Coach Clark Lea and the Vanderbilt staff got about as much production as they could've hoped for from Ray Davis last season, but as Davis heads to Kentucky they'll have to turn the page quickly.
That page turning opens up one of fall camp's most interesting position battles as Vanderbilt looks to solidify its offensive personnel.
Junior back Patrick Smith and sophomore back Chase Gillespie will look to increase their roles with the carries that Davis left, but the back who takes the most carries may do so as a freshman.
After an impressive spring, it feels as if Sedrick Alexander may be in line to take plenty of the snaps that Davis left behind.
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Perhaps Alexander, Smith and Gillespie signify a shift in how Vanderbilt will get its production in the backfield as opposed to last year with Davis. The now Kentucky running back was tough to bring down and could really maximize each run, but didn't quite have breakaway speed.
Vanderbilt's new group won't have the stability that Davis gave it previously, but it does have the potential to be a group that gives Vanderbilt a different dimension offensively. A dimension that includes breaking off more big runs, something it needs to do to get even with more talented teams in the league.
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The Commodores got plenty of production from it offense in 2022, but lacked that dimension at times. In the backfield, it got most of that big play potential from Mike Wright, who has also departed from the program.
Despite losing Wright, Vanderbilt has a chance to hit the home run more often with this group.
On the flipside, an unexperienced group brings up plenty of questions . Who fights for the extra yard on third and short? Can anyone pick up a blitz on a big down? Does AJ Swann have someone he can dump it down to when nothing is opened up down the field?
The answers may be largely determined by Alexander, who looks to have a real chance to end camp with a major role. The freshman impressed throughout a spring session that was punctuated by an Alexander touchdown in the spring game.
Alexander is obviously inexperienced but has flashed impressive vision as well as explosion and seems to have an element of physicality in his game that will only be amplified as he matures and adds to his frame.
Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea signed two other running backs in 2023 class, but Alexander's primary competition looks to be Smith and Gillespie.
Lea said on Wednesday that Smith and Gillespie are at the top of the food chain for now but didn't rule out Alexander's potential role.
"I think right now it's anybody's game, obviously the early nod is going to go the guys who have experience in the program and have had great offseasons but this will play out over the next month, but we're gonna need more than one," Lea
Smith has plenty to prove after a suspension and step back in production in 2022. The rising junior ran for just 151 yards and a long of 17 in 2022 after running for 360 while starting three games and flashing potential in his freshman season. The 5-foot-9 back rebounding would be a huge boost for the room and would take plenty of pressure off of Alexander in his first season.
Lea raved on Friday about Smith's ability to execute assignments and pick up the slack in pass protection.
Gillespie also has an interesting case to make a splash, the rising sophomore is probably the most physical of the three which could inherently get him snaps. Combine that with some flashes this offseason and what Vanderbilt seems to believe is a high ceiling and Gillespie seems to be a legitimate horse in this race, as well.
Vanderbilt also has two other freshmen in AJ Newberry and Deago Benson who are highly regarded but seem to be on the outside looking in.
Lea has made it clear that his team's running attack will likely be more committee oriented than last season but the way those reps are distributed is one of if not Vanderbilt's most appealing storyline as it continues fall camp.
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