Vanderbilt Commodores football

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For current information on this topic, see 2008 Vanderbilt Commodores football team

Vanderbilt Commodores

Year founded: 1890
Helmet Logo
City	Nashville, Tennessee
Stadium	Dudley Field at Vanderbilt Stadium (grass, capacity 39,790)
Head Coach	Bobby Johnson
League/Conference affiliations
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1895-1921) Southern Conference (1922-1931) Southeastern Conference (1932-present) Eastern Division (1992-present)
National Championships (2 disputed) 1906 Billingsley, 1911 Billingsley [1]
SIAC Championships (11) 1897, 1901, 1903 (shared), 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1915
Southern Conference Championships (2) 1922, 1923 [2]
Team Colors	Black and Gold
Mascot	Commodores
Fight song	Dynamite
Marching band	Spirit of Gold Marching Band

The Vanderbilt Commodores football team represents Vanderbilt University in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Contents 1 Early success 2 Growing difficulty 3 Recent Years 3.1 The Bobby Johnson era 3.2 Radical administrative restructuring 3.3 Twenty-first Century 4 Records 4.1 Win/loss records 4.2 Bowl records 4.3 2006 Season 4.4 2007 Season 4.5 Year by Year Records 5 Vanderbilt personnel 5.1 Coaching staff 5.2 Commodores currently in the NFL 6 Hall of Fame 6.1 Players 6.2 Coaches 7 Conference recognition 7.1 Players 7.1.1 Most valuable player 7.1.2 Offensive player of the year 7.1.3 Freshman of the year 7.1.4 Best blocker 7.1.5 Best wide receiver 7.2 Coaches 7.2.1 Coach of the year 8 References 9 Links

[edit] Early success

Vanderbilt and the University of Nashville played the first college football game in the state of Tennessee in 1890. ^[3] In 1894 Vanderbilt was among the seven founding members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association. ^[4] Just after the turn of the century, the team enjoyed fairly substantial success, with a composite record of 20-3-2 from 1901-03. ^[5] Even so, Dan McGugin's arrival as coach from his brother-in-law Fielding Yost's Michigan program in 1904 showed an immediate impact. The 1904 squad outscored its opposition by 474 to four in winning all nine games. ^[6] McGugin's tenure spanned the years 1904-17 and 1919-34 with a record of 197-55-19 and two national championships. ^[7]

In 1922, Vanderbilt hosted the University of Michigan to inaugurate Dudley Field. The game ended in a 0-0 tie and figures prominently in the program's history. VU football historian Bill Traughber chronicles the event:

The game between Vanderbilt and Michigan had a carnival-like atmosphere.

Dignitaries and politicians were invited to participate at Dudley Field, the largest football-only stadium in the South at that time. The guest of honor for the dedication game was Cornelius Vanderbilt, the great-great grandson of the university's namesake.

Accompanied by his wife, Vanderbilt arrived at Nashville's Union Station on the morning of the game, his first trip to the city. The day's first event was a luncheon for the young Vanderbilt couple, which was held at the Hermitage Hotel and hosted by Vanderbilt University Board of Trust.

Thousands of Vanderbilt students and alumni met downtown for a parade with Tennessee Governor Alf Taylor riding in the lead automobile. Decorated in orange and black, their automobile began the parade at Twelfth and Broadway, weaving through the side streets to a reviewing stand at the foot of the Capitol Building.^[8]

In 1932, Vanderbilt—at the pinnacle of its athletics dominance in the South^[9]—helped found the Southeastern Conference, with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State, Sewanee, Georgia Tech, and Tulane.^[10]

[edit] Growing difficulty

However, Vanderbilt football has not won a conference championship since the founding of the Southeastern Conference in 1932, and its last winning season was in 1982 under coach George MacIntyre. In its entire history, Vanderbilt has only competed in three bowl games (see below), with a combined all-time post-season record of 1-1-1.

It was in the 1970s and early 1980s that it seemed this trend could be abating, with two of Vanderbilt's post-season appearances coming in 1974 and 1982, and with several near-winning season records.

