"It will f***ing happen": Behind the scenes of Vanderbilt's iconic upset of No. 1 Alabama
Vanderbilt's behind-the-scenes video showed how early, often and forcefully Clark Lea told his team they were going to defeat the No. 1-ranked Crimson Tide before it happened.
Zach Barnett Oct 10, 2024
What strikes you about hearing Clark Lea telling Vanderbilt they were going to beat Alabama is how many times it must have happened, both in his own locker room and across the country, a similar proclamation has been made that went unfulfilled. With exceptions here and there, every team goes into each game believing that, with the right breaks, they can win each game. What's the point, otherwise?
But, man, Vanderbilt was convinced they were going to beat Alabama on Saturday.
Never mind that Vandy hadn't beaten Bama in four full decades. Never mind that Vanderbilt was 1-13 against ranked teams under Clark Lea. Never mind that Vandy was 0-for-60 against AP Top 5 teams.
Lea told his team on four different occasions that Vanderbilt 40, Alabama 35 was coming, captured in this excellent nine-and-a-half minute behind the scenes look at the Commodores' instantly-iconic victory. The video says far more than my words describing it ever could, but I was struck by how often and forcefully Lea proclaimed a victory that only he and his charges saw coming.
Monday, Sept. 30: "It's not gonna be big things Saturday, it's gonna be small things. Small things will deliver us the celebration in the locker room on Saturday, and it will f***ing happen. It's gonna happen."
Saturday, early: "There is no one in this room, not a single person, that doesn't know that our breakthrough is coming... It will happen. It might as well happen today... That's f***ing Alabama's problem today. It's not one of us, it's all of us.
Saturday, pregame: "You've earned the right to go play. You've earned the right to go win. Now we've got to make it happen.
Saturday, halftime: "You're ready to close this game out. There's nothing extra here. It doesn't take anything extra. The game is yours, guys. You f***ing set it up, on a tee. Now go take it. You take it. You take it by being focused, being detailed, communicating, playing our game. Stop by stop, possession by possession. The challenge is this: in the present, every moment... You're f***ing ready, let's go get it."
And then, after the game: "This is not the end. Honestly, it's the beginning of a breakthrough."
After all his players had heard all week, who among them didn't totally believe?