The No. 9 Vanderbilt Commodores travel to Austin to play the No. 20 Texas Longhorns this Saturday. The Commodores’ biggest star is graduate quarterback Diego Pavia, who has entered the Heisman conversation while leading Vanderbilt to its first 7-1 start since 1941.
While Pavia will be the focus of much discussion before the game, there are other players the Longhorns need to be aware of if they want to pull off a top-10 upset at home.
Senior offensive lineman Cade McConnell – #70
Vanderbilt’s spread option attack incorporates many old-school concepts, making it one of the most unique offenses in the country. One such concept is flipping linemen.
Instead of having tackles and guards line up on the same side every play, the Commodore linemen flip based on where the tight end is lined up. The tackle and guard who line up next to the tight end are the “strong side” tackle and guard, the ones on the opposite side are the “quick side” tackle and guard.
This alignment quirk allows Vanderbilt’s linemen to focus on getting good at fewer things. The strong side linemen need to be good at bulldozing defensive linemen, while the quick linemen need to be good at pass-protecting and pulling across the line of scrimmage.
One player who has been able to improve by focusing on fewer things is quick guard Cade McConnell. McConnell has been instrumental in powering the Commodores’ 24th-best-in-the-country ground game by getting to the second level on lead plays and sealing defensive linemen on trap and counter runs.
McConnell has also been a great pass-protector, evidenced by a play against LSU where he single-handedly pancaked two Tigers.
Graduate tight end Eli Stowers – #9
Vanderbilt’s leading receiver lost his presumed starting quarterback job at New Mexico State to Pavia and made the switch to tight end ahead of the 2023 season.
The move proved fortuitous, as Stowers, Pavia and their offensive coordinator Tim Beck all made the jump to Vanderbilt for the 2024 season and have driven much of their success since then.
The 6-foot-4 tight end can flat-out fly down the field and is a serious threat in the seam and after the catch. While Stowers lacks the strength of a true in-line blocking tight end, Beck overcomes this by using him as anything but, often lining him up in the slot or backfield. Beck looks to get him the ball early and often in a variety of different ways.
Stowers’ large frame and jumping ability also mean Texas has to keep track of him down the field. On top of all of that, Stowers is a former quarterback who can still rip passes down the field. If Vanderbilt runs a trick play on Saturday, it’s likely that Stowers will be involved.
Graduate edge Miles Capers – #29
Miles Capers was one of Vanderbilt’s most impressive defenders last year, but he has morphed into a star this season. The graduate put on 14 pounds in the offseason and the difference is obvious, as he has already surpassed his sack total last year with a team-leading 4.5 this year. Capers has also forced and recovered a fumble this season.
Texas’ offense gave up a combined eight sacks across its last two games against Mississippi State and Kentucky. If the offensive line continues to struggle to protect the passer, expect Capers to harass sophomore quarterback Arch Manning on Saturday morning.