The last Commodore team with a winning record, the 1982 squad (with a record of 8-4), played in the Hall of Fame Bowl in Birmingham, Alabama. In addition to the school's third all-time bowl appearance, the 1982 team's season-ending win against Tennessee, in which Vanderbilt quarterback Whit Taylor threw for 391 yards, marked a special season -- but a season that proved an exception to years following, when a return to previous levels of mediocrity saw a veritable merry-go-round of head coaches.

From the period 1982 to 2002, when Bobby Johnson was hired, Vanderbilt was led by six coaches, who averaged barely four years per coach.^[11]

[edit] Recent Years

[edit] The Bobby Johnson era

Bobby Johnson was hired in 2002 as the head football coach. At the time, many questioned^{[citation needed]} the University administration's decision to elevate a Division I-AA coach to what many^{[citation needed]} perceive as the nation's premier college football conference, the SEC. Johnson had previously coached at Furman University, a Southern Conference team, leading the Paladins to the Division I-AA title game in 2001, his final year.

The same critics that questioned Johnson's initial hiring also derided the loyalty given to Coach Johnson by the Vanderbilt administration after his first three seasons at the school led to three consecutive 2-9 records. During this time, however, Johnson was continuing to recruit players that had been passed over by major-power schools, but who Johnson and his staff believed could be molded into SEC-caliber players.

[edit] Radical administrative restructuring

Along with this concerted program-development, Johnson joined Vanderbilt's Chancellor E. Gordon Gee and Vice Chancellor David Williams II in creating what the Administration called "a new culture in college athletics" at Vanderbilt. The University Administration, with Johnson's public support, abolished the Department of Athletics as a separate entity within the University's administrative structure, along with the job of Athletics Director -- a first among universities in a major Division I-A athletic conference.

The Administration's loyalty to Johnson, which had paid dividends in his support for the radical changes in administration of the inter-collegiate athletics program also yielded on-the-field results in Johnson's fourth season at the helm of the Commodores.

[edit] Twenty-first Century

In 2005, Vanderbilt finished with a 5-6 record, the program's best finish since 1999. For the first time since 1982, and for the first time in Knoxville since 1975, Vanderbilt defeated its in-state rival, the Tennessee Volunteers, in a thrilling 28-24 victory.

All-SEC Quarterback Jay Cutler, the team's offensive captain that season and the offensive player of the year in the SEC, was selected 11th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos and named starting quarterback for the last five games of his rookie season.

In the 2006 season, Vanderbilt finished with a 4-8 record with sophomore Chris Nickson at quarterback. The 2006 team's peak performance came with a 24-22 defeat of conference rival #16 ranked Georgia at Sanford Stadium, the first time Vanderbilt had ever defeated a ranked opponent on the road. The team came within seconds of defeating Arkansas and Alabama in consecutive weeks.

In 2007, Vanderbilt upset #6 ranked South Carolina 17-6 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, beating a top 10 team for the first time in 33 years. It was the highest ranked team Vanderbilt had beaten since defeating #6 LSU in 1937, and came one week after losing 20-17 to #21 Georgia on the final play of the game in Nashville. In the following home game against Miami (Ohio), junior wide receiver Earl Bennett made history by breaking the SEC record for most career receptions. Vanderbilt would go on to win the game 24-13

[edit] Records

[edit] Win/loss records

As of December 2006, the Vanderbilt Commodores have won more games than they have lost.^[12] However, records show that in the mid- and late-twentieth century, the Commodore football program experienced a considerable down-swing in success on the playing field.^[13]

• All-time record: 537-527-50 (.505)
• Against current SEC teams: 179-340-22 (.345)
• Since 1950: 177-376-17 (.320)
• Under current head coach (Bobby Johnson, 2002-present): 15-43-0 (.259)
• Against SEC opponents under current head coach: 6-40-0 (.130)

