Vanderbilt football has been actively navigating challenges in player contracts and roster management, particularly in light of recent transfer activity. The Commodores, under head coach Clark Lea, face difficulties in retaining players due to the stringent academic standards of the school, which make talent acquisition through the transfer portal more difficult compared to other programs. Despite these hurdles, key players like CJ Taylor and new transfers such as Diego Pavia are vital to the team’s strategy in the 2024 season.
In addition, Vanderbilt has seen significant movement in and out of its program via the transfer portal. Notable losses include players like AJ Swann and Will Sheppard, while they have made efforts to bolster the squad with additions like Zaylin Wood from MTSU.
The Commodores’ emphasis remains on recruiting high school talent and retaining those players throughout their collegiate careers, a strategy that becomes increasingly critical as other programs lean heavily on transfers to build their rosters. Despite losing several key players this offseason, Vanderbilt continues to focus on developing a competitive team with the players it has retained and added.