As the Cats come off a much-needed bye, the Kernel wanted to provide Wildcat fans an in-depth look at this week’s opponent: Vanderbilt.

In addition to the Kernel’s preview, Braden Ramsey turned to Simon Gibbs, sports editor of Vanderbilt’s student newspaper – The Vanderbilt Hustler – for a first-hand account on some of the more pressing questions regarding the Commodores season and Saturday’s matchup.

Editor’s Note: This interview occurred Tuesday evening.

We’ve seen three* SEC games postponed this week due to COVID. Vandy has had some major problems with COVID so far this year. Do you think we play this game on Saturday?

Simon – “I’m nervous, because how could I not be after the way Vanderbilt’s season has gone? It seems like every week they’re either having a game canceled – like with Missouri – or they’re playing with just over the 53-man limit, which they did against Ole Miss (56) and Mississippi State (58). I’m nervous mostly because that 58 person count they had last week is not a lot. If a few guys end up getting contact traced or a few guys test positive, they’re in trouble.”

“This is more wishful thinking than anything logical, but I feel like if we can get through Wednesday without a cancellation, I feel like we’re in the green. If they were worried enough about numbers – that they wouldn’t be able to play – I think it would have been called off by now. So, I think we’re going to play, but I’m far from certain.”

“It remains to see who exactly is going to be out though, because Vanderbilt releases a weekly depth chart that almost always is completely wrong. They released it today and I know a few guys, a couple of impact players, are on the depth chart but aren’t going to play. Because of that, we tend to not know until they actually line up.”

Who are some of those impact guys you’re referring to?

Simon – “A few of them we knew were going to be out: true freshman Donovan Kaufman. I genuinely believe this would have been a first team All-Freshman SEC player had he not run into issues of his own. Kaufman is the type of talented freshman you just never see in the Vanderbilt football program, with the exception of [quarterback] Ken Seals.”

‘“He was an impact kick returner, an impact player in the Vanderbilt secondary which is already really thin and performed really poorly. After week two or three, he tweeted that he tested positive for COVID. He deleted it two minutes later – I still have screenshots of it – but he hasn’t played since. In last week’s press conference, head coach Derek Mason said he would miss the season with a quote-on-quote “medical-related issue.” That’s obviously not an injury; it’s likely COVID related because we have reason to believe he tested positive… I hope he’s all right and comes back in full form.”’

“Ja’Veon Marlow is also not a new loss. Marlow hasn’t played the past two games. He was suspended due to violating team protocol, but no one knows what he did… [Coach] Mason just says he’s violated team protocols and that’s it. But Marlow was the starting running back for the Commodores, looked pretty good in the first couple weeks of the season, and he’s out.”

“Drew Birchmeier, one of Vandy’s better defensive lineman, a senior, was switched to offensive line at the beginning of the season because the o-line was so thin. He finally learned how to play the position, finally started playing well, and just last week, was not on the depth chart and did not play in the game. He’s not on this week’s depth chart either… [Coach] Mason said in his press conference that he is not available [this week].”

“Those three guys are names that stick out to me. Vanderbilt really tends not to release information on who’s not playing unless it’s obvious… They seem to be losing players left and right on the offensive line and in the secondary, which have already been quite the detriment to them so far.”

You’ve been a fairly big critic of Derek Mason throughout the year. Is there any way in your mind that he keeps his job?

Simon – ‘“Right now, I see no way Vanderbilt wins a game. They’re going to go 0-10. The question becomes, “Can you fire Derek Mason in the middle of a pandemic?” The answer is as much yes as it is no, but not because of financials…”’

“The problem I foresee, which no one has really discussed yet: Vanderbilt’s last game is currently scheduled for Dec. 12 – the rescheduled Missouri game. If another game gets postponed, Vandy will be playing on Dec. 19, which is National Early Signing Day. I don’t know how you’re supposed to fire a coach after that day, bring in a new coach, and have them round up a recruiting class that could even fill the needs of what you have on the field. Even if the season ended Dec. 12, that’s still only a one week turn around to get a new coach and find some recruits.”