[edit] Bowl records

Date	Bowl	Opponent	Result
Dec. 31, 1955	Gator Bowl	Auburn Tigers	W 25-13
Dec. 28, 1974	Peach Bowl	Texas Tech Red Raiders	Tie 6-6
Dec. 31, 1982	Hall of Fame Bowl	Air Force Falcons	L 28-36

• Total bowl record: 1-1-1 (.500)

v • d • e Vanderbilt bowl games 1955 Gator Bowl • 1974 Peach Bowl • 1982 Hall of Fame Bowl

[edit] 2006 Season

Date	Opponent	Result	TV
Sat., Sept. 2	@ Michigan Wolverines	L 7-27	ESPN
Sat., Sept. 9	@ Alabama Crimson Tide	L 10-13	Fox Sports South
Sat., Sept. 16	Arkansas Razorbacks	L 19-21	LF Sports
Sat., Sept. 23	Tennessee State Tigers	W 38-9
Sat., Sept. 30	Temple Owls	W 43-14
Sat., Oct. 7	@Mississippi Rebels	L 10-17
Sat., Oct. 14	@Georgia Bulldogs	W 24-22	LF Sports
Sat., Oct. 21	South Carolina Gamecocks (homecoming)	L 13-31
Sat., Oct. 28	@ Duke Blue Devils	W 45-28
Sat., Nov. 4	Florida Gators	L 19-25	LF Sports
Sat., Nov. 11	@Kentucky Wildcats	L 26-38
Sat., Nov. 18	Tennessee Volunteers	L 10-39	LF Sports

Southeastern Conference games in bold, away games marked with @

[edit] 2007 Season

Date	Opponent	Result
Sat., Sept. 1	Richmond Spiders - 6:00 p.m. CT	W 41-17
Sat., Sept. 8	Alabama Crimson Tide - 11:30 a.m. CT	L 10-24
Sat., Sept. 15	Mississippi Rebels - 6:00 p.m CT	W 31-17
Sat., Sept. 29	Eastern Michigan Eagles - 6:00 p.m CT	W 30-7
Sat., Oct. 6	@Auburn Tigers - 11:30 a.m. CT	L 7-35
Sat., Oct. 13	Georgia Bulldogs (homecoming)	L 17-20
Sat., Oct. 20	@South Carolina Gamecocks	W 17-6
Sat., Oct. 27	Miami (OH) Red Hawks - 1:00 p.m CT	W 24-13
Sat., Nov. 3	@Florida Gators	L 22-49
Sat., Nov. 10	Kentucky Wildcats	L 20-27
Sat., Nov. 17	@Tennessee Volunteers	L 24-25
Sat., Nov. 24	Wake Forest Demon Deacons	L 17-31

