Exclusive: Cade McConnell Has Big Goals For Final Vanderbilt Football Season – Sports Illustrated

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NASHVILLE—The profile surrounding Cade McConnell couldn’t have put him in high standing on a number of transfer portal lists when he entered after his sophomore season at Minnesota, but Vanderbilt offensive coordinator Tim Beck and offensive line coach Chris Klenakis had enough background to believe that taking a swing was worthwhile. 
Beck coached McConnell’s dad–who was an All-American–at Pittsburg State a number of years ago and had gotten to know McConnell through the high school recruiting process, as did Klenakis. Each of them liked McConnell’s skillset as a high schooler before he ultimately chose Minnesota, and McConnell was back on the market after two seasons. 
McConnell didn’t take a snap in his two years at Minnesota and looked to be a developmental piece more than anything at that time, but Vanderbilt’s staff wanted him.  As a result, they added him to their roster in what ultimately ended up being a depth role. 
Two seasons later, McConnell is the most consistent returning fixture on Vanderbilt’s offensive line, is embracing a leadership role and looks to repay Vanderbilt’s coaching staff with a season that repays them for the chance they took on him after the 2024 season. He’s paid his dues, now he believes it’s his time. 
“I think an All-Conference player, an All-SEC player, All-American, all those big tag words are at the forefront of my mind as well as winning 17 or 18 games,” McConnell told Vandy on SI. “Obviously being the best in my self standards is the goal.” 
McConnell’s 2025 season was the best of his college career to this point and included him playing 759 snaps while earning a role as a consistent starter on Klenakis’ line. McConnell graded out on PFF with a 52.5 grade overall, a 55.9 in pass protection and a 40.8 in the run game. By the end of it, McConnell was Vanderbilt’s second-highest graded offensive lineman on the season behind standout center Jordan White. 
He’s also the lone returner from that starting offensive line and is tasked with being the glue–and one of the best pieces–on its reworked 2026 group, which Vanderbilt has high hopes for. If McConnell has the type of season he hopes to, it’s got a chance to be the best offensive line of the Lea era. He’s got to take a step, though.
“Cade has become such an important part of our offensive line,” Lea said. “We feel like that's a unit that has improved, certainly improved light years from what we were in 23–and 24 was a good group. I think 25 really set a new bar. But we think this group we have right now can even elevate that, which those guys from a year ago made that a tough task, but Cade is a guy that explained a lot of snaps. You see his, the way he plays as a connector, his leadership, but also just his physical presence too. 
And so, we're hopeful for him.” 
At the very least, Vanderbilt is relying on McConnell as an ambassador heading into his final year as a piece of the program. He’s the most recognizable face in Vanderbilt’s offensive line room and is a standard-bearer of sorts for Klenakis. 
McConnell says that he doesn’t have an area of improvement in which he’s emphasized more than others throughout Vanderbilt’s offseason program, but that he’s focused on playing to his capability more consistently. He admits that his 2025 season was hindered by inconsistencies at times–as indicated by his poorly-graded performances against Charleston Southern and Kentucky, which contrast to the overall level of play that he established the rest of the season– but McConnell believes that he’s got a chance to take a step forward in his second year as a full-time SEC starter. 
Vanderbilt’s 10-3 season and McConnell’s expanded role in it gave him a taste of what he can do at this level, but he says he’s motivated by the idea of taking a step forward in comfortability. McConnell believes he can be a pro when this is all said and done, and he says he’s obsessed with refining his game in order to get there. 
“Personally, I think my ceiling is whatever I want it to be,” McConnell said. “Why not set goals high?”
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Joey Dwyer is the lead writer on Vanderbilt Commodores On SI. He found his first love in college sports at nearby Lipscomb University and decided to make a career of telling its best stories. He got his start doing a Notre Dame basketball podcast from his basement as a 14-year-old during COVID and has since aimed to make that 14-year-old proud. Dwyer has covered Vanderbilt sports for three years and previously worked for 247 Sports and Rivals. He contributes to Seth Davis' Hoops HQ, Basket Under Review and Mainstreet Nashville.
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