November 2012
SHARING THE LOAD
Football team bonds through personal stories of triumph
ALSO INSIDE: Offense + defense equals we-fense Previewing four winter sports Basketball assistants committed to university Pro baseball players return to finish degrees
Proud to support Vanderbilt Athletics
CONTENTS
WINTER PREVIEW P.8 Men’s basketball Kevin Stallings’ SEC Tournament champs reload.
P.17
P.13
VU index up as shares rise
Assistant deans
Personal stories of victory over adversity help James Franklin’s Commodore football team bond.
Two basketball staffers enjoying longevity with respective programs.
P.18 We-fense Third phase of game gets top priority for Commodores.
P.2 P.9
Compliance corner
Women’s basketball
P.3
Five All-SEC performers return for Melanie Balcomb’s Commodores.
P.10 Bowling Freshmen expected to add depth for John Williamson’s national semifinalists.
P.11 Swimming Jeremy Organ’s group continues to set new marks in the pool.
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P.20 Pros are true class act Baseball players to return to campus for degrees, Corbin.
National Commodore Club
P.7 Inside McGugin
P.23 It’s my turn Rod Williamson’s monthly column.
P.24 My game Cross country’s Rebecca Chandler
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COMPLIANCE
CORNER Q: A:
I’m an alumnus. Am I a booster?
Not necessarily. Not all Vanderbilt alumni are considered boosters. Likewise, a booster does not have to be a graduate of Vanderbilt. Boosters meet at least one of the criteria listed: • Have participated in or been a member of an agency that promotes the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program (ALL former Vanderbilt student-athletes ARE boosters!) • Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or a booster organization for the department • Have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution’s athletics program • Have been a season ticket holder • Have provided benefits to student-athletes or their relatives or friends. Thus, an individual who has ever made a financial contribution to the Athletics Department is a booster. In a general sense, a season ticket holder is not a booster, unless your season ticket payment also includes a donation. Members and financial supporters of the Commodore Club or any other Vanderbilt athletic organization are boosters. These are only a handful of examples of typical “boosters” who may be affiliated with an athletic program. Many additional scenarios exist, but, regardless of a booster affiliation with the university, it is important that all supporters follow NCAA rules as they interact with prospects, current student-athletes, their families and friends. NCAA rules generally apply to all fans, whether you are a booster or not!
Publisher: Vanderbilt University Editor-in-Chief: Chris Weinman
Designer: Jeremy Teaford Director of Communications: Rod Williamson Digital Image Specialist: Julie Luckett Turner
VU Photography:
Daniel Dubois Steve Green Joe Howell Jenny Mandeville Anne Rayner John Russell Susan Urmy
Contributors: Brandon Barca Andy Boggs Larry Leathers George Midgett Kyle Parkinson Weston Pletcher Emily Sane Michael Scholl Ryan Schulz Eric Single
Administrative
Chancellor: Nicholas S. Zeppos Vice Chancellor for University Affairs: David Williams II Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs: Beth Fortune
Vanderbilt University Student Athletics’ Mission Statement We prepare student-athletes to become leaders and champions in life by placing the highest values on integrity, character, sportsmanship and victory. Vanderbilt University is an equal-opportunity, affirmative-action university. ON THE COVER: Senior Johnell Thomas (98) and the Commodores celebrate an SEC road victory at Missouri. Photo by John Russell, VU Photography. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to National Commodore Club, 2601 Jess Neely Drive, Nashville, TN 37212. SUBSCRIPTION: To subscribe, contact Chris Weinman by e-mail at commodorenation@vanderbilt.edu ADVERTISEMENT: To advertise with Commodore Nation, please contact Vanderbilt IMG Sports & Entertainment Properties. Jeff Miller, general manager 615/322-4468; jeff.miller@imgworld.com
Compliance questions? Please contact: Candice Lee George Midgett Director of Compliance Compliance Coordinator 615/322-7992 615/322-2083 candice.lee@vanderbilt.edu george.d.midgett@vanderbilt.edu John Peach Andrew Turner Compliance Coordinator Recruiting/Compliance Coordinator 615/343-1060 615/322-4543 john.w.peach@vanderbilt.edu andrew.turner@vanderbilt.edu
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Commodore Nation is printed using (10% post-consumer) recycled paper.
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Inside McGugin
By The Numbers
Notes from the athletic department
3.13
seconds that Jenn Mann shaved off the Vanderbilt school record in the 200-yard breaststroke with her time of 2:15.03 on Oct. 10.
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l Basketball alumnus John Ed Miller (‘65) will be inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame on May 3. Miller was surprised with a Lifetime Achievement recipient during the recent TSHOF Induction Luncheon at Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin. The honor is the result of a tremendous basketball career, a tenure in the U.S. Navy and 35 years working at Southern Bell/South Central Bell/BellSouth for the former Union City, Tenn., product.
38 PHOTO BY JIMMY JONES
anderbilt baseball’s 11-player freshman class is the best in the nation, according to Collegiate Baseball. The Commodores’ freshman class features seven players who were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft this past summer. The group consists of six right-handed pitchers and five position players who join a Vanderbilt squad that returns 25 players. This marks the first time Collegiate Baseball has rated VU’s recruiting class first. Last year’s incoming group was ranked No. 2 by Collegiate Baseball, though Baseball America did place that class at No. 1.