Southeastern Conference games in bold, away games marked with @

[edit] Year by Year Records

			Conference				Overall
Year	Conference	Coach	W	L	T	Pct	W	L	T	Pct	Notes
1890	None	Elliot H. Jones					1	0	0	1.00
1891	None	Elliot H. Jones					3	1	0	.750
1892	None	Elliot H. Jones					4	4	0	.500
1893	None	W.J. Keller					6	1	0	.857
1894	None	Henry Worth Thornton					7	1	0	.875
1895	SIAA	C.L. Upton					5	3	1	.556
1896	SIAA	R.G. Acton					3	2	2	.429
1897	SIAA	R.G. Acton					6	0	1	.857	SIAC Champion
1898	SIAA	R.G. Acton					1	5	0	.167
1899	SIAA	J.L. Crane					7	2	0	.778
1900	SIAA	J.L. Crane					4	4	1	.444
1901	SIAA	W.H. Watkins					6	1	1	.750	SIAC Champion
1902	SIAA	W.H. Watkins					8	1	0	.889
1903	SIAA	J.H. Henry					6	1	1	.750	SIAC Champion (shared)
1904	SIAA	Dan McGugin					9	0	0	1.000	SIAC Champion
1905	SIAA	Dan McGugin					7	1	0	.875	SIAC Champion
1906	SIAA	Dan McGugin					8	1	0	.889	Billingsley National Champion
1907	SIAA	Dan McGugin					5	1	1	.714	SIAC Champion
1908	SIAA	Dan McGugin					7	2	1	.700
1909	SIAA	Dan McGugin					7	3	0	.700
1910	SIAA	Dan McGugin					8	0	1	.889	SIAC Champion
1911	SIAA	Dan McGugin					8	1	0	.889	Billingsley National Champion, SIAC Champion
1912	SIAA	Dan McGugin					8	1	1	.800	SIAC Champion
1913	SIAA	Dan McGugin					5	3	0	.625
1914	SIAA	Dan McGugin					2	6	0	.250
1915	SIAA	Dan McGugin					9	1	0	.900	SIAC Champion
1916	SIAA	Dan McGugin					7	1	1	.778
1917	SIAA	Dan McGugin					5	3	0	.625
1918	SIAA	Ray Morrison					4	2	0	.667	Dan McGugin did not coach due to service in World War I.
1919	SIAA	Dan McGugin					5	1	2	.625
1920	SIAA	Dan McGugin					5	3	1	.556
1921	SIAA	Dan McGugin					7	0	1	.875
1922	SIAA	Dan McGugin					8	0	1	.889	Southern Conference Champion
1923	SIAA	Dan McGugin					5	2	1	.625	Southern Conference Champion
1924	SIAA	Dan McGugin					6	3	1	.600
1925	SIAA	Dan McGugin					6	3	0	.667
1926	Southern	Dan McGugin					8	1	0	.889
1927	Southern	Dan McGugin					8	1	2	.727
1928	Southern	Dan McGugin					8	2	0	.800
1929	Southern	Dan McGugin					7	2	0	.778
1930	Southern	Dan McGugin					8	2	0	.800
1931	Southern	Dan McGugin					5	4	0	.556
1932	Southern	Dan McGugin					6	1	2	.667
1933	Southern	Dan McGugin	2	2	2	.500	4	3	3	.400
1934	Southeastern	Dan McGugin	4	3	0	.571	6	3	0	.667
1935	Southeastern	Ray Morrison	5	1	0	.833	7	3	0	.700
1936	Southeastern	Ray Morrison	1	3	1	.200	3	5	1	.333
1937	Southeastern	Ray Morrison	4	2	0	.667	7	2	0	.778
1938	Southeastern	Ray Morrison	4	3	0	.571	6	3	0	.667
1939	Southeastern	Ray Morrison	1	6	0	.143	2	7	1	.200
1940	Southeastern	Red Sanders	1	5	1	.143	3	6	1	.300
1941	Southeastern	Red Sanders	3	2	0	.600	8	2	0	.800
1942	Southeastern	Red Sanders	2	4	0	.333	6	4	0	.600
1943	Southeastern	E.H. Alley					5	0	0	1.000	Red Sanders did not coach due to service in World War II.
1944	Southeastern	Doby Bartling					3	0	1	.750	Red Sanders did not coach due to service in World War II.
1945	Southeastern	Doby Bartling	2	4	0	.333	3	6	0	.333	Red Sanders did not coach due to service in World War II.
1946	Southeastern	Red Sanders	3	4	0	.429	5	4	0	.556
1947	Southeastern	Red Sanders	3	3	0	.500	6	4	0	.600
1948	Southeastern	Red Sanders	4	2	1	.571	8	2	1	.727
1949	Southeastern	Bill Edwards	4	4	0	.500	5	5	0	.500
