A Letter to Coach Johnson

Let me start by saying I'm very proud of the way you represent Vanderbilt, its players, students, and fans. You are a classy individual that does things the "right way" in a sport that rarely sees ethical behavior. You recruit well, discipline well, and generally get the most out of each player you bring to Nashville. The Vanderbilt football program is light years ahead of where it was when you took control of the ship in 2002, and for that, you deserve praise and admiration. Kudos to you, Bobby Johnson.

Now that I have the pleasantries out of the way, prepare yourself for the wrath of the frustrated Vanderbilt football fan. For the voice of the few thousand men, women, and children that have suffered through the tortures of supporting the perpetual Charlie Brown of the Southeastern Conference.

Last winning season? 1982.

Last bowl game? 1982.

Last bowl win? 1955.

Of course, you know these numbers. You know the challenge you were given when you were offered this job. You know our pain. You were there in 2005 when a loss to Middle Tennessee State University squashed a 4-0 start and sent your team spiraling into a 6-game losing streak. You were there in 2007 as your team withered away in Knoxville, squandering a 16-point 4^th quarter lead as a 5-3 start turned into another losing season. And most recently, you were certainly there as your once 5-0 2008 Commodore team fell victim to Duke Football on homecoming.

An overwhelming supportive, near-capacity crowd was there to witness what was supposed to be the biggest win in the modern Vanderbilt football era. The signature win that would "turn the corner", and exorcise the demons that have haunted Dudley Field for the past 26 years. Instead, they witnessed one of the most hapless performances you and your staff have ever produced. 7 points, 3 turnovers, and 291 yards in total offense against the perennial door mat of the ACC.

You are now 0-7 in games that could break the losing streak. Seven times you have taken Vandy fans to the edge of the Promised Land, only to play the role of Lucy as Charlie Brown comes charging in to kick that football. After the first six times, you were given a pass:

"He's almost there!"

"He did more than we expected, we should be happy with 5 wins"

"Give him another chance, this team is going to turn the corner any minute now..."

After this seventh loss, there are no more passes. The truth is rearing its ugly head: You are to blame. You are the reason Vanderbilt can't get over that hump. You are coaching "not to lose" instead of coaching to win. Your teams come out of the locker room tight, as evidenced by the fact that they've fallen behind in all eight games this season. You and Offensive Coordinator Ted Cain refuse to open up your offense until absolutely necessary. "Run, run, pass, punt" is the pattern until Vandy falls behind. The offensive game plan is vanilla and embarrassingly simple.

This was a game that Vanderbilt should have come out with confidence, established themselves as the superior team, and set the tone of the game by exhibiting an offense that was a threat to score at any point. Instead, we saw the same vanilla brand of offense that would make a high-school coach blush. The Vandy defense was good enough to win that game with just a little help, but you were too busy playing "not to lose" to notice.

No longer is it acceptable for Vanderbilt to just be competitive. There are no more moral victories. You have passed phase one of the test with flying colors; Vanderbilt is now a legitimate, competitive SEC program. It's time for you to break out of your conservative shell and embrace the next challenge at hand. Be brave, press forward with phase two, and bring home what Commodore fans so desperately need: A winning season.

The Commodores face a familiar road ahead, 5-3 with Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Wake Forest remaining on the schedule. The Bobby Johnson that was playing "not to lose" finished 5-7 with that challenge in 2007. Let's see if the 2008 version can learn from his mistakes. Open up the offense, trust the defense, and play to win over the final four games of the 2008 season.

Do this not for yourself, but for the fans that inexplicably continue to support Charlie Brown.

Sincerely,

Concerned Commodore Fan