La.net Leaderboard Banner Gradient Bkg
Louisiana Sports Logo

Statistically Speaking: A first look at Vanderbilt

11/18/2024
Pavia 1

By Hunt Palmer

Deigo Pavia and the Vanderbilt Commodores have been a national darling this year. The upset of Alabama was the highlight, but the wins over Virginia Tech, Auburn and Kentucky were also pretty loud for a program that had won two games against the Power 5 since 2019.  You’ll see this in the numbers, but this has been a marvelous coaching job by Clark Lea. Vanderbilt doesn’t do much of anything well outside of avoiding turnovers and penalties, yet they’re in every game.

Here’s a deep dive into the statistics and how they stack up in the Southeastern Conference.

(For perspective 1st is always the best, even if the number is lowest. 16th is always worst)

Vanderbilt Offense

Scoring Offense: 11th 28 points per game

Total Offense: 15th, 331.3 yards per game

Rushing Offense: 13th, 144 yards per game

Rushing Attempts: 5th, 38 attempts per game

Yards per Carry: 15th, 3.77 yards per carry

Runs for 10+ yards: 14th, 37 rushes

Passing Offense: 14th, 187 yards per game

Passing Attempts: 16th, 24 attempts per game

Passes of 20+ yards: 15th, 32 passes

Sacks Allowed: T-1st, 13 sacks

Tackles for Loss Allowed: 4th, 46 tackles for loss

Third Down Conversions: 3rd, 46%

Red Zone Touchdowns Percentage: 5th, 69.4%

Plays: 15th, 62.3 plays per game

Yards per play: 14th, 5.32 yards per play

Time of Possession: 3rd, 32:04 per game

This is a pretty simple formula for the Commodores. Run the ball. Keep the ball. Score touchdowns in the red zone. Their third down conversions and red zone touchdowns are their only shot. They don’t run the ball especially well, 15th in yards per carry. They don’t create explosive plays via the ground or the air.

Against Alabama, Vanderbilt converted on 12-of-18 third downs and held the ball for over 42 minutes. In the loss to South Carolina, they converted just 6-of-13 and narrowly lost time of possession. That formula produced just seven points.

 

Vanderbilt Defense

Scoring Defense: 11th, 21.7 points per game

Total Defense: 12th, 349 yards per game

Rushing Defense: 8th, 122 yards per game

Yards Per Carry Allowed: 12th, 3.9 yards per carry

Passing Defense: 12th, 236 yards per game

Opponents Completion Percentage: 15th, 66%

Opponents Third Down Conversions: 15th, 43.5% conversions

Sacks: 10th, 22 sacks

Tackles for Loss: 9th, 59 tackles for loss

Opponent Plays of 20+: 14th, 47 plays

Opponent Runs for 10+: 6th, 36 runs

Opponent Passes of 20+: 15th, 36 passes

Opponent Red Zone Touchdowns Percentage: 14th, 57.7%

Turnovers Forced: 12th, 12 turnovers

Penalties Per Game: 1st, 5.4 per game

Vandy only cracks the top half of the league in two categories here, rushing defense and chunk rushes allowed. Everything else looks rather bleak. Georgia State went for 426 yards and 36 points early in the season. The Commodores did bottle up Auburn, holding Hugh Freeze’s team to just seven points. They intercepted Quinn Ewers twice and sacked him four times in the Texas game.

But on the whole, it has been a very average unit that is generally aided by its offensive holding the ball.

Vanderbilt doesn’t have a player in the Top 20 in the SEC in sacks. They don’t draw penalties, though.

Ultimately, Vanderbilt is a heck of a lot better than the sum of its parts, and Lea deserves a pile of credit for it. This group was not a flash in the pan against Alabama. They’ve been tough as nails all season long.

Nflkickoff 320x100 Aff Gif

L (6)

YOUR LOUISIANA SPORTS
NEWS DESTINATION

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM