April 16, 2011
On campus in Nashville – The Commodores’ final prep for the featured Black & Gold Spring Game started Friday in Vanderbilt Stadium and ended on the raised hardwood of Memorial Gym.
Wearing gameday jerseys without pads, the Commodores practiced an hour on the Dudley Field surface, then moved into the historic basketball venue for another half hour when strong thunderstorms moved over the Vanderbilt campus.
It marked the first time in recent years that the Commodore football team practiced in Memorial Gym. Head Coach James Franklin moved the session into the gym to finish the team’s last walk-through before the spring game, which kicks off Sunday at 6 p.m., and concludes with a fireworks finale.
Franklin Eager to See Team Compete in Spring Game
With 14 practices staged and offensive and defensive systems installed, Franklin is excited about the team’s final session – the Black & Gold Spring Game.
“I’m excited, our players and coaches are excited, and I think our fans are excited about the game,” Franklin said. “I want us to go out and play, have fun, and just compete.
“I want to see big plays on offense, defense and special teams, and I think it’s going to be fun to see how the guys perform when the lights come on,” the coach added.
Autographs, Music, Vandyville Starts Activities
Gate 2 at Vanderbilt Stadium will open at 3 p.m., for a one-hour autograph session featuring the entire Commodore team and coaching staff. Free 2011 posters will be distributed to all fans in attendance.
The Vandyville tailgate, a popular pre-game activity that features live music and a full array of kids’ activities, also opens at 3 p.m. It will take place on Natchez Trace, which closes to traffic early in the afternoon.
Surface parking lots 73-75 near the stadium will open for tailgating at 12:00 noon. Early arriving fans can attend an important women’s lacrosse match between Vanderbilt’s and Florida that starts at 1 p.m.
CSS to Televise Spring Game Twice in May
Comcast Sports Southeast (CSS) will air the Black & Gold Spring Game on a taped-delay basis. The game will air on CSS outlets across the Southeast on May 1 at 8:30 pm., and May 3 at 2 p.m.
Kevin Ingram, the Commodores’ regular season sideline reporter, will provide play-by-play for the spring game. Former Commodore quarterback John Gromos, the team’s regular season color analyst, will join Ingram in the booth.
Hines to Coach Black Squad; Kalis has Gold Team
Longtime Nashville television sports personalities Hope Hines and Rudy Kalis will serve as honorary head coaches for the Black and Gold squads, respectively.
Hines will be assisted by 97.1 Classic Hits afternoon DJ “Mac” McIntyre. Kalis will be assisted by Kenny Smoov, the popular mid-day DJ at Nashville’s 92Q radio station.
Jana Kramer, a rising Warner Brothers singer who portrays Alex Dupre on The CW’s “One Tree Hill” television series, will work both sidelines, coaching the Black squad in the first half and the White team after intermission. A second country singer with Nashville roots, Whitney Duncan, was forced to cancel due to a family emergency.