June 3, 2011
Cleveland, Ohio – Cornerback Casey Hayward leads a list of six Vanderbilt players named to preseason All-Southeastern Conference teams by Phil Steele’s 2011 College Football Preview, which hits newsstands on June 7.
Hayward, a senior from Perry, Ga., was also selected as a preseason All-America by Phil Steele’s, named to the publication’s fourth team defense. As a junior last season, he led the conference with 17 pass breakups and brought down a team-high six interceptions on the way to receiving second team All-SEC postseason honors as a defensive back from both league coaches and the Associated Press following the season. Hayward is the only Commodore and one of 26 players from the SEC named to one of Steele’s four preseason All-American teams.
Five other Commodore returning starters were named to All-SEC squads by the publication. A pair of fellow seniors, linebacker Chris Marve and tight end Brandon Barden, join Hayward as second-team All-SEC selections. Sophomore Wesley Johnson was named to the third team as an offensive tackle, while junior Warren Norman and senior Sean Richardson were named to the fourth team at kick returner and safety, respectively.
Marve, a senior from Memphis, Tenn., played through injury last season to record 80 tackles and tie for the team lead with eight tackles for loss, starting at middle linebacker in 11 of 12 games. He is the team’s active leader in total tackles, with 306 over three seasons.
Barden led the Commodores in receptions and receiving yards in 2010 and was the only player to register a catch in all 12 games. He enters 2011 as Vanderbilt’s active leader in catches, receiving yards and touchdown receptions.
Johnson, a redshirt sophomore from Nashville, Tenn., was one of two Vanderbilt offensive lineman to start every game in 2010, spending most of his time at left tackle. He was named the SEC’s Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance in Vanderbilt’s 28-14 win over Ole Miss in September and garnered All-SEC Freshman Team honors following the season.
Norman was named to Steele’s preseason team after a sophomore season shortened by injury in which he averaged 25.4 yards on 22 kickoff returns and finished as the team’s leading rusher with 459 yards in eight appearances. Norman is the only player in Vanderbilt history with three kickoff returns for touchdowns in his career.
Richardson, a senior free safety from Linden, Ala., led the Commodores in solo and total tackles in 2010 while extending his consecutive starts streak to 18 games. He registered four or more tackles in all 12 games while teaming up with Hayward to provide valuable veteran leadership in the defensive backfield.
The Commodores open their first season under Head Coach James Franklin by hosting Elon on Sept. 3 in Vanderbilt Stadium. Season tickets for the Commodores’ seven-game home schedule remain available online at the official website (vucommodores.com), by phone at (615) 322-GOLD or in the Athletic Box Office in McGugin Center on campus.
