How Vanderbilt Football Feels Transition to Wide Receiver Will Benefit Brycen Coleman – Sports Illustrated

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NASHVILLE—-Vanderbilt wide receivers coach Alex Bailey always knew that if he had it his way, Brycen Coleman’s day-to-day life would look a lot like it did on Tuesday morning.
There Coleman was standing in line at the left hash behind Vanderbilt freshman wide receiver Kahden Smith and Alabama transfer Cole Adams waiting his turn in a No. 9 jersey. When Smith finished his turn, Coleman stepped up, caught a ball and turned upfield. 
That’s life these days for Coleman. No more standing on the sideline waiting to block with Vanderbilt’s tight end coaches. He’s a wide receiver now, and he’s embracing it. 
“It’s been a seamless transition for him,” Vanderbilt wide receivers coach Alex Bailey said. “Some of the things we asked him to do last year were very much like a receiver. Where he is working to get better is just being on the outside, going against press coverage. 
That’s a little bit different. And, you know, our goal is to ultimately move him around and have him play outside and have him play inside, so those are the points of emphasis, and those are things that he's working on.”
Coleman went for three receptions and 67 yards a season ago with 54 of the yards coming on a breakaway touchdown against Virginia Tech. The role was predictable for Coleman as he sat behind veteran tight ends Eli Stowers and Cole Spence, but it wasn’t what the Vanderbilt staff had in mind long term for the then-tight end. 
The decision for Coleman to move to wide receiver was one that he says came in a collaborative effort with the Vanderbilt staff. Vanderbilt’s staff came to the conclusion that they were going to recruit tight end heavily and that they felt moving him to wide receiver would give him the best chance to play meaningful snaps in 2026. 
Coleman’s transition to receiver has been natural in some ways as a result of his receiving ability already being his biggest strength as a young player. Now, he’ll get to make that the focal point of his game while using his development as a blocker to stay the field. 
“It just fits my abilities the best,” Coleman said in regard to playing wide receiver. “As the tight end, you have to know everything inside and out, so it’s been a problem of learning new plays and stuff. 
I think it's just a big thing of just going against matchups and stuff and learning to study more dbs and it’s more one-on-one stuff.” 
When Coleman has been able to get in one-on-one situations on the perimeter in previous camp settings, he’s emerged as a fall camp hero of sorts. Bailey says Coleman has elite ball skills, and watching the Vanderbilt receiver has indicated that the Vanderbilt receivers’ coach isn’t exaggerating. 
Coleman says that it hasn’t been all that big of a difference as he’s worked to move to wide receiver for the first time in his career. The biggest difference, he says, is dealing with more press coverage as he moves to the outside of formations more often rather than playing exclusively on the line or in the slot.
The Vanderbilt junior is part of a wide receiver room that’s relatively inexperienced outside of standout veteran Junior Sherrill and Old Dominion transfer Ja'Cory Thomas. As a result, he’s got a chance to see the field often in his new position if all goes to plan.   
“Our goal is to ultimately move him around and have him play outside and have him play inside, so those are the points of emphasis,” Bailey said, “Those are things that he's working on this spring, but super excited. He's gonna bring a ton of experience and a specific skill set that allows us to get really, really creative offensive and you get on the ball.”
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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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