Vanderbilt sees chance to ‘get into a street fight’ with South Carolina

Most college football coaches show up to their weekly news conference in a team-themed polo or, if they want to class it up a bit, a button-down shirt and blazer.

Vanderbilt’s Derek Mason met with reporters in Nashville on Tuesday in attire reflective of none of the above. He actually looked more car mechanic than college football coach. His black shirt showed no Vandy logos. The only visible design was a nameplate on his right chest. It read “Derek.”

“I’m sure you’re wondering why I have this shirt on,” Mason said. “But it’s Tuesday, it’s a work day. It’s about being blue collar, man. So we step into a meeting at 5:55 and we start talking exactly about what it is. This game’s going to be a street fight.”

This “game” of course is against South Carolina. The Commodores (2-1) and Gamecocks (1-1) are scheduled for a 4 p.m. kickoff on Saturday at Vanderbilt Stadium.

While USC is coming off an unexpected bye, Vandy spent last Saturday going toe-to-toe at eighth-ranked Notre Dame. The 22-17 loss was encouraging, sure, but now the ‘Dores begin SEC play.

Hence Mason’s Tuesday outfit.

“Some of you guys don’t know who Kimbo Slice is,” he said, referring to the late MMA star. “Hopefully you do. This isn’t a sanctioned fight. This a street fight. This is the SEC. It’s time to put on the hard hat, (grab) the lunch pail and get to work.

“They’re going to be a tough football team when they come in here and we have to be just as tough, just as physical in this ballgame.”

The Commodores started last season 3-0 before dropping their first seven SEC games. They haven’t beat USC in their last nine tries, including last year’s 34-27 result in Columbia.

“(Against) South Carolina, we haven’t won since Bobby Johnson was here,” Mason said. “And I give him a lot of credit because he did it twice in his tenure. We’ve lost nine straight, OK? That’s gotta change at some point in time. Why not this week?

“We got a football team. They got one too. Like I said, we got a chance to get into a street fight, so let’s go.”

How does one quantify a “street fight” type game? By both teams pounding one another at the line of scrimmage? Both USC and Vandy rank in the bottom third of the SEC in rushing offense and defense.

“We’re going to have to run the ball well,” Mason said. “We’re going to have to play well. Situational football is not going to escape us.”

Mason, like Carolina’s Will Muschamp, comes from a defensive background.

“We know who South Carolina is,” said the former Stanford defensive coordinator. “South Carolina plays a physical style of ball. That’s Coach Muschamp. That’s his mentality, that’s what it looks like. We are a physical team as well. We just have to be more consistent in what we do.

“This is going to be a street fight because it’s an SEC game. I don’t see SEC games not being physical. This isn’t one of those sanctioned fights that’s out there. This is a straight street fight. This is a backyard, no gloves, you throw a punch, I throw a punch, you hit me, I hit you, for four quarters, 60 minutes, every play.”

Vandy players seem sold on Mason’s message.

“Everything he says is the law, it’s what we go by,” said Commodore receiver Kalija Lipscomb. “It’s going to be a blue collar week, it’s a street fight week. We’re going to pick up same chains and bats and go in the back alley and swing.”

This story was originally published September 18, 2018 at 3:28 PM.