Victory in Nashville
by VandyImport on Nov 26, 2011 11:02 PM EST
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We didn’t buy in at first.
You can go back through the archives of the Vanderbilt blogosphere in December 2010 and see that we were…less than enthusiastic about the hiring of James Franklin. Much of the disappointment, obviously, stemmed from the thought that we had (allegedly) thrown $21 million over 7 years at Gus Malzahn and been turned down, and some of it stemmed from the apparent lack of success in recent years for Maryland. I knew Friedgen was on the way out for the Terps, thanks to my DC pals, and the fact that Maryland flaked on Franklin’s head-coach-in-waiting deal was discouraging. There were questions about play-calling, there were questions about recruiting, and there was a general sense of malaise over the fact that once again, we went out and got somebody else’s coordinator instead of a known good proven BCS-conference coach.
What a difference a year makes.
From the first press conference, it looked like we had a winner. From his first recruiting haul, it was apparent that he knew how to bring guys into the fold. And tonight, at 6-6 in his first year, the most successful new Vanderbilt football coach in generations, we have to admit: it looks like James Franklin can coach.
Yes, we were 6-6 in 2008. But this is a very different team. We won in 2008 by playing teams close, no penalties, no turnovers, and just hanging around for sixty minutes. When we won, we won close, and when we lost, we lost ugly. This year, five of our six wins were by three touchdowns or more. Read that sentence again. In our six losses, four were lost by a margin of six points or less. Read that sentence again. Now consider this: one catch against Georgia, one fumble not lost against Arkansas, one field goal made and one of theirs missed at Florida, and one field goal made at Tennessee, and this team finishes the regular season 10-2, 6-2 in the conference, and tied with South Carolina.
This team, in one season, with almost the same players as last year, was five plays and a tiebreak away from the SEC Championship Game.
Vice-Chancellor David Williams, it is said, was dialed in on James Franklin from the beginning. And he was questioned for it. In the cold light of midnight, it has to be said: his judgement is impeccable.
(Edited to reflect how I botched the standings. Alas, the Gamecocks still beat us in my scenario.)
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OK, my bad
I miscounted – looks like South Carolina would have gotten the SEC East berth. Nevertheless, we would have pretty much been locked into a New Years Day bowl, probably the Outback Bowl….
"Well, if that ain't a show, I'll kiss your ass." - Gov. Jim Folsom Sr. (D-AL), 1948-52
He inherited a 2-10 Vandy team and made them bowl eligible in one year.
They should re-name that quaint city next to Brentwood with the historical downtown after him.
I always go first half - coffee, second half - beer, because In LA, the games start at 10:00 a.m.
Jamestown?
Live every week like it's Shark Week.
by Harbinger of Joy on Nov 27, 2011 4:46 AM EST up reply actions
Why limit it to the city?
Let’s name the state after him…just like TN originally was http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Franklin
by Kimchi Stallings on Nov 27, 2011 8:01 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Pay the man.
"The polls are nice, but those really aren't lofty expectations. If you consider yourself the No. 4 or No. 5 team in the country, you are basically succumbing to second place."--Tim Corbin, 02/18/2011
by Stress Fracture on Nov 27, 2011 12:07 PM EST reply actions
A truly great season
The hell with the 12-month differential; consider the three-month differential.
This team looked terrible in September. The game against FBS Elon was way closer than the scoreboard indicated, and we should have lost against a lousy UConn team. Our offense looked as bad as any offense in the country.
Last night, we put up 41 points against a bowl-bound team. And we could have put up more had we not been milking clock and (mostly) playing safe for the entire second half.
A lot of it is Jordan, obviously, but the whole offense made huge strides, and that goes to coach’s credit. The line utterly terrible for the first few games. It looks solid now. The receivers all had dropsies early. They (mostly) catch things now. Hell, we even made some field goals yesterday.
The only real disappointment for me this year was the Tennessee game. Would it have been nice to catch a break and beat Georgia or Arkansas? Obviously. But they are both better teams. We should have beaten Tennessee, and had we done so, I think you could make a case for putting us at the bottom of the top 25, something I never thought I’d live to see. (The case would be that four of our five loses had come against top-13 teams and that we had a good shot at beating two of them, along with being one play away from avoiding the fifth loss.)
by Andrew D. Smith on Nov 27, 2011 12:12 PM EST reply actions
I think the biggest sign of change...
is the fact that we blew out Wake. Any other year, after the disappointment of UT, that Wake game is a loss, hands down. CJF got the team up off the mat, got them fired up, got them to play hard, and went out and got a road blowout. All you need as proof is that it was our first win against Wake since it became our season-ending series…
"Well, if that ain't a show, I'll kiss your ass." - Gov. Jim Folsom Sr. (D-AL), 1948-52
This.
To me, the performance against Wake really shows the difference that CFJ’s leadership has made for the team – as if all the other progress was not enough. In years past, as we know, this team seemed to mail in the final game, especially after a UT let-down. I was eager to see how they would respond, but honestly I was a bit cynical.
I have to say, I was downright giddy watching them steamroll Wake, because it was a clear signal that things have truly changed. What a treat and what a way to end the regular season – on the road nonetheless.
Going into a bowl game, you have to like the momentum, and the fact that the team really seems to be improving (!) as the year goes on (UT anomaly aside).
by Pope Vanderbilt on Nov 28, 2011 10:25 AM EST up reply actions
Agreed 100%
…was just saying the same thing to a buddy last night. We both go back many years watching the ’dores, and in the past that was a no brainer, you could have marked that game down as a loss and the end of the season. Lots of positive steps this season, and looking across the board of the SEC East, there is a real opportunity to make some noise in 2012.
Wake victory and the state of VU football
We completely overwhelmed a good Wake Forest football team. I took my kids and grandkids to that game and we had a ball. Offensively, we were impotent in the first half of the season. I don’t know whether it was all Jordan or not, but the second half, we were a much better team. Last night everything was working. We had our chances to win other games this season but I am confident that the next recruiting class will be our best yet. In the meantime, lets go Bowling.
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