Baseball Head Coach Tim Corbin
l Former Vanderbilt administrator Brad Bates was named the director of athletics at Boston College on Oct. 9. Bates, who served at Vanderbilt for 17 years, is credited with bolstering Miami (Ohio) University’s athletics program during his 10 years as the Redhawks’ athletic director. Bates played football at the University of Michigan, where he earned his master’s degree in education. In 1998, he completed his doctorate in education from Vanderbilt. n
regular-season basketball games that will be televised this season—including 10 Southeastern Conference games on the women’s side.
845
strokes by the VU men’s golf team at the 2012 Mason Rudolph Championship— good for a nine-stroke victory over second-place Oklahoma
80,700
fans who attended Vanderbilt’s football games against Florida and Auburn last month, as the Commodores’ sold out consecutive games for the first time since 1996.
Calendar
November highlights
Nov. 10 The Commodore men’s and women’s basketball teams will open their respective 2012-13 schedules on the same day against teams from Louisiana. The women play host to McNeese State, while the men welcome Nicholls State. Check vucommodores.com for updated game times.
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Nov. 17 Nov. 17 Coach Franklin’s football team only has one home date in November for the second straight season. When Tennessee visits Vanderbilt Stadium on Nov. 17, the Commodores will honor their graduating senior class during a pregame ceremony. Game time will be announced by Nov. 5.
The University of Louisville will serve as the host for the 2012 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships at E.P. ‘Tom’ Sawyer State Park. The women’s race begins at noon ET, with the men’s race to follow. The Commodore women placed sixth at the 2011 event in Terre Haute, Ind.
Thanksgiving Weekend Holiday hoops will be in full swing this month. The men’s basketball team travels to Orlando, Fla., for the Old Spice Classic (Nov. 22-25). The Commodores will open against Davidson and are guaranteed three games on the weekend. The women will take part in the San Juan Shootout in Puerto Rico (Nov. 23-24), playing Atlantic Coast Conference rivals Virginia and Florida State on back-toback days.
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WINTER PREVIEW Men’s Basketball
Rod Odom
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ith the 2012-13 Commodore men’s basketball team, fans will see a plethora of new faces and names on the Memorial Gym hardwood. They have seen a few of the faces before, but this season, those faces will be more apparent and will play larger roles. To put this year’s spotlighted returner into context, the stage has to be set for what the Commodores actually lost from a year ago. Head Coach Kevin Stallings saw three of the five starters from his 2012 SEC Tournament championship team drafted in the first 31 selections of June’s NBA Draft (Festus Ezeli, John Jenkins, Jeffery Taylor). Two other starters (Lance Goulbourne, Brad Tinsley) and the top reserve (Steve Tchiengang) were lost to graduation. In all, 88 percent of the team’s offensive production must be replaced. With no seniors on this year’s roster, Stallings and his staff will turn to junior forward Rod Odom, a inside-and-outside threat who has impressed everyone with his leadership and hand work in the summer. Odom, from Central Islip, N.Y., has added 10 pounds and will be called upon in a much different way than in the past. Odom has as much experience as anyone on the Commodore roster—he has played in all 70 games of his two-year career and made 10 starts, averaging 3.1 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest. Odom—a career 37.4% three-point shooter—will be asked to make threes, put the ball on the floor and get to the rim with more frequency, and also shore up Vanderbilt’s post presence (Odom’s 6’9” frame makes him the second-tallest Commodore on the roster). Vanderbilt fans can expect to see plenty of Odom this season as the Commodores look to reap the rewards of the hard work he has put forth in the offseason. n
“This team has been really incredible with how hard they’ve worked, how eager they are to learn and to get going. I think our fans will really enjoy this basketball team because they are going to play very, very hard. Obviously, you don’t know how many wins that’s going to correlate to, but I know they’re going to play hard and be a group our fan base is going to enjoy.” — Kevin Stallings
Kevin Bright True freshman Kevin Bright, from Mannheim, Germany, will carry on the Commodores’ tradition of having an international player on their roster and also is a prime candidate to continue Vanderbilt’s sharp-shooting tendencies from the outside. At 6’5”, Bright will play at the off-guard and small forward position and has impressed coaches early on with his basketball IQ and work ethic. After averaging 14.7 points and 7.6 rebounds in his final season at the Urspring Basketball Academy, Bright was a member of the 2012 Under-20 German National Team that placed fifth in the European Championship.
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Noteworthy Vanderbilt’s 25 wins in 2011-12 were the most since the 2007-08 season and the second-highest win total since the 1992-93 season. The Commodores’ seven 20-win seasons in the past nine years is third in the SEC behind Florida (nine) and Kentucky (eight).
