October 11, 2008
Johnson to blame for Dores’ great start … and bitter loss
This is a harsh thing to say on the heels of what has been an incredible Vanderbilt football season (until today), but Commodores Coach Bobby Johnson is solely responsible for a bitter 17-14 loss to Mississippi State in Starkville this afternoon.
After backup quarterback Mackenzi Adams led Vanderbilt to an upset of Auburn that lifted the Commodores into the top 15 and within striking distance of bowl eligibility, Johnson inexplicably started quarterback Chris Nickson against the Bulldogs. In the most important Vanderbilt football game since World War II, Nickson piloted the ‘Dores to barely 50 yards of offense through three quarters and set up what turned out to be the winning touchdown with a terrible turnover in the red zone. Adams led the team to a quick score but ultimately was no match for a stout Bulldog defense stacked against him late in the game.
This is a tough, tough loss to swallow on the heels of what has been an amazing and unexpected run, but I’m cautiously optimistic — barely – that it won’t spell doom for the rest of the season. With the 2005 collapse fresh in fans’ mind and decades of futility in the rear view mirror, I only have one question for Johnson: What the hell were you thinking?
![Rob Robinson](http://thinktrain.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/Rob.jpg")
gavin said,
October 11, 2008 @ 10:05 pm
let’s be honest. johnson’s been making the mistake of starting nixon all season long. it was only through every other measure that they pulled out wins. the USC game was about the most boring thing ever contested offensively. nixon couldn’t do much of anything, only a few special teams plays allowed for good scoring or good field position to bring that win. in the auburn game it wasn’t johnson’s decision to pull him out either, that was nixon’s doing. then and only then did you see them get a chance at that game (not to mention auburns total bailout on the running game). i would have benched him a long time ago.
johnson wasn’t doing anything he hasn’t been doing. no one was calling him on it though. till now i suppose.
Rob Robinson said,
October 12, 2008 @ 6:42 pm
Very good point. Vandy got away with starting Nickson all season until now. I’m less fired up today than I was yesterday, so even though I’m crushed about yesterday, I don’t want to lose sight of the big picture. No one expected 5-1 at this point in the season.