little skewed because of the fact that opposing teams were forced to pass, but the fact remains that they are bad defending the pass. Cincinnati still ranks outside the top fifty in opposing passer rating, despite the majority of their oppositions being forced to pass the ball. So even when the Bearcat defense knew what opponents were doing, they still struggled. And who did they allow the most yards against? South Florida mobile quarterback DJ Daniels. And that is true, despite the fact that the Bearcats played even better passers like Tyler Bray and Geno Smith. Interesting, very interesting.

While I do have my doubts against the Cincinnati defense as a whole, there is absolutely no doubting defensive tackle Derek Wolfe. You better believe he was a major cause of their stellar rush defense numbers as well, as he led the Big East in tackles for loss and was twelfth in the nation in sacks. All those numbers made Wolfe earn the title as the Big East Defensive Player of the Year. In case you have not been paying attention, he is the second Bearcat so far to earn a player of the year honor. Interestingly enough, Cincinnati coach Butch Jones won Big East Coach of the Year after improving his team greatly from their four-win season in 2010.

Well, that just about wraps this one up. I will be attending the game, and it goes without saying that I am very excited. I was at the 2008 Music City Bowl too, so maybe that is good luck. I am too tired and need to rest too bad to bad to proofread though, so please excuse any errors. Good luck to the players, and I hope anyone going to the game has a safe ride over there.

Go ‘Dores!

Draft Stock: Jeffery Taylor

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Dec 302011

My full analysis of the Commodores easy handling of Marquette can wait. I want to talk about Jeffery Taylor first and foremost. He, more so than any of our three draft prospects, has increased his draft potential by a good bit this season and is finally starting to regain the trust of Vanderbilt fans. However, if you read my draft stock pieces at the end of last season, you readers should know that I have stood by Jeffery Taylor in terms of his draft stock. I have even been defending his game a lot over the past few seasons and, outside of a few straightforward criticisms early this year, have been a JT supporter. I am not patting my self on the back here folks, but I am here to make another case for one of our top players.

Now we all know Jeff has been collecting buckets much better this season, but did you know how much better? A quick look at the stats shows he is an outstanding 10% improved on his field goal percentage from last season, and sits at a stellar career-best mark of 54.2% right now. While that will go down some in conference play, it will not take as big a fall as someone might expect. Really, over the course of his four-year career, the senior forward has actually improves his field goal percentage in conference play as opposed to late non-conference play in all but one season. While it is absurd to think he can repeat that improvement due to his already high marks, it can be expect to not fall much at all and for this season to finish with a comfortable lead as the best shooting year for the career of Jeffery Taylor.

A deeper analysis shows that Jeffery Taylor was actually not as down last season as many thought. If you read my draft stock post, you are already aware. As for those who have not, here are the numbers to back that claim. While JT did shoot his worst field goal percentage of his career last season, the number is slightly skewed. Jeffery Taylor took over ten times as many three pointers his junior season as he did his sophomore season. As his range improved, the difficulty of his total shot selection did as well. Naturally, this dragged his field goal percentage down. When we look at his true field goal percentage, which takes the fact that three point shots are more valuable than two point shots, you can see that his junior season percentage was just barely one percentage point less than his sophomore season. So yes, last season was statistically a down year for Jeffery Taylor. However, a real pro scout would most certainly value the fact that JT added deep range shots to his arsenal more than a tiny little difference in his efficiency. When we take a look at this season, or even last night for that matter, it is clear that the deep shot has became an even stronger skill for the senior forward. And that is why his true field goal percentage sits at a career-best 60.5% right now. Considering those stats and the fact that JT can add muscle almost at will, scouts should be drooling at the work ethic and potential for Jeffery Taylor.

Shooting is not even the best skill of Jeff Taylor though. He is not afraid to take his outstanding perimeter defense to any player in the country and his athleticism gives him the opportunity to make a variety of stunning plays. Not to mention his defense crates many turnovers, and he has a higher steal percentage than Kemba Walker did in his final season at Connecticut. All in all, his main criticism here at Vanderbilt has been his consistency. However, no one seems to mention that pro teams are not looking for their star player when they draft Jeffery Taylor. He is more fitting the spot of a fine role player, a defensive stopper, and a build block in the scheme of a franchise. I could really see him capitalizing on those spots at the next level. If Jeffery Taylor can keep the same work ethic he has now, he has a potential to fit the mold of a bigger and more explosive Aaron Afflalo in the NBA. And in case any of you folks are unaware, that is the type of player any team would want on their roster and high up in their rotation. However, Jeffery Taylor may not have much more room to develop his outside game and will need to develop a few more moves attacking the basket if he wants a chance to reach the levels I am talking about. His go-to moves could prove to be quite predictable at the next level and that is the biggest immediate problem in his game right now.