WINTER PREVIEW Women’s Basketball
Christina Foggie
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unior Christina Foggie will look to become just the seventh player in Southeastern Conference history to lead the league in scoring during consecutive seasons. As a sophomore, Foggie finished the season at 17.7 points per game to become the first player under Head Coach Melanie Balcomb to win an SEC scoring title. Foggie was joined at the head of the conference by John Jenkins on the men’s side, as the pair helped VU become the first school since 2006 to boast a pair of scoring champions. That feat has been accomplished only four times in SEC history. The Mount Laurel, N.J., native earned WBCA All-Region honors, as well as All-SEC First Team honors from both the Associated Press and the league’s coaches. Foggie also led the league in three-point field goal percentage (42.9%) and was second in freethrow percentage (83.2%). Foggie led the Commodores in scoring during 16 contests and eclipsed the 20-point mark in 12 games. She poured in a careerhigh 34 points in a victory over No. 17/15 Georgia, shooting 12 of 24 from the field and 7 of 16 from three. It was the highestscoring night for a Commodore in nearly six seasons. In the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Foggie scored 26 points against second-seeded Duke. What will Foggie do for an encore? The guard says improve her defense. “Everyone knew I could score last year, but I want to defend more this year.” Preseason accolades are pouring in for Foggie, including a number of mentions on All-America teams. And despite her gaudy numbers, teams may have a hard time keying on her when the Commodores return 97.6 percent of their scoring from last season and welcome the addition of another highly touted freshman class. n
“Our confidence lies in our offense, and we’re going to have to gain confidence in our defense. We have to be able to trust it, count on it and rely on it in every game.” —Melanie Balcomb
Jasmine Jenkins It’s hard to pinpoint one newcomer in a six-person freshman class that was ranked among the top 25 nationally, but look for Jasmine Jenkins to have an immediate impact. The 5’8’’ guard averaged 16.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game as a high school senior, earning Player of the Year honors from the Gainesville (Ga.) Times. A graduate of Gainesville’s East Hall High School, Jenkins brings an expectation to win that she backed up on the floor when she converted on a game-winning three-point play to win a regional championship during her senior season.
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Noteworthy In a decade as head coach, Melanie Balcomb has led her team to at least 20 wins in all 10 seasons, as well as to 10 NCAA Tournaments. She has posted an average of 23.8 wins per season, and if she matches that pace in 2012-13, Balcomb will become the program’s all-time winningest coach (Jim Foster, 256 wins).
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WINTER PREVIEW Bowling
Jessica Earnest
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enior Jessica Earnest plans to go out big and she appears to be right on schedule. The three-time, second-team All-American has always looked at those honors as consolation prizes that went along with her team’s semi-finalist finishes at the NCAA Championships. She has been working hard to improve the minute details that often spell the difference between champion and also-ran. Earnest won a Gold Medal competing for Junior Team USA last summer in Thailand, where her weeklong performance was among the team’s finest. “To know that I am a world champion and in the history books in my last youth tournament was the way I had dreamed of going out,” Earnest says. “That was my Olympics. I love winning as a team, to me it is a bigger thrill than winning as an individual. There are no words to describe the feeling of winning gold.” Jessica has learned by observing her older sister Josie—a former Commodore All-American and now the team’s assistant coach—establish herself as one of the world’s best bowlers based on finishes at professional tournaments. Earnest also has settled into Vanderbilt’s demanding academic requirements. The Vandalia, Ill., native recorded her best semester last spring and has seen her cumulative grade point average rise with each passing semester. Among her responsibilities this year will be to serve as a mentor to four newcomers on the roster along with a handful of other less experienced Commodores. Jessica is a member of the team’s Leadership Council. In a sport where winning and losing can often be determined by the barest of threads, leadership will be vital on this gifted but youthful team. After years of preparation, Jessica Earnest is more than ready for the assignment. n
“This team has the most quality depth we’ve ever had. Our practice sessions are intensely competitive, and this should prove to be a real advantage as we move through our long season.” — John Williamson
Robyn Renslow Californian Robyn Renslow could make a real impression on the Commodores’ roster this season. A transfer from Los Medanos College, she was attracted to Vanderbilt for its academics and potential to guide her into a medical career. Vanderbilt Coach John Williamson had recruited Renslow during her high school career as one of the West’s top bowlers. This summer, Renslow won two major junior tournaments: the Firecracker and the USBC Junior Gold, the latter of which earned her a spot on Junior Team USA.
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Noteworthy The Commodore bowling program has been a national trail-blazer. Vanderbilt was the first NCAA bowling team ever invited to the White House by the president after winning the 2007 national championship and last summer became the first NCAA team to compete in Europe, where it defeated the Italian National Team.
WINTER PREVIEW Swimming
Chrissy Oberg
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anderbilt will look to build off a solid 2011-12 campaign as the Commodores return talented sophomore Chrissy Oberg in 2012-13. Oberg had an impressive freshman season, which she finished by representing Vanderbilt at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb. Vanderbilt’s success in the pool this season starts with Oberg, who will be looked upon to help lead a veteran-heavy squad. The Spartanburg, S.C., native was nearly always one of the top finishers for Vanderbilt last season. In the pool Oberg swims the backstroke and butterfly events for Head Coach Jeremy Organ. She posted VU’s top times of the season in the 50-, 100- and 200yard backstroke, while also having some of the top times in the 100 and 200 butterfly and 200 individual medley. Last season she won the 200 backstroke at Arkansas and at South Carolina. In the 100 backstroke she won at South Carolina, as well. Oberg won events versus Marshall, Tulane and Evansville. At the 2012 SEC Championships, she was a member of the 200-medley relay team that set a new school record with a time of 1:44.65. Oberg also is an outstanding student. She was named a USA Academic All-American after her senior year at Spartanburg High School and earned recognition on the 2011-12 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll last year. Coming out of high school, she was regarded as the top high school swimmer in the state of South Carolina, while Swimming World ranked her as a five-star recruit. Oberg is already off to solid start this season. In the home opener versus LSU, Oberg won the 200 backstroke in a time of 2:01.95, just missing her personal record with that time. Coach Organ will count on her consistency this season as Vanderbilt looks to continue its upward trajectory. n
“I’m really excited about this year’s schedule, especially with the opportunity to swim at our home pool for five of the meets. Having three SEC meets in October is a big challenge early in the season, but will give us a good reading on where we are going to be for the season.” — Jeremy Organ
Jenn Mann Two meets. Two school records. Not a bad start for freshman Jenn Mann. The Victoria, British Columbia, native ventured to Vanderbilt under the radar, but with much to prove. She has made an immediate impact for the Commodores. In the home opener versus LSU on Oct. 10, Mann broke two school records. In the 100 breaststroke, Mann edged out the competition on her way to a record time of 1:03.09. In the 200 breaststroke, she blazed by the competitors with a school record time of 2:15.03. Her mark was more than three seconds faster than the previous record established by Laura Dillon in 2010.
