NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As the harvest moon watches over the autumn evenings and the leaves that veil Vanderbilt’s grounds turn from green to gold, transfer Randon Fontenette is reminded of how different his life was the last time he experienced this annual tradition. A new team, new colors, new coaches, and campus have all written themselves into Fontenette’s journey, but within just a few weeks, the sophomore has etched his story into the annals of Commodore football.
Fontenette craves competition. Falling in love with football at an early age, he has never been one to shy away from the allure of the fight.
“Just being able to come on the field and just forget about everything off it,” is what he loves most about the game. For Fontenette, football is an opportunity to “to forget all your problems and just play the game you love.”
This youthful outlook on the game meshes perfectly with his approach to it: to become a star. Fontenette has always fit this mold, and Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea noticed it quickly. In fact, for Lea and the city of Nashville, this ability to change the game is so apparent that it is Fontenette’s explicit position in the Vanderbilt defense: Star.
The Freeport, Texas, native epitomized the role of the high school star at Brazosport High School, flashing his athleticism on the basketball court and track before revealing it to all on the gridiron as a two-way player for the Exporters. Lea recognized Fontenette’s ability and quickly tagged him as someone who would fit perfectly into Vanderbilt’s 4-2-5 defense, a new-age nickel formation centered around stopping fast-spread offenses with a floating hybrid back.
For Fontenette, this freedom to express himself on the field in his own way is exactly what he desires.
Regarding his mindset, “I’m just letting my instincts go,” Fontenette explained. “I just think about my alignment, assignment, and technique, and then after that, I just play ball. Whatever comes, comes. I don’t try to force anything. I don’t try to overthink.”
When Vanderbilt lost out on Fontenette out of high school, Lea remembered his capability to shine. When Fontenette entered the transfer portal following his freshman season at TCU, he did not overthink. He stuck true to his one goal: to be a star. That desire to showcase his unique defensive ability and become part of something bigger than himself led Fontenette right back to the golden pastures of Lea’s defensive, a place where he could, by name and by creed, become one.
“I always had the skill,” says Fontenette. “That was the reason for me coming here—to play this position. I know my strengths and weaknesses, and this position showcases my strengths.”
In his first four games with the Dores, Fontenette has done precisely that on the defensive side of the ball, flying around the field to make essential tackles. His size—too quick to be a true middle linebacker, too big and strong to be a defensive back—fits perfectly into the hybrid position the 4-2-5 defense requires. One of the shining stars of this defense, Fontenette covers every responsibility on the field as he transitions from stopping the run to covering the pass to coming off the edge.
Crediting the man who got him here, Fontenette believes every play that “Coach Lea is going to make the right call.” But he finds even more fortitude in their mutual trust, knowing that “when he makes the call, I’ll be there to make the play.”
And he has made plenty this season, coming up in big-time moments at Missouri and Virginia Tech. Fontenette recorded his first career sack on a pivotal fourth-quarter drive against Mizzou, the same week he tied his career high in total tackles with eight.
Anyone paying attention to the Commodore’s defense quickly becomes aware of Fontenette’s indispensability and independence. Lea noticed his potential to thrive in this defense back in high school, and Fontenette is forever grateful for this chance, even if it took a few attempts to end up in Nashville.
“It’s always been in me,” said Fontenette about his ability. “But coming here, out the portal, I already knew [about Coach Lea]. I knew his landscape, the product he puts out, how he develops his players, and how he uses them. That’s what led to, you know, my success here.”
Fontenette knew he was destined for greatness; the only risk was moving to greener pastures. This fall, they have taken on a golden hue for Fontenette as he leads the Commodores onto the field each week, grounded in purpose and determination.
