What's been the X Factor in Vanderbilt's 3-0 start? Our writers discuss.

Elusive Nickson's mobility has opened up the offense

Peter Letarte

To find the key to the Commodores' electric 3-0 start, one should look no further than the fleet feet of dual threat quarterback Chris Nickson. The big redshirt senior's ability to scramble out of the pocket and run for big gains has proven to be valuable in several aspects of the Commodores' offensive attack. First and foremost, a running Nickson gives coach Bobby Johnson a valuable offensive weapon. Nickson leads the team with 268 rushing yards and five touchdowns, on an impressive 5.5 yards per carry. Nickson's production cannot be doubted.

However, it might be the versatility Nickson's mobility provides that is the true X Factor in Vanderbilt's offensive execution. While the Commodores' young and fairly inexperienced offensive line has looked stout and resilient in these first three games, they have broken down in their pass protection from time to time. But when opposing defenses have come swarming in, Nickson has not panicked. Rather, he has done what he does best and scrambled out of the jam only to break off for what often has been a big gain. More and more opposing defenses have been forced to keep a weary eye on No. 3 to contain him in the pocket. When they do, it opens up the flood gates for several of Vanderbilt's other dynamic offensive weapons. Included in that category has been redshirt junior running back Jared Hawkins who has set career highs in rushing yards for two weeks in a row, and the reverse play Johnson has shown a propensity to run with redshirt senior wide receiver Sean Walker in crucial situations. With a focus on Nickson, Vanderbilt foes have had difficulties stopping the other aspects of its offense, allowing the Commodores to pave the way to only their second 3-0 start in 24 years.

Special teams has delivered time and time again for Vanderbilt

Mike Kranzler

Although it is the least-appreciated phase of the game, the X Factor in Vanderbilt's great start has been impressive special teams play.

At Miami (Ohio), the Redhawks kept the game close for most of the first quarter until junior D.J. Moore returned a punt 91 yards to the 1-yard line. Three plays later, redshirt senior Chris Nickson snuck the ball into the end zone for a 14-point lead and the rout was on.  
At home against South Carolina, two huge plays on special teams turned the tide in favor of the Commodores. After being forced to punt while trailing by seven, the Commodore punt team recovered the ball after the Gamecocks misplayed it. One play later, Vanderbilt found the end zone for the game-tying touchdown.

South Carolina proceeded to respond with an impressive drive to get into field goal range, only to have it blocked by the Commodores. A quick touchdown drive shifted the momentum fully into Vanderbilt's favor, and gave them the confidence to put away the game down the stretch.

Against Rice, a 19-yard punt by the Owls set up the go-ahead touchdown for the Dores, giving them a lead they would not relinquish. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Moore put the game out of reach with a second long punt return to the 1-yard line that led to another Vanderbilt touchdown on the next play.

One must also point to the resurgence of senior kicker Bryant Hahnfeldt, who struggled the past two seasons since tearing his ACL in 2005. However, he has yet to miss a kick this year and became the Commodores' all-time scoring leader on Saturday.

The Commodores have been making big play after big play on special teams this year, and these game-changers have helped Vanderbilt win those close games they lost in years past.

Emergence of Hawkins, solid play of  O-line have been crucial

David Shochat

While special teams play and creating turnovers have contributed to Vanderbilt's 3-0 start, nothing has been more significant than the play of redshirt junior Jared Hawkins and the Vanderbilt offensive line. In a season in which the passing game has struggled in part due to injuries to many key wide receivers, Hawkins has given the offense a spark, rushing for 250 yards and three touchdowns on 50 carries so far. While many see Hawkins' breakout as a novelty, those who have watched Vanderbilt football over the last few years know that Hawkins has had all the skills needed to be a solid Southeastern Conference running back and probably should have been the featured back last year.

What makes Hawkins so great is his combination of quickness, determination and strength for a guy his size. In the SEC, where the defenses are so fast, it is imperative to have a running back that can make people miss and hit the holes the offensive line creates quickly, which Hawkins does better than anyone else on the team. Hawkins has also been a key in finishing out close games for the Commodores as his hard running in the second half of all three games this year have stopped the opponent's chance of a comeback.

While Hawkins deserves a lot of credit, a lot of his success can be attributed to the play of the offensive line. This group was arguably the biggest question mark for the Commodores going into this season after losing first-round pick Chris Williams along with the other four starters on the offensive line. However, the O-line continues to improve every game and has done a great job opening up holes for both Hawkins and redshirt senior Chris Nickson, especially late in games. Furthermore, the inexperienced group has only given up five sacks on the season. In comparison, No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs have given up five as well. Behind the running of Nickson and Hawkins, the Commodores are currently ranked as the second best rushing offense in the league only behind LSU, and Nickson and Hawkins are currently ranked fifth and sixth respectively in the league in rushing yards.