Nickson battles to get QB job back at Vandy
July 23, 2008
Chris Nickson, the 2003 Mr. Football from Pike County High School, spent a frustrating junior season in and out of the Vanderbilt lineup.
Going into his senior season, the 6-foot-1, 210-pounder from Brundidge is running neck-and-neck with Mackenzi Adams, who emerged as the No. 1 last year.
Nickson won the job going into the 2007 season. But he suffered a hamstring injury early in the game against Alabama. Whispers in Nashville were that the injury was worse than first thought and Nickson was never 100 percent. He completed 5 of 18 passes against the Crimson Tide and 5 of 16 passes for just 38 yards against Auburn. Nickson missed the final three games of what was supposed to be a promising season with a shoulder injury. This a year after he passed for more than 2,000 yards and was the Commodores’ leading rusher as a sophomore.
Vanderbilt head coach Bobby Johnson said not much separated Nickson and Adams last season—and not much has changed this year, either.
“I think they’re both very similar,” Johnson said. “They’re both very mobile, but they’re also good passers. I don’t think we’re going to have a game plan for Mackenzi or a game plan for Chris. We think both of them can execute the game play we come up for the team.”
Johnson said he’s not ready to declare a starter.
“We’re gonna let them push each other and one of them’s gonna step up and be more prepared or better than the other,” Johnson said. “But you’ve always got to plan on having two ready to go and maybe even three. So that’s why I feel so good about it. I think either of those can be starters. I think (backups) Larry Smith and Jared Funk are going to push them. And they will be ready to step in if they’re needed.”
What sounds like a mess looks like a surplus to Johnson, whose glass must always be half-full instead of half-empty.
“I think we got a great situation at quarterback,” the coach said. “We will be better at quarterback this year than we were last year, no doubt about it.”
