It always seems football season takes forever to get started, especially during the sprawling, hot month of August.
It's been especially long for the Vanderbilt Commodores, who are more than ready to rid themselves of the sour taste left by the four-game losing streak that capped last year's otherwise solid campaign. The late season slump kept them once again from making a bowl appearance, a feat the team has not accomplished since 1982.
Vanderbilt travels north to Oxford, Ohio to kick off their season with a nationally-televised contest on ESPNU tomorrow, where they will take on the Miami University (Ohio) RedHawks, who finished 6-7 last season and failed to reach a bowl after losing in the Middle American Conference Championship game to Central Michigan.
"Well, we have had a very good preseason and we sure are excited about finally getting to play a game on Thursday," said coach Bobby Johnson on the team's website. "We know that it's going to be a big challenge to go up to Miami University and play those guys. They have a lot of guys coming back and proven players but our guys are extremely anxious to get going and I am too."
The two teams met last season in Nashville, with Vanderbilt coming back from a third-quarter deficit to win 24-13. Wide receiver Earl Bennett, now playing professionally for the Chicago Bears, made the 209th catch of his career in the first quarter, making him the all-time receptions leader in Southeastern Conference history.
The RedHawks' strength this year is undoubtedly their defense, which will be returning nine starters, highlighted by their linebacking corps, which returns in full. The RedHawks, led by 2007 MAC Defensive Player of the Year, Clayton Mullins, should provide a formidable challenge for the Vanderbilt offensive line, which conversely returns no starters from last year.
"They've got a defense that is proven and they have a lot of guys back," Johnson said. "They have three linebackers on the Butkus Watch List who all played well against us last year."
Vanderbilt looks to have the advantage when the RedHawks have possession, however, as Miami had a difficult time moving the ball last year both on the ground and through the air. Daniel Raudabaugh, who threw for 212 yards and a touchdown against Vandy in the losing effort last year, will lead the offense which managed a paltry 19.2 points per game in 2007.
While strong defense is likely to be the theme of this matchup, there should be no shortage of energy in this game in which both teams will be trying to turn the page from their rough ends to 2007.
"I tell our players that anybody on our schedule can beat us and we can beat any team on our schedule," Johnson said. "So we have to plan to play well and that's what we have been preaching to our guys."
Vucommodores.com contributed to this article.
