Cutler leading historic Vanderbilt start
NASHVILLE — Vanderbilt has beaten Wake Forest and Arkansas on the road. If the Commodores can beat Mississippi in their home opener, they will make a bit of history.
Just not the usual brand for Vanderbilt football.
A win on Saturday would mark a number of milestones for the Commodores (2-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) starting with their first 3-0 start since 1984, most wins in a season since 2000 and best SEC record since 1999.
That’s a big deal for a program used to racking up negative records like 22 consecutive losing seasons and a revolving door of coaches. But coach Bobby Johnson is busy trying to keep his Commodores focused on only Ole Miss (1-0, 0-0), a team that has won 11 of the last 12 in this series.
“We’re trying to concentrate on Mississippi, but (the players) are not dumb,” he said. “They know what it means. We’re not going to hide from it. But if you start thinking about all the things that happen after that if we get three, it is not good.”
If anyone is going to stay focused on the game, that someone is quarterback Jay Cutler, the SEC’s leading active passer. A team captain for a third consecutive year, Johnson said Cutler leads both with words and actions.
“The great thing about Jay is he doesn’t think everybody has to listen to him, just because he’s the quarterback, just because he’s Jay Cutler,” Johnson said. “He makes plays for us, but he continues to practice. That sends a great message to the rest of our players.”
Cutler has led the Commodores to fourth-quarter rallies in each of their first two games. He finished against Arkansas last week with 278 yards passing and completed 23 of a career-high 45 attempts.
“With all the weapons I have out there, I’m just using them,” Cutler said. “It is backyard football.”
He also is tied for the most career passing touchdowns in Vandy history with 41 and lacks only 56 yards to pass Kurt Page for third most passing yards.
Mississippi coach Ed Orgeron knows how good Cutler is, but he also has a plan to contain him.
“We have to be able to stay in front. We have to be right on top of the receivers,” he said. “If you give (Cutler) a foot or two, he’s going to get the ball in there. We have to be very, very aggressive and run fast on defense.”
Ole Miss quarterback Micheal Spurlock has tested his team’s defense this week in practice by running a variety of option plays — a favorite call for the Vanderbilt offense. But Orgeron, who also serves as Mississippi’s defensive coordinator, knows Cutler has diversified Vandy’s option.
“They seem to be spreading it out a little bit more and throwing the ball more,” Orgeron said. “It’s a little less option, but we are going to prepare for everything.”
The Rebels have had a week off since their 10-6 victory over Memphis on Labor Day to prepare for the Commodores. Orgeron said they have been busy correcting mistakes made against Memphis and hope to run the ball more and capitalize on opportunities.
“We’re going to play teams that have momentum all year round, we can’t let that affect us. I know they’re all fired up about that Vanderbilt team up there, but that’s what the SEC is all about,” Orgeron said.