Unlike with most coordinator changes, Vanderbilt football’s offensive overhaul came with some familiarity.
Clark Lea hired New Mexico State offensive coordinator Tim Beck in December. In the coming months, he was followed by former Aggies coach Jerry Kill, running backs coach Ghaali Muhammad-Lankford and four transfers: quarterbacks Diego Pavia and Blaze Berlowitz, running back Moni Jones and tight end Eli Stowers.
“It’s been a huge help,” Stowers said after Friday’s practice. “I think that’s one of the biggest things when you’re either coming out of high school or transferring. One of the biggest thing that’s hard is getting to learn the offense and getting to know people, getting to know the coaches.
“I’ve had to do that in some form or fashion, obviously, but knowing the offense and knowing the OC and … two of the quarterbacks actually who came, it’s been a big help.”
For those players, not as much is new. But returning players who played previously under former offensive coordinator Joey Lynch, who called plays all three of Lea’s prior years at Vanderbilt, have noticed the difference.
“I’ve been praying for this offense since I was about five years old,” said wide receiver Richie Hoskins on Thursday, though he also admitted his blocking assignments were “super confusing” and the playbook took time to learn.
For Lea, who is now calling the defensive plays himself, preparing his group to go up against Beck’s offense is “a pain in the butt.”
But even with the coordinator changes, Vanderbilt will face some challenges getting the offense up to snuff with the SEC. The Commodores lost all three quarterbacks who had played a college snap off the 2023 roster, as well as top wide receivers London Humphreys, Will Sheppard and Jayden McGowan. They brought in transfers like Pavia, Nate Johnson, Dariyan Wiley and Loic Fouonji to try to help.
But the receiver group is likely not quite as talented as last year’s and the offensive line is a question. Pavia proved himself at New Mexico State but it’s still a question whether that translates to the SEC. Johnson is talented as a runner and passer but in the spring was wildly inconsistent.
Still, the new scheme has injected some energy into the offense, and that’s a start as Lea enters a “prove it” year. Even the defensive players have taken notice.
“Coach Beck is real smart,” linebacker Bryan Longwell said Thursday. “Like he’ll see us interact one way with the play, the next day they’re going to have a counteroffer. So he’s just smart. Obviously, he’s got so much tougher I’ve already felt that. Everybody’s just getting better.”
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Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt football seeing early impact from new OC Tim Beck
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