Stamper, Goff Named Commodore Football Captains

Stamper, Goff Named Commodore Football Captains

4/4/2006

Nashville, Tenn. – A pair of preseason All-Southeastern Conference prospects, offensive tackle Brian Stamper and middle linebacker Jonathan Goff, will serve as team captains for the Vanderbilt Commodores next season.

 Stamper, a senior starter from Windermere, Fla., and Goff, a redshirt junior from Stoneham, Mass., were announced as captains at a team function following the Commodores’ Black & Gold Scrimmage.

 Stamper and Goff, both first-time captains, were selected by a vote of their teammates.

 Vanderbilt Head Coach Bobby Johnson was pleased with the decision, saying both players have earned the respect of everyone associated with the football program.

 “These are two outstanding captains for our team,” Johnson said. “In Brian and Jonathan, you have two young men who have stepped forward to accept a greater leadership role since the 2005 season ended.

 “They’ve earned the respect of their teammates. I think the other guys see how hard they work, how they prepare themselves, and how dedicated each one is to the success of this football team. It a great reward for both Brian and Jonathan,” Johnson added.

 Stamper, a product of Lake Highland Prep in Orlando, Fla., will enter his final Commodore  season as a three-year starter. As a junior, he was one of the SEC’s top offensive linemen, earning second team all-conference honors from the coaches. The 6-5, 305-lb. Stamper did not allow a sack last year, helping the Commodore offense become one of the most potent in team history.

 Goff, a product of St. John’s Prep in Boston, has been a main cog of the Vanderbilt defense since winning a starting role seven games into his redshirt freshman season two years ago. After posting 63 total tackles last year, the 6-4, 240-pounder is the Commodores’ top returning tackler. An inside linebacker, Goff also contributed three tackles for loss last year, concluding the season in solid fashion, earning the team’s Defensive Player of the Week honors with a nine-tackle effort versus Kentucky and 10-tackle performance in the season finale win at Tennessee.

 The Commodores, 5-6 last year, will open the 2006 season by facing the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor. It will be the first meeting between the schools since 1969. The Vanderbilt-Michigan opener is scheduled Saturday, Sept. 2, before an ESPN national television audience.