McKinley excited for matchup with Moore

South Carolina wide receiver Kenny McKinley has not forgotten about the comments Vanderbilt cornerback D.J. Moore made following the Commodores' 17-6 victory a year ago.

Moore, who's generally as modest and respectful as they come, called the Gamecocks receivers an "average" group. Not exactly fightin' words, but since athletes love to feel disrespected, it should come as no surprise to learn that McKinley is still upset.

Here's the exchange McKinley had with South Carolina media members on Monday when asked about Moore (via Stalking Darrin Horn):

McKinley: “He’s pretty good. He’s all right. I think he’s a good player.”

Reporter No. 1 (laughing): “You don’t seem to be giving him too much credit.”

McKinley: “He’s a pretty good player.”

Reporter No. 2: “That’s it? A lot of people think he’s one of the best cornerbacks in the SEC, if not THE best.”

McKinley: “I haven’t played against every cornerback in the SEC. I think he’s a good player though.”

Reporter No. 1: “You lined up against him last year, right?”

McKinley: “Yeah, he’s a pretty good player.”

At this point almost everyone was laughing, including McKinley.

McKinley: “Y’all want me to say something about him. I think he’s a good player. That’s all I can say.”

Then it got to the nub.

McKinley: “After they beat us, he was like, we’re just an average group of receivers, we weren’t all that good, this and that. He’s a pretty good player. Hopefully we’ve got (something) for him this week.”

Reporter No. 3: “Did you go out and cut out that quote for this week?”

McKinley: “Nah, I just go out and play. I feel like if I play my game then –"

He thought a second.

"He’s a good player.”

I'd love to hear what McKinley has to say if Moore picks off two more passes tomorrow night...

Also, make sure to check out The State's Seth Emerson's terrific feature on Moore, a South Carolina native.

Moore always wanted to be a Gamecock, but South Carolina did not offer him until late in the recruiting process, well after he had committed to Vanderbilt. Moore was torn, but ultimately decided to stick with the Commodores. The rest, as they say, is history.

A few nuggets from the story:

*Football might have been Moore’s third-best sport at Broome High School. He was a three-time all-state selection in basketball (I've played against him at the rec and I'm telling you the dude can flat-out ball) and also a state-champion high jumper.

“By far, yes,” said Broome's Quay Farr, when asked if Moore was the best athlete he has coached.

*Somehow, Moore went virtually unnoticed in the recruiting process. He received offers from Wofford and Furman before Vanderbilt, after a long evaluation, offered him for football.

The Vanderbilt coaching staff deserves a lot of credit for identifying players like Moore, along with others, who fly under the radar of other SEC school.

*Moore is acquaintances with many USC players, including wide receivers Freddie Brown and Moe Brown.

“You could tell he’s one special player, and he gets after it real well," said Moe Brown. "He works hard, and he’s just a phenomenal athlete. His whole demeanor just speaks to success.”

Go DJ: Moore named to Thorpe Award watch list

With Earl Bennett off to the NFL, the next Vanderbilt gridiron star is going to be junior D.J. Moore, who has just been named to the Jim Thorpe Award preseason watch list, presented annually to the nation's top defensive back.

Moore was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference performer in 2007 after sharing the league lead with six interceptions, the most by a Vanderbilt player in 25 years. He led the team with 63 solo tackles and ranked second with 10 passes defended.

As a kick returner, Moore was even more spectacular, setting a team record with 823 total return yards. He averaged 25.7 yards per return and produced seven returns of 40 yards or more. Moore also rushed for 78 yards on six carries, and is expected to see an expanded role in the offense this fall.

"D.J. has been a tremendously productive player for our team since his arrival on campus. He's one of the nation's most versatile players, with game-changing abilities as a defensive back, offensive weapon and return specialist," said coach Bobby Johnson. "He's a pleasure to coach, and a guy that is willing to do his very best to help our team win football games. D.J. is an extremely deserving candidate for the Thorpe Award, and all the other preseason recognition coming his way."

It won't be long before Moore becomes the Commodores' most entertaining and recognizable player, and it's good to see him get the national recognition that he deserves.

Finally, make sure to check out a feature I wrote about Moore last fall for The Hustler. Here's a quick sample:

No amount of coaching could have prepared Bobby Johnson for what he witnessed at a recent practice.

"Sometimes he'll be standing there, and he'll do a back flip out there on the field," Johnson said of sophomore cornerback D.J. Moore. "The other day I was walking this way and he jumped right over me. I looked up and there he was."

As his unexpected high jump shows, Moore is the poster boy for the Commodores' increase in speed and athleticism in recent years. Yet, it is his ability to do the other things that has made him a more complete player in his second season as a starter.

"D.J. has worked hard to improve," Johnson said. "He's now doing all the little things you need to do at corner to make yourself better instead of just relying on speed, jumping ability and talent. D.J. is reading things better, noticing splits and reading the quarterback a lot better."

Photo [Getty Images/Daylife]

Football spring practice underway

In the South, it's never too early to talk football, and with spring practice now officially underway, I figured it'd be a good time to go over a few of the top storylines.

1) Who is the starting quarterback?

The most visible and important battle this spring will be between Mackenzi Adams and Chris Nickson. In today's Tennessean, Maurice Patton reports that Nickson "suffered a hip injury two weeks into the '07 campaign and a shoulder injury the next week," confirming what many of us had suspected.

Adams is a fierce competitor and strong leader, but I still think the Commodores' best chance of winning comes with a healthy and effective Nickson behind center. Whether he can regain that form, however, remains to be seen.

While a starter won't be named for quite some time, one thing's for certain: Vanderbilt is going to have a bunch of question marks on offense and quarterback can't afford to be one of them.

2) How will the Dores hold up in the trenches?

Vanderbilt must replace all five starters from the offensive line. While the task certainly seems daunting, coach Bobby Johnson is optimistic. Still, it's not as if there is another Chris Williams waiting in the wings to protect the quarterback's blindside.

Hopefully the first-team unit, which consists of tackles Thomas Welch and Eric Hensley, guards Ryan Custer and Drew Gardner and center Bradley Vierling, can use this spring to gel.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Commodores must replace defensive tackles Theo Horrocks and Gabe Hall and defensive end Curtis Gatewood, which is no easy task.

3) What is the team's biggest strength?

It's got to be the secondary, where the Commodores bring virtually everyone back. I expect D.J. Moore and Myron Lewis to take another leap this fall and become two of the SEC's elite cornerbacks. At safety, future-NFLer Reshard Langford returns for his final season, and Ryan Hamilton should be much more comfortable in year two as a starter. Nickelback Darlron Spead will be limited this spring as he recovers from a shoulder injury, but should be ready to go in the fall.

The Commodores also have depth in the secondary with players such as Joel Caldwell, Josh Allen, Brent Trice and my favorite basketball player Jamie Graham.

What's on tap: The Black & Gold Scrimmage is 10 a.m. March 29 at Vanderbilt Stadium.

While football talk will pick up in April, I can't help but ask: What are your expectations for the 2008 Commodores?