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Kentucky Football: Five Ways To Defeat The Vanderbilt Commodores

By Maxwell Ogden

Nov 14, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Derrick Baity (29) and teammate Kentucky Wildcats safety A.J. Stamps (1) tackle Vanderbilt Commodores wide receiver Trent Sherfield (10) during the first half at Vanderbilt Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Derrick Baity (29) and teammate Kentucky Wildcats safety A.J. Stamps (1) tackle Vanderbilt Commodores wide receiver Trent Sherfield (10) during the first half at Vanderbilt Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 3, 2015; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky football cornerback J.D. Harmon (11) celebrates against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels in overtime at Commonwealth Stadium. Kentucky defeated Eastern Kentucky 34-27 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 3, 2015; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky football cornerback J.D. Harmon (11) celebrates against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels in overtime at Commonwealth Stadium. Kentucky defeated Eastern Kentucky 34-27 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Creating Turnovers

Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Kyle Shurmur has the potential to be an impact player under center. He’s 6’4″ and 223 pounds, which creates the foundation for his physical gifts—gifts that few quarterbacks possess.

Intriguing as he may be, Shurmur is still raw, which leads to the potential for Kentucky’s secondary to take over by creating turnovers.

Kentucky has a trio of dynamic cornerbacks in Derrick Baity, J.D. Harmon, and Chris Westry. Westry is regarded as the shutdown corner of the group, while Baity is a big-body player who can make plays on the ball and Harmon is an interception machine.

All three of those players, as well as Mike Edwards and Blake McClain, will need to be at their best against a Vanderbilt team that should create opportunities for Kentucky to force turnovers.

If the secondary plays up to par, then the rest of the burden will fall on the front seven. Jordan Jones has been superb in 2016, Denzil Ware has intriguing upside as a pass rusher, and Courtney Love has done a bit of everything, but Kentucky needs consistency.

If Kentucky can get to Shurmur early and often, then it can win this game.

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