Oct. 10, 2009
Vanderbilt Postame Notes
Opponent: Army, Michie Stadium, West Point, N.Y.
Attendance: 34,357
Team Superlatives
– The Commodores made their first overtime appearance since a 49-42 double overtime loss to Florida on November 5, 2005. It is the seventh overtime game in school history as VU entered with a 2-4 ledger in OT games.
Individual Superlatives
– Warren Norman’s 76-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the Commodores first since Jimmy Williams ran one back 96-yards against Kentucky on November 13, 1998. Norman finished with 171 all-purpose yards.
– Safety Joel Caldwell finished with a career high 11 tackles, the second straight game he has double digit stops after recording 10 against Ole Miss a week ago.
– Redshirt freshman wide receiver John Cole returned to action after sitting out the Ole Miss game and finished with five receptions for 56 yards. Over his last two contests he has 12 catches for 123 yards.
First Half
– Warren Norman made his first career start.
– With Army inside the redzone with a first and goal at the Vanderbilt nine-yard line, T.J. Greenstone forced Kingsley Ehie to fumble the ball, and Brent Trice recovered at the 10-yard line. It was Greenstone’s second forced fumble of his career and Trice’s second career fumble recovery.
– The Black Knights got to the nine-yard line on a 25-yard pass completion to Davyd Brooks who would have scored if not for a tackle from redshirt freshman defensive end Johnell Thomas.
– Running back Zac Stacy returned to action in the first quarter and had two consecutive rushes after not carrying the ball against Ole Miss a week ago.
Second Half
– On third down and two from the Vanderbilt 48, quarterback Larry Smith rushed for a career long 32 yards to the Army 19 yard line. It was the first time VU entered the Black Knights side of the field all-game.
– On third and 13 from the Army 23, Larry Smith connected on an 18-yard pass to John Cole that extended the drive. Four plays later Ryan Fowler kicked a 19-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3.
– On fourth down and one from the Commodores 21-yard line with 9:15 left in the fourth quarter, Teriall Brannon stuffed Army quarterback Trent Steelman for no gain to end the Knights scoring threat.
– The Vanderbilt defense stood tall on after a turnover gave Army the ball at the Commodore seven-yard line. VU held them to just a yard on three plays, before Army kicked a 19-yard field goal at the 7:33 mark to take a 13-10 lead.
– On third and 15 from their own 15, Larry Smith connected on a 20 yard pass to Alex Washington to extend a drive with under three minutes left. On third and 10 from the VU 35, Smith then connected on a 31-yard pass to tight-end Brandon Barden to extend the drive. The duo connected on a 13-yard pass on the next play to get the ball to the Army 21 yard line.
– Ryan Fowler’s career long 41-yard field goal with 51 seconds left in the fourth quarter capped off a 12-play 57 yard drive that featured two crucial third and long conversions and tied the game at 13-13.