1950	Southeastern	Bill Edwards	3	4	0	.429	7	4	0	.636
1951	Southeastern	Bill Edwards	3	5	0	.375	6	5	0	.545
1952	Southeastern	Bill Edwards	1	4	1	.167	3	5	2	.300
1953	Southeastern	Art Guepe	1	5	0	.167	3	7	0	.300
1954	Southeastern	Art Guepe	1	5	0	.167	2	7	0	.222
1955	Southeastern	Art Guepe	4	3	0	.571	8	3	0	.727	Defeated Auburn in Gator Bowl.
1956	Southeastern	Art Guepe	2	5	0	.286	5	5	0	.500
1957	Southeastern	Art Guepe	3	3	1	.429	5	3	2	.500
1958	Southeastern	Art Guepe	2	1	3	.333	5	2	3	.500
1959	Southeastern	Art Guepe	3	2	2	.429	5	3	2	.500
1960	Southeastern	Art Guepe	1	6	0	.143	3	7	0	.300
1961	Southeastern	Art Guepe	1	6	0	.143	2	8	0	.200
1962	Southeastern	Art Guepe	1	6	0	.143	1	9	0	.100
1963	Southeastern	Jack Green	0	5	2	.000	1	7	2	.100
1964	Southeastern	Jack Green	1	4	0	.200	3	6	1	.300
1965	Southeastern	Jack Green	1	5	0	.167	2	7	1	.200
1966	Southeastern	Jack Green	0	6	0	.000	1	9	0	.100
1967	Southeastern	Bill Pace	0	6	0	.000	2	7	1	.200
1968	Southeastern	Bill Pace	2	3	1	.333	5	4	1	.500
1969	Southeastern	Bill Pace	2	3	0	.400	4	6	0	.400
1970	Southeastern	Bill Pace	1	5	0	.167	4	7	0	.364
1971	Southeastern	Bill Pace	1	5	0	.167	4	6	1	.364
1972	Southeastern	Bill Pace	1	5	0	.167	3	8	0	.273
1973	Southeastern	Steve Sloan	1	5	0	.167	5	6	0	.455
1974	Southeastern	Steve Sloan	2	3	1	.333	7	3	2	.583	Tied Texas Tech in Peach Bowl.
1975	Southeastern	Fred Pancoast	2	4	0	.333	7	4	0	.636
1976	Southeastern	Fred Pancoast	0	6	0	.000	2	9	0	.182
1977	Southeastern	Fred Pancoast	0	6	0	.000	2	9	0	.182
1978	Southeastern	Fred Pancoast	0	6	0	.000	2	9	0	.182
1979	Southeastern	George MacIntyre	0	6	0	.000	1	10	0	.091
1980	Southeastern	George MacIntyre	0	6	0	.000	2	9	0	.182
1981	Southeastern	George MacIntyre	1	5	0	.167	4	7	0	.364
1982	Southeastern	George MacIntyre	4	2	0	.667	8	4	0	.667	Lost to Air Force in Hall of Fame Bowl.
1983	Southeastern	George MacIntyre	0	6	0	.000	2	9	0	.182
1984	Southeastern	George MacIntyre	2	4	0	.333	5	6	0	.455
1985	Southeastern	George MacIntyre	1	4	1	.167	3	7	1	.273
1986	Southeastern	Watson Brown	0	6	0	.000	1	10	0	.091
1987	Southeastern	Watson Brown	1	5	0	.167	4	7	0	.364
1988	Southeastern	Watson Brown	2	5	0	.286	3	8	0	.273
1989	Southeastern	Watson Brown	0	7	0	.000	1	10	0	.091
1990	Southeastern	Watson Brown	1	6	0	.143	1	10	0	.091
1991	Southeastern	Gerry DiNardo	3	4	0	.429	5	6	0	.455
1992	Southeastern	Gerry DiNardo	2	6	0	.250	4	7	0	.364
1993	Southeastern	Gerry DiNardo	2	6	0	.250	5	6	0	.455
1994	Southeastern	Gerry DiNardo	2	6	0	.250	5	6	0	.455
1995	Southeastern	Rod Dowhower	1	7	0	.125	2	9	0	.182
1996	Southeastern	Rod Dowhower	0	8	0	.000	2	9	0	.182
1997	Southeastern	Woody Widenhofer	0	8	0	.000	3	8	0	.273
1998	Southeastern	Woody Widenhofer	1	7	0	.125	2	9	0	.182
1999	Southeastern	Woody Widenhofer	2	6	0	.250	5	6	0	.455
2000	Southeastern	Woody Widenhofer	1	7	0	.125	3	8	0	.272
2001	Southeastern	Woody Widenhofer	0	8	0	.000	2	9	0	.182
2002	Southeastern	Bobby Johnson	0	8	0	.000	2	10	0	.167
2003	Southeastern	Bobby Johnson	1	7	0	.125	2	10	0	.167
2004	Southeastern	Bobby Johnson	1	7	0	.125	2	9	0	.182
2005	Southeastern	Bobby Johnson	3	5	0	.375	5	6	0	.455
2006	Southeastern	Bobby Johnson	1	7	0	.125	4	8	0	.333
2007	Southeastern	Bobby Johnson	2	6	0	.250	5	7	0	.417
Totals							544	536	50	.481

