Lexie Perez
Tim Beck is only in his third season as an offensive coordinator at the FBS Division 1 level. (Hustler Multimedia/Lexie Perez)
Vanderbilt Football’s surge from the depths of the SEC has made it one of America’s sweethearts, with faith in the Commodores rising weekly. From the redemption of head coach Clark Lea to the underdog-turned-superstar Diego Pavia, all eyes have been on West End. One facet of this impressive rebuild, though, has gone underappreciated. That facet is offensive coordinator Tim Beck, the former New Mexico State play-caller whose offensive scheme has transformed the Commodores’ offense from monotonous to riveting.
Vanderbilt did not trail once over its last 120 minutes of play, encompassing two games against former No. 1 Alabama and Kentucky. This was largely due to the Commodores’ offense, which controlled the ball nearly 65% of the time across both contests. Through six games, Vanderbilt is the 28th highest-scoring offense in the nation, averaging 34.7 points per game. The Commodores are tied for ninth in red zone scoring percentage, 10th in third-down conversion rate and have only turned the ball over twice all season.
Last season, when Joey Lynch was Vanderbilt’s offensive coordinator, the Commodores’ offense ranked 104th in scoring at 20.6 points per game, was tied for 111th in red zone scoring and was 122nd in third-down conversion rate. While the change in talent on offense has done wonders for the Commodores, it doesn’t tell the full story. The new scheme under Beck is unique, efficient and reflective of the player’s attitude.
Charging ahead
Diverting from a traditional spread offense, this season’s Commodores have operated under a run-first spread option scheme. This system emphasizes a plethora of hard-hitting runs with 12 personnel, read options, run-pass options and play actions. Sprinkled in with these plays is a variety of pre-snap motions and trick plays that force defenders to play assignment-oriented football.
Beck’s offense thrives off creating leverage and opportunities for quick yards through the trenches. Thus far, 10 different Commodores have recorded a rushing attempt, with the team posting an average of 4 yards per carry and 165 rushing yards per game. In comparison, last season’s offense totaled only 95.3 rushing yards per game on 3.3 yards per carry.
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