While quarterback Chris Nickson will most likely start this season, redshirt junior Mackenzi Adams should not only be considered for the job but see major playing time. Nickson's extra year of experience may lead the coaching staff to give him the nod as the starter for the Miami (Ohio) game, but the same staff also showed they were ready to move towards Adams at the end of last season. In Vanderbilt's last six games of the year, Nickson threw only one pass, an incompletion. Adams only posted a 2-4 record at the end of the year, but it will be hard for the coaching staff to completely shift gears back to Nickson simply for his running ability.

To compare the numbers from last year, Adams never had a game where his completion percentage was less than 44 percent, while Nickson had three games under that abysmal mark, all losses. Nickson had a six to five touchdown to interception ratio while Adams had a better nine to six ratio.  

Nickson did lead the Commodores to three wins last year compared to Adams' two, but the competition was considerably lower. Nickson's victories came against Richmond and Eastern Michigan, while Adams' were at then-No. 6 South Carolina and against this week's opponent, Miami (Ohio). Adams also gained important experience playing against the likes of Florida, Tennessee and Wake Forest - games in which Nickson didn't see any action.

Adams doesn't quite have Nickson's mobility and Nickson is the better runner and athlete. Adams is the better pocket passer, however, and with less weapons on offense now Earl Bennett is gone, a more accurate passer is needed. The Southeastern Conference's all-time leader in receptions now plays for the Chicago Bears and won't be in Nashville to rein in errant passes. Adams, with one more year of experience, will most likely throw less of those errant passes than Nickson will this season.  

"He's played well," said coach Bobby Johnson of Adams' playing abilities last year to a Nashville City Paper reporter. "He's played within what we've asked him to do. He's doing exactly what we hope our quarterbacks will do, which is direct the offense, make the reads and make the correct throws."

With that assessment, it seems Adams has impressed the coaching staff. The most important aspect that makes Adams the pick to start is he is the future of the Vanderbilt team. Nickson will graduate this year, and Adams needs to be a polished product in 2009. The only way for him to be the best quarterback he can be is to get more experience as the starter this year. It is important for Adams to start, get into a passing rhythm and then bring in Nickson in certain situations to fool defenses.

While Nickson is the probable starter on Thursday, he will definitely have a short leash. The Commodores are already a four-point underdog, and if Nickson falters earlier, the coaches will look for Adams to jumpstart the offense. If that happens, the coaching staff should see Adams should be the starter this year, and bringing Nickson off the bench would be a better tactical move.