Chris Nickson should be the starter to open the season, as few, if any, quarterbacks in the country possess a comparable combination of such strong physical and mental tools.
Coming out of Pike County High School in Alabama, Nickson not only received the Mr. Football award as the state's best player but was also a star in basketball and baseball. He was also the valedictorian of his high school class. At a position where intelligence is of the utmost importance, Nickson is more than capable of dissecting opposing defenses with his knowledge of the offense and the game of football.
Nickson not only brings the most experience to the quarterback position, but he is also the more dangerous athlete as a runner. Playing behind a completely new offensive line, whoever takes the snaps may be forced to run more than the coaches would like as the unit gains experience. But with Nickson's speed and elusiveness, getting him out in space would be a weapon for the team, giving opposing defensive coordinators headaches all season.
He earned the trust of his coaches and teammates with his previous starting experience. After redshirting in 2004 and serving as the understudy to Jay Cutler in 2005, he stepped into the starting lineup in as a redshirt sophomore in 2006 and had one of the best seasons ever by a Commodore quarterback.
Nickson passed for over 2,000 yards and 15 touchdowns while also leading the team in rushing with nearly 700 yards and nine scores. Several of his performances that season were among the best ever by a Commodore signal-caller, including a game against Duke where he threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 150 yards and three more scores. His 2,779 yards of total offense that season was also good for fourth-best in Vanderbilt's history.
Expectations throughout the Southeastern Conference were sky-high for him going into last season, and he was named to the preseason Third-Team All-SEC team by the league coaches. Georgia's Matthew Stafford and Florida's Tim Tebow (who ultimately won the Heisman Trophy) were nowhere to be found on this list despite their lofty billings.
He was injured at the start of the season, which caused him to struggle with inconsistency before ultimately being replaced by Mackenzi Adams midway through the season. He continued to play in spot duty for the rest of the year, but it was evident he was not himself physically.
Now fully healthy, Nickson has the confidence, athleticism and savvy to finally lead this young team to the Promised Land with his arm, his feet and his head.
