Jan. 29, 2015
January has been quite a month for Andrew East, Vanderbilt’s four-year senior snapper and two-time co-captain.
East’s January calendar has included a four-day weekend in New Orleans celebrating his commitment to community service and a chance to demonstrate his football talents to NFL scouts at the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
“Each was an incredible experience and I’m extremely grateful for both,” East said during a break from off-season training. “Everything in New Orleans associated with Allstate and AFCA (American Football Coaches Association) event was far beyond my expectations. Then, to be selected to participate in the Reese’s Senior Bowl as one of two snappers is just unbelievable. What an opportunity to show what I do on the field.
“So many people at Vanderbilt and elsewhere were responsible for saying a kind word and recommending that I receive these opportunities. I’m forever grateful for experiencing both,” East added.
East, who snapped 51 consecutive games as a Commodores, journeyed to New Orleans and the Allstate Sugar Bowl as a special guest of the bowl sponsor. Earlier in the fall, East was among 22 NCAA student-athletes nationwide selected to the Allstate-AFCA Good Works Team. He also became the second Commodore in as many years to share the community service honor, following 2013 recipient Carey Spear.
During the four-day visit, East and other Good Works Team representatives were honored at two gala events, participated in a community service activity with hundreds of New Orleans youngsters, and recognized at mid-field of the College Football Playoff semifinal matchup between Alabama and Ohio State in the Super Dome.
“Obviously it was a huge honor to be chosen by Allstate and the AFCA. It was cool to look around to see guys from all across the country who were successful in football but clearly made community service a priority in their college years. I quickly formed good friendships with virtually all the other guys.
“I really enjoyed the community service at the high school where Peyton and Eli Manning attended. Playing with hundreds ofkids was a blast,” East added.
Two weeks later, East was in Mobile, Ala., for the Senior Bowl, considered the top postseason showcase for college seniors. For three days, East displayed his unique ability and enjoyed frequent private meetings with NFL coaches, scouts and front office personnel as the South’s snapper.
“Virtually everybody in the NFL is there. It’s crazy,” East said. “It was cool to meet coaches like Mike Tomlin and Rex Ryan, and the GM of the Vikings.I was amazed because every practice there are 700 scouts lining the field taking notes.
“To get that kind of exposure as a long snapper is hard to beat. Making a positive impression and getting coaches’ feedback on what I needed to work on was awesome,” he added.
East’s favorite aspect of the Senior Bowl was the opportunity to participate in linebacker position drills.
“I always wanted to play linebacker and never did, so to do it with linebackers at the Senior Bowl was a blast. I got a lot of positive feedback on those drills,” he said.
An engineering graduate now working toward a MBA from Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Business,East’s path to Vanderbilt was anything but ordinary. The Indianapolis native didn’t sign scholarship papers on National Signing Day 2010. He didn’t receive an offer from the Commodores until former Vanderbilt Head Coach Bobby Johnson called in mid-May, three months after signing day.
East quickly learned the scholarship opened only after the shooting death of Vanderbilt’s highly rated Powder Springs (Ga.) running back signee Rajaan Bennett.Throughout his Commodore career, East played to honor Bennett’s memory.
On the morning of the Reese’s Senior Bowl, East tweeted another reminder of Bennett’s impact on his life, “I started my college career due to the death of Rajaan Bennett. I end that career at the @seniorbowl in his honor.”
To East, the Senior Bowl also served one final chance to represent Vanderbilt University.
“At the game, I just remember thinking it was really cool to play one more game with the Star V on my helmet. It was awesome to represent Vanderbilt at such a prestigious event,” East said.
Though East has yet to receive an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine in late February, he continues to train in Nashville for Vanderbilt’s Pro Day on March 10.