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Noteworthy The swim program at Vanderbilt was dormant for more than a decade before being reinstated. Coach Organ’s Commodores have been re-writing the VU record book since regaining varsity status in 2006. The oldest Vanderbilt swimming record that still stands belongs to Leslie Holt (1989) in the 400 individual medley.
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PHOTOS BY JOE HOWELL
Hoops assistants reflect on more than decade of experience
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anderbilt assistant coaches Brad Frederick and Vicky Picott have a combined 25 years of experience with Commodore basketball, spanning the entire tenures of their respective head coaches. A graduate of the University of North Carolina, Frederick—son of former University of Kansas athletic director, the late Bob Frederick—came to Vanderbilt’s staff straight out of college. Picott played overseas after a successful college career at Rutgers and came to Vanderbilt with Melanie Balcomb from Xavier. Commodore Nation sat down with both coaches last month to discuss their careers. Commodore Nation: You both served in coaching roles during your college days. How did that help prepare you for this career path? Vicky Picott: As a student assistant coach I realized early that I wanted to be coaching full-time. Working with [Rutgers coach Theresa] Grentz, she was a great example for me. She played more of a mom figure for me, even when I was in college. She taught me the ins and outs of coaching, and really I was learning how to run a program under her. She developed people first and then players second. Brad Frederick: I went to North Carolina because I knew before I went to college that I
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wanted to get into coaching. My dad had been a coach before he was an administrator. Dean Smith was the coach at the time, and it seemed like a great opportunity to learn from him. I went there and played, and they also had a (junior varsity) program. Phil Ford, who was an assistant at the time, ran that, and before my senior year I asked him if I could help coach the JV team on the side. The opportunity to learn under him was a great experience for me. CN: How did each of you transition to coaching at Vanderbilt? VP: Initially, my plan was to try to play as long as I possibly could. After college I went to play ball over in Luxembourg for a year and then tried Israel for half a season. Then was coaching the freshman team and assisting the varsity at my high school (Hightstown [N.J.]). One of my former coaches, Kristen Foley, hired me on at Drexel once I was done there, and then we moved on to Temple. Coach Balcomb had seen me coach because Xavier was in the same conference as Temple at the time. A lot of the times I actually had the Xavier scout. Temple was nowhere near as good as Xavier, but we always gave them one of the best games, and I think Coach Balcomb took notice of that. Us being from the same high school didn’t hurt, coming from the same
town and playing for the same coach. She asked me to come join her at Xavier, and it was a no-brainer. When the whole Vanderbilt opportunity came up we were all chomping at the bit for her to take the job because she has big aspirations of winning a national championship, and we knew that Vanderbilt would give us the best opportunity BF: I graduated Carolina in 1999. That spring Coach Stallings had just been hired here at Vanderbilt. So I talked to Coach Stallings and I talked to Matt Doherty, who had just been hired at Notre Dame, about positions, and ultimately came here. [Current VU assistant] David Cason actually got hired at Notre Dame in that spot. Coach Stallings had been an assistant at Kansas when I was in high school, so I knew him then. I had followed him and knew of the success that he had at Illinois State. I didn’t know a lot about Vanderbilt, quite honestly, but had faith that he was going to do a great job here. It seemed like a good starting spot, so I came here and then after my first year here, Steve Shurina left to go be the head coach at Western Carolina, and I got moved up to an assistant spot. That was a little bit crazy. I was 23 and an assistant in the SEC. I felt like I knew what I was doing, but obviously there’s an adjustment and a learning curve right away.
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“The school is great. The town is great. The campus is great. But the best thing about Vanderbilt is our kids on the team.”
problems that other people have at their universities. As coaches, we talk about issues with our teams. I would deal with our issues here at Vanderbilt any time (in comparison). It’s just the culture at Vanderbilt, the type of kid that we attract. Our problems aren’t half as bad. You feel good about what you’re doing every day when you come to work.
Picott on Coach Balcomb: “When she comes in to the locker room after we win a big game the kids are launching water at her. Then she has to go to media with her hair drenched. She’ll come in the wrong door and try to get a sneak attack in on them. That’s probably the biggest thing she lets her hair down on.”
