A Deep and Experienced Position Group is Emerging as the Backbone of Vanderbilt’s Defense

It’s the worst kept secret in town that head coach Clark Lea’s mission in the transfer portal was building a deeper roster, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

After allowing the third-most scrimmage yards in the SEC a year ago, Lea and his staff made it an emphasis to build a defensive front that wouldn’t run out of gas by mid-season, just like it has so many times before.

But behind that front are four returning linebackers – all of whom saw significant playing time last season – ready to anchor the defense from the middle of the field. Bryan Longwell, Langston Patterson, Nick Rinaldi, and Bryce Cowan combined for 254 tackles and 8.5 sacks a year ago. Randon Fontenette – who has played all over the field but is listed as a STAR – recorded 72 tackles and 3.5 sacks of his own.

While Longwell, Patterson and Rinaldi all had major impacts on the field last season, Cowan’s production was a step behind. A former highly touted recruit, Cowan’s talent has always resulted in flashes of dominance. But after adding 15 pounds of muscle in the offseason, the 6-foot-4 senior appears ready to take a leap in 2025.

“Every time [Cowan]’s been backed into a corner, he’s fought out of it,” Vanderbilt linebackers coach Nick Lezynski said.

Factor in the experience of graduate Prince Kollie and the athleticism of redshirt freshman Jamison Curtis in addition to Cowan, and suddenly you don’t just have enough players to space the middle of the field. You have a gauntlet of linebackers that are ready and able to make an impact on the field.

“Now that we have the depth, we can rotate guys and feel comfortable about playing as fast as we can, all the time,” newly appointed defensive coordinator Steve Gregory said. “Let’s just go and play as hard [as possible] and we’ll rotate you and keep you fresh throughout the year.”

The luxury of having strong frontline starters on defense, much less having capable rotational players, is a new concept to Vanderbilt Football. It gives head coach Clark Lea the ability to keep his players fresh, especially in a position group that’s dealt with plenty of injuries over the last few seasons. Langston Patterson, Vanderbilt’s veteran linebacker, dealt with a nagging ankle injury last season. But, like Gregory, he’s more confident in the players behind him than ever before.

“A lot of people don’t realize that every play you’re in is like a minor car crash,” Patterson said. “Being able to build depth this offseason and grow some of those younger guys is going to be so helpful.”

Perhaps if Patterson, who is entering his fourth season with significant playing time at linebacker, isn’t forced to play all 70 snaps each weekend, he’ll not only be able to stay healthier, but will have an even larger impact when he is on the field. The captain started 11 games last season, highlighted by his career-high-tying 13 tackles against Tennessee in November. But Patterson’s impact stretches far beyond the hash marks inside First Bank Stadium.

“What I’ve learned from Langston is competition,” said Longwell, Patterson’s fellow starting linebacker. “He will do anything and everything to win, and he’s kind of instilled that [in me].”

Patterson has been a key catalyst for the change in belief that has overhauled Vanderbilt’s football program in the last year. It’s players like him, who chose to stay when the program was at its worst, that are the reason they’re in the position they are.

“I would put [our linebacker room] against anyone’s in college football.”