Know Your Enemy: Five Questions With Greg Arias of VandyMaven!

There's no better way to know your enemy than to get intel from someone familiar with the situation.

At least, that's how we approach matchups on a weekly basis here at GatorMaven. In order to best preview the upcoming game between the No. 10 Florida Gators and Vanderbilt Commodores, I'm excited to welcome Greg Arias of VandyMaven for our weekly "Know Your Enemy" question and answer session.

What happened with Vanderbilt's cornerstone offensive pieces? Is Derek Mason on the hot seat yet?

Let's get to the Q&A!

1. There was some hype entering the year for Vanderbilt's offense with RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn, WR Kalija Lipscomb, and TE Jared Pinkney leading the charge as seniors. Yet, the Commodores are only averaging 17 points and 317.8 yards per game. What's been the issue?

That's a great question and a very difficult answer.

You're correct that those three were supposed to be the "big three" offensive weapons for Vanderbilt this season. That's not materialized to this point, other than Vaughn who has been the team's offensive MVP.

Pinkney is an NFL talent and has the prototypical body of a tight end at the next level, but the Commodores have struggled to get him the football and when they have found him he has had some uncharacteristic drops.

Lipscomb has been the crazy story of this team. He reportedly injured his heel and missed some time in an earlier game, but was spotted on the sideline, in uniform holding his helmet. He later returned to play. Then last week against South Carolina, he was dressed and on the sideline wearing a towel over his head. He was not injured or being disciplined per Derek Mason, but rather he was working through some personal issues.

No one outside perhaps Lipscomb and Mason have any clue what those issues are, but from what was observed during the game in Columbia, Lispcomb seems supportive and encouraging to his teammates and even jovial at times.

2. Have any other offensive skill players emerged in a serious role?

Cam Johnson has started to emerge as a threat at receiver. He actually caught the lone touchdown pass last week against the Gamecocks. He's a 6-0, 190 lb. redshirt freshman from Brentwood Academy here in the Nashville area and is likely to be the top target for this team next season with Lipscomb graduating.

3. With only 11 sacks and six turnovers, allowing 454 yards and 32.4 points per game, where does Vanderbilt struggle most defensively? Are there just not enough chances to make big plays?

Those stats are accurate, but the Commodores defense has been the top story for this team in the last two games. It is the most improved part of the team and was directly responsible for the upset of Missouri and for keeping the Commodores in the game till late last week against South Carolina.

They are young, but seem to finally be buying into what coordinator Jason Tarver and head coach DerekMason are teaching them. It's still a long way from being an upper-echelon unit, but the future on that side seems bright and miles ahead of the offense.

4. Speaking of, how hot is Derek Mason's seat right now?

That's a tough question, and depending on who you ask around this program and university, you'll get different answers.

Mason has his supporters but there is a fan frenzy and push on social media to have him replaced. Having a new athletic director in Malcolm Turner - who has already made a coaching change with basketball in his first six months on the job - it's an unknown as to where he stands on Mason.

Turner held a closed-door meeting with several former players from the 1970's, 80's and even a couple of current NFL players on the situation. What is known is that Turner and his staff are working on a facilities plan for athletics across the board and with football and stadium renovations and a possible brand new stadium is at the top of the list.

One person who is a major financial supporter believes that Mason should be retained and allow him to ride it out while these new plans and facilities upgrades/buildings are done, and then have the new facilities ready for the next coach. Of course, all of that is rumor, speculation, and theory coming from things Turner has said, so we shall see what happens moving forward.

5. Despite being on opposite sides of plenty of rankings and standings this year, Florida and Vanderbilt is always a tough contest. What say you? What's your prediction for the game?

You're right that somehow Vanderbilt figures out a way to play much better against the Gators than is expected, but I don't think that will be the case in this one.

With their starting, and backup, quarterbacks both being in concussion protocol and not expected to play, that leaves the third and fourth string quarterbacks battling it out this week in practice to see who will start and be Gator Bait for the Florida defense.

I'm taking Florida 41-6 and it might not be that close, especially if the Gators come out angry after last week's loss to Georgia.