CN: To what do you credit your longevity at Vanderbilt? VP: I feel connected to Vanderbilt, and every single year I feel more connected simply because when you go out and recruit these kids you invest so much time and effort to get them here. On a personal side I almost feel guilty when there is an opportunity to go somewhere else. I know not a lot of coaches deal with this struggle, but for me, I’ve dealt with that struggle of leaving a player—the Carla Thomases, the Hannah Tuomis, the Tina Wirths, now the Tiffany Clarkes. It’s just really difficult. Once you’ve talked to their parents and you like this kid and you get them here, I feel a sense of commitment to them. To some extent, it could be detrimental, but I love what I do because I feel that Vanderbilt does it the right way. I think about the problems that we encounter, and because of the type of kid that we get at Vanderbilt it never seems to amount to the
BF: I would agree. What we tell people in recruiting all the time is, “The school is great. The town is great. The campus is great. But the best thing about Vanderbilt is our kids on the team. For us, it was that first class that kind of got us over the top, when Matt Freije, Russell Lakey and Scott Hundley were seniors. They started the Vanderbilt culture of great kids who worked hard and were good in the classroom. The best thing is seeing each class after those guys carry on that tradition. Just to be around so many great kids [like] Shan Foster, who won the Senior CLASS Award. And we’ve had many guys who have been really good examples for Vanderbilt. To now have guys that not only have done great in the classroom but make the NBA, that has been huge for us. CN: What does it mean to you to see your former student-athletes return to campus? VP: It’s a real treat to have them come back. A lot of our kids who have come to Vanderbilt from out of state decide to stay in Nashville because they love it so much and because of their experience. Our kids learn from them. We’ve had them come in and talk to our players during tournament time just to give them a little bump. It’s really neat to have them around, and they love to come back. Having those kids, with all those rings from our three SEC Tournament championships and the Sweet
New VU Hoops Book Bill Traughber’s new book “Vanderbilt Basketball: Tales of Commodore Hardwood History” is available now. Vanderbilt athletic historian Bill Traughber leads the charge through Commodore history. Feel the magic of Memorial Gymnasium as all the historical highlights of Vanderbilt men’s basketball from 1893 through the 2012 SEC Tournament championship are revealed. Traughber, a researcher and writer of Nashville sports history for 14 years, has been recognized as a six-time winner in the Best Feature Writer category and a two-time Writer of the Year as a member of the Tennessee Sports Writers Association.
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16 appearances, that close where they can come back and share their experiences has really been invaluable. CN: Do you have one memory that sticks out from your time here so far? VP: Our second year here we were down 18 in the SEC Tournament and came back against Georgia (in the championship game), and I remember sitting on the bench and going, “Are you kidding me? We’re gonna win the SEC Tournament our second year here!” It was that exciting, because every year I feel like, as far as athleticism and All-Americans, we are always considered the underdog. To come in and make that immediate impact and win the SEC Tournament our second year, I think that holds probably the biggest “wow” factor. BF: The Sweet 16s and last year’s SEC Tournament were great, but for us—for me—the most important game was Senior Night in 2004. We played Tennessee, and it was kind of a make-orbreak game for us because we needed a win to feel good about making the NCAA Tournament. Matt Freije scored every basket of the second half, except for the first basket of the half and the last basket. It was absolutely unbelievable. We always joke that Matt is the reason we all still have jobs. That game against Tennessee got us over the hump. n
Frederick on Coach Stallings: “Coach plays all our guys when they’re recruits in H.O.R.S.E., and he’s very proud of his undefeated record against our entire team, including John [Jenkins] in high school. Coach still can shoot it.”
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Football
Football team “shares” create special bonds By Chris Weinman
PHOTOS BY JOHN RUSSELL
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very Friday night in the fall, when a group of more than 100 Vanderbilt men gather to make their final preparations for the following day’s football game, there is a moment in time when X’s and O’s fall by the wayside. For the better part of an hour, those Commodores trade in their tactical discussions in favor of connecting with each one another on a deeply personal level. One at a time, a student-athlete and a Vanderbilt staff member stand before the group and share their most revealing stories of loss and triumph. While the practice is not all that uncommon among athletic squads trying to build lasting bonds between their members, bringing those moments into the middle of the season is a bit of an anomaly. But Head Coach James Franklin sees great value in building a sense of family within his squad, especially the night before that group must band together on the gridiron. And especially for a football team with such great numbers of people from varying walks of life. “On a basketball team, you’ve got 12-15 players,” Franklin explained. “It’s easier to get to know people on a more in-depth level. But whatever the number is on whatever sport it is, I think everybody is working toward that. “It’s a little more challenging on a football team. You’re constantly working to try to build connections and relationships. I think that’s when you have a chance to build something special, when people truly care about one another.”
