HOOVER, Ala. (AP) - New Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason wants plenty of competition among the quarterbacks as he tries to keep the good times going for the Commodores, and he's getting it.
Mason said Monday at Southeastern Conference media days three-game starter Patton Robinette probably has an edge against the other five passers in the battle for the starting job going into preseason camp. That group includes LSU transfer Stephen Rivers and redshirt freshman Johnny McCrary.
Mason knows there's no way to split practice repetitions among six quarterbacks for long, but sometimes it's how they compete that counts.
"I think Robinette has the leg up, but what I wanted was a quarterback competition," Mason said. "We need to make sure that if we're going to be successful, we have to solidify the quarterback position overall. "
Mason said he won't rush to a decision and his timetable for picking a starter is simply the first game Aug. 28 against Temple.
Tight end Steven Scheu said all the contenders have talent, and that freshmen Wade Freebeck and Shawn Stankavage have the potential to play early.
"What we have now is something we haven't had in a very long time, and that's depth at the quarterback position," Scheu said.
The Commodores also have junior Josh Grady.
Only Robinette has taken meaningful snaps for Vandy. He led the Commodores to victories against Florida and then Houston in the BBVA Compass Bowl.
The Commodores have switched to a West Coast offense under coordinator Karl Dorrell, a former UCLA head coach.
Vandy finished last season ranked in the Top 25.