Interview with Gabe Hall

What is your status? I had heard that you had been talking to a few NFL teams about a free agent contract.

I was in talks with the Baltimore Ravens, and the Jacksonville Jaguars, things just didn't finalize. I also had a workout scheduled with the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL, but I had to make some crucial desicions that didnt allow me to explore that option. I promise you though VU FAMILY, you havent heard the last of Gabe and professional football if its the Lord's Will. I actually am right now a graduate assistant strength coach at NorthCarolina Central University, Im also majoring in Sports Administration. I turned down offers for the same position at Virginia Tech and Southern Miss because the timing was bad. I believe God put me in the right spot. After I fulfill my duty training the different sports I work with Im able to train around the clock..like I said you haven't heard the last of Gabe


What are you most proud of from your time at Vanderbilt?

Man, all the relationships that I was able to form with my temamtes coaches, fans, alumini, teachers, the people that work in McGuigin and around campus, that will last for a lifetime! Its truly VU for Life!! Being at another instituition just makes me realize that no other place even remotely campares to VU!


Where was the hardest place to play?

Defintely the University of Tennessee,, When you walk in that place you can literally smell the hatred of 100,000 plus people in your nostrils.


Who was the hardest guy to tackle?

It wasn't Felix Jones or the elusive Raphael Little. It wasnt even the great Darren Mcfadden.....It was true freshman tailback Moreano from Georgia


Your freshman year we opened up against South Carolina at home. What do you remember about your first game as a Commodore? I remember coming down from the starwalk seeing our fans go crazy and thinking..

WELCOME TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL!


Your sophmore year what do you remember about that big goal line stand against Arkansas in the 1st qtr? They had 3 chances from our 1 and couldn't get in. I think that was crucial and often forgotten about in that game.

Man that stand still gets me fired up! I remeber Theo Horrocks, herdley Harrison, Lamar Divens, David Carter and everyone else having absolutely no regard for the body on that goaline stand.....WE smacked Arkansas in the mouth on that stand...Houston Nutt knew that we were dominating the game early so he wanting to go to the ATM a little early, and let me tell you it was ACCESS DENIED...My former ForkUnion temamate David Carter made two crucial plays that made that stand possible.


What do you remember about the big home win against Ole Miss to go to 3-0?

We were so conident! No one could have beaten us that day!! We had been heavily battled tested with road wins at Wake Forest and Arkansas the first two games...No matter what they did we knew we could respond with fury...and our fans were so jacked up! We had 12 men on the field that day smacking Ole Miss in the mouth!


How special was the win in Knoxville that year?

Monumental! That game changed the face of VU football for life..It changed the mindset of a entire program and fan base, as well as the minds of broadcasters, and the OTHER team, that VU can beat anyone, anywhere.....It wasn't us burning the hedges with our win at #16 ranked Georgia or us beating #6 ranked South Carolina in Spurriers back yard, but it was the win at UT that set our march back to a bigbowl game victory this year!


What do you remember about playing Michigan in Ann Arbor?

I cant say that we would have won the year before because you still have to play the game, and I know we had Cutler, but lets just say Michigan was glad that playmaker was gone.We just couldn't capitalize on turnovers, and make more big plays on defense. When your playing an oppenent at their place capatizing on turnovers is the equalizer, We failed to do that.


What did you think when you watched Handfeldt's field goal attempt in the home game against Arkasas your Junior year. I swear there was no wind before Arkansas called time out. After the time out the wind magically picked up and the field goal try came up just a little short.

I actually started walking on to the field early..when he kicked it had so much power and height..but more importantly it was headed between the uprights..Im telling you it was something out of a movie, a gust of wind came out of nowhere...but I make no excuses if the offense and defense had of done more we wouldnt have put Handfeld's kick in such a crucial moment


What do you remember thinking as you watched Hanfeldt's field goal attempt in Athens later that year?

I closed my eyes..I though if I watched, I was going to cause him to miss! I remeber closing my eyes and praying that Hanfeld do what he does best...and he did!


The Alabama game your senior year was one where Alabama got all the calls. Earl got called for pushing off on that long bomb to start the game. Then Alex Washington's punt return got called back for a penalty that even the TV commentator's didn't understand. What are your thoughts on that game?

VU family if I die tomorrow remember this..How you handle adversity determines your destiny...Those calls were absolutely horrible!! But we didn't regroup and make those big plays again that we were more than capable of..We let Alabama dictate the pace way to much after that


The Georgia game was a broadcast on ESPN2 and I thought it was going to be a big win for our program. What did you think when you saw Cassen Jackson-Garrison's fumble?

I didn't believe it had happened, and refused to believe it until i was on defense 18 seconds later..I felt bad for Casson I know he would do anything to run that ball again. We let Georgia back into the game that whole third quarter and they finally got a break...The last Hurdle that our team must fix is finishing ball games 100 % of the time..and when i say finish.. i mean just absolutely biting flesh off the bone to seal the deal


Another disappointing game last year was the Ketucky game. It just seemed like missed field goals came back to haunt us and Ketucky did just enough to win the game.

We physically dominated Kentucky on defense and shut down their monster screen game, but defense didnt do it enough, and neither did our other units...Those field goals can be a blanket for an excuse but the botton line is UK made fewer BIG mistakes and beat a MUCH BETTER team


You were quoted as saying " They know they escaped" after the UT game. The defense played lights out against that day. What are your thoughts on the playcalling in the 4th qtr?

It just seemed we went into a shell. Three straight 3 and outs with run, run, pass. It seemed like they knew what we were doing every play. I owe it to you guys to be completely honest but I felt we should have kept taking it to them, UT was on their heels and we SHOULD have kept our foot on the gas


What are your thoughts on this year's team?

It's too bad Earl isn't coming back. I think they are going to shock a lot of people...Its good to stay under the radar early..you can focus on just you and what you need to do without outside influence...Earl was a awesome player, but mark my words Sean Walker has the elite speed and work ethic to be that same threat Earl was, I trained in Nashville untill July 18 and I cant tell you how many times I saw Sean working on routes and running with his parachute at 9.30 at night..thats no exaggeration, and his play will prove that as great as Earl was we have someone else looking to breakout in the same fashion


Who do you think will be the starting QB?

Both the guys can flat out play, you've seen CNick at his greatest when he amassed 500 yards of offense agaisnt Kentucky two years ago, and you've seen Mackenzie at his best when we beat SouthCarolina..This will be a tough job forthe coaches that I wouldn't want right now..I will say this whoever can win the respect of the teammates gains an edge.


Is there anything else you'd like to say to the Vandy fans?

Keep Theo, Goff and Chris Williams in your prayers as they recover from injury as well as Gatewood, Buggs and Stamp as they continue to battle in camp...Also fans I hope you will welcome me to your family..VU for Life

Catching up with Ralph McKenzie

 You are from Michigan. Why did you decide to come to Vanderbilt?

I decided to come to Vanderbilt because I was comfortable and it just felt like my best fit.

What are you most proud of from your time at Vandy?

I am most proud of my ability to rise to all the challenges present to me during my time at Vandy. It wasn't easy, but I made it through.

Where was the hardest place to play?

The hardest place to play was probably at LSU. But that also made it one of the most fun places as well.

Who was the hardest guy to tackle?

The hardest player to tackle was Cadillac Williams.

What did you think about Coach Johnson's "No Swearing" policy?

I thought the no swearing policy was nice in image, but I would not be able to call it complete reality.

Your sophmore year what do you remember about the overtime loss to Georgia Tech? That was a tough one to swallow.

I remember the play that lost the game. Something like that is not very forgettable.

Later that year we led Top 5 Georgia 2-0 at halftime. You actually had the safety on David Greene to give us the lead. What was the atmosphere like in the lockerroom at halftime?

Halftime against Georgia that game the locker room was up. Everybody had full confidence. But in that game, the locker room before we even took the field was one of the most emotional and energized moments I can remember and we played like it.

How big was the home win over Kentucky that year when the fans tore the goal posts down?

The Kentucky win that year was big just because it ended the slump we were having and we've gotten better every year from that point.

Later that year was the Rutgers game. It was heartbreaking watching them come back from a huge deficit and then us having a chance late before the refs took it away. Do you think Jay was passed the line of scrimmage?

In the Rutger's game, it really doesn't matter if he was past it or not. They called it one way and it stayed that way. Same for the Florida game my last season.

How big was the win over Wake Forest to start the season your Senior year?

The win against Wake Forest really just set the tone for the season. it always good to get off to a winning start. The first game is always one of the hardest.

The Ole Miss game was another big game that year. Ole Miss was down by 21and roared back to score 3 consecutive touchdowns. On the last one to tie it up you blocked the extra point that kept the lead. What do you remember about that play?

In that Ole Miss game I just remember thing that I had to get there. We had lost too many games because it was close or tied at the end. I really didn't want that to happen again.

A few weeks later MTSU came to town. I think every player I talk to was heartbroken after that game. What do you remember thinking when you watched the field goal try at the end of the game?

I remember thinking, "make the kick." It never occurred to me that it might get blocked.

What did you think of the playcalling when they lined Cutler up at receiver a few times that game and let Nickson come in and run the draw? I didn't get it.