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Team members consider Franklin’s experiment a success. Junior offensive lineman Wesley Johnson believes the Commodores were already a tight-knit group, but knows that the Friday night exercise has had many benefits. “With 100 guys on the team it’s hard to get close to everybody, even though I do feel that our chemistry is something that really separates our team from other schools,” Johnson said. “But it’s hard to get to know everybody real close. Especially for the young guys entering the program that probably don’t know some of the [older guys] as well, it’s a bonding experience that brings people closer together.” Senior defensive end Johnell Thomas shared his life story during a preseason team meeting. The Orlando native spent his formative years bouncing around after a series of evictions rendered his family basically homeless. He was eventually taken in by an assistant football coach at Boone High School, where he excelled both athletically and academically. “Johnell’s whole life story—where he’s come from and how he’s climbed to this position.... Johnell’s blessed,” junior defensive back Javon Marshall said. “I’ve always respected Johnell, but just hearing that story makes me respect him even more, everything he’s been through.” For Thomas’ part, baring his soul in front of 100 teammates was a cathartic experience. “For me, personally, it wasn’t hard at all,” Thomas said. “I see all these guys as my brothers, so it definitely wasn’t hard for me. I felt all the love. It’s just a big family in there. It’s a lot
harder getting in front of a Vandy classroom and giving a presentation.” While Thomas recognizes that his share is beyond the norm, he notes that there are takeaways from hearing about each person’s hardships. “You’re touched by every single story,” Thomas said. “Coach Franklin’s share with us was probably the one that touched me the most. It was really personal, and for him to get to that level with us, it definitely brought everyone—players and coaches—closer together as a family.” That sense of family is exactly what Franklin was striving for when he introduced the share program to his squad, and the Commodores have embraced it wholeheartedly. Players like Marshall look forward to their opportunity to be a part of a tradition that has helped the Vanderbilt football team become a more cohesive unit. “I want to give the team something that they can carry on for life,” Marshall said. “(Johnell’s share), that’s something I’ll always remember. I want to be able to give the team something they can remember and take with them for life, and know that I gave them something they can eventually tell their kids.” n
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Commodores hoping “we-fense” wins championships By Eric Single
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rchibald Barnes remembers the first time he made it onto the field as a Vanderbilt football player, as a redshirt freshman in 2009. It wasn’t on offense, where he starred as a quarterback in his senior season of high school. It wasn’t on defense, where he has emerged as a consistent starter at outside linebacker this year. It was on special teams. “Somebody told me, ‘This is your chance to get some TV time and make something happen,’” Barnes recalled of the moment. “‘You’re playing for your family. We don’t get to go home in December or for fall break, so you want to make your family proud, do it on special teams.’ I took pride in it ever since, and I think a lot of guys on our team have.” Barnes has earned himself plenty of TV time over the next three years, posting the fourth-most tackles on the team through six games this season. But even as his role on the defense grew, tapping out of his special teams responsibilities was never an option. It is a mentality that captures the essence of “we-fense,” the Vanderbilt coaching staff’s term for the culture of team-wide emphasis to special teams, and it is a mentality that has guided the Commodores to a strong first half of 2012 in the all-important third phase of the game. Head Coach James Franklin brought up “wefense” for the first time in public during this year’s preseason practice, casually, as if the pun was as fundamental to the traditions of Vanderbilt Football as the colors on the uniforms. The origins of we-fense are unclear, but the intent has been emphasized time and again from Franklin’s first weeks on campus: The entire team comes together to make special teams the strongest unit on the field by devoting as much attention to it as they do to offense and defense. “Just like a lot of things, it’s probably something I heard or stole from somebody at some point in my career,” Franklin said. “But I think ‘we-fense’ really describes what we’re trying to do.”
“There’s really no difference between when the defense gives up a touchdown and when the special teams gives up a touchdown—it’s still six points against us,” said special teams coach Charles Bankins. “Even some of the returns are designed so if we don’t get a touchdown, the ball is on the hash where we want the offense to start.” Vanderbilt is enjoying the fruits of that focus on the details of special teams. Redshirt senior punter Richard Kent is averaging 45.1 yards per punt and has consistently flipped field position to the Commodores’ advantage, while junior kicker Carey Spear has made 10 of 13 field goals to rank second in the SEC. Named to the Ray Guy Award watch list, Kent had nine punts of 50 yards or more through six games and had pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line on 39 percent of his attempts with only two touchbacks. “They gotta be like the sniper in the military,” Bankins said of his specialists. “You can’t go out there and run around and do all the stuff that the infantry guys do, but you’re a specialized individual, and if you can hone your skill, just like the sniper, you kill the opponent. Even on the field goal, the holder is the sight man, and the kicker is the sniper. [The holder] lines them up, and [the kicker] knocks it down.” Spear has been drawing comparisons to a different caliber of weapon ever since he was designated to handle the team’s kickoffs. The Mayfield Village, Ohio, native takes his coverage responsibilities seriously and has delivered punishing hits to a number of return men, usually streaking in from out of the frame to earn his place on post-game highlight reels. Missouri’s T.J. Moe was one of Spear’s most recent targets. Spear delivered a big hit to send the Tigers’ return man staggering backward
Richard Kent had a sensational first half of 2012 for the Commodores, averaging 45.1 yards per punt.
