Sept. 30, 2010
Commodores Bid for Rare Achievement: Consecutive Road Wins
On Saturday, Vanderbilt travels to Connecticut seeking consecutive road wins for just the fifth time in the 11 years. It was last achieved against at Miami (Ohio) and Ole Miss early in the 2008 season.
The Commodores are coming off a 28-14 victory at Ole Miss on Sept. 18. The 14-point winning margin was Vanderbilt’s largest on the road against a SEC foe since beating Kentucky by 18 points (24-6) in 1994.
Far More Rare: Winning First Two Road Games as Head Coach
Robbie Caldwell is looking to become the first Vanderbilt coach since World War II to post wins in his first two road games.
The last Vanderbilt coach to achieve the feat was E.H. Alley, who guided the Commodores to 1943 wins over Tennessee Tech and Camp Campbell.
Connecticut – Long Haul for Equipment Staff
For Commodore coaches, players and key support staff, the charter flight to Connecticut is expected to take little more than two hours. But for Luke Wyatt’s equipment staff, it’s a totally different journey.
The 15-member crew and drivers for the team’s stylish new equipment truck provided by Old Dominion Freight Line, are expected to depart McGugin Center today at 6 p.m., for a 1,004-mile route that passes through seven states. Add into the mix the remnants of a tropical storm in the Northeast and you’re talking a one-way trip taking nearly 17-18 hours.
Wyatt says this trip is the Vanderbilt’s longest since November 1977 when the Commodores traveled nearly 1,150 miles to the Air Force Academy just north of Colorado Springs.
The journey is 110 miles longer than a trip last year when the Commodores played Army at West Point in New York.
Wyatt’s equipment staff always travels in advance of the team, preparing the visiting locker room facilities early for the team’s gameday arrival.
Commodores are 1-0-1 All-time in Connecticut
It’s been 62 years, but Vanderbilt has played in previously in Connecticut. The Commodores are 1-0-1 all-time in the state, with both games coming against Yale in New Haven.
Vanderbilt won the last match against Yale 35-0 in 1948. That game was part of an eight-game win streak by Red Sanders’ squad that has never been matched by the Commodores.
The first time between Vanderbilt and Yale was historic for other reasons. In that 1910 game, Dan McGugin used just 11 Commodores in an eventual 0-0 tie. It marked Yale’s first game ever against a squad from the South.
Stokes Named as Campbell Trophy Semifinalist
John Stokes (Sr., LB) has been named as a semifinalist for the 2010 William V. Campbell Trophy. The award is presented annually to the nation’s premier scholar-athlete by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
Stokes, nominated recently for the National Football Foundation’s prestigious Scholar-Athlete Award, is having his finest year as a Commodore, ranking third on the team with 23 total tackles as a starting outside linebacker.
The son of Vanderbilt grads, Stokes maintains a 3.8 GPA working toward a degree in Medicine, Health and Society and has earned early acceptance into Vanderbilt Medical School. He has also been extremely involving in organizing community service trips abroad by Vanderbilt undergraduates.
Graham Likely to Play
Jamie Graham (R-Jr., DB) is expected to see his initial action of the season at Connecticut. The versatile athlete, with 12 career starts as receiver and defensive back, has missed the first three games with a groin injury.
The availability of another defensive standout, junior tackle T.J. Greenstone, is expected to be a gameday decision.
Where to Watch the Game
Vanderbilt fans in most of Tennessee, north Alabama and Kentucky will be able to watch the Commodores play Connecticut, according to Big East Conference officials.
According to listing of TV affiliates provided by the Big East, the Vanderbilt-UConn game is available to cable subscribers in 19 states, including portions of Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky and Florida in the Southeast. The game also is available to Dish Network (Channel 428) and DIRECTV (Channel 625) with subscriptions to premium sports packages.
The following Southeast metro areas will receive the game: Nashville (WUXP 30), Knoxville (WBXX), Huntsville-Decatur-Shoals, Ala. (WHNT), Lexington (WTVQ), Louisville (WHAS), Jacksonville (WAWS), Tampa-St. Petersburg and Orlando-Daytona Beach (Brighthouse), and New Orleans (Cox-NO).
In other areas of the U.S., the game is available via ESPN’s GamePlan package and ESPN3.com.
(Photo Credit: Mike Marti)
