Defense Can Only Carry Commodores So Far

The Vanderbilt defense kept the Commodores in the game Saturday in The Swamp, but could not hold back the Gators in the second half as the offense once again was non-existant.

Vanderbilt's defense is improving, and has dramatically since the loss to UNLV. It continued that trend Saturday in Gainesville, at least for a half. 

Fighting an uphill battle with an offense that has faced its share of injuries, inconsistancy  and other issues, the Commodores defense played well, shutting out the Gators in the first quarter.

Florida did score twice in the second quarter, but Tae Daley got his second interception of the first half in the closing secionds to stop the Gators from going up three scores at the intermission. 

The second half was a different story for the Commodores defense as Florida rolled through them like a semi in a demolition derby with Smart Cars.   

“Defense played a sold, 30-minute football game and kept us in the hunt. But it got out of hand real fast because of mistakes,” Mason said after a 56-0 loss to the Gators in Gainesville. “I want everybody to own it. I’m always going to own it. That’s the not the way we want to play. That’s not what we’re looking for. I love these guys in the locker room, but when it’s all said and done it’s a production game and we weren’t very productive.”

That could be an onderstatement, especially when talking about the Commodores offensive output. 

“As that game went on, we just couldn’t do enough,” Mason said. “We’ve got to find a way to put points on the ball, period.” 

The Commodores offens managed a pedestrain 128 yards in total offense, 77 thorugh the air and only 51 on the ground as Ke'Shawn Vaughn was the focal point for the Gators defense, holding the senior to just 28 yards on 15 carries.

It was as ugly an offensive performance as you will find, and the Commodores defense deserved better. 

 “It’s a team game,”Mason said. “A quarterback doesn’t play offensive line. He doesn’t play in the back end in the secondary.” 

While Mason in not incorrect in that comment, quarterback play has been an issue all season, with the exception of Mo Hasan in the Missouri game and then Riley Neal in that same contest after Hasan's injury. 

 “I’m just letting you know, collectively, there has got to be some changes,” coach Derek Mason said. “I just don’t like what I see all the way around. There are things that have got to be changed. There will be some changes, and we’ll make sure we get it right.”

Getting Hasan back, or even Neal for that matter before this weeked's visit from Kentucky  would be a welcome turn for Mason and the Commodores offense. 

What changes Mason has in mind will surely be the topic of discussion amongst fans, and I'm sure Mason will be asked about those on Tuesday at his weekly press conference.