July 9, 2012
Southhampton, Pa. – Record-breaking Vanderbilt running back Zac Stacy has been named to the Maxwell Award preseason watchlist, officials of the Maