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Vanderbilt’s offense has been hot early, leading 21-14 over Hawaii behind an efficient performance from quarterback AJ Swann and an electric kick return from Jayden McGowan.
Unfortunately for the Commodores, Vanderbilt’s secondary has been nonexistent through the first half. Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager has 196 passing yards, a touchdown and is 15/17 through the first half.
After a solid first drive defensively for Vanderbilt, Hawaii carved through the Commodores.
The Rainbow Warriors marched down the field with ease on their second drive of the game, capping things off with a touchdown.
Hawaii then brought things within a score on a 45-yard touchdown pass from Schager to Steven McBride in the second quarter. Vanderbilt’s defense then allowed the Rainbow Warriors to get down to the 1-yard line, but redeemed itself with an interception in the end zone.
Vanderbilt’s defense came up with another stop just before halftime to keep its lead against the Rainbow Warriors.
The second half could be big in determining just how weak Vanderbilt’s secondary is this season, and the Commodores will be leaning heavily on the offense moving forward.
Vanderbilt's pass defense once again appears to be awful pic.twitter.com/GEL1pee4DG
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) August 27, 2023
First 17 minutes of Vanderbilt has matched every report from fall camp:
Offense can spread and chuck but this secondary is a huge, huge weakness.
— Adam Luckett (@AdamLuckettKSR) August 27, 2023
https://twitter.com/bobano/status/1695619635557618030
Also how one would describe the Vanderbilt defense. https://t.co/zbaHp4eAeW
— Nick Roush (@RoushKSR) August 27, 2023
Vandy defense is… yuck
— Vol Moose (@VolMoose) August 27, 2023
Vandy is being outplayed by Hawaii. McGowan and Sheppard are good, but that defense is going to have a long year.
— Corch Adam Snyders (@TheAdamSnyder) August 27, 2023
Timmy Chang has Vandy defense completely out of sorts.
— RockyTopics (@RockyTopics) August 27, 2023
Vandy defense right now pic.twitter.com/J2Z96YiSkP
— Jonathon Edwards (@realJEEdwards11) August 27, 2023
Looks like Vanderbilt’s secondary is also under construction.
— Tom Orr (@TomOrr4) August 27, 2023
Vanderbilt has done everything wrong since going up 21-7. This pass defense is not better. DBs are weak and the lines can't dominate a team giving up 30-40 pounds.
— Cautiously Optimistic (@JMVandy86) August 27, 2023
This Vandy defense is one for the record books in all the wrong ways
— MDub (@vangard128) August 27, 2023
