DII transfer has best day among Vanderbilt football receivers and other first practice observations
Vanderbilt football began its preseason practice July 30 a month out from the start of the 2025 season.
The Commodores return a high amount of production in coach Clark Lea's fifth season, including quarterback Diego Pavia and tight end Eli Stowers. Those players may play a reduced role in the preseason, however, just as they did in the spring in an effort to keep them healthy. Pavia played through multiple injuries in 2024.
Vanderbilt opens its season on Aug. 30 (6 p.m. CT, SEC Network+/ESPN+) against Charleston Southern at FirstBank Stadium.
Here are three overreactions from the first day:
Tre Richardson looks like an impact transfer
Tre Richardson flew under the radar in the portal because he came from Division II Washburn. Richardson has real speed as former DII track All-American. He didn't enroll in time for the spring, but he displayed his chops immediately in the first practice.
The only downside to Richardson is that he is 5-foot-10, and several of Vanderbilt's other most productive receivers like Junior Sherrill and Richie Hoskins are also undersized. While all three are likely best in the slot, some will likely have to play on the outside.
"Tre is a dynamic athlete," Lea said. "There's obviously pure speed there, but there's also playmaking ability. There's twitch. He's a natural catcher. So one thing I've been impressed with through the summer with Tre is that when the ball's in his catch radius, he comes down with it."
Transition to Steve Gregory as DC has been smooth
Although it was never revealed at the time, new Vanderbilt defensive coordinator Steve Gregory already has plenty of experience in the position: He was calling defensive plays during the back half of the 2024 season.
That could prove to make it an easier transition for Gregory, who has never been a defensive coordinator. Lea announced in March that Gregory would be taking over after Lea served as his own defensive coordinator in 2024.
"Y'all didn't know it, but the last five or six games last year, coach Gregory was calling the defense," linebacker Langston Patterson said. " ... It's been the same as the last six games last year, and we just kept getting comfortable, really love the stuff he's putting in, love the stuff that him and and the whole (defensive) staff have been crafting up in the lab."
It will be difficult to tell exactly what the defense will look like until real games begin, but Gregory having been on staff should help stabilize the transition and keep the system similar to what Lea ran.
Lea said that he will still be in defensive staff meetings and will be closely involved with designing the defensive scheme even though he is not calling plays.
Injury situation isn't as bad as previous years − for now
In previous years, Patterson remembers seeing the injury tent full of 10-20 players during the first practice. That was different this time around, as the number of injuries were minimal even with a heat index well over 90 degrees by the end of practice.
There are a few injuries of note, though. Cornerback Mark Davis, who missed all of 2024 with a torn Achilles, had a knee scope that will keep him out in the preseason, though the team is hoping to get him back for the season opener.
Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Simeon Boulware has a long-term injury, and veteran reserve offensive lineman Kevo Wesley has an injury that may cost him the rest of the season, per Lea.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.