How Vanderbilt offensive line has built chemistry through basketball and baseball – The Tennessean

Vanderbilt football needed a way to develop chemistry on the offensive line with only one returning starter for 2026.
While a transfer-heavy offensive line worked wonders for the Commodores a year ago, Vanderbilt now needs another new group to gel. How do you do that? The answer is typically for the players to spend as much time together as possible, and the Commodores have now found new places to do that: baseball and basketball games.
Several of the linemen attended men’s and women’s basketball games as both teams qualified for the NCAA tournament in 2026. Now that basketball is done, they have turned their attention to baseball. During a 16-inning marathon game against Tennessee, those players stayed the entire time, moving behind home plate and cheering loudly as Vanderbilt eventually got a walk-off win.
“It was great, Mustapha Dannett, man … he’s a character,” said Kevo Wesley, referring to the walk-on defensive back who was among the rowdiest fans at the game.
It’s become increasingly common for athletes at Vanderbilt to attend each other’s games. Baseball players frequently attend basketball games and several made the trip to Alabama to see the football team play this past season. The women’s basketball team came for the Men’s SEC Tournament and was there when football hosted College GameDay. Both football coach Clark Lea and the women’s basketball team have thrown out first pitches at baseball games this spring.
Diego Pavia may no longer be on the team, but he has continued to attend Vanderbilt sporting events as well. He was at both the women’s Sweet 16 game and the baseball team’s series opener against Texas A&M.
That’s been a bit of culture shock to some players who have come from other schools, where there isn’t as much support across programs.
“Just hanging around the guys, just embracing the new culture, just kind of got to branch out moving from school to school,” said offensive tackle Beau Johnson, a transfer from North Dakota State.
Thanks in part to those outings, Vanderbilt’s coaching staff has seen the line start to develop chemistry despite the personnel losses. Among the new players the Commodores have brought in are Johnson, expected to start at one of the tackle spots, Pitt transfer Lyndon Cooper, expected to start at center, Alabama transfer Micah DeBose and junior college transfer Michael Smith. Vanderbilt also has four early-enrolled freshmen after having none a year ago. Returners like Orion Irving, Clinton Azubuike and Wesley are looking to fill bigger roles alongside Cade McConnell, the lone returner.
“It’s a process, it’s not done overnight,” offensive line coach Chris Klenakis said about developing chemistry. “It takes a lot of working together, but we have definitely taken steps since January and we’re progressing the way we should be.”
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected] or on X @aria_gerson.

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