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Vandy QB out for season with hamstring injury

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The Associated Press

Published: November 2, 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Vanderbilt has lost starting quarterback Larry Smith for the final three games with a partially torn left hamstring, and that means Mackenzi Adams will make his first start this season Saturday night against top-ranked Florida.

Coach Bobby Johnson said Monday that an MRI revealed some tearing in Smith's hamstring. Smith pulled up at the end of a 35-yard run in last weekend's 56-31 loss to No. 10 Georgia Tech. Johnson said Smith would be out at least four weeks, and Vanderbilt (2-7, 0-5 Southeastern Conference) wraps up the season Nov. 21 against Tennessee.

"This is a pretty significant injury," Johnson said.

Adams replaced Smith and was 12 of 22 for 152 yards to finish the game. This will be the redshirt senior's first start in a year since he started against Florida in a 42-14 loss. Johnson called it a plus that Adams was able to play more than three quarters against Georgia Tech.

"I think he did extremely well for not getting a lot of reps in practice and then having hardly any reps in playing time this year, so he went in and did some very good things. We expect him to meet the challenge and play well this week, and we certainly hope he will," Johnson said.

Johnson picked Smith, a redshirt sophomore, as Vanderbilt's starter opening week and stuck with him even as the Commodores struggled. They hadn't been able to score more than 10 points in any SEC game and now have lost five straight games.

Adams has appeared in four games in relief, and he is 21 of 37 for 239 yards for the season with no touchdowns. Adams also has run six times for 15 yards.

But he has plenty of experience. He played in all 12 games each of the past two seasons and 11 in 2006. Johnson said Adams' ability to run means they won't have to change up the offense either.

"We still have the same throws, and Mac can run the ball. He's done that his whole career and has been tough enough to play in those kinds of games where you get banged up a little bit, and he goes in there," Johnson said.

The Commodores now have stripped special teams work from Jared Funk, who now becomes Adams' backup.

The bigger worry against Florida (8-0, 6-0) is the health of left tackle Thomas Welch. He re-injured an ankle that knocked him out of an earlier game, and Johnson said he doesn't expect Welch to be available against the Gators, though he could be wrong.

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