Vanderbilt quarterback AJ Swann has a chance to be one of the Commodores' best quarterbacks in recent memory.

In coach Clark Lea's mind, that will be best accomplished by Swann being himself.

"A guy that's confident and small things done well, that's what I want to see, small things done well," Lea responded when asked what he wants to see from Swann on Saturday.

Even Lea admits that those things can be difficult, especially in the first game of Vanderbilt's season.

"I think he'll be fine that way but again, the emotions of gameday are what they are and I feel them too," Vanderbilt's coach says.

The third-year head coach points to a philosophy that applies to his whole roster as one that could help his sophomore quarterback when the lights get bright on Saturday night.

"What we say here is that we have to belong to ourselves so that we can belong to each other," Lea says. "Part of his challenge will be making sure that when a play doesn't tip our way or when he makes a mistake that he's quick to forget it and move on to the next."

Swann made some mistakes as a freshman but ultimately finished his freshman season without many costly ones and 10 touchdown passes as opposed to just two interceptions.

Swann's head coach believes that a theme similar to that can continue into 2023 on Saturday night. That's because of what Lea has come to learn about his starting quarterback.

"One thing that's impressed me about AJ since he got here is I don't know that the stage gets really big for him, he's just such a steady and consistent competitor."

As Vanderbilt gears up for its run at bowl-eligibility, it will need Swann. Not just his arm talent, not just flashes, not just the little things or his confidence. It will need all of that. Saturday night's matchup with Hawaii will be the sophomore's first opportunity to prove that he can provide that.