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PHOTO BY JOHN RUSSELL
several yards on a kickoff return before Moe was brought down by a group of tacklers in the fourth quarter of Vanderbilt’s 19-15 victory. What goes through Spear’s mind that lets him hurl himself into the play with a sense of abandon rarely seen in a kicker? “Just fill the gap and hope for the best,” Spear said. “We’ve got some talented returners in the SEC, everyone we face is going to be tough. I have an assignment, and it’s not just kicking the ball. Everyone does their assignment and tries to take care of one another.” The rest of the we-fense feeds off Spear’s demeanor, and in recent home games, Vanderbilt’s student section has caught on, too. Before lining up each kickoff, Spear points at the referee stationed at the goal line, waiting for the signal to kick off in a power stance that appears from afar to call out opposing returners. While Spear says that’s not the case, the student section is satisfied with its own interpretation: Our kicker is coming for you. “Any person that’s a specialist in our program is going to be an athlete who just happens to have a skill of kicking the football,” Bankins said. “We expect them to be able to run, catch, throw, do all those things that a regular athlete would do.” To add to that versatility, a few familiar faces have stepped into more prominent roles on special teams. Starting quarterback Jordan Rodg-
Place kicker Carey Spear delivered 10 field goals and 15 touchbacks on kickoffs in VU’s first six games.
ers has taken over holding duties on field goals, which Bankins says gives other teams an extra weapon to think about and be ready to defend. The coaches also handed over punt return duties to the team’s receptions leader, junior wide receiver Jordan Matthews. Matthews, who returned kicks in his high school days, found his old form quickly after taking over from fellow offensive starters Jonathan Krause and Zac Stacy.
“I’ve been doing it since I was a kid, so I’ve just been having fun with it,” Matthews said. “I catch balls all day, so that’s just my job.” Combine upperclassmen such as Matthews doing their jobs and an influx of talented young players looking to boost their resumes on “wefense” in the same way Barnes did three years ago, and Vanderbilt has created a unit that can only be described, to use a familiar word, as special. n
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Baseball By Chris Weinman
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awkins Field can be a magical place; ask anyone who has been on hand to witness the Vanderbilt baseball team’s success over the last decade. And if you go by “the Hawk” in the fall, when Head Coach Tim Corbin’s current Commodore squad is busy preparing for the upcoming spring season, chances are you can hear about that magic directly from one of the many former student-athletes that has been a part of the team’s resurgence. Corbin estimates that as many as 25 former Commodores will be back in Nashville to work out this off-season. “There is no greater compliment to a coach and his staff than to have former players return to campus during the off-season to continue their development,” Corbin said. “I have always felt that these boys were like our own children. Once they completed their time on campus, we weren’t going to stop providing for them. It has always been my personal mission to provide a continual ‘home’ of development so they can recreate their memories with one another while building their future.” While some of Corbin’s proteges come back strictly to work out in the fall, Hawkins Field is not the only place on campus where current professional baseball players can be found. This semester, eight former Commodores are back in Vanderbilt classrooms working toward their college degrees. Jack Armstrong was the fourth Commodore chosen in the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft, the year Vanderbilt broke a Southeastern Confer-
ence record by having 12 student-athletes selected in one draft. The 6’7” right-hander did not pitch this season after having Tommy John surgery in the spring. Armstrong is currently enrolled in 21 hours of classes in order to finish his business management and finance degree next month. A heavy course load is nothing new for the Jupiter, Fla., native, who worked beyond the normal 15-hour semester three times during his Vanderbilt playing days. “I learned from Coach Corbin here at Vanderbilt a lot about how to time manage,” Armstrong said. “Whenever I get done with my homework or just need a break I come down to the field and workout or rehab with [athletic trainer] Chris Ham. And Corbin setting us up with the pro locker room is pretty special.” Jason Esposito was a second-round pick of the Baltimore Orioles in 2011. He played 123 games for Single-A Delmarva this summer, finishing up his season as the Shorebirds’ starting third baseman on September 3. Vanderbilt’s fall semester began on August 22, meaning that the Bethany, Conn., native’s coursework began while he was still on the diamond. Credit university administration and faculty for working with the likes of Esposito, whose job required him to start this semester’s schoolwork before he could be on campus. And credit Corbin, who from the time he begins recruiting student-athletes engrains in them the importance of finishing their college degrees. Corbin’s recruiting presentation on the value of a Vanderbilt education is well documented.
Player
Year Rd-Pick Team
Degree
Jack Armstrong
2011
3-99
Houston
Business management & finance
Jason Esposito
2011
2-64
Baltimore
Organizational management
Anthony Gomez
2012
6-197
Miami
Financial management
Mark Lamm
2011
6-206
Atlanta
Organizational leadership (grad)
Joe Loftus
2011
46-1384
Arizona
Marketing & communications
Navery Moore
2011
14-446
Atlanta
Business & management
Sam Selman
2012
2-66
Kansas City
Human & organizational development
Corey Williams
2011
3-117
Minnesota
Human & organizational development
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PHOTO BY ANNE RAYNER
Professionals with professors
Jack Armstrong is enrolled in 21 hours of classes this semester in order to finish his business management and finance degree.
