Vanderbilt Commodores Have a Not-So Secret Weapon This Season

The Vanderbilt Commodores have had one of their more successful seasons in quite some time, and a major key for that may not be what you think.

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It has been a season to remember for the Vanderbilt Commodores and fourth-year head coach Clark Lea.

It is not very often in this generation that you can look at the team's record and see it above .500, but when you can it is a special thing to behold.

This year has been no different as the team enters the week with a 5-3 overall record and a 2-2 record in conference play.

Almost all of the credit has been given to senior transfer Diego Pavia who has carved up opposing defenses in the air and on the ground, throwing for 1,391 yards and 13 touchdowns while rushing for 484 yards and four touchdowns, and he has been a big reason for the Commodores' success.

However, for those who have been paying close attention, he has not been the only reason for the team's success.

Like a magician performing a sleight of hand trick, Pavia has you looking one way with his flashy throws and gutsy scrambles, while Vanderbilt's defense is busy stealing the ball away from opposing offenses.

Vandy has recorded at least one interception in every game but two this year, with eight of them on the campaign, an easy math average of one per game, including two off of Quinn Ewers in the loss to the Texas Longhorns Saturday.

The Commodores have also added two fumble recoveries on the year, giving them a nice even total of 10 turnovers forced, and they have scored 51 points off of those turnovers, another easy math average of 5.1 points scored off of turnovers for the year.

If it were not for taking the ball away, Vanderbilt's 256 points scored this year would be a much lower total of 205, lowering their average points per game from 32.0 to 25.6, while their opponents' average points per game of 22.75 would surely be higher.

It has been more than just takeaways, too, as the defensive front has wreaked havoc in more ways on opposing quarterbacks, totaling 18 sacks so far, including four on Ewers, for an average of 2.25 per game.

While Pavia is out in the public eye getting the normal quarterback recognition and adoration, the defense has been hard at work becoming a not-so-secret weapon of Vandy's and head coach Clark Lea.

With an offense still struggling to find their identity looming Saturday, the Commodores' defense looks to pull another rabbit out of the hat while everyone is lured away by Pavia's offensive attack.