NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Chris Nickson would be the perfect quarterback for the spread offense No. 13 Auburn is running this season. Unfortunately, the Tigers didn’t recruit him even though he lived only 80 miles away and was Alabama’s Mr. Football in 2003.
“Well, we weren’t in this type of offense back when he was coming out,” Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said.
“He’s a very good athlete. We knew about him, looked at him. It just was one of those things that we weren’t looking for that type of quarterback at the time. He’s very good. We knew he’d be very competitive wherever he went. He’s a winner. He knows how to play. He knows how to make plays.”
Nickson is a big reason why No. 19 Vanderbilt is ranked for the first time since 1984 and looking for its best start since 1943 when the Tigers visit Saturday. He is just the third Vandy quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for another 1,000 in his career, joining Jay Cutler and Eric Jones in 30 career games.
The snub by Auburn didn’t bother Nickson, who grew up in Brundidge, Ala. He was inspired to play quarterback after hearing Tigers star Dameyune Craig speak at his elementary school, even though Nickson was an Alabama fan just like his mother.
Now Nickson, who led Pike County to the 3A title, has his last chance to beat Auburn (4-1, 2-1).
“I haven’t beaten an Alabama team since I’ve been here,” the fifth-year senior said. “That would be special in its own way. Right now, it doesn’t really matter. I just want to win.”
He is doing just that for Vanderbilt (4-0, 2-0), the Southeastern Conference’s doormat the past few decades now enjoying the rare air atop the Eastern Division. A win Saturday would match the 5-0 record of a squad that played only five games during World War II.
Not bad for someone Alabama and Troy recruited to play defensive back.
“Chris came into Vanderbilt with the mindset that he wanted to be the very best total quarterback he could be,” Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson said.
The 6-foot-1, 212-pound Nickson has helped the Commodores come from behind in each of their first four games with his legs and his arm. He has run for a team-high five touchdowns, ranks second with 270 yards rushing and has thrown for three more TDs despite not having senior receiver George Smith through the first four games because of a stress fracture.
Not bad in an offense that ranks last in the SEC and 112th nationally averaging just 282.8 yards per game.
`If I throw for 900 yards this year and we win, I’m very comfortable with that. I had to learn that the hard way. I used to be a person who wanted to put up statistical numbers. To me, this team’s effort and how we are now … it’s a total winning effect … I think that’s why we’re so special,” Nickson said.
Nickson’s biggest problem may be that he’s tried to be too tough.
He separated his right, throwing shoulder last season and tried to play through the injury against Auburn. He was only 5-of-16 for 38 yards in the first half before being replaced. Vanderbilt lost 35-7, the 13th straight loss in this series going back to the 1955 Gator Bowl.
Tuberville recalled how his defense got after Nickson in that game.
“They didn’t have a lot of breathing room. This year I think they’re playing much better than they were this time last year. And they came in with some confidence last year. He is one of the big reasons,” Tuberville said.
Auburn has allowed only one touchdown rushing. Tigers defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks has been watching film to figure out how to stop Nickson, and he said the quarterback should have a lot of confidence in the Vandy offense.
“He knows it like it the back of his hand,” Marks said.
Nickson hurt his throwing shoulder in Vandy’s 23-17 win over Mississippi on Sept. 20 – the win that pushed the ‘Dores to their first ranking since 1984. He missed a few days of practice during the Commodores’ open date, but he’s been throwing this week. He also should get Smith back to help him out.
And he is eager not to show Auburn what it missed but to help Vanderbilt turn a strong start into something historic.
“If we play well, we can win,” Nickson said.
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