I-AA Paladins have chance at big victory, touch of revenge

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Posted 8:05AM on Friday, September 6, 2002

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson knows just how much Saturday night means to Furman. After all, he was the coach who helped schedule this game. But that was when he coached the Furman Paladins, looking for exposure and some extra money from a Southeastern Conference school. Vanderbilt hired Johnson away from Furman last December, introducing him as the Commodores' newest coach within 48 hours after the Paladins lost in the Division I-AA national championship. Johnson's past collides with his present Saturday night when Vanderbilt (0-1) plays its first game in Nashville this season against Furman (0-0). ``They'll be fired up,'' Johnson said. ``They want to beat us in the worst way. I don't think there's any animosity. They just want proof they can come up here and play a I-A team and beat a I-A team. They're going to be convinced they can do that.'' Why not? The Paladins went 60-36 the past eight years under Johnson. Vanderbilt, which opened the season last week with a 45-3 loss to Georgia Tech, hasn't had a winning season since 1982, and the Commodores went just 2-9 last season. Johnson has said Furman has more athletes than his Commodores, whose biggest advantage may be size. Forget any inside knowledge. Johnson and new Furman coach Bobby Lamb may know each other too well. Johnson was Lamb's mentor as Lamb spent 19 of Johnson's 20 years at Furman as a quarterback and then assistant coach. ``Obviously, I think he made a good choice when they chose him to be the head coach,'' Johnson said of Lamb. Johnson took Ted Cain and Bruce Fowler with him from Furman, while several stayed in Greenville, S.C., with Lamb. The teams look very similar. Johnson is trying to keep his offense and defense basic at Vanderbilt, especially because he still is going with Jay Cutler and Benji Walker at quarterback. Both struggled at Georgia Tech with Walker just slightly better as he was 3-of-5 for 43 yards off the bench. The Paladins, with only 11 starters back from last season's team, at least have senior Billy Napier at quarterback. They also have plenty of depth at receiver, although they are using Hindley Brigham, Toreico O'Neal and Lamar Rembert to replace departed Louis Ivory at tailback. Both coaches know their biggest problem may be thinking too much. ``We're sitting in staff meetings trying to decide, 'OK, if we're in this set, what are they thinking over there,' `` said Lamb. ``It's probably the same in their staff room.'' Furman is 5-13-1 against I-A teams over the past 20 years, but the Paladins are 1-12 since 1987. Vanderbilt needs a victory very badly before heading into the SEC portion of the schedule. The Commodores have lost their last four openers at Vanderbilt Stadium. Furman is just their third I-AA opponent in the last 10 years, and the Commodores struggled before holding off Richmond 28-22 last year. ``The only one we can win right now is the Furman game. That's the only one we're playing this weekend,'' Johnson said.