Vanderbilt head football coach Derek Mason, fresh off a 41-7 loss to the defending national champion LSU Tigers, opened Tuesday’s press conference acknowledging that the Commodores have room for improvement.
“There’s a lot of opportunity in all three phases for improvement,” Mason said. “Offensively, [the] running game looks to be strong… we need production in the pass game.”
And the passing game is exactly where production will be added, as it will for the running game and defensive backfield.
“It’ll be great to get some of our guys back this week,” Mason added.
Returning to the lineup for Saturday’s game against South Carolina are, on offense, running back Keyon Brooks and receivers James Bostic III and Devin Boddie Jr., and, on defense, cornerback Jalen Mahoney and safety Brendon Harris.
Kicker Pierson Cooke, who missed a field goal from LSU’s 4-yard line, will also see the field on Saturday. Mason on Tuesday expressed confidence in the walk-on junior, Cooke, asserting he will start over scholarship kicker Javan Rice.
“Javan and Pierson are always competing in practice,” Mason said. “Right now, Pierson’s the best guy. We just need production.”
Standout defensive back Donovan Kaufman, who almost single-handedly swayed the momentum of Saturday’s game with a 58-yard kick return in the first half, received pointed praise from his head coach.
“Kaufman was a guy we were gonna have a hard time keeping off the field,” Mason said. “He knows how to play the game. He has a true feel for how to play defense. Maybe in the future, you may see him step on the offensive side for a little bit.”
COVID-related absences have rocked the Commodores in the past weeks, as at least five players have opted out of the 2020 season. But Mason remains optimistic, asserting that the players who have entered COVID protocols steadily improved.
“95% of the players that we’ve had who’ve been under isolation and/or quarantined have been good when they’ve come back,” Mason added. “Overwhelmingly, it’s been positive for us.”
Mason also revealed that Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Vanderbilt running back Ja’Veon Marlow, currently recovering from an ACL injury, talked about what it takes to be successful in SEC competition.
“[Marlow] became much more of a worker,” Mason said. “[He] and Ke’Shawn had a good conversation about what it truly takes to be able to play at this level and about taking care of your body.”
As with his team’s improvements, Mason exuded hopefulness for the Commodore’s home game against the Gamecocks this Saturday.
“We need to win,” Mason, with a grin, prefaced after the morning’s first question. “Just like South Carolina does, we need to win. The opportunity is great.”