Personally I thought C Nick could handle it by himself in there and give them a different look. He can throw it and run the ball. I can't really speak on putting Cut at receiver except to have the defense worried about a double throw opportunity, but I played defense.

What do you remember about the game in Columbia? We almost had South Carolina's number but again it was one of those where we came up a little short.

At Vandy most of our loses were within a touchdown of the other team. So it really became another close game that for some reason we just didn't pull out.

The game in the Swamp that year was crazy. What do you remember thinking that night on ESPN2 when they threw the flag on Earl Bennett for excessive celebration?

In the Florida game, they called an excessive celebration because Juke pointed at Cut saying good pass. I've seen actual celebration that weren't called. Especially not to decide a game that would have put Vandy in a bowl. But they called it one way and the other team one again. Stuff like that seems to happen to Vandy more than others, but that's the game.

The game in Knoxville made your team a legend on West End. How special was that win for you to end your career with a victory over UT.

The UT game was very special. It had been a long time since we had beat them and that in itself is bad enough considering we are in state and conference rivals. But, it was also my final game and it is always good to leave on a win.

Thanks Ralph, is there anything else you'd like to say to the Vandy fans?

To the fans I would just say this;. Support is a large part of the game. The teams on the field are playing for the universities and fans they represent. It tough when your school has 5,000 undergrad student compared to 40,000 or 50,000 somewhere else. As a player one the hardest thing to do is pull out a close game without fan support. From my experience at Vandy it just seems that even when we are playing home games, we are still the away team.

Interview with Theo Horrocks

 

How excited are you to have an opportunity you to have an opportunity to play in Jacksonville?

I'm so excited. I leave for Jacksonville on Thursday. I had the opportunity to play against the best competition here in the SEC and prove myself. It's been my dream for a long time. I'm living on a cloud right now.

 

What are you most proud of from your time at Vandy?

For my time at Vanderbilt, the wins at Wake Forest, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee obviously. But I'm more proud of the progress I saw with the team. We were a total different ball team from when the time I got there. We are competitors every week. I'm proud to have been apart of that. I was hoping to take us to a bowl game but a few points here and there didn't work out but I'm extremely proud of what we accomplished while I was there.

Who was the hardest guy to tackle?

I don't know. Knowshawn Moreno was one of the hardest runners we faced. Percy Harvin from Florida has a different level of speed than anybody we ever saw. He was the hardest to get to.

What about Darren McFadden? We did well against him two years ago.

He and Felix Jones is a great backfield. I feel like we did a great job that day. I think we kept both of them under 100 yards. I don't think McFadden even had 50. It was a good day and we showed up to play.

Where was the hardest place to play?

Definitely the Swamp. Florida is a different atmosphere. All SEC schools have a great atmosphere. Florida is just a different place. The students sit close to the bench it get a little personal.

Your freshman year what do you remember about your first game?

I didn't play until the Ole Miss game. It was a lot of fun. I had two or three tackles. I hit the quarterback on the tird play. It was a great experience to see how I could do in the SEC as a true freshman.

What do you remember about the win at Wake Forest your sophmore year?

It was a great win. We had Jay and he pulled out an amazing comeback in the end. It was my first game to play Defensive Tackle and I ended up getting Defensive Player of the Game that week.

Your sophmore year what do you remember about the game in The Swamp?

That one was probably the most emotionally draining game I've ever played in. You don't ever want to go to overtime but you want to go to overtime to have a chance to win. Emotionally overtime just kills you. Especially down there it was quiet. There was no noise. No one was cheering. When Earl caught the touchdown and they called the celebration on him it was a huge bummer. The game was going so well and we knew we were going for two and we were going to in the game. But we got pushed back and had to kicked the extra point. It was a fun experience. It didn't end up how it should have but it was fun.

Marlon White told me the penalty was ridiculous because "Earl didn't even get to finish his dance."

He didn't even get to start his dance. It was clearly a bad call. But you hate to blame things on the refs. I know I do. They are trying to do their jobs. I am sure he meant well. I don't think he called it to make us lose but you never like for that to happen.

Later that year was the big win in Knoxville how cool was that?

For me that was the highest moment of my college career. Being from here and being aroung UT fans all my life and to have the opportunity to go into Knoxville it was just awesome.

It was nice for us local fans because it shut up all the UT fans. It's all we hear all year long, UT this or UT that.

Yeah there used to be UT billboards on West End. That used to make us all upset.

What do you remember about playing at Michigan your junior year?

It was fun that place is historical and has a lot of tradition but to me it's nothing compared to SEC crowds. That place is huge but they really cram them in there. Seems to me like standing on the field at The Swamp, The Swamp is twice as big with the noise, the amount of people and the way it's built. It is a good thing to say that I got to play there.

Did you agree with the decision to drop MTSU to play Michigan that year?

I agree with anything Coach does. We have faith in him. He wanted to give us an opportunity to play a big team like Michigan. We went in that game to win that game. We couldn't get a lot of offense going but I feel like after the first drive the defense played well up there considering it was the first game in the Big House.

That game was closer than the score indicated. They had some garbage touchdowns late in the game to pull away but we were right there until the middle of the 4th qtr.

That's what I've told people. The score doesn't really show you how the game went. Defensively we played a great game other than the first drive where they ran it down our throat down the middle 70 yards. After that everyone settled down. We just got Coach Logo and the Defensive Line was wondering should we do what we used to do or what he was telling us to do. It was a trust thing. He got us calmed down and we were fine.

What do you remember about watching Hanfeldt's field goal try against Araknsas later that year? Before they called time out there was no wind. After the time out the wind magically appeared.

You know it's just one of those things. It's part of the game. You've got to play against the elements.Whether he judged it wrong or whether it was a bad kick, who knows. He's made some great kicks for us. I could never get mad at him for missing one.

I just couldn't believe how the wind just happened to pick up right then.

It just seems like something didn't want us to win that day.

How special was the win in Athens?

 

That was another great day for all of us. Hanfeldt had the big kick to win that one. When we play confident we can do that. There were times when we hadn't in the past but we went to Georgia and we knew we were going to win the game. From start to finish everybody played with everything they had. Everybody did what they were supposed to do. There was 11 guys on the field playing with one heartbeat. Everyone was on the same page. It was a great day. If you play that every week you'll beat everybody you play.

You had a big sack that day didn't you?

Yeah, it was a big 3rd down sack.

Last year what are your thoughts on the penalties that were called on us in the Alabama game. The first was Earl's push off and the second was Alex Washington's punt return.

That's one problem you face in the SEC. Refs are going to be biased and it'll come back to bite you. I don't know if Earl pushed off. Some say he didn't. The big one that bothered me was when Alex Washington took the punt back and they called it back. It would have been a huge momentum shift and it was lost. It's SEC football anything can happen.

I heard the guys calling it on TV went back and looked for it and they didn't see it.

That's the thing with the big penalties that hurt us in the past. Either the commentator will say it's a bad call or they don't think it should have been called. Sometimes they can't even find even find where the penalty was. But I guess they can't see everything. It's pretty frustrating.

What did you think going into the big game against Georgia on ESPN2?

I was excited. I always enjoy a chance to play on the big networks. We had them beat but we didn't finish. We had a couple of unfortunate things happen at the end of the game. Cassen fumbled the ball and they got it back. We still had it won but they drove down the field and kicked a field goal and won the game. We beat them the year before by a field goal so I guess it's just someone paying us back for that one.

I remember seeing the fumble. My mouth dropped and my hands went over my head and I thought "Oh no. Not now."

That's happened to Vandy in the past. It's something we have to find a way to overcome. We have got to find a way to finish the games we got in the bag.

The next week we bounced back and shocked #6 South Carolina on the road. The defense really brought it that day.

Yeah, we went into that game knowing we beat Georgia. The score didn't show it but we knew we did. We went in there with a chip on our shoulder. From start to finish we didn't let up. I think we had 8 sacks that day. Offense was good in the 1st half. In the 2nd half they didn't score. Defensively we didn't let them have anything. DJ had the interception in the end zone. The whole D-Line had a sack that day I think.

The halftime score was the final score wasn't it?

Yes, 17-6.

How disappointing was the Kentucky game. It seems special teams killed us and Kentucky did just enough to win.

That's what has happened everytime we play them since I've been there. They just barely get by or special teams kills us. I don't know what it is about that game. It's always a special teams game and we can't do a thing with it.

Raphael Little just absolutely kills us every year. He was hurt the week before and came back and went wild on us.

He does. They run a lot of screens. He's a great back. He's a small guy. He can get to the cracks. He's hard to defend especially when you have a quarterback like Woodson who passes as much as he does. We really turn it up up front and go after him and that's when they throw those little screens to him and he makes things happen.

What are your thoughts on the playcalling in the 4th qtr of the UT game? It seems we just went into a shell.

It's unfortunate. We were dominating them and I feel like some people seemed comfortable where we were at and didn't want to continue to pound. They didn't want to continue to put points on the board. It just got conservative and they came back. They are a great team. You can't play conservative in the SEC and expect to win those big games like that on the road. You've really got to go after them. We were up by 16 at one point and it all went downhill. Like I said Vanderbilt has been cursed with not finishing the games we should win. Obviously we all work hard to avoid that but things happen. You just got to be ready to play and play with what they give you.