All in all, the future looks bright for Jeffery Taylor. And if he can continue playing like he has, then the future of this team will look bright as well.

Vanderbilt & Marquette Preview

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Dec 292011

There is only one more Vanderbilt athletics event left before the highly anticipated Liberty Bowl. And it is a good one. Some of the most talented teams in the country will be clashing tonight, in a rematch of one of the most exciting games for the Commodores last season. Actually, it’s happening on the exact same day of the month as well. Marquette will be hosting things this time around though, and the Commodores will be tasked with breaking the undefeated home record that is currently boasted by the Golden Eagles. Ironically, thing were the opposite way for these two teams when they faced off last season.

Marquette was just one bucket shy of spoiling our home record last year, although you probably do not need much reminding. However, no one should be going into this game thinking this is the same Marquette team. Jimmy Butler, the team’s second leading scorer and second-leading rebounder last season, was selected with the final pick of the first round in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls (his position and defense being the main reason why). They do return their first and third leading scorers in Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder. Johnson-Odom, a pro prospect you have probably heard of, is the guy who slipped on his way to attempting a go-ahead bucket to upset us last season. Marquette point guard Junior Cadougan took over the starting job this season and has outstanding assist numbers to show for it, while fellow Vander Blue plays beside him and is third on the team in scoring and first in name coolness. Davante Gardener mans the post for the Golden Eagles, but is no nearly as strong on the boards as teammate Jae Crowder.

As for us, we outsize our opposition quite well. Moreover, the did not even get the full taste of Vanderbilt basketball when they came to Nashville. John Jenkins went a terrible 2/15 from long range and Lance Goulbourne was not even able to go due to a suspension. I am by no means saying that Marquette will not be ready for our talent level, but just because they are a top fifteen team does not mean they outmatch us. Actually, with solid perimeter defense, I think we can play with these guys quite well given the advantage that Lance Goulbourne and Festus Ezeli have on their frontcourt. It will mean giving this game our best though, which has not been seen for a full game all season long.

No Gunner Kiel for Vanderbilt

Football No Responses »

Dec 272011

A decent part of my day was spent keeping up with probably the most talented player ever to have a major consideration of the Vanderbilt football program. Sadly, the miracle event stopped there when Gunner Kiel gave Commodore fans a one way ticket back to reality tonight as he picked top ranked LSU over Vanderbilt and Notre Dame. I would not be too discouraged though, because it just happens that reality is not so bad anymore.

Reality for our football program right now is having a promising head coach, an unexpected bowl game, and a solid recruiting class. And that means solid for a consistent bowl team and borderline ranked team, not solid in old Vanderbilt terms. We are way ahead of that. And the fact that we only had four wins the two years before this just makes our outlook even brighter. If you told me a year ago that the top quarterback in the nation would have to delay his decision many times over just to pick the top team in the nation over Vanderbilt, I would have thought you were crazy. What a difference one coach and one year can make.

So please do not let the decision of one great player ruin your day. Matter of fact, we are all better off looking at the future of our team rather than imagining what Kiel would have been at Vanderbilt.

Still Recovering

Basketball 1 Response »

Dec 222011

While no one is really complaining about consecutive wins, the past two games for the basketball squad have been somewhat meaningless. Mostly because the extremely sour taste of loosing to Indiana State is still strong, but also because it is hard to tell if we are improving without our true starting five playing. Sure, it may sound ridiculous to say that all these experienced players could have chemistry problems, but it would not surprise me with this team. Crushing weaker opponents like Longwood and Lafayette simply does not give me much of a confidence boost.

However, we will have a chance to step on the big stage again quite soon as we travel to Marquette next Thursday. Then there will be just one final non-conference game, a home matchup against a struggling Miami (OH) team, before SEC action. Our only other out of conference game of the season comes in late January against MTSU.

Really though, the team should start using the James Franklin method and take things one game at a time. Maybe then we will see some focus and work ethic.

Senior Class Review

Football No Responses »

Dec 102011

The only class in Vanderbilt history to enjoy two bowl trips will be playing their final game exactly three weeks from now.I figured it was only right that I record what these players have meant to this program. I am really going to miss players like Marve, Fugger, and of course Hayward. Here is what I will remember them by (along with what they do in the final game as well):

Brandon Barden – Started nearly every game since his redshirt freshman season, due to a lack of depth and multiple injuries at the tight end position. Has been a top target in that time as well due to lack of production from the wide receivers. His numbers actually fell off a bit this season, but his 73-yard touchdown in the final game of the season was easily the most spectacular play all season long for the Commodores. He led all freshman tight ends in the nation in 2008 and was a part of the ALL-SEC freshman team. His best season was his redshirt junior year when he registered team-leading numbers as a receiver and was a second team All-SEC player. He was limited in our last bowl though when he only registered one catch for four yards.

