For the first time in 10 months, Chris Nickson stepped back into the starting quarterback position for Vanderbilt, determined to make the most of an opportunity that seemed lost after a forgettable 2007 season.
Did he ever.
Showing the dual-threat talent that made him a star for Vanderbilt two years ago, Nickson made big play after big play with his arm and his legs, leading the Commodores to a convincing 34-13 victory over the RedHawks in both teams' season openers. The elusive signal-caller rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns, and completed nine of 16 passes for 90 yards, one score and no turnovers.
Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson was pleased but not altogether unsurprised by the performance.
"That's why we had him in there," Johnson said. "He just makes people miss."
Nickson's 2006 sophomore campaign was one of the greatest in school history, but in 2007 he hit a roadblock. Last night showed a return to form.
In the first quarter, Nickson hooked up with receiver Sean Walker for 50 yards with a perfectly executed play action pass. Three plays later, Nickson was given plenty of time by a stout offensive line and found Walker in the back of the end zone for a touchdown and early 7-3 lead the team wouldn't relinquish.
"Being able to put points on the board, it made us calm down and take our time," Nickson said. "It was fun doing it."
While Nickson made good decisions all night throwing the football, it was his mobility and quickness that made him a nightmare all night for the Miami defense to stop.
After Miami cut Vanderbilt's lead to seven in the second quarter, Nickson took off for a 59-yard run on a draw, setting up his own 14-yard touchdown run that put Vanderbilt up 24-10. In the fourth quarter with Miami still in possible striking distance, Nickson led a long, punishing 11-play, 71-yard touchdown drive, running for two first downs and taking the wind out of the RedHawks. The redshirt senior looked to be in confident charge of the offense throughout the entire game.
"He can throw the ball, he can run the ball, he does it in all kinds of different ways," Johnson said.
The starting quarterback position had been up for grabs during all of preseason between Nickson and redshirt junior Mackenzi Adams. Nickson started with the job last year after a sensational sophomore campaign, but Adams replaced him midseason after a separated joint in his right shoulder rendered Nickson largely ineffective. It seemed unlikely the Chris Nickson who had shown so much promise in 2006 would ever come back.
But make no mistake, the old Nickson was back last night. A seemingly busted play became a big gain, a seemingly inconvertible long third down was converted with a streak of speed and a seemingly powerful red-clad defense was left catching its breath in the wake of No. 3.
"My teammates told me I looked better at 22 than I did at 19," Nickson said. "It was fun, I feel young and I felt good. I used some techniques I used in the off-season, it worked for us, and it was a great game plan by our coaches tonight."