As a fan it's aggrivating to watch the offense because they are so conservative. I remember one game last year where Nickson ran 5 straight quarterback draws. After a while the other coaches are going to know what we are calling.

A lot of times we know what they are going to do too. I guess coaches know coaches and know what they do. They may think it's a situation for something that may not have necessarily been or the other team might have set up a defense to stop it.

There's nothing we can do as players. We run what they call and we have full confidence in our coaches. If you do that it's up to you to win the game. It's on our shoulders. We play the game.

Going back to the UT game. Didn't you actually block the extra point to get the momentum on our side?

I did block the extra point. I got my hands on 5 or 6 in college but they went in but that's the first one I actually blocked. I just got through the cracks got up and knocked it down.

What happened during the Wake Forest game. That one got away from us early. Did the UT game wear on us?

Well, when you get in a game like that, the last game of the season peopele are banged up. People are out there playing if it was the second week of the season they wouldn't be playing. Injuries here and there you know? You have your seniors out there who are obivousl very emotional. They are out there giving it 100%, everything they have. Some other people may not have that same emotion. It's kind of a unbalanced situation out there. Obviously everyone is playing hard but some people that are more fired up than others. We weren't drained. It was a tough game they are a good team. A few things happened early and we got out of the game quick and it's hard to get back from that.

Was Chris Nickson playing hurt last year?

Yes, Chris Nickson had a seperated shoulder after the Alabama game. He dove into the end zone and seperated his shoulder there. It bothered him the rest of the season. It's hard for a quarterback. You can't make the same throws if your shoulder isn't right.

There were rumors but nothing ever was acknowedged by the coaches.

He can't run the same with the shoulder. He can't take the same hits. He can't make the same throws. He's back full force and I have full confidence in Chris. He's a great leader out there. He's just have a few things go his way and not get inured do early in the season.

Have you thought about going up against Chris Williams in the NFL?

Of course I've thought about it. We play the Bears this year.I've went against Chris before. Chris is one of the best linemen in the country and I've done fine against him and I'm excited. If everyone in the NFL is not as good as Chris then I feel like I have a chance to do well and have a career.

I'd like to see Brian Stamper do well. He did so well before his surgery and worked hard to get back and I hope he makes it in the NFL.

He went to Cleveland. But they brought in 80 players to fill 7 spots and he got cut. I heard he's going to the Saints camp sometime soon. Someone will pick him up. Brian is a great lineman. It's hard to come back from back surgery. He was a dominating force that year and after the back surgery the next year it was hard to come back. It's hard to get flexible again. You lose all you flexibilty and all you lower body strength. You can't do squats and the same lower body workout. He has a lot of heart I know how bad he wants to play. His hard work will pay off and he'll find a spot.

What's your prediction for next year? We lost our offensive line and Earl Bennett went pro unfortunately.

Well I'm biased, I think they are going to be fine. It's going to be a challenge. There's going to have to be a lot of people step up and prove they can play at this level. I think the talent is there. They just got to get it out of them.

There's a lot of god players on the offensive line. Thomas Welch I think is going to be great. Ryan Custer and Bradley Vierling have proved themselves the past two years. Mackenzi and Chris are two great quarterbacks. Jeff Jennings is an awesome running back. Jared Hawkins is great. Defensively, up front the line is young but Broderick Stewart and Steven Stone, they hadn't had anyone stop them yet. All season last year they were all over making big plays. Inside tackle is going to be the spot that is going to need the most people to step up and prove they can play. Billinger is the only one who has that much experience.

Is Jared Hawkins back to full strength after that dirty hit against Kentucky.

Yes, he's back fine. He's a kid who has one of the best work ethics I've ever seen. It's hard to keep him off the football field. He's going to be out there playing.

Did you think it was a dirty hit?

A lot of people thought so. Me personally, I know how emotional you get out there and how bad you want to win the game. I don't know if he was out of bounds. He may have been in the air but the guy was just trying to make a tackle I think. I can't necessarily say it was a dirty hit. I don't like to say that people were getting away with cheap shots against us. That's just football. He just happened to be on the wrong end that day.

Well, I'm not a player I'm just a fan I think it was a dirty hit.

I know where you stand but me I have to look at it like they are doing the same thing we are you know?

Thanks Theo, is there anything else you'd like to say to the fans?

Root for all of us that are taking this road. Earl, Chris, Goff, me, Buggs, Gatewood, Gabe Hall, Stamper. Root for us and cheer us on. We appreciate all the support.  

 

 

 

 

Interview with Antuian Bradford

Tell us what you've been up to. I understand you are teaching at Brentwood Academy.
 
I am teaching 8th grade Bible and Leadership and coaching football and track at Brentwood Academy, but in the fall I will be headed back to graduate school to pursue a Masters and, perhaps, a Ph.D. in African American Studies.
 
Who or what inspired you to get into teaching?

I guess I just kind of fell into it.  I originally came to BA to just coach and they asked me if I would be interested in teaching a class and the rest is history.  I plan to continue to teach after graduate school, so I guess it was a good call.
 
Why did you decide to come to Vanderbilt?

Well, my mother didn't give me much of an option.  I just wanted to be somewhere that I could definitely have options after I graduated and looking at the situation, I really think I made the right choice.  I also wanted to play in the SEC and play against some of my old teammates that all went to Ole Miss.
 
Do you keep in touch with your former teammates?

I keep in touch with a lot of the guys like Aaron McWhorter, Mike Martin, Justin Giboney, Harold Lercius, Lew Thomas, Jim May, Paul Morgan, Brian Gruber, and of course, my brother, Chris.  
 
How special was it to play with your brother at Vanderbilt?
 
It was great.  We played together a little in high school, but it was special when we got to college because it was a great chance to get to bond with him and just hang out with him in way that I didn't get to do growing up.  I would have to say it was one of my fondest memories at Vandy.
 
What are you the most proud of from your time at Vanderbilt?

Well, I don't want to sound too cliché, but I would have to say the people that I met in college.  They really made my experience at Vandy the highlight of my life.  I found the best friends that I'll ever have at there.  Also, being the first in my family to graduate from college was a proud moment as well giving my younger brothers and sister something to look forward to.
 
Who was the hardest guy to tackle?

I would have to say the hardest person to tackle was Derek Watson from South Carolina, but a close second would have to be Travis Henry.
 
Aaron McWhorter told me that the Northern Illinois game in 1999 was the best game he was involved in. What do you remember about that wild game?
 
I would have to agree with Aaron on that one.  It was one of the more exhilarating games of that season.  I can remember the blocked put to set up our score in the second half to get the momentum back in our favor and the Jimmy Williams punt return was special.  I still watch some highlights from that game from time to time.
 
The next week was another exciting come from behind win against Ole Miss in Oxford. Greg Zolman played like Joe Montana that day. What do you remember about that big road win?

I remember that game for the simple fact that I was going into my old stumping grounds.  I had about 45 of my family members and friends from home and some of my old teammates playing for Ole Miss, so that win was especially sweet.  It at least gave me bragging rights in Mississippi for a year.
 
What did you think of Coach Woody's decision to go for a fake punt against Georgia? It was in their territory late in the game when they had all the momentum. Had it worked he would've been a genius but I just didn't understand it.
 
Well, I was on the field at the time and I am somewhat of a risk taker myself, but that one went way beyond risk taking.  We were yelling at Jonathan Shaub to call it off, but I think he was a little nervous and he stayed with the call and it failed badly.  I didn't agree with the call at all.  It was just a bad game after that.

The game in Gainesville against Florida was picked up by CBS. You guys really slowed down Florida's offense. The game was so close and we had a chance with a few seconds left in the 4th quarter to tie it up but Zolman missed Hogans in the end zone on 4th down and that was it. What were you thinking that night in a big time game on national television?
 
Well, to be honest I was a little shell shocked by everything.  Being from small town Mississippi, that was the first game really big game that I was involved in and it got to me a little bit.  I found myself a few times gazing into the stands and looking at all the people.  It was a great game and that last drive really was a heartbreaker.  It probably the biggest game that year other than the Kentucky game for us.
 
The Kentucky game from 1999 still bothers me. We were marching down the field. All we had to do was kick a field goal when all of the sudden Rodney Williams had that fumble and we missed our chance at a bowl game. What do you remember thinking as you watched all that unfold?
 
I was thinking initially that we might have finally gotten over the hump.  Thinking that all those years of coming up short might end in these last few minutes.  After the fumble, I don't think I stuck around for the speech.  I know that's a little Randy Moss like, but I looked back and a couple of the coaches were behind me, so I didn't feel too bad.  I don't think we talked to Rodney for about a week or so after that.  It was just a miserable experience.

Your junior year we did avenge the loss to Kentucky in Lexington. What are your thoughts on that big road win? Was that a game you had circled on the calendar?

I did have that game circled on the calendar as a game we had to get back.  It felt great to go to Lexington and pull out such a close game.  By the time we got to the Kentucky game, there was some frustration about how the rest of the season had not gone as we planned, so it was a great feeling to put everything into winning that game and also playing UT close the next week to finish out the season.
 
Your senior year we started the series against MTSU. What do you remember about that game? We had so many opportunities. That's one of those games where I had to eat a lot of crow.

