With a group of familiar faces, Vanderbilt poised to shine offensively

Vanderbilt Hustler Kyle Shurmur as Vanderbilt defeated the MTSU Blue Raiders 47-24 at Vanderbilt Stadium September 10, 2016.
Four months ago, Vanderbilt was still figuring out its offensive identity. With just two games left, the Commodores needed to ignite their offense if they were going to get to a six-win season.
83 points and a bowl appearance later, the chemistry started to reveal itself, and Vanderbilt had a lot to look forward to heading into the offseason. Saturday’s spring game was the first time the offense played in a game situation since its last action at December’s Independence Bowl, and that level of familiarity was on full display.
Quarterback Kyle Shurmur looked sharp, completing seven of 13 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown in his time running the offense. Just a year removed from competing for the starting quarterback job, Shurmur has settled into the role and looks comfortable with the bevy of weapons he has at his disposal.
“We all as a group have really taken command of this offense,” the junior quarterback said. “It starts to slow down, and we’ve started to play with a lot of confidence because a lot of this stuff is second nature.”
Saturday’s scrimmage was by no means an all-out grind, but the offense shined, echoing the fact that with the reps it has gotten as a group over the past year, “second nature” sounds like an appropriate assessment. And why wouldn’t it? The Commodores return nearly every skill position player on the roster, including 92 percent of last year’s carries and 96 percent of last year’s receptions, an incredibly high retention rate for a bowl team.
Shurmur’s increased rapport with his wide receivers opens up the playbook for offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig. Last year’s offense showed signs of miscommunication throughout the season. In a late game drive to try to complete ...


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