Kyle Fisher – Has started many games in his career, playing basically every spot on the offensive line over his career. Has set up the majority of our big plays all season, and his effort is clear simply from watching a Zac Stacy highlight reel. He, along with Wesley Johnson, is the difference maker on the offensive line. All in all, he is one of the big reasons for our success throughout the season. He has really improved with the assistance of offensive line coach Herb Hand. He started on the offensive line as a redshirt freshman.

Tim Fugger – Really came alive in his redshirt sophomore season and has been a standout player since. His best efforts have come this season though, as he became a second team All-SEC player while disrupting every passing game we faced. An expert at getting to the quarterback, bringing him down, and forcing fumbles. Along with the all-conference honors he received from the coaches, he also has been recognized as a pro prospect who can take his game to the next level. Also a big fan favorite. Although he did not play too much his freshman season, he did get a tackle in the Music City Bowl. Overall, he is one of the most fun to watch players I have ever seen on the defensive line. His style of play is simply a sight to see.

Casey Hayward – One of the most interesting stories of all the seniors. He came up in the shadow of much-recognized corners DJ Moore and Myron Lewis. Since those two have moved on to the next level of play, the once overshadowed corner has found himself surpassing his former teammates in multiple categories. While I would not say he is as electrifying as Moore, his abilities to defend the pass are really the best any Commodore has had in my short lifetime. He racks up interceptions as well as anyone and his number of pass deflections is really outstanding even when compared to the best players in the nation. He is also the first player since DJ Moore to be recognized as an All-American. He also earned a spot on the All-SEC second team, an honor he achieved last season as well. Although he was not nearly this recognized in his true freshman season, injuries did cause him to see a good bit of minutes in the Music City Bowl.

T.J. Greenstone – It feels like he has been here forever, but his number of starts is somewhat skewed because of the number of snaps he got as a reserve defensive lineman. In fact, he received our Most Valuable Defensive Lineman reward after only one true start in his redshirt sophomore year. He had had his production somewhat hurt by injuries. Had a great game in the Music City Bowl as a redshirt freshman with four tackles, including one for a loss.

Chris Marve – Has started all but one game this team has played since their much-recognized middle linebacker was a redshirt freshman. He has always been productive despite playing in pain for a good bit of his career. No stats can match what he means for this team, not only on the defense but for the whole squad as well. Among the top tacklers in school history. Was a part of the 2008 All-American freshman team, 2009 All-SEC second team, and 2010 All-SEC second team. He received that same honor this season. His pro potential is somewhat hurt by his size but you can bet that he has eyes on him. He is an excellent student in the classroom, and the Memphis native will be returning home for the final game in a Commodore jersey. One of my favorite players all time, and probably one of yours as well. As for his last bowl game, he of course started and achieved ten tackles in the Music City Bowl.

Sean Richardson – Has started nearly every game at safety since Reshard Langford graduated. However, the biggest play of his career actually came his true freshman season as a special teams player who recovered a Boston College muffed punt in the endzone for the only Commodore touchdown of the 2008 Music City Bowl. Since then, he has joined Chris Marve and Casey Hayward as the faces of the defense. He has always been known as a big time tackler at great safety net, but he did get his first interception this season. He occasionally goes unmentioned, but I have been a huge fan of his since watching that epic Music City Bowl in person.

Larry Smith – Got his first start in the Music City Bowl as a redshirt freshman. While he will not be starting this time around, he still carries a legacy that we will remember. Smith looked excellent in his first start and has shown strides since that day, including winning the first three games of this season. He may not have produced the way he seemed to be foreshadowing as a freshman, but his popularity has lived through which can be seen though the respect he has received from fans since losing his starting job. It should also be noticed that he has been a major team player on the sidelines since that day.

Udom Umoh – He received the majority of his starts as a redshirt sophomore and junior. However, he has found himself his own role in the punt coverage unit and established himself as a big factor in that part of the game. While he has disappointed at times, he seems to have settled in his new play quite well since Jordan Matthews and Chris Boyd have taken over his former position. It is often forgot though that he record a team-high three receptions for 29 yards in the Music City Bowl. He also had a solid four stops in the punt coverage unit. His speed is evident, and it has been good to see him find a good niche.

Older Entries

Tennessee @ Vanderbilt Analysis

Mississippi State @ Vanderbilt Analysis

Vanderbilt Silences Alabama

Alabama Basketball Anlyasis

Analyzing the Cincinnati Bearcats

Draft Stock: Jeffery Taylor

Vanderbilt & Marquette Preview

No Gunner Kiel for Vanderbilt

Still Recovering

Senior Class Review

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