Know Your Foe: VMI Keydets
2024 record: 0-4
Last week: L at Norfolk State, 32-10
Head Coach: Danny Rocco (2nd season)
Last meeting: Samford W, 27-14
TV: ESPN+
Kick Off: 2:00pm CT
Fun Fact: In the 11 all-time matchups, Samford has averaged 45 points per game.
Last week I said that Samford is back to football off of another bye week. However, due to the effects of Hurricane Helene, Samford’s Southern Conference opener at Furman was postponed. All of Furman’s campus lost power due to the storm thus the game could not be played.
In his press conference this week, Samford head coach Chris Hatcher said that his team found out about the game’s postponement while on the bus. The team even pushed their planned departure from campus earlier in the week which turned out to be the right call.
So back to the field, Samford finally gets to play some football, hosting the VMI Keydets this weekend. The Keydets are coming off a bye week of their own and come limping into their SoCon opener starting the year off 0-4.
Things have not gone as well for VMI head coach Danny Rocco’s team compared to last season. The Keydets are searching for their first win in 2024 and they have had to deal with some adversity.
VMI starting QB Collin Shannon suffered a season-ending injury in the second game of the season against Bucknell. This was a tough blow for Rocco’s group who was also named a team captain for 2024. VMI has been forced to turn to true freshman Brady Hammonds and redshirt freshman Chandler Wilson.
Wilson got the start last time out against Norfolk State. Both Wilson and Hammonds have struggled throwing the football. Both guys are completing 56% of their passes and both have more interceptions and touchdowns. Samford’s secondary should not have trouble limiting VMI’s pass game.
True freshman QB Brady Hammonds will get the start for VMI.
Where VMI excels is running the football. RB Hunter Rice has had a good start to the season. Over four games, Rice has rushed for just under 300 yards and is getting 5.5 yards a carry. Samford will have their hands full in stopping Rice who ran for 166 yards against Bucknell a few weeks ago.
Last season against Samford, Rice ran for 119 yards and a touchdown so the Bulldogs are fully aware how skilled Rice is. If Samford can limit Rice and force VMI into obvious passing situations, the Bulldog defense can find success. VMI has only converted 25% of their third downs.
In the Keydet WR room, there is not a single receiver with over 100 yards. WR Ivan Thorpe is the team’s leading pass catcher with 84 yards. So much like Alabama State, we might not be able to gauge how good Samford’s secondary actually is against a run-happy offense.
Moving over to the defense, VMI is allowing 41 points per game and their opponents have averaged 465.5 yards per game. They are allowing 4.4 yards per rush and 10.51 yards per pass attempt. This does include their loss to ACC’s Georgia Tech.
It does not stop there. VMI’s opponents are allowing close to a 50% conversion rate on third down. VMI did lose many key players on defense via the portal in the last cycle. Their leading tackler last season, Evan Eller, is now at Wyoming.
The 2024 defense’s leading tackler is DB Kouri Crump with 35 total tackles. Crump also leads the team in tackles for loss with three. Also look out for DB Shamus Jones who is second on the team in total tackles.
LB Eric Rankin had a big game last time out against Norfolk State. Rankin finished with 13 total tackles and also a forced fumble. Over on the defensive line, DL Terrell Jackson will also be one to watch who has the most playing experience of that position group.
VMI is the perfect opponent for Samford coming off of not playing for two weeks. Chris Hatcher likened this break to coming off of fall camp. It will be interesting to see how Samford starts out on Saturday. Does it take a quarter to ease back into it or will it be full throttle from the beginning?
The main keys to the game are to limit VMI RB Hunter Rice and take advantage of this VMI defense who is susceptible to giving up big plays.
Now Samford is finally back to playing football and at home. It sets up nicely for a Samford win, will they take advantage?