Wow! You're bringing up some tough memories.  That was definitely one of the harder fought games that I played in.  I knew a couple of the MTSU players and so it was one of those games that I had to play well.  It was a bit of a shootout and, unfortunately, we came out on the losing end.  
 
The Alabama game the next week was another one where we had a chance late but we missed a field goal that would've forced overtime. Our defense played great but we still came up short. What sticks out from that one?
 
I would have to say what stuck out that game was that the team was really fighting to try to win that game.  It was a close game because we really wanted to win that one and came up a little short.  For the seniors, it was our last time playing Alabama and we wanted to get that one.  The team really rallied around us.
 
What was the team's reaction to Coach Woody's announcement in November of 2001 that he was resigning at the end of the season?
 
Well, there were a lot of mixed emotions from the team, as I'm sure you guessed, but for me it was hard to see him resign.  I really liked Coach Woody and I know he had some things going on outside of football that he was dealing with, so I understood.  I'm sure there were some frustrations about the team other things along with that as well.
 
Thanks again Antuian. Is there anything else you'd like to say to the fans?

This is an awesome website.  Keep it going.  GO DORES!!!

 

 

Catching up with Damien Charley

 

Damien, what have you been up to lately?

I'm still in Nashville married with 3 little ones. I work full time in the ministry and in my spare time hit the "links" on occasion.

Why did you decide to come to Vanderbilt?

I'd say the perfect blend of academics and football. You can't beat playing in one of the top conferences along with getting a great education. Also the year before I signed, they went 5-6 so I felt they were headed in the right direction.

Did you reconsider your decision after Coach Dinardo left for LSU?

No. By that time I was committed to the school and my teammates and my allegiance wasn't to a coach but to the team.

What do you think the biggest difference in Coach Widenhofer and Coach Dowhower's coaching styles?

Coach Woody was a great defensive strategist with a good staff around him. Coach Fewell did a great job coaching the DB's up and Woody had the schemes to frustrate offenses. I call the Dowhower years, "The Lost Years". He wasn't a good coach at all (and I'm not exaggerating). He was not a good motivator of young men and we'll just leave it at that.

Why do you think Coach Woody was so successful as a defensive coordinator but had little success as a head coach?

I think it comes down to discipline. He could get away with not having to have too much of it because he had a good defensive staff around him to help fill in the holes but after getting promoted to the head job, his lack of personal discipline caught up with him. Anytime you're inconsistent with discipline with any player then it says more about who you are than it does the player you're allowing to get away with some things.


What are you most proud of from your time at Vanderbilt?

My life long friendships and experiences I've gained from those years.

Where was the toughest place to play?

The loudest: LSU
The craziest: Florida
Most intense: UT

Which did you prefer, returning kicks or playing in the secondary?

I enjoyed them both. It was a rush covering guys like Jacques Green or Peerless Price in the slot as well as trying to see if I could return a punt back.

Your sophmore year we had the huge game at home on Thursday night against Notre Dame. What do you remember abou that game? I rememeber screaming when I saw Damian Allan hit Todd Yoder with that 50 yard bomb for a TD. It seemed we just couldn't stop Edwards, their big running back late in the game.

That was the story of my years at Vandy, "We just couldn't finish."

Later that year we had a chance to tie UT late in the 4th qtr but the rain and UT's defense was a little too much for us. The defense kept Peyton Manning in check for most of the game. What do you remember about that game?

See my previous answer.

Your junior year we beat Ladinian Tomlinson's Texas Chrisitan Horned Frogs at home. What do you remember about that game. Did you think LT was going to be something special?

Honestly, you play against really good talent all the time so you think each back would be the next big thing. But I will tell you this, I knew Fred Taylor & Jamal Lewis would be good at the next level.

The game against LSU that year still haunts me. The defense played great but two huge penalties cost us the possible win. Under a minute to go you see the TD pass to Hogans what is going through your head?

Like all those moments I relieved over and over. "Will we finish?" was the question and you see how we answered it over and over during those years.

Your senior year we finally got the SEC monkey off of our back and beat South Carolina at home 17-14. How good did it feel to get that elusive SEC win.

It felt good but nothing earth shattering.

What did you think when we beat UT in Knoxville 2 years ago?

It was great to see Jay pull off the upset he didn't get down in the Swamp that year. What I could say about Coach Johnson and what he's teaching and taught them was to "Finish".

 

Interview with Former Vandy Safety Justin Giboney

Why did you decide to come to Vanderbilt?

Very few schools can off er a student-athlete what Vanderbilt does. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to go to an elite academic institution and play in an elite football conference. I'd always wanted to play in the SEC and Vanderbilt also gave me an opportunity to pursue my academic aspirations. Not to mention, I believe Vandy was ranked #2 in the nation in defense 2 years before I got there. That was impressive.

What are you most proud of from your time at Vandy?

I'm most proud of being named the 2002 Most Valuable Defensive Back. Vanderbilt has always been strong at that position so to be recognized in that manner was very special.

Do you keep in touch with any of your former teammates?

I love the guys I played with and try to keep up with as many of them as possible. I talk to several former players on a regular basis, including Rushen Jones, Mike Martin, Moses Osemegie, Kelechi Ohanaja, Libnir Telusca, Lew Thomas, Javon Haye, Marcus Buggs and a few more.

Who was the hardest guy to tackle? Cadillac Williams without a doubt. It was hard enough catching up to the guy and when you did you had to deal with an array of moves. Best college runningback I played against.

Where was the toughest place to play?

The Swamp. Those fans are brutal, but I always enjoyed playing in that environment.

What do you think was the biggest difference between Coach Widenhofer and Coach Johnson?

Well, Woody and Johnson are opposites in several respects, but I guess the biggest difference would be that Woody was more of a "players' coach". Coming from the NFL I think his experiences were different so he came with a different perspective and approach.

Your freshman year what do you remember about that huge comeback against Northern Ilinois? Jimmy Williams had that huge punt return for a touchdown with a minute to go to win the game. Aaron McWhorter told me that was the best game he was ever involved in.

I remember thinking that we needed something big to happen and seeing Jimmy deliver. Jimmy was an awesome player and that was a nice comeback.

The next week was the huge upset in overtime in Oxford over Ole Miss and Deuce McAllister. What sticks out from that game?

Great game. I was second string Free Safety at the time and mostly contributing on special teams. Much to my surprise, Woody decided to put me in the game in overtime. That was a huge rush. I was a little nervous, but being thrown in the fire like that as a freshman helped me develop into a better player. That's one of my fondest memories.

How disappointing was it to get hurt midway through that season and miss playing in some of those big games with bowl implications?

The pain of being out for the season was worse than the pain from my broken leg. I had just begun to bond with my new teammates and gain their respect, so having to watch from the sidelines was devastating. However, I think that adversity gave me a new perspective. After that I appreciated the game more and vowed to take advantage of every moment I had on the field.

When you saw the fake punt against Georgia what did you think? It seemed they had all the momentum already. If it had worked he would have been called a genius but well you know how it turned out...

I was familiar with the formation we were in whenever we ran a fake, so when I saw that formation I couldn't believe my eyes. It didn't work out, but that's how the game goes. You have to take chances every now and then. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose...it's the nature of the beast.

What do you remember about the UT game at Adelphia Coliseum your sophmore year? It seems like had there been 5 more minutes in the game we would've pulled it out. MJ Garrett had a big game and Greg Zolman looked like John Elway in the 4th quarter.

I've actually tried to erase that game from my memory (laugh). That wasn't one of my better games. To this day I replay several of my mistakes in my head. That's one of those games that you wish you could get back. MJ and Zolman were awesome and the defense played their hearts out.

Wasn't there a lot of pushing and shoving after that game was over?

Oh yeah. It's always intense when we play UT. When you play your heart out on the field sometimes those emotions are hard to hold back after the game.

What was your thoughts going into the MTSU game to start the season your junior year?

Painful. I think we took the game lightly and they took advantage of that. They had some very good players on that team and we weren't at our best.

What were your thoughts after the game?

To be honest, I was embarrassed. That's a game we should've won and it was a terrible way to start the season.

The next week was the home game with Alabama. The defense seemed to play really inspired that day. We kept them out of the end zone but missed a field goal with a minute to go that would've force overtime. What did you think as you watched Folino's field goal come up short?

"Oh please...not again". Vandy finds itself in that situation too often.

You had a huge game against Duke that year. You had two interceptions. One was in the end zone that would've cut our lead to 7 late in the game.

Yeah that was a good game for me. I don't think it should have been that close, but we got the W and that's what counts.

We had a pretty big game against Ole Miss that was postponed until December due to 9-11. We played great D against Alabama the week before and I think we could've beaten them had we played them earlier in the season. What are your thoughts on the situation?

We definitely could have beaten them, but we should have done it when we had the opportunity. Early in the season or late in the season we should've won that game and we didn't.

I remember watching you in the Florida game at home your Senior year. It seems like you were in almost every tackle. The defense had a lot of success shutting down Rex Grossman. What sticks out from that game?

That game very personal game for the DBs. The year before we had given up an ungodly amount of yards to that team so we got together and decided that we were going to take it to the next level. It was also Senior day so all the emotions from that probably played a part too.

