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AnnArborDore: Are there specific metrics that you can cite that show progress or degradation from last year’s FB team - Offense & Defense? I’m thinking of metrics like yards per play (offense & defense) or any other relevant metrics you have available.

The biggest improvement is on offense; last year's team averaged 15.8 points per game and 4.5 yards per play, while this year's numbers are 34.2 and 6.0. Another is this season's seven total sacks compared to nine all last season. Certainly, some of that is a product of a schedule that on the whole is easier through five games than it was the entirety of last year, but I think there's also some legitimate improvement here.

On the downside, last year's defense picked off 13 passes and this year's has but one, and the Commodores definitely need to improve here.

VandyGuy20: Through the first 5 games, who would you put as the top 5 freshman?

Obviously, AJ Swann, Jayden McGowan and Gunnar Hansen (who didn't play last season in his first year on campus) lead the way. From there, I'd probably go with Darren Agu and Ja'Dais Richard, with BJ Diakate having a shot to crack the top five the rest of the season.

GoDores94: How does this year‘s recruiting class compare to last year‘s at this point?

Vanderbilt has 15 commitments; it had 13 this time a year ago. That class ranked 35th; this one ranks 52nd. The Commodores also got some of their highest-rated commitments (including Swann) from December on. We'll see how it ends, but those things indicate this year's class could be in the ballpark of last year's.

B3Vandy: Jerry has started to Stack the House here. He certainly has put together an impressive roster, compared to previous years. Vandy's lack of a big man problem in the past, has now been addressed by having Robbins, Dort and Millora-Brown all ready to go. With the talented group of Guards/Forwards already here, Vandy now has a good chance of putting together a solid tournament bound team (IMO). How do you see the talent shaking out, and which stars are going to shine brightest? Who's your Top 5-7 players that Vandy will use the most? Thanks.

Landing a better freshman class was encouraging for sure, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the newcomers perform.

Making the NCAA tournament would be a stretch; the NIT is more attainable, though probably still an uphill climb. The problem is that the rest of the league is really good; Blue Ribbon has Kentucky (third), Arkansas (sixth), Tennessee (10th), Alabama (13th, Auburn (15th) and Texas A&M (21st) all in its top 25, and picks Vanderbilt last in the SEC. Joe Lunardi has seven SEC teams in his first Bracketology, with Florida joining the other six in the field of 68.

Some other places are more optimistic--Bart Torvik has Vanderbilt 12th and Lindy's, 13th--but still, that places the Commodores in the dreaded Wednesday-night game of the SEC tournament if those forecasts are correct. So the bottom line is that the Commodores are going to need to pull some upsets, and playing Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama twice each isn't helpful.

A prediction on the top seven players in order of the value I think they'll have to the team this year, under the presumption that no one misses time to injury: Liam Robbins, Jordan Wright, Ezra Manjon, Quentin Millora-Brown, Myles Stute, Tyrin Lawrence and Collin Smith.

JDICav: What are your thoughts on strength of the MBB non-conference schedule?

I think it's appropriate for what I expect this team to be.

There are a couple of games with (according to Lunardi) projected NCAA tournament teams, though Memphis and St. Mary's, though each is projected among the last at-large teams in. Those could serve as good early barometers. VCU and Temple are tests against NIT-level teams and provide a chance at quality road wins. Pitt and NC State are brand-name teams in down cycles; Vanderbilt has a good shot to beat both, though the State game is in a neutral venue.

The rest of the non-conference slate consists of what should be built-in wins, of which the Commodores will need many to finish above .500 for the season given what's ahead in league play.