Source: 2007 Media Guide

[edit] Vanderbilt personnel

[edit] Coaching staff

As of 2007, the following persons were on the Vanderbilt Football Coaching Staff:

Name	Position	Years at VU
Bobby Johnson	Head coach	6
Warren Belin	Linebackers	6
Jame Bryant	Defensive backs	6
Ted Cain	Offensive coordinator	6
Robbie Caldwell	Assistant head coach Offensive line	6
Kenny Carter	Running backs	4
Charlie Fisher	Receivers	6
Bruce Fowler	Defensive coordinator	6
Jimmy Kiser	Quarterbacks	6
Rick Logo	Defensive line	2
John Sisk	Strength and conditioning	6

Source: Vanderbilt 2006 Football Media Guide

[edit] Commodores currently in the NFL

Player	Years at VU	NFL Team
Jay Cutler	2002-2005	Denver Broncos
Justin Geisinger	2001-2004	Washington Redskins
Jovan Haye	2002-2004	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Hunter Hillenmeyer	1999-2002	Chicago Bears
Matt Stewart	1998-2001	Cleveland Browns
Jamie Winborn	1999-2001	Denver Broncos [14]
Todd Yoder	1997-2000	Washington Redskins
Corey Chavous	1995-1998	St. Louis Rams

[edit] Hall of Fame

Vanderbilt Commodore football personnel have been inducted into the National Football Foundation's National College Football Hall of Fame.^[15]

[edit] Players

Name	Position	Years at VU
John J. Tigert	Fullback	1901-1903
Josh Cody	Tackle	1914-1916, 1919
Lynn Bomar	End	1922-1924
William Spears	Quarterback	1925-1927
Carl Hinkle	Center	1935-1937

[edit] Coaches

Name	Years at VU
Dan McGugin	1904-1917, 1919-1934
Ray Morrison	1915-1952
Jess Neely	1924-1966
Red Sanders	1940-1942, 1946-1948

[edit] Conference recognition

Vanderbilt Commodores personnel, including coaches and players, have received recognition from the Southeastern Conference for their performances on the football field. ^[16]

[edit] Players

[edit] Most valuable player

Name	Year
Bob Goodridge	1967
Bill Wade	1951
Jack Jenkins	1941
Carl Hinkle	1937
Willie Geny	1935

[edit] Offensive player of the year

Name	Year
Jay Cutler	2005

[edit] Freshman of the year

Name	Year
Kwane Doster	2002

[edit] Best blocker

Name	Year
Jack Jenkins	1941, 1942

[edit] Best wide receiver

Name	Year
Earl Bennett	2005 - present

[edit] Coaches

[edit] Coach of the year

Name	Year
George MacIntyre	1982
Art Guepe	1955
Red Sanders	1941
Ray Morrison	1937

[edit] References

v • d • e Southeastern Conference football teams Eastern Division Florida Gators • Georgia Bulldogs • Kentucky Wildcats • South Carolina Gamecocks • Tennessee Volunteers • Vanderbilt Commodores Western Division Alabama Crimson Tide • Arkansas Razorbacks • Auburn Tigers • LSU Tigers • Ole Miss Rebels • Mississippi State Bulldogs

[edit] Links

• Official Vanderbilt Football Page