“It’s not so much a pitch, it’s just the truth,” Esposito said. “It’s a captivating feeling, knowing that you can come to play baseball at such a great school and earn a great degree. It’s truly a no-brainer. I always knew coming here that my ultimate goal was to finish a degree from Vanderbilt. Before I ever came to campus, that was the goal first and foremost.” Nashville native Mark Lamm already holds an undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt and currently is working on a graduate degree in organizational leadership at Peabody. The right-hander, who made 50 appearances for the Double-A Mississippi Braves this summer, recognizes the impact that returning professional players can make on current members of the baseball team. “I want to be someone that guys on the team can look up to,” Lamm
After playing a full season of minor league baseball in Maryland, Jason Esposito is back on campus to finish his organizational management degree.
said. “They can come to us and talk about things they could potentially be doing in the coming years.” That interaction has created a bond between the past and present of the Vanderbilt baseball program, and the Commodore skipper beams when discussing the tradition of excellence that is as evident off the field as it is on it. “Vanderbilt became a lifetime decision for these kids when they chose to attend here,” Corbin said. “My responsibility is to maintain that for them. It is one thing to build a team, it’s another thing to establish a culture. We have done that. I can’t begin to put into words what it means for these boys to call this place home. And there is no greater source of pride than to see the return of your children. It gives me chills.” n
Baseball’s 2013 Weekend Series’ The Vanderbilt baseball team will play host to eight weekend series this spring, with Missouri making its first SEC trip to Nashville to join Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi State and Alabama on Hawkins Field’s 2013 conference slate.
Date Opponent Feb. 15-17
Long Beach State
Feb. 22-24
Monmouth
March 1-3
Illinois-Chicago
March 8-10
at Oregon
March 15-17
* at Auburn
March 22-24
* Florida
March 29-31
* Tennessee
April 5-7
* at Ole Miss
April 12-14
* Missouri
April 19-21
* at Georgia
April 26-28
* Mississippi State
May 3-5
* at South Carolina
May 10-12
* at Kentucky
May 16-18
* Alabama
* Southeastern Conference series Home games in Bold
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It’s My Turn By Rod Williamson
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here is a subtle theme running through this issue. Many people, if not most, develop a love for this university, and even if they have left the campus, have a desire to return as often as possible. When I hit Nashville back in 1983 I figured I’d hang around for a couple of years and then inevitably make my way back to the Midwest. Nearly three decades later, I’m known as a lifer. There are cynics out there who claim that’s because nobody else is foolish enough to hire me, but enough about our administration! The city is spectacular, the weather is usually excellent and the Parthenon and Exit/In are cool, but Vanderbilt invades your spirit. It’s not uncommon for alumni to have feelings for their alma mater. I will exit the interstate on my way home to visit family to drive what I consider to be the sacred streets of my alma mater, recreating the special moments I experienced at a pivotal time in my life. It is my Camelot, even if others giggle at the suggestion. But Vanderbilt is not “my” school, nor is it Picott’s, Frederick’s, Corbin’s, Stallings’, Williams’ or a host of others. Yet we share deep and often common feelings about this place. And certainly in their cases, staying a decade or longer has nothing to do with a lack of job opportunities. Vanderbilt is a challenging place, the road less traveled. That appeals to young people with ambition. If you want to play bridge in the student union or shoot free throws for hours at the recreation center, this is not the place for you.
Vanderbilt Athletics is a haven for those who aspire to win both ways—academically and athletically. It is a mecca for those who love a challenge, for those who not only have principles but actually want to try to live by them.
Nor is this the place for the insecure coach who quietly needs to always have the majority of the public on his side to make an impact. A coach cannot rely on cushy, wink-wink academic standards to keep her team academically eligible here. And Vanderbilt certainly is not the place for the coach who needs to play it fast and loose with the rule book to win. Accordingly, our athletic program can occasionally drive us all bonkers. “Why couldn’t we recruit that super-star? How come she was held out of practice when she was healthy and eligible? Why is it we often lack the depth when playing the state-school giants?” Vanderbilt Athletics is a haven for those who aspire to win both ways— academically and athletically. It is a mecca for those who love a challenge, for those who not only have principles but actually want to try to live by them. Over time, success has helped make Vanderbilt Athletics a destination and not a stepping stone to success. This is a place that creeps into one’s soul, and that is why we choose to stay. Or, for some, to return . n
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My Game
Rebecca Chandler
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ophomore Rebecca Chandler earned SEC All-Freshman honors for Coach Steve Keith’s cross country squad last season. When not running through Nashville’s Percy Warner Park, the Jacksonville, Fla., native often can be found playing one of the four guitars she brought with her to Vanderbilt. Commodore Nation: How did you first get into music? Rebecca Chandler: Ever since I was little my parents had me in piano and theory lessons. I did classical music, then when I was in about eighth grade I started playing guitar and from there I picked up different instruments. CN: You were in a band in high school? RC: We’d do some original stuff and a lot of covers. Just fun, upbeat, Southern-rock type of music. We’d play at restaurants and small gigs like that. It’s always really just been more of a fun release for me, because running and school can become really intense. CN: Do you have a chance to play here? RC: We have some musicians on our team, which is really great. We have two other girls that really like to get together to play music and sing. And we’re always singing on our team. If you walk in the locker room there’s always music playing and we’re singing. CN: What’s your favorite thing about the cross country team?
PHOTO BY JOHN RUSSELL
RC: The reason that I chose to come to Vanderbilt—and I think a lot of other girls would say this—is because our girls are so independent. We have the type of program that allows you to live the lifestyle you want to live. I feel like I have so many other things going in my life besides running, whereas at a lot of other programs, if you’re an athlete, that’s all you are. That’s what identifies you. I don’t think that’s true for so many athletes here, especially our team. I can’t say enough about our team. We’re so fun, we all have crazy personalities and we’re always planning fun stuff together. n
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