Vanderbilt put together a full 60-minute performance and took care of Alabama A&M in a 47-13 win at FirstBank Stadium.
Here's a deeper dive into Vanderbilt's defensive performance in its Saturday-night win.
What went right
It feels as if Vanderbilt's defense took a step forward on Saturday. Whether that's due to a legitimate step forward or its opponent isn't clear, but for now it's progress.
The Commodores limited the big play, forced a turnover early, and made effective adjustments to the exotic looks that Alabama A&M threw it. Those looks included two quarterbacks and an abnormally up-tempo offense.
Vanderbilt's tackling was generally solid on Saturday which resulted in Alabama A&M rushing for under 100 yards on the evening and just a couple Alabama A&M plays that went for over 10 yards.
On Saturday, Vanderbilt's defense didn't put only put the Commodores in a position to win, it put them in a position to dominate this one. Particularly in the second half.
What went wrong
It feels as if some of Vanderbilt's issues from week zero carried over into week one, including its secondary play and pass rush.
That was apparent on Alabama A&M's 62-yard third-quarter touchdown that was a result of a miscommunication between BJ Anderson and Jalen Mahoney.
As for the defensive line, its generation of only two sacks and three quarterback hurries draws some concerns.
Depending on the severity, De'Rickey Wright's injury may end up as the biggest negative of the night.
Player of the game: Langston Patterson
Patterson's biggest play of the night came on a blocked punt, but his impact was certainly felt on the defensive side, as well.
The sophomore linebacker led the Commodores in tackles with seven, recorded a tackle for loss and did exactly what Vanderbilt needed from him.
Grade: B+
Vanderbilt's defense didn't completely shut Alabama A&M down early, had a lapse in coverage that cost it and struggled with some of the same things it did in week zero, but generally showed what it needed to in order to inspire a bit of confidence heading into the Commodores matchup with Wake Forest.
Significant questions still loom over this group and its secondary in particular, but its hard to nitpick negatives out of its performance on Saturday night.