Thanks again, is there anything else you'd like to say to the fans?

Support those Vandy players. They work are committed to taking this program to the next level. Go Dores!

Interview with Former Commodore CB Aaron McWhorter Mar 08

Aaron, thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us. Tell us what you've been up to lately.

I'm working in Fort Worth, TX at an engineering firm call Carter & Burgess. Help coach my nephews little league team and volunteer at my old high school.

Let's talk about your days at Vanderbilt. Your a Texas guy. What convinced you that Vandy was the place you wanted to be?

I enjoyed the players and coaches on the visit. It seemed like home. The coaches and players made it seemed like home on my visit. The record wasn't to good but they seemed to show promise and everyone talked about how good the defense was and was planning to be. Then there was Corey Chavous, Fred Vincent, and Jimmy Williams at the corners. My thought was that I could follow in their footsteps.

What are you most proud of from your time at Vanderbilt?

I'm proud of the experiences that I had on the field, in the classroom, and the people I met. I think it taught me many lessons that I can use for the rest of my life. So I'm most proud of the lessons I learned.

Do you stay in touch with any of your former teammates?

I stay in touch with Ryan Cuffee, Justin Giboney, Jerrol Jackson, and Antwan Bradford. I also just heard from Greg Zolman and Damien Charlie on Facebook.

You were recruited by Coach Widenhofer and ended your career with Bobby Johnson. What do you think is the biggest difference between the two?

Coach Widenhofer became so laid back and uninvolved with the players. Bobby Johnson was more hands on and showed more concern for player development. Coach Widenhofer was focused on schemes and plays to win rather than the players to win. Coach Johnson seems to keep the plays and schemes basic and to the point and focuses on the players to win and their development.

What do you think about the big wins Vanderbilt has had the past few years over Arkansas, Georgia, and Tennessee?

I think the wins have been a direct reflection of the coaching staff focusing on the player development and putting the players on the field that will make a difference. It's been good players on the field and the coaches are learning how to finish the game.

The 1999 night game in the Swamp against #5 Florida. It was a game that CBS picked up. You guys really stifled Florida's high octane offense. I remember the game was so close and we had a chance with a few seconds left in the 4th quarter to tie it up but Zolman missed Hogans in the end zone on 4th down and that was it. What were you thinking that night in a big time game on national television?

It was exciting night. The coaches had a good game plan for the Gators. The defense ran a lot of zone blitzes and disguised them well with normal zones. It threw their offense of ballance. The offense was able to keep the turnovers to a minimum and surprise them with a couple of big plays. It was my first trip to the swamp so the game was all adrenaline. I think it was the same way for the entire team. We went into the game wanting an upset. It was strong group of seniors as well that really wanted to win. We all thought that this game could be the high point of the season. I remember the deep pass from Zolman to Hogans in the last seconds that put us in position for the go ahead touchdown. The pass looked like it bounced off his chess but they counted it. But like you remember we weren't able to score. We thought it could have been out ticket to a bowl game but..

The Georgia game that year was also a heartbreaker. Leading Georgia 17-3 Coach Widenhofer called a fake field goal that backfired and gave all the momentum to Georgia. They scored 24 points in the 4th quarter and won the game. In all fairness to Coach Woody had it worked he would have been labeled a genius. What do you remember about that game?

I remember how intense the defense was. Winborn and Jimmy Williams were having like an amazing game. We felt like we could stop anything their offense threw at us. We even had Quincy Carter scared. He didn't know what to do. We were blitzing almost every play and it seemed like every blitz hit home. When the fake punt came and didn't work and Georgia only had maybe 10 yards to score and we just couldn't hold them. This play really took the fire out of the defense and the offense had already thrown everything in the play book at them. The whole defense was so angry that many players lost their composure and that's when the penalties started. That was basically the end of it. The anger continued for weeks and it divided the team even more than it already was. I can still remember how angry Winborne was. He cursed for about a week straight. Like you said sometimes it works and sometimes they don't.

Another heartbreaker was the Kentucky game that year. I can clearly remember us driving late in the game to set up a field goal and all of the sudden Rodney Williams fumbled and our chances at a bowl game were almost gone and we lost by two points. What was the feeling like on the sideline before and after the fumble?

It was all tears. To be so close. All we needed was a field goal to win the game. We thought, we must be jinxed. One play from a bowl game. All we needed was a field goal. Everyone on the sideline was crying. That game was on ESPN. We felt like we were ten times better than they were. Everyone was hurt by the lost. I think it was a heart breaker for the whole school.

Onto happier times, The Northern Illinois game in 1999 is probably one of my favorite games I ever saw at Dudley Field. We were down 25 points and Jimmy Williams returned a punt late in the 4th quarter to steal that one. What do you remember about that game?

Northern Illinois had a good team that year. I think they went on to win their conference. A couple of their receivers went to the NFL. They were really driving on us the whole game. I remember the whole team was so down on themselves and we thought the game was over. The coaches kept telling us that we still had a chance. The coaches really helped us out. They got everyone up to cheer one another on. Everyone got excited, got their heads up and adrenaline back pumping. The offense started working completing passes to Jones and Hogans. The defense got them three and out for the rest of the game. I remember on the punt return that everyone was looking for a return. I remember throwing a key block that sprung him loose around the corner then it was a couple of other pancakes on the return. It was perfect. The defense continued with the three and outs and the offense was moving the ball with ease clicking on all cylinders. Yeah. That was the best game I've ever been involved in.

Also in 1999 was the huge win in Oxford. I remember I invited a bunch of friends over to watch it but no one wanted to come because they all thought Vandy would get killed. I remember Greg Zolman had a huge game and we shocked them in overtime. That has to stand out upsetting Deuce McAllister and those guys in Oxford.

Yeah. This was one of our biggest wins. Everyone was standing up cheering the team on. I think this game really gave us momentum for the rest of the season. I remember Elliott Carson with some huge plays. Also I think Todd Yoder had some big plays. As usual Windborn made some great defensive stops in overtime. The offensive coordinator made some great play calling throughout the game and in the last stretch. That year I played mostly special teams and the nickel position, so I didn't start or get much playing time, but I was just excited to be a part of it and to come away with a victory just as everyone else. I did get a chance to lay a good lick on Deuce.

Thanks again Aaron, is there anything else you'd like to say to all your Vanderbilt friends/fans?

I am proud to be a commodore and will continue to support and root for the Dores. Many tough things and hard times happened while I was there but the best thing is to learn from them and be a better and stronger and wiser person. Go Dores!

Interview with former Commodore Center

Trey Holloway Mar 08

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why did you choose to come to Vanderbilt? I'm sure you had other schools pursuing you.

Yes, I had scholarship offers from other schools and a couple of Big 12 schools came late with scholarship offers but I decided on Vanderbilt because of the school. Most guys on the team are from the region and know about the tradition of the SEC but I actually didn’t. I was looking for a place that played big time college football but where I could also get a high quality education and I found that in Vanderbilt.

What are you most proud of from your time at Vandy?

Graduating. Obviously the academic rigor at Vandy is well known so getting a degree from there is something that I’ll always be very proud of.

Do you keep in touch with any of your former teammates?

Yeah, I’m actually roommates with Herdley Harrison and Aaron Carter. I talk regularly with a lot of guys including Robert Dinwiddie, Richard Freeman, and Chris Williams. Kenan Arkan comes in town to visit every so often and Jason Caldwell was recently in town for a visit. We do a pretty good job of staying in touch. I also talk to Larry Simmons pretty often.

Is it true that Jay Cutler talked you into switching from the defensive line to center?

Haha, well he actually had to calm me down because I was pretty upset I was being asked to switch positions. I was first asked in the spring to switch from defensive tackle to center but they left the choice to me and decided to stay at defensive tackle. During spring practice Adam Dossett tore his ACL and at the beginning of the summer we learned that Chris Williams would be ineligible to play in the fall so the move then became a necessity and I wasn’t happy about it. Jay called me while I was at work and told me he had talked to the coaches and they explained that the situation was pretty dire.

Was it a hard adjustment?

From a mental aspect as far as picking up plays and things it wasn’t that difficult but getting my body to do the things I needed to know was a bit of an adjustment as I pretty much learned the position through fall camp. Coach Caldwell and the other offensive linemen, particularly Kenan Arkan and Brian Kovolisky did a great job of making sure I knew my plays though and where to go.

Where was the hardest place to play?

The hardest place to play was definitely the Swamp. We always play them the first weekend in November and in 2003 we played them on the now defunct JP Sports so it was a noon eastern kickoff. In Nashville the weather had already cooled for the year but in Gainesville that day it was at least 80 degrees out, if not hotter. That made for a pretty tough adjustment. During the game in 2005 there that was the loudest crowd I’ve ever heard. I could barely hear Jay calling the snap count and for most of the game Ryan King and Brian Stamper at tackle couldn’t hear the snap count.

Arkansas and South Carolina also have a tendency to get very loud particularly when you’re driving at the end of the game trying to win.

Do you rememeber what you were doing when you heard about the tragic death of Kwane Doster?

I was back home for Christmas break and I was actually sleeping. I got a call from Jovan Haye in the middle of the night and he told me. Later that night I also talked to Matt Tant and Jason Caldwell. Over the next day or so I talked to a lot of my teammates. I still wear my wrist bracelet to commemorate him. Every time I think about what happened to Kwane it still doesn't feel real.