“Most people are worried about the financials. I’m not as worried about that as I am about if it’s even plausible, if there’s even enough time to bring in a new coach. If the answer to that is no, they’ll be keeping Derek Mason. But if he goes 0-10 and the NCAA changes those dates, he’ll absolutely be on the hot seat by season’s end.”

Vandy is ranked higher in passing offense than rushing offense, but the Kentucky defense is better defending the pass than it is the run. What do you believe the Commodore offensive attack will consist of, and who are some players fans should know?

Simon – “Ken Seals, the true freshman quarterback, had a tough game last week (three interceptions, one fumble). At the same time, he eclipsed 330 passing yards, which is nothing to be ashamed of. Overall, he has been playing very well this year, especially compared to last year where Vanderbilt just didn’t have a quarterback at all. The offense starts with him.”

“Tight end Ben Bresnahan has emerged as a huge target for Seals, who loves to look for him as a check down option. He has the speed and route running skills to find his way down the field. He sort of came out of nowhere… Cam Johnson and Amir Abdur-Rahman have been two formidable options at receiver. Seals relies heavily on those two guys as well.”

“Without Ja’Veon Marlow, Keyon Henry-Brooks is Vanderbilt’s starting running back. I was a worried [against MSU] because it had previously been a bit of a committee, but one that relied heavily on Marlow. But he was incredible last week. He did something that Vandy has missed dearly from the Ke’Shawn Vaughn era: not just run efficiently, but catch-and-run efficiently. He was taking handoffs, screens and check downs really well.”

“Occasionally they’ll mix in [backup quarterback] Mike Wright in the red zone… every package they’ve used him in, he hasn’t thrown the ball once. He just takes the snap and runs.”

“The one thing that will ultimately make-or break the Vanderbilt offense as it has so far this season, with the turnovers last week as the exception, is play-calling. They need to mix it up and read the situation around them to not make the same mistakes as in weeks past.”

You seem pretty high on Ken Seals. Do you think he’s a legitimate starting option moving through this season and into the future?

Simon – “Ken Seals is going to be the starter at this program for as long as he’s here, and I hope that’s a long time because he’s a damn good quarterback. He doesn’t seem like just a leader; he’s making guys around him better… all of these receivers, and the tight end Bresnahan, have been at Vandy for years, we just haven’t seen them much because Vandy has struggled at quarterback so mightily since Kyle Shurmur.”

“I’m not going to speculate, but if Derek Mason gets fired, he’s the type of cornerstone that can incentivize a coach to come. He’s that good. I’m excited to see what he can accomplish in the next few years. If he can keep making the guys around him better, eventually – hopefully – the pieces come together and Vanderbilt can create a winner.”

Kentucky’s offensive strength is its rushing attack. What do you think Vandy needs to do slow that down, and who are some players fans should be aware of?

Simon – “Outside linebacker Andre Mintz and defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo. At their best, they can change the course of a ball game. We saw that in the second half of the Mississippi State game where they made some significant adjustments, brought pressure for the entire second half, and Mississippi State had negative twenty (-20) rushing yards for the game because those two were so lethal at setting the edges. When they get double teamed, get a lot of attention and can get shut down, it gets really ugly for Vanderbilt because there aren’t many other impact players that can make a huge stop like those two.”

“The defense, especially in stopping a physical run attack, is going to start and end with them. If they win the battle on the edges, Vanderbilt is in good shape. And if not, they’re in big trouble.”

Who wins the game? Why?

Simon – “Vanderbilt is not going to win this game because Vanderbilt is not going to win a ball game all year. I’m going to go Kentucky 35-7. I’m only giving that seven because against non-bottom-dwellers in the SEC, Vanderbilt has really struggled to score points. And the kicking situation is an absolute nightmare, so I can’t even trust them to make a field goal.

*The Georgia-Missouri game scheduled for Saturday had not yet been postponed when this interview occurred. There are now only three SEC games – Vanderbilt at Kentucky, Arkansas at Florida & South Carolina at Ole Miss – being played this weekend.

Simon Gibbs is the sports editor for Vanderbilt’s student newspaper, The Vanderbilt Hustler.

To see the Hustler’s interview with Kernel Sports Editor Braden Ramsey regarding the game, click here.