Vanderbilt Will Have Seven Quarterbacks This Fall

Larry Smith has had a rough career since winning the Music City Bowl in his first start. He's largely been the quarterback of record for two consecutive dreadful offenses in Nashville, and he failed to complete 50 percent of his passes in both seasons.

He managed to hold onto the starting role in his first spring practice under new head coach James Franklin, and his stat line in the spring game was not too bad. Here's where it gets weird behind center though.

Smith won the spring quarterback race that included sophomore Charlie Goro and walk on John Townsley. Junior Jordan Rodgers missed the spring with injury. The incoming freshman class includes Lafonte Thourogood (who VU flipped from Virginia Tech), Kris Kentera, and Joshua Grady, all of whom have apparently been told they'll have a chance to compete for snaps at quarterback.

If you're counting along at home, that means Vanderbilt will have seven quarterbacks on its fall roster, six of them on scholarship. I don't know how you even begin to juggle six or seven quarterbacks in practice, and I would imagine that at least one of them will switch positions by the time fall practice is over. That Grady is listed as an athlete rather than a quarterback by Rivals might be a clue, though I don't know anything about him and Scout has him as a quarterback.

The Commodore quarterback position has been in a state of flux since Jay Cutler left Nashville, with the merely adequate Chris Nickson the best of who has come since. I really can't blame Franklin for wanting to bring in some new blood given that spotty track record. Still, having seven quarterbacks going at it might be a bit much.

This is not breaking news to close observers of the program, but I am not one of them and chances are, you aren't either. Good luck and godspeed Coach Franklin. Let's see this seven-headed monster spread its wings and fly