Lessons in Vanderbilt Football: Austin Peay

Vanderbilt football fans were excited to kickoff the 2026 season against Austin Peay last Saturday in FirstBank Stadium. Then the Commodores had to settle field goal on a drive where starting quarterback Blaze Berlowitz’s only passes were a pop pass on a jet sweep and an incompletion to a RB on 3^rd and 9. It was 12 plays of offseason anticipation turned into angst and frustration. The post-Pavia was here, and it looked shakey.

Then Austin Peay took just 7 plays to go 75 yards, including a 24-yard TD pass that made the secondary look as troublesome as anything from 2025 or even 2024.

Even the most optimistic of us (see, me) were confused and frustrated. A team that was surely still a bowl participant, even without Pavia, Stowers, and other losses from 2025, was down 6-5 to Austin Peay. Yes, 6 to 5 because Issa Ouattara blocked the Governors’ PAT then Martel Hight ran it the other way. All the way. Life was beginning to feel like a #FeelsLike98 (the wet bulb temperature at kickoff was at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit) fever dream.

Vanderbilt’s defense would sort itself out, and the offense would do enough not to lose. Mother nature did feel the need to mock the game by having it enter a lightning delay with 2:16 to play in the 4^th quarter. Austin Peay had the ball down 28-9 but agreed to finish as it stood instead of hoping to scratch out any more points for a closer looking final score. Still, an FCS team only losing by 19 to an SEC team who won 10 games last year is a proud moment for them.

As bad as I felt for not having a ton of questions pre-season, I feel even worse when at least 66% of my brain is focused on the same issue as before. This team certainly has other questions to answer. It just feels like the most pressing and important one is the one with all the twists and turns to it. I feel like nothing is certain yet. Or even in process of forming a cogent determination. Everything stays in the “Further Study” category for now. Well, except…

Lessons We Know Well

Brock Taylor is NAILS. He hit kicks from 32 and 37 yards on Vanderbilt’s first two drives. Both kicks are basically automatic for Taylor. He was 11 of 12 from 30-39 yards for his career before Saturday. The only miss was an OT attempt at Missouri in 2024. His complete career mark of 33 of 37 is like a comforter for Vanderbilt fans and coaches alike. The leg strength to hit from at least 60 is also an ace up the sleeve of the offense. If they can get one first down across midfield, the points are basically banked.

Lessons For Further Study

Can the defense settle in for the season, not just a game? Steve Gregory was quoted on the broadcast as feeling like the depth and experience on the defense would give them the ability to be complicated and problematic for opposing offenses. Early in the game, the defense seemed more likely to trick themselves as late substitutions often left linemen unsettled at the snap. Austin Peay converted at least twice (one of which was on 4^th down) because the defensive line was still getting lined up at the snap. APSU only had 1 3^rd down conversion, too. They just need to find a better rhythm and timing on substitutions. Otherwise, they held APSU to 2.5 yards per carry and 5.5 yards per pass attempt. The Governors only had 57 yards on 24 offensive plays in the second half. That dominance needs to carry forward.

How different is the defense supposed to be? As I mentioned in the first edition, I was skeptical about the depth chart for Game 1. Vanderbilt was still listing both the Razor (hybrid DE/LB) and Star (hybrid LB/S) positions after rumblings the defense was changing. Now, the depth chart lists 2 DTs, 2 EDGE, 2 LB, 1 Star, 2 CB, and 2 S. That tracks. A lot of teams use a 4-2-5 or 3-3-5 as their base defense with the “extra” 5^th DB as a tweener DB and linebacker. Such is life in modern football with TEs who are just half step slow WRs and 3 or 4 WR sets being the norm for offenses. My main concern is still how Vanderbilt finds a base package and personnel they can trust to avoid subbing to the point they leave themselves vulnerable.

Can the offensive line find their footing? Vanderbilt averaged 4.9 yards per carry. Sedrick Alexander had 10 carries for 60 yards to go with 8 carries for 24 yards by MK Young. Jamezell Lassiter also get 5 rushing attempts for 33 yards, but at least one of those was a jet sweep. Vanderbilt was not able to just line up and bully Austin Peay, which was most clearly exemplified by a 4^th quarter 4^th down attempt where the Commodores went into an I-formation with extra TEs and had their off tackle run stuffed. Austin Peay is a solid FCS team but nowhere near SEC competition. Vanderbilt needs to win the trench battle decisively against Delaware not to have alarm bells sounding.

How impactful can the TEs be, especially without Cole Spence? Jayvontay Conner had 4 catches for 30 yards. Maurice Veney had 1 catch for 20 yards. That accounts for 22% of Vanderbilt’s receptions (including pop passes) and 24% of the yardage. Veney is clearly primarly a blocker, but he is a player that has enough athleticism that Beck/Kill will kill teams with when they dare to assume he is just blocking before he slips out into the flat then can turn upfield for 10+ yards. I like him a lot. Conner is a much more reliable threat in the passing game, and I think he or Spence will be a very important safety valve.

Will the offense actually match the quarterback trying to run it? Jared Curtis only got 3 drives while Berlowitz guided 6 possessions. Berlowitz was 11/16 for 149 yards, so he was effective when given the chance to pass but he was often forced into 3^rd down situations where passing was obvious. Curtis was even more efficient for completions at 7/9 for 60 yards. The starter had the better at Yards Per Attempt at 9.3 while the freshman phenom came in at 6.7. Both of them deserve to have the offense called in a way that suits them. If Clark Lea is going to continue the QB competition into the season or otherwise leave the door open for Curtis to take the job, both QBs deserve the chance to show their abilities.

Those are the main questions I have for Vanderbilt football. The offense obviously carries more weight because of who they signed and how explosive it was with Pavia. Critics and fans alike will want to see how Beck/Kill can do without the New Mexico King. Other things will shake out as the quarterback battle unfolds or steadies. Certain WRs will be preferred by each QB. Certain players will fit the concepts the QBs want to run. Everything else will follow that decision.