Smith likely done for the year, Adams to start

When the Commodores travel to No.1 Florida on Saturday, they will do so with a new starting quarterback due to what appears to be a season ending injury to sophomore Larry Smith. Smith severely strained his left hamstring during the second possession of the Commodores 56-31 loss to Georgia Tech over the weekend, causing him to miss the rest of the game. Senior Mackenzi Adams stepped in for Smith against the Yellow Jackets, playing the majority of the contest and will now likely take over as the starter for the rest of the season.

Vanderbilt confirmed on Sunday that Smith may have even torn the hamstring and with just three games remaining on the schedule, the staff may shut him down for the rest of the year. The former Alabama Mr.Football winner had made 10 straight starts dating back to the 2008 Music City Bowl against Boston College. Smith completed 106-of-227 passes this season for 1,126 yards and four touchdowns. The first-year starter had been picked off seven times this season.

Adams, who finished runner up to Smith during spring and preseason workouts, will make his 10th career start and first since the Commodores took on Florida last November. The four-year letterman from Tulsa, Oklahoma has completed 21-of-37 pass attempts for 239 yards in limited play this season.

As a junior, Adams split time with three-year starter Chris Nickson, completing 77-of-156 passes for 882 yards and five touchdowns with eight interceptions. Though he started only three games during the 2008 season, Adams saw time in nearly every game and came in relief of Nickson due to injury in wins over Ole Miss and Auburn. He also started the Commodores final six games of the 2007 season when Nickson was effectively shut down due to an injured shoulder.

Despite the lack of starts during his four years, Adams has played in 41 games during his Vanderbilt career and has been a part of two of the Commodores most celebrated wins. In 2007, Adams was the starter in Vanderbilt’s 17-6 win at then No.6 South Carolina, the Commodores first win over a Top 10 team in over 70 years. Last year, Adams came off the bench to throw two touchdowns against No.13 Auburn, giving VU it’s first 5-0 start in over 80 years.

With Adams now as the starter, Vanderbilt has also elevated fourth-year junior Jared Funk to the backup spot. The Long Grove, Illinois native has played in all nine of the Commodores games this season but the majority of those snaps have been on special teams. Funk did receive his first career snaps at quarterback during the fourth quarter of Vanderbilt’s 45-0 blowout win over Western Carolina. He did not attempt a pass but the Commodore offense did score 10 points with him under center.

Smith’s injury marks the 20th time that Vanderbilt will be without a player for a game or more this season. Senior left tackle Thomas Welch missed most of the second half against the Yellow Jackets and his status for this week’s game against the Gators is currently unclear.

Vanderbilt is 9-31-2 all-time against Florida, and has lost 18 straight games to the Gators. Despite both being members of the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division, the two programs did not regularly play each other until the divisional play began in 1992. Vanderbilt has defeated the Gators just twice in the state of Florida, with the only Gainesville win coming in 1945. The Commodores also beat the Gators in Jacksonville in 1947.

The Gators are currently 8-0 on the year and clinched the Eastern Division title with a 41-17 win over Georgia last week. Florida seeking its third SEC title in the last four years as well as it’s third national championship.

Kickoff for the Vanderbilt-Florida game is set for 6:15 p.m. CST and will be televised on ESPN2.