Five questions for Vanderbilt football, Clark Lea ahead of preseason practice

Vanderbilt football enters Year 2 under Clark Lea with almost nowhere to go but up. After a 2-10 season and the second straight campaign without an SEC win, the Commodores are looking for some semblance of hope that things will be better. A tough schedule doesn't do Vanderbilt any favors.

The Commodores start practice on Friday, a little more than a week after Lea announced at SEC Media Days that Mike Wright would be the starting quarterback. Here are five questions we're asking ahead of the start of preseason practice:

Can Mike Wright keep being QB1?

Last season, Ken Seals entered the year as the starter after starting as a freshman in 2020. But Seals got hurt halfway through the season and never regained the starting job.

When Lea announced Wright as the starter, he said it would still be an open competition to keep the job, and Wright will have to hold off Seals and early enrollee freshman AJ Swann. Lea said Wright still has areas to develop as a passer.

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Can Vanderbilt improve in the trenches?

The Commodores aren't devoid of talent. There are some good options at the skill positions as well as linebacker and defensive back. But a team won't get far in the SEC without a strong foundation in the trenches and that's an area Vanderbilt struggled in 2021.

On the offensive line, junior Bradley Ashmore will enter his third year as a starter and graduate transfer Jacob Brammer could help. On the defensive line, Daevion Davis and Elijah McAllister could take steps forward as they come back from ACL injuries.

Will transfers make an impact?

The Commodores picked up several transfers in the offseason, including Brammer, Clemson linebacker Kane Patterson, UConn cornerback Jeremy Lucien and Florida Atlantic punter Matt Hayball. All of those players have potential, but Brammer and Lucien have not regularly faced SEC competition and Patterson struggled to crack the rotation at Clemson. Still, they have the potential to provide major upgrades.

How many freshmen will play?

Freshman receiver Jayden McGowan played well in the spring game, as did Swann. Two four-star recruits, linebacker Daniel Martin and defensive back Ja'Dais Richard, could push for time as could cornerback Trudell Berry and pass rusher Darren Agu.

Can Clark Lea gain recruiting momentum?

Vanderbilt's 2022 class was relatively successful at 32nd in the 247Sports Composite, the best since 2013. It's still the 14th-best in the SEC, though, and the Commodores will need to keep it up to replenish their roster with talent.

Their 2023 class is 51st right now, though that is partly due to having just 12 commits with plenty of time to rise.

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Mike Wright: Vanderbilt football QB among questions as practice starts