The Reveille sports editor Brandon Adam caught up with The Vanderbilt Hustler sports editor Max Schneider ahead of LSU football’s Southeastern Conference opener against Vanderbilt at 11:00 a.m. CT.
Adam: What can be expected from quarterback Riley Neal, and why did he win the starting job over Deuce Wallace?
Schneider: LSU can expect Neal to be safe with the football. Save for one baffling interception against Purdue in week two, he hasn’t really taken a ton of shots down the field and let loose in the passing game. He makes a lot of short throws and a lot of safe throws to manage the game. I think that’s the main reason he got the nod over Wallace. He’s older. He has four years of college football game experience at Ball State. He understands the little things a bit better than Deuce.
Having said that, he’s going to need to play mistake-free football and more if Vandy wants to have a shot in this game. If he doesn’t, there’s an outside chance Wallace makes an appearance.
Adam: What are Vanderbilt’s strengths as a team?
Schneider: Vanderbilt’s biggest strength lies in its skill position guys. The trio of [running back] Ke’Shawn Vaughn, [wide receiver] Kalija Lipscomb and [tight end] Jared Pinkney is right up there with any in the nation.
Throw in receivers like CJ Bolar, who had a fantastic freshman year last season, Justice Shelton-Mosley, a Harvard grad-transfer who has been used in the slot, and Chris Pierce, who tallied 133 yards and a touchdown against Purdue, and you have a unit that can avoid double teams because of how strong they are across the board.
The Commodores weren’t necessarily able to exploit that against Georgia, but they were against Purdue. Lipscomb and Vaughn both had good days in a loss. Offensive Coordinator Gerry Gdowski ran plays to get the ball to his playmakers in space, and that’s how they were able to move the ball.
Adam: A lot has been made about Vanderbilt’s top three playmakers on offense, but what about its defense, and who are some key players on that side of the ball?
Schneider: Vanderbilt lost a ton of talent from this defense last year, including JoeJuan Williams, a second round pick by the Patriots. Nobody has really set themselves apart so far through two weeks, which is part of why Vanderbilt is the only Power Five team without a sack this year.
However, [defensive end] Dayo Odeyingbo and [safety] Dashaun Jerkins are the two guys who have stood out the most.
Odeyingbo is a junior with a lot of playing experience, and he got the quarterback often against Purdue. He’s had big plays nullified by defensive holding penalties.
Jerkins has been the surprise standout. He started the first two games in place of an injured Frank Coppet and has likely solidified his role as a starter since then, leading the team in tackles in both games. He’s also had an interception nullified by penalty, which has been an unfortunate theme through two weeks. 
Adam: What are some matchups Vanderbilt might be able to exploit against LSU?
Schneider: LSU is really talented across the board so I don’t know if Vandy really has the edge anywhere. They’ll look to slow the game down and establish the run early, and that might be their best bet with all the injuries to LSU’s defensive linemen.
Nobody has really had much success against that defensive front in the run game, but if LSU’s more inexperienced lineman don’t hold the edge and Vaughn can get outside the tackles and into space, he can have a good day.
Schneider’s Score Prediction: LSU 41 – Vandy 10