NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Vanderbilt Coach Derek Mason likes a challenge, and he certainly has one for his debut as the Commodores' defensive coordinator.
He gets to try and shut down one of the nation's best offenses a year ago.
Brandon Doughty is back for a sixth year as quarterback at Western Kentucky, and he led the nation throwing with 4,830 yards and 49 touchdowns last season. He threw for five or more touchdowns in five games, including eight in a game at Marshall.
Mason couldn't sound happier for the chance to try to slow down Doughty and the Hilltoppers tonight.
"I'm not trying to be cynical or not humble," Mason said. "I like the challenge. I mean, they're a good football team. They're a great offensive football team. ... that's what we want to play. That's why you line up in the SEC, to play games like this.
"The challenge is there. The opportunity is there for us to show who we are and what we can be, so let's do that."
This will be the first game between these teams separated by only 66 miles since 1938 and offers Mason a chance to show off the defensive skills that earned him his first head coaching job in January 2014.
The Commodores went 3-9 and ranked 68th nationally in total defense in his debut season, so Mason named himself defensive coordinator after firing David Kotulski.
Mason spent the offseason working out all the details of handling the duties of both coordinator and head coach, and he is eager to face Doughty in the season opener for both teams.
Western Kentucky Coach Jeff Brohm, who went 8-5 in his first season, has tried to prepare by studying not only Vanderbilt but what Mason did as defensive coordinator at Stanford.
"He's very good at what he does," Brohm said. "They have guys that have some size and strength coming back that I know he feels very good about, so they will present some challenges for us on offense."
Vanderbilt led the nation playing 31 combined freshmen last season, and the Commodores aren't much older this season. Mason said eight or nine freshmen could play tonight. Vanderbilt also has only nine seniors, second-fewest behind only Wake Forest (six), and their two-deep chart includes 37 sophomores and freshmen.
Mason refused to say whether Johnny McCrary or Wade Freebeck will start at quarterback against Western Kentucky, but whoever starts will have to take some of the pressure off sophomore running back Ralph Webb. He set the freshman record at Vanderbilt by running for 912 yards last season as the Commodores' best offensive threat, but they still ranked 113th nationally averaging 109.3 yards rushing per game.
Western Kentucky won its final five games last season, the sixth-longest streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Another victory would give the Hilltoppers their longest winning streak since 2002-03, when they won 13 consecutive.
The Hilltoppers ranked 120th nationally last season in total defense allowing 509.9 yards, but they have nine starters back including two linebackers and the entire line.
The Commodores are ready to start the 2015 season after losing the opener a year ago to Temple 37-7 in a game delayed for hours by lightning. Mason said he wants people to quit talking about last season, insisting his Commodores are ready for a new season.
"Teams are going to be shocked this year in what we do," Vandy linebacker Darreon Herring said.
Sports on 09/03/2015