Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea Previews South Carolina Matchup: “We’re Going to Have to Play Really Well”
Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea met with the media on Tuesday to preview the Commodores’ Week 3 SEC clash with South Carolina, scheduled for a 7:45 p.m. kickoff Saturday on SEC Network.
Opening Thoughts
“I’m excited. Excited to take this team on the road in the league. Play against a really good South Carolina team in a great environment,” Lea said. “We’re going to have to play really well, so we’re challenged with that. That’s also what you sign up for. I think it’s a great test.”
Lea praised the Gamecocks for their balance:
- “Defensively, they are fast at all positions. They play really hard. They make it hard to find space. That starts with their EDGE play.”
- “Offensively, they have one of the premier players in our game, and (LaNorris Sellers) has got a lot of weapons around him. The way he extends plays. The way he creates plays. What he does with the ball in his hand… And then, obviously, special teams.”
He also singled out freshman standout Vicari Swain, noting, “What do you say about Vicari Swain? He’s had a great start to the season. Coach (Shane) Beamer has always taken great pride in special teams play, and we do too.”
Lea emphasized that both programs share similar values: a physical run game, dynamic quarterback play, and strong defense. “We are going to have to be the best at executing that identity if we want to come away with a win.”
On Quarterback LaNorris Sellers
“Well, I think everything that you’d want to see in a quarterback… He’s big, physical, smart and makes good decisions with the ball and can create with his legs. He has arm strength,” Lea said. “He’s really talented in all the areas that you’d want a quarterback to be talented in… Everything I’ve heard about him, he’s a first-class human. Those are the guys you want to compete against.”
On Preparing for Williams-Brice Stadium
Lea compared the atmosphere to Vanderbilt’s recent trip to Virginia Tech.
“Saturday will be different. It’s not a copy and paste. There is a different song. It has sand in it, but we have to let go of Enter Sandman and move on to Sandstorm,” he joked.
“South Carolina is as charged an environment, I feel like, as we have in our league. Playing there at night it feels like a party. Again, if we play well, we can help to water some of that down. If you don’t, then it’s going to be a party.”
Lea encouraged his players to embrace it: “God, if you were playing during the pandemic and you were playing in empty stadiums, it was brutal. This is exactly what we want, and that crowd is there for you.”
On Punt Coverage Against Vicari Swain
“He’s very talented. He takes risks. He’s not afraid to go get the ball in tough settings… He’s got the courage that a good returner should have,” Lea said. He pointed out South Carolina’s blocking schemes and aggressiveness in special teams, stressing the importance of staying disciplined in punt coverage.
On Adjustments Against Sellers vs. Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones
Lea acknowledged similarities between the two quarterbacks but highlighted Sellers’ big-play ability:
“It seems like big play after big play when he’s able to extend and find targets down the field.”
He added that Vanderbilt’s defensive line must set the tone:
“This is a game that our defensive line needs to win. That is where we have to set a tone. If we can’t do that, you’ll afford a really talented player time and space to make it hard on us.”
On South Carolina’s Roster Turnover
“First of all, to their credit, they’ve developed players that are… really talented,” Lea said. “There’s energy built around kind of what that program is becoming. So they’re able to go out, and people want to play there. It’s amazing how much has changed since the first time that we played… It’s a credit to them. But again, we feel like we’ve done the same.”
On Vanderbilt’s Mentality
Lea emphasized focusing on themselves over opponents:
“The first opponent is us. That’s the most important one… Are we winning the battle with ourselves? Are we whole when we step on the field? Are we focused and energetic and spirited, and are we disciplined in the way we execute?”
If they do that, Lea believes, “we can play with and beat any team in the country
