With a new signal caller, a strong run game will be crucial
Vanderbilt Ground Game a Huge Deal in 2026
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Coming into Spring Practice for Vanderbilt, the focus has been on Diego Pavia’s successor. While that is an ongoing competition that will be decided no time soon, the Dores have a very experienced running back room.
Sedrick Alexander and Makhilyn Young are Vanderbilt’s leading rushers coming back from the 2025 season, and they are another year stronger and faster as Vanderbilt offensive coordinator Tim Beck spoke about after Saturday’s practice.
“Coach K does a fantastic job of coaching the offensive line. Super important for us to be able to establish the run game, especially early in the season, but we feel like our running back room is really good,” said Beck. Starting with Seddy and MK and those guys are a year older, you’re stronger, you’re faster, all those things.”
Both bring back a combined 981 yards and 17 touchdowns from a year ago. While that may not seem like a bunch for two running backs, you have to remember that Diego Pavia was the leading rusher on the team with 862 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Sedrick Alexander has already shown great improvement since the fall according to Coach Beck, and I personally will look for 2026 to be a monster year for him.
“Seddy and I had a good talk yesterday. I feel like he’s improved every year that he’s been here. I can see improvement in him this spring over even last fall,” Beck said. “So, you know, we’re excited about that room and obviously those are guys that we need to find ways to get the ball to.”
With a new quarterback behind center, this year will be the year that Vanderbilt may have to rely heavily on the run. Regardless of who wins the starting position at QB, the Commodores will try to take as much pressure off as possible, and a great run game is how you do that.
That all starts up front though, and from practice observations this week, Coach Chris Klenakis takes no slack from that group and they are already after it with intense work.
Tight End Cole Spence spoke to the importance of the run game as well, and how there is still a great importance of blocking tight ends at Vanderbilt.
“I mean you saw last year I blocked so much that no one saw it when I got a pop pass for a touchdown because everyone thinks I’m blocking again,” said Spence. “So we do take a lot of pride in that and that’s where we wanna win.”
“I think as an offense we wanna run to win and throw a score. So, um, it’s all about establishing that run game first. Especially with two new quarterbacks. You need to have a run game going in order to loosen up the defense. So we take a lot of pride in that.”
As the spring goes on and into the fall, keep an eye on a strong running attack and strong work in the trenches.
