Anchor Drop, September 21, 2022: Patrick Smith Returns

Good morning.

Optional Musical Accompaniment

Clark Lea’s weekly press conference was yesterday, which I didn’t bother to write about because it wasn’t during my lunch break like it usually is, so I’ll just let you read the Hustler’s recap. Probably the most notable thing we learned was that Patrick Smith, the team’s second-leading rusher last season, and four-star cornerback Trudell Berry are available this week. Both seem to have been suspended for the first four games even though Clark Lea wouldn’t say this out loud.

Vanderbilt also released the game notes for the Alabama game, and Chad Bishop has an article about the team’s preparations for Saturday.

Also yesterday, the SEC released Vanderbilt’s 2023 schedule. Through a Week 0 game against Hawaii and a quirk of the calendar, Vanderbilt will play six games by the end of September, leaving open the possibility that parlagi pointed out in last night’s comments that Vanderbilt could be bowl-eligible by the end of September. (The six games: Hawaii, Alabama A&M, at Wake Forest, at UNLV, Kentucky, Missouri. WIth Wake and Kentucky both breaking in new quarterbacks next season, I don’t see how any of those games would be unwinnable.)

Sports on TV

All times Central.

• 11:00 AM: MLB: Nationals at Braves (MLB Network)
• 2:30 PM: MLB: Mets at Brewers (MLB Network)
• 6:05 PM: MLB: Pirates at Yankees (ESPN+)
• 8:30 PM: MLB: Cardinals at Padres or Mariners at A’s (MLB Network)

Scoreboard

MLB: Dodgers 6, Diamondbacks 5 (Game 1) ... Red Sox 5, Reds 3 ... Cubs 2, Marlins 1 ... Astros 5, Rays 0 ... Blue Jays 18, Phillies 11 ... Tigers 3, Orioles 2 ... Yankees 9, Pirates 8 ... Braves 3, Nationals 2 ... Mets 7, Brewers 5 ... Angels 5, Rangers 2 ... Guardians 10, White Sox 7 ... Royals 5, Twins 4 ... Giants 6, Rockies 3 ... A’s 4, Mariners 1 ... Padres 5, Cardinals 0 ... Diamondbacks 5, Dodgers 2 (Game 2.)