Your sophmore year we led Georgia Tech in the 4th quarter.They scored late and forced overtime. Their first play in overtime was a touchdown. Our first play was an interception. How disappointing was that game?

With this game time does not heal the wounds. The more time that passes between that game and the present the more disappointing it becomes. That game started the stretch where we lost close games on the road at Mississippi State , homecoming to Navy and another close game to Georgia . It really could have served as a springboard for the rest of the season but we let it get away from us. Huge disappointment to say the least.

Later that year we led Georgia 2-0 at halftime before they came back in the 2nd half. What was the feeling like in locker room at halftime?

We were a young team and that was the first time I can remember where we were ahead of a team at halftime that we weren’t supposed to beat. Those combined together made for an excited group of players at halftime that we had the chance to pull off something special.

Also in 03 was the big win against Kentucky , where the fans rushed the field. How good did it feel to get your first conference win against the Wildcats?

It was great. It really did feel like getting a monkey off your back. I also remember feeling really good for our coaches after that game. They're a solid group and it felt good to see them get their first conference win.

Your Junior year we had a huge lead on Rutgers before the came back and won the game. We had a chance late but Cutler was flagged for allegedly throwing past the line of scrimmage. What sticks out about that game?

To be honest, all the bad things that happened, any of which wouldn't have happened, we probably would have won the game stick out the most. I don’t remember a single touchdown we scored that night but there were several plays, on offense and defense which everyone played a part in, that would have kept the game from going the other way. It was another springboard type of game that didn’t go our way in the end but kind of propelled Rutgers to some of the good things they’ve done with their program over the last few years.

Do you think Jay was past the line of scrimmage?

If I remember correctly from our viewing of the film the next day, he wasn’t past the line of scrimmage. It was very disappointing to have the official make that call when it felt like we would have a chance to win the game.

Your Senior year we came back and score 15 points in the 4th quarter to beat Arkansas on the road. That has to be a something you are proud of.

Wow, I didn’t realize we scored 15 in the 4th. The final drive where Marlon caught the touchdown pass was a thing of beauty. That drive was the second loudest I’ve ever heard a stadium get, behind Florida . Because we were in such a hurry and the stadium was so loud there wasn’t time for Jay to make calls for offensive line protection and Arkansas was blitzing pretty much every play. During the week the coaches had done a great job of preparing us to make sure the offensive line and Jay were on the same page the entire drive. Dustin and Erik Davis made some amazing catches on that drive as well.

Also that year was the heartbreaking loss against MTSU. We had a came into that game 4-0. We had a chance late but they blocked our field goal as time expired. Dusting Dunning said he was "disgusted" when he saw the kick get blocked. What were your thoughts.

I was irate. I watched MTSU’s men’s basketball team play in their conference tournament last month and I was very actively cheering against them. My disdain for MTSU runs that deep. Losing to them was very painful and obviously was hard for the team to overcome.

Also in 05 was the shootout in the Swamp. We had a chaance to go for two and the win but Earl Bennett was penalized for "Excessive Celebration" and we had to kick the extra point and forced overtime. What sticks out about that game?

Earl’s first touchdown catch on our first drive was a fun experience, hearing the crowd go silent. Also Jeff Jenning’s touchdown run in the first overtime. The coaches had wanted a timeout to call a different play but no one heard them and we ended up running the play and scoring a touchdown. Bryant Hahnfeldt nailing that PAT to send us to OT was big as well.

Do you think Earl should have been penalized?

I’ve never seen the whole tape but from what I’ve seen it was a sham of a call. Who knows if we would have converted a two point conversion and held them on defense, but we had a special play cooked up for just that occasion that I think we were going to call until that penalty was called.

The next week was another shootout against Kentucky . Special teams and Raphael Little killed us that day. If we had two more minutes in that game I believe we would've drove down the field and won.

Definitely, one of those games where we ran out of time. The problem was that we dug ourselves a hole that was just too deep. We let Raphael Little run wild and on offense we sputtered miserably in the first half including a snap I flubbed on fourth down in our own territory. Bad day. Bryan Mullen from the Tennessean the next week asked me what my lowest moment was a player and the ’05 Kentucky game easily takes the cake because of its implications considering what happened the next week against Tennessee.

You came in to the program in 2001 as a redshirt. Your first game as a Commodore (even though you didn't play) was the first heartbreaking loss to MTSU. You saw the lowest of lows but you ended your career with a win over the Vols in Knoxville . What does that game mean to you?

The win over UT in their stadium was very big for the program. It felt like validation for all the years of work you had put in. There are a lot of people that love this program who have suffered through years of losing to UT and it was great to give those folks an opportunity to see us beat them in their stadium. Lots of grown men hugging and crying on the field and in the locker room after that game. I have several friends that went to UT and one of them grabbed me a few copies of their student newspaper from the Monday following the game. In my apartment here in Washington D.C. I have the front page on the wall. I look at it every day and smile.

Thanks again Trey is there anything else you'd like to say to you Vanderbilt friends and fans out there?

Thanks for all the support you’ve shown. It is because of your support of the program that I was able to have a scholarship to Vanderbilt, and for that I will always be grateful. Keep believing in the players and the coaches, they’re the right people to get the job done.

Can I make a plug for myself too? I am currently living and working in Washington D.C. I recently obtained my license to sell life, health, disability, and accident insurance. I also have a sponsor firm through Mass Mutual and have begun studying for my series 7 exam. My plan is to eventually start my own financial planning firm. If anybody reading this is in the Washington D.C. area and needs the services of a financial planner or needs life, health, disability, or accident insurance, I’m your guy!

Catching up with Former Commodore CB Bill Alford, March 08

Tell us what you've been up to?

I haven't been up to much lately. I'm just staying in shape so I'll be ready to play football.

You almost made the Broncos last year. I remember watching you in a preseason game against the Cowboys. How disappointing was it to make all the way to the final roster cuts?

It's hard being cut no matter which cut it is. At this point I know that it's not about who is the best person but the person who is in the best situation who makes the team.

Was it good to play with Cutler again?

It was great playing with Cutler again. He's a great player and an overall good guy.

What are you most proud of from your time at Vanderbilt?

I'm most proud of graduating from Vanderbilt.

Where was the hardest place to play in the SEC?

Florida. No other stadium was as loud as the swamp. But Georgia and LSU are close.

Who was the hardest guy to tackle?

The hardest guy to tackle was Cadillac Williams. I would say Brandon Jacobs but I never had the oppurtunity to try and tackle him but I have to mention him just because of his size.

What do you remember about playing against Eli Manning in your first game as a Commodore in 2003?

I remember a lot of the game against Eli because that was my first career game playing for Vandy. I just remember the chesc match between our defense and their offense. We knew going into the game that Eli did a good job of reading coverages so we did a lot to try and confuse him.

The Overtime loss to Georgia Tech that year was a heartbreaker. What sticks out from that game?

The hardest part of this game was the day after when we watched the film and how it showed that everyone didn't do as much as they could on the game tying drive.

The Kentucky game that year was a lot of fun. What did you think of all the fans rushing the field and tearing the goal posts down?

It was a great feeling because we won and ended that long losing streak but at the same time I expected to win the game so I wasn't too excited about it. (I dont get excited over things I expect.)

The game with Ole Miss your senior year was another close one. What do you remember about that loss in Oxford?

I remember we were up big and blew the lead and during the game their crowd got just as loud as Florida's crowd and the game wasn't even sold out.

How much did the big win over Mississippi State mean to you?

I felt like we were going to win because of what I knew our offense was capable of doing when we let Cutler throw the ball.

The Rutgers game was a heartbreaker. We blew a 24 point lead and had a chance in the end until Cutler was flagged for passing beyond the line of scrimmage. What did you think when you saw Marlon White catch that 66 yard pass before it got called back?

He wasn't past the line. I've been on teams with 3 guys who played for Rutgers and they said that he wasn't past it. The refs just folded under the pressure to throw the flag because Schiano was putting ot on them.

What do you remember about playing in Baton Rouge. We were only down by 3 at halftime until they pulled away late.

This game was hard for me because it was my birthday and I felt like I cost us the game. I had a good game overall but I felt like when I fell and Chris Davis caught the touchdown it gave them too much momentum for us to overcome especially when Cutler got hurt.

The game on Senior Day was another one where we hung around and had a chance late and fell a little short. How bad did you want to beat the Vols that day in your last game?

I wanted that game because it was my last as a Commodore and I wanted to go out as a winner. Not to mention I really hate UT.

Interview with Former Commodore LB, Herdley Harrison March 08

Herdley, I don't know if you watch pro wrestling or not but one of the main guys is Triple H, the Game is his nickname. Well me and my buddy started calling you Double H, the new Game. When you had a big tackle or sack. We'd yell out "Double H!" Ha!

HAHA, yeah that is funny. Coach Belin actually used to call me Double-H. Tell us what you've been up to. As far as what I've been up to up here in DC...... Upon graduation I was not really sure what I was going to do, but I decided to take a chance and move to a city that I did not know too much about. Seeing that my roommate (Trey Holloway) was moving up here I decided that DC would be a good choice.

Along the way we picked up Aaron Carter and now all of us live up here together. When I first got up here I was working as a HR Manager, however I decided that I was not going to want to do that long term. So now I'm working for a socially responsible mutual fund company right outside of DC and I'm loving every minute of it and learning so much. I still keep in touch with a lot of the guys that I played with and we all plan on visiting eachother at some point. In fact Kenan Arkan just came up and visted us from Chicago and we will be going there at some point in the near future. Jason Caldwell will be in town this weekend and the following weekend we are going to be going to visit Ray Brown and Brandon Holmes.

Why did you choose to come to Vanderbilt and who were some of the other schools recruiting you?

My sister actually graduated from Furman so when Coach Johnson took the Vandy job I was already familiar with him as a coach. Needless to say when Vanderbilt offered it just seemed like a no-brainer. Due to the fact that they were close to home and combined with their academics I thought Vandy was the perfect fit for me. Other schools that recruited me inlcued Miami (OH), MTSU, Penn State (I actually had an in-home visit with former Vandy Coach Kenny Carter), and Furman.

What are you most proud of from your time at Vanderbilt?

I was most proud of the fact that I was not only able to excel on the field, but I was also able to make SEC Honor Roll as well. My mom and dad still have all of those hanging on their wall at home now. There were 3 games that stick out the most for me during my career at Vandy:

1.)Our first SEC win over Kentucky

2.)Finally getting over the hump and closing a game out against Wake Forest

3.)Of course beating UT in Knoxville to close out my playing days at Vandy (28-24!!!!)

Who was the hardest guy to tackle in the SEC?

The hardest guy to tackle in the SEC was either Musa Smith hands down. I'm thinking that it had something to do with the fact that I was a true freshman and he was a senior.

The Kentucky game in 2003 was a big win. I was one of the crazy fans on the field that afternoon. What do you remember about that game?

I just remember looking up and seeing everyone rush the field. It was a great feeling to have hundreds of people telling you what a great job that you did. The best part was probably watching the fans take the goal post down and then start running around with it. In fact Trey still has a piece in his room now.

What sticks out from the Mississippi State win in 2004?

I just remember being in control the whole game. For the most part we were able to dominate the game, and whenever they were able to get something going offensively we were able to create a turnover.

The Rutgers game that year was extremely disappointing. We had that big lead and then they stormed back and took the lead. We had a chance late but Jay Cutler was flagged for throwing the ball past the line of scrimmage.

It was a very hard defeat. During the game all of the guys were on sideline smiling and joking around a little bit because we just knew that we had the game in the bag. And then we let them comeback and eventually beat us. Unfortunately we were not very good at putting teams away when we had them where we wanted them. But it was games like this one and the Rutgers game that made wins at Wake Forest, Arkansas, and Tennessee that much better. Because we were able to get the monkey off of our backs and realize that we can lockdown and be a good team in the 4th quarter.

Do you think Jay was past the line of scrimmage?

Honestly I didn't really get to see it as it happened I just remember everyone cheering and I thought that to myself that maybe we were going to pull this one out. I was able to see the replay both on the jumbotron and on film and it seemed blatanly obvious that Jay was not passed the line. But the reality of the situation is that we did not lose that game because we did not get that call. We lost that game because we did not put Rutgers away when we should have.

Your senior year in the very first game you had a huge sack late in the game that helped seal the win on the road against Wake Forest. What do you remember about that big win?

There was alot going on that game. Jay played a great game and when it came down to crunch time he was able to make some big plays by connecting with Dustin, Marlon, and of course Earl. The defense really stepped up as well. I had not made too many plays up to that point, but Coach Turner just kept telling me to keep on going and on that drive I was able to beat the tackle to the edge and I came up with a big sack.

We had another big win the next week against Arkansas. Early in the game we had a goal line stand. They had 1st and goal on the 4. Then we held them on 2nd and goal, 3rd and goal, and 4th and goal, all from our 1 yard line. How big was that series on defense?

It was HUGE. Everyone just dug in and we were able to get some really big plays out of guys like John Goff, Theo Horrocks, and David Carter. The way that we played down there on that series nearly brought Coach Fowler to tears. I just remember him being so proud of us. That series definitely took away any momentum that Arkansas was building up until that point.

To go 5-0 all we had to do was beat MTSU at home. What do you remember about the blocked field goal in the MTSU game? I don't think I have ever been more hurt as a Commodore fan as I was that night.

It was our toughest loss that season point blank. For some reason or the other, MTSU is Vandy's kryptonite. They ALWAYS were able to play their best against us. The loss was devastating and it was that loss that began our losing streak of 6 games. The thud of that blocked field goal still echoes in my ears.

What do you remember about the South Carolina game that year? That was another one that I thought we were going to come back on the road but it didn't quite work out that way.

Yeah I just remember us not having an answer for Syvelle Newton. Dual-threat quarterbacks are always dangerous and he was no exception. He was playing a great game before he got hurt. After that Jay and Earl took over, but unfortunately it was not meant to be.

The game that year in the Swamp is now legendary. The whole country got to watch us go toe to toe with Florida on ESPN2 that night. What were your thoughts on that shoot out?

It had to be one of the most exciting games that I've ever been apart of. Jay literally carried us that night. I mean some teams don't score 21 points in a game much less a quarter. I also remember having Chris Leak sacked but he was able to slip out of my grasp.

Do you think Earl should have been penalized?

I don't think that it should have been called compared to what other people/teams get away with, but needless to say I guess that it shouldn't have been done. But its kinda hard to tell an 18 yr old kid to not celebrate when at that point in time it was his emotions taking over. From what I saw it really wasn't even that much of a celebration. It was especially devastating to us due to the fact that we were going to go for two on the conversion.

You came in to program in 2002. You saw the thrashing Georgia Tech gave us in your first game as a Commodore. You saw a lot of highs and a lot of lows. What did it mean to you to go to Knoxville for your last game and beat the Vols?

Yeah I guess that I never really thought about it from that perspective. The first collegiate game of my career was really bad loss to Georgia Tech that ironically was in front of all my friends and family due to the fact that I'm from Marietta, GA. There really could not have been a better way for me to end my career other than beating UT in Knoxville. Up until that point I seen the lowest of the lows and that did not just include losing games. There was of course the loss of Kwane which not only affected the team, but it also affected the campus and the city of Nashville. That victory meant alot not only to us as players and the Vanderbilt community, it meant alot to Kwane's family as well.

Thanks again Herdley, is there anything else you'd like to say to your Commodore fans?

To all of the fans out there I just want to thank you for supporting and believing in Vanderbilt Football throughout the years. I really do believe that best is yet to come and that Coach Johnson and his staff are going to continue doing a great job.

Catching up with Former Commodore WR Marlon White Mar 08

So, tell us what you've been up to.

Well actually not a whole lot. I have been between Nashville and my hometown since I graduated and now I'm about to go to Youngstown, Ohio to play in the AF2 for the Mahoning Valley Thunder.

How did you get involved in the Arena League?

Well, I got hooked up with that through my former receiver's coach from high school. He knows the head coach of the team and he signed me based on my coach's word.

Why did you choose Vanderbilt? Who were some of the other schools recruiting you?

I chose Vanderbilt because so many people told me that after I graduated I would have no problem finding a job. Also I was given the opportunity to play college football at the highest level in the county. I was recruited by UGA, Troy, Furman, MTSU, Navy, and Marshall.

Do you keep in touch with any of your former teammates?

Yeah, I keep in touch with a lot of guys especially when I'm Nashville. But George Smith is my best friend.

Where was the hardest place to play?

The hardest place for me to play for some reason was SouthCarolina. I really can't explain what it was but it was just tough to play there.

Who was the hardest hitter in the SEC?

Laron Landry

Do you think Coach Johnson is a little too conservative with his play calling sometimes?

Well I don't think it was all him. I think it was mostly the offensive coordinator that was so conservative in the play calling. But I do feel like we could have taken way more chances than we did.

What did you think of Coach Johnson's "No Cursing Rule?"

I think it was cool because it helps to make everyone on the team to become more respectable men. I feel like you don't need to curse to have intensity and to show emotion. It's cool with me just as long as the intensity doesn't go away.

Your 2nd game as a Commdore against UTC was your coming out party. What do you remember about having such a big game in only your 2nd game as a Commodore?

All I remember is that since I got on campus I felt like I could play on this level against anyone in the country and that game was a little affirmation for me.

Your sophmore year you caught the 66 yard bomb that would have set up the game winning score against Rutgers. What do you remember about that game? Giving up a 24 point lead had to be tough.

What I remember most about that game is the fact that they called that play because because of the penalty. Giving up such a big lead seemed unreal to me. I just could not have imagined that happening.

Do you think Jay was past the line of scrimmage?

I know he was past the line of scrimmage after watching replays of the play on ESPN. Its a shame so many calls go against us like that at home.

What do you remember about the UT game in 2004? You had a lot of yards and a TD. It was another one where we hung around and had a chance late but couldn't finish.

I remember the catch that I had that was tipped by Brandon Smith for a big gain. I also remember his 80 yard TD score.

2005 was a fun year. What do you remember about the big win at Wake Forest to start the season?

I caught the first TD of the season on top of a guy. I thought from then on that the season was going to be a special one.

The next week you only had five catches but two of those were 4th quarter touchdown receptions. Being down early and coming back late to win in Fayetteville has to be a great memory.

Yes it is. I was very emotional at the end of that game because I had caught the game winning TD. That's one of my proudest moments of my career.

The MTSU game was absolutley heartbreaking what do you recall thinking as you watched them block the field goal that would've made us 5-0?

I was just like wow I can't believe this just happened.

The game in the Swamp that year was a fun game to watch. Looking back now what do you remember thinking when you saw Earl catch that now infamous touchdown which he was flagged for excessive celebration?

I just remember being like "are you serious...he didn't even get a chance to finish the dance."

The game in Knoxville is now Vanderbilt Legend. Once again you only had five catches but again two of the were touchdowns. Dustin Dunning said that we could've beaten the New England Patriots that day. What are your thoughts on that huge victory?

It was just fitting for Jay and the rest of our seniors to finish there career on such a high note. It still hasn't hit me how important the win was for Vandy football history. I just remember being extremely happy and proud for our seniors.

The first game your senior year in Ann Arbor you had that big touchdown catch that Earl Bennett threw. The game was closer than the score indicates. It was only 13-7 at the half. They got a garbage TD late in the 4th quarter. If that game is played in 2005 we win that game.

Yeah I think we would have won that game if we had played it later in that season. It was the first start for Chris Nickson and I dont think anyone knew what to expect for him. I think with a few more games under his belt he would have lead us to victory.

The next week we went to another hostile enviornment in Tuscaloosa. What were your thoughts on losing that close game down there?

 

It actually had been the story of my career. We have lost so many games by fewer than seven points that it is sickening. We just could not seal the deal.

You are originally from Georgia. What did it mean to you as a Georgia native when we went down there and beat them in Athens 24-22?

I was extremely excited about it. It gave me bragging rights for at least a year. If you are from Georgia then you know how important UGA football is to that state. I think its bigger than UT football to Tennessee fans.

Thanks again Marlon. Is there anything else you'd like to say to your Commodore fans out there?

I just wanna thank all of the fans who have supported Commodore athletics and continue to do so. We appreciate the loyalty through the ups and downs.

 

Interview with Super Bowl Champion and former Commodore LB

Shelton Quarles, Feb 08

Shelton, thank you for taking the time to talk to us today. Your story is very inspiring. You signed with the Miami Dolphins as a free agent after you graduated from Vanderbilt. You were cut and then played in the Canadian Football League. You did well there and received a tryout with the Bucs. You took advantage of that opportunity and wound up a few years later with a spot in the Pro Bowl and a Super Bowl ring. Did you ever in your wildest dreams that you would have such a great career?

I had no idea that my career would end up this way, once I was released from the Dolphins, I thought my career in football was over. It was probably the lowest point in my life because I went from being the big man on campus, in my opinion to a man searching for answers to life. I was born to a single mother, who had me at an early age, 15. My father was a drug dealer and he was killed when I was 3. Being raised by her without a male influence, forced me to look for positive things in others, and I tried to incorporate those things into my life. I never had anyone to look up to that was christian so I grew up lost.While in Canada, I found the Lord and that changed who I was as a person. Also, my background and my academic success through study habits formed at Vandy allowed me, in my opinion to excel at the next level, the NFL.

Don't you also hold the record for longest play in Tampa Bay history?

I do hold the record for the longest play from scrimmage for Tampa, a 98 yard INT for a TD against Bret Favre during the 2001 season.

I did a little research for the interview and I initially wanted to just ask you about your IMPACT Foundation but I had no idea that you had been to Afghanistan on a USO tour and you were a spokesman for the American Heart Association. How did you get involved with all of these wonderful causes?

I currently do a lot of things in the community of Tampa Bay. I appreciate all the support that we as a team have received from the community and I thought I should show my gratitude by getting involved for the betterment of the community. My wife thought we should find a way to give back and that is why we started the foundation. We have had a lot of different programs that we have done, golf for inner city kids, back to school programs, where we give school supplies to children when they start a new school year, holiday food giveaways, football camps, annual golf tournaments, and our biggest thing that we do is that we give away homes to single mothers because I was raised by a singe mother. Our slogan for the foundation is Tackling the problems of families in need, and I think we have done a good of picking good causes that need attention. I currently sit on a few boards here in Tampa, the board for the Florida Aquarium, the board for All Childrens Hospital i St. Petersburg, and I was a past board ember for Tampa General Hospital. I have been on several committees, there are too many to name. I was recently appointed by the Governor of Florida, Charlie Crist. I am the chairman of a regional transportation board called TBARA (Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority). I have 5 mayors under my advisement and the rest of the board is comprised of county commissioners. It covers seven counties and is probably the most powerful board ever assembled in the history of Florida. I have also been involved with the American Heart Association for 6 years and was a big brother with Big Brothers and Big Sisters for 6 years. I had the great opportunity of visiting our troops in Iraq and Russia last March and that was truly an eye opening experience, one that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

If anyone wanted to donate or help how can they reach the IMPACT Foundation?

Donations to the foundation can be made through the website at sheltonquarles.org

You were a local guy. Who were some of the other schools that recruited you and why did you ultimately choose Vanderbilt?

I was recruited by a lot of OVC schools because I was very small, size wise, coming out of Whites Creek. I chose Vanderbilt because it is an academic institution and my mother impressed upon me at an early age, the value of a good education. I was also born at Vanderbilt.

Do you keep in touch with any of your former Commodore teammates?

I do in fact keep up with some guys that I played with and also some people that were just students.

What are you the most proud of from your time at Vanderbilt?

I am most proud of the fact that I graduated with my class after having to take 21 hours in each of my last three semesters.

You came in 1990 under Watson Brown and in 1991 Gerry Dinardo was brought in as the head coach. What did you think of Coach Dinardo's rule about not allowing orange in the stadium and calling UT "the school to the east"?

I did not have a problem with the people that straddled the fence when we played UT, there were a dominant school and still are but I thought DiNardo was a little harsh. At least those people brought income to the school.

I'd like to ask you about some of the big games you played in. One of my favorite memories was the win over Georgia in 1991. You guys were big underdog and pulled the upset. Eric Zeier and Garrison Hearst were having great years. What sticks out about that game?

What sticks out to me most are three plays, the first is the fumble that Corey Harris picked up and cut across the field, he zigged and zagged across the field and scored a long TD. The second play is the penalty called on me for being off side on a field goal attempt that their kicker missed badly, he lined up and missed it again after the 5 yard penalty. And finally, I had a huge sack against Zeier that they blew up and had in on the wall at McGugin Center.

Also in 1991 we lost to LSU and Auburn both by 2 points and reeled off 4 straight wins. We headed to Knoxville 5-5 a win away from a bowl game. I remember talking a lot of trash the week before that game. As we all know a 45-0 loss ended our season. Did you see that coming?

I did not see that loss coming, I thought it would be a closer game. There was a lot of trash being said before the game and there was a huge fight. I can remember one of our players being picked up by his face mask and rag dolled by their safety Dale Carter. I can also remember Robert Davis, our cornerback, talking trash after every play that he made.

Another one of my favorite wins of the 90's was the game against Ole Miss. They were ranked and had several future NFL players coming into Nashville and we wound up beating them 31-9. What do you remember about that night?

I just remember that it was a huge win for us.

Where were you on November 25, 2005? Did you get to see Vandy finally beat Tennessee in Knoxville?

I did not get to see the game in Knoxville but I had a bunch of friends calling to give me updates, it was and probably still is one of the biggest wins in the history of Vanderbilt.

Thanks a lot Shelton, is there anything else you'd like to say to your Commodore friends out there?

I would like to say, Keep supporting the Dores, we are on our way up in all sports!

 

Interview with Former Commodore WR Brandon Smith Feb 08

Thanks for taking the time to do this Brandon, tell us what you've been up to.

I'm not sure if a lot of people know, but I was involved in a very serious car accident on September 29, 2007. I was hospitalized for five days, suffered a dislocated hip and was out of work for a month. I want to let everyone know that I am on my way to a full recovery. I just want to thank everyone for keeping me in their prayers, it definitely helped. I have been recently cleared by my doctor and my physical therapist and am beginning to get back to my old self. If God permits, I would like to be running routes and catching passes again on some professional level. But right now I am enjoying teaching and coaching wide receivers at my alma mater, St. Augustine High School in New Orleans.

Who or what inspired you to become a teacher and coach?

My ultimate goal is to be a coach on the college or professional level. I see this as a stepping stone to bigger and better things in the future as far as coaching is concerned. Teaching is just a way of me giving back to the high school that gave so much to me. I feel that these young men need young, positive role models that they can look up to because not all of them have father figures at home.

Do you think you are healthy enough to give the NFL another shot or have you considered the AAFL?

I'm definitley a few months away from being healthy enough to give pro football another shot. I most certainly want to and it is definitely something that I plan to do. Before the accident, I was trying to get a workout set up with the AAFL. A few of my former teammates for both high school and college we selected in the AAFL's draft and also in supplementary drafts. I figure that might be my best bet. When I do come back though, I want to make sure that I am on top of m