Clark Lea breaks down what Vanderbilt needs to do to earn bowl eligibility in 2023

Clark Lea and Vanderbilt are seemingly trending in the right direction, pulling off a promising 5-7 campaign in 2022. While that might be a failure at many programs, the Commodores had won five games total across the three seasons prior.

But Lea also knows that’s not a satisfactory level for Vanderbilt either. The goal in 2023 and moving forward is to hit the six win threshold and be playing in the postseason with regularity.

And playing against an SEC schedule that features Georgia, Tennessee and Florida — plus crossover opponents — capitalizing in the non-conference schedule will be critical.

“It’s huge and obviously, for us, in our league, we’re not going to have an easy week,” Lea said during a interview in the third quarter of Vanderbilt’s spring game. “It’s every week you’ve gotta be on your game and playing to your highest level and we can’t afford to come out of the summer not prepared to play. Now, every team we play is going to be capable to show up and beat us. We learned that in Year 1. And so we’re going to have to really show up ready to go when the ball is put down in the fall. And that’s going to be all about the work we do here as we get through spring and into summer and then through fall camp to make sure we’re ready.”

As for how Vanderbilt comes to the first game ready to play, Lea emphasized that it’s about the players getting on the same page to the point they’re anticipating movements and functions within the offense.

“This team is going to be about how well we can execute. How well we can have chemistry. The margins are so small in our league that we have to take the conversations to an advanced level in the next cycle of the season,” Lea said. “So we’re trying to push them to have those conversations, quarterback and receiver, ‘Hey, where do you like the ball here?’ ‘Where are you going to put the ball here?'”

The biggest question to be asked and answered: How can the Vanderbilt players get to the point where they’re not thinking about what’s happening and the technique takes over.

“How can we anticipate so we can get to our technique faster than the opponent? That goes for all positions on both sides of the ball. Building that level of chemistry, building that level of awareness to enhance our execution so we can put some pressure on the opponent. That’s the ultimate goal,” Lea said.