Five Vanderbilt Commodores to watch vs. Florida
The Florida Gators (6-4, 3-4 SEC) are set to travel to Nashville to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores (4-6, 1-5 SEC) this Saturday at noon ET.
UF holds a dominant 43-10-2 all-time record over the Commodores and have won eight in a row in the series. The last time Florida lost in Nashville to Vanderbilt was in 1988.
Saturday’s matchup will mark the first meeting between UF head coach Billy Napier and Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea.
Lea’s team is coming off one of the Vanderbilt program’s bigger wins in recent memory, and the Commodores will be looking for more blood this Saturday against the Gators.
Five Vanderbilt Commodores players to watch
Quarterback Mike Wright
2022 stats: 68-119 (57.1%), 838 passing yards, 9 passing touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 55 rushing attempts, 454 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns
With AJ Swann listed as questionable for Saturday’s game with a lower body injury, the Gators can expect a heavy dose of Wright. He can beat you with his arm or his legs, but his legs are what makes him so dangerous. If the Gators aren’t careful, Wright’s big play ability could hand them a loss in freezing weather.
Running back Ray Davis
2022 stats: 181 carries, 860 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns, 23 receptions, 143 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns
Davis could very well end up getting to 1,000 rushing yards this weekend, and that would be bad news for UF. With what could be a one-dimensional offense for Vanderbilt come Saturday, the Gators have to prioritize the run. Davis has 296 rushing yards in his last two games, and Florida is catching him at a bad time. Will he go for a third-straight 100-yard rushing game or will the Gators be able to stuff the run on Saturday?
Wide receiver Will Sheppard
2022 stats: 52 receptions, 708 receiving yards, 9 touchdown receptions
At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Sheppard can go out for any route Vanderbilt needs him to. He can get up and make the big play and also be a possession receiver. His frame will make it difficult to contain him all game, but the Gators must limit him if the Commodores look to him for a deep ball. Whether it’s Jason Marshall or another Florida defensive back, he’s going to have his hands full with Sheppard on the outside.
Linebacker Anfernee Orji
2022 stats: 93 total tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 fumble recovery returned for a touchdown
Florida fans should expect to see Orji involved in a good number of tackles. He’ll be at the forefront of Vanderbilt’s attempt to slow the dominant Florida running game. If the Gators are able to scheme Orji out of plays, they’ll be able to reach the second level on a majority of their rushing attempts.
Linebacker De’Rickey Wright
2022 stats: 46 total tackles, 5 pass defenses, 3 interceptions
Florida has dominated the turnover margin this season, but Wright might be able to have his own say on Saturday. Rattling Anthony Richardson is a priority for Vanderbilt as he’s played some of his best football as of late. The best way to get in his head is to create turnovers. If Wright finds himself another pick on Saturday, he might be able to flip the game on it’s head.
Stay tuned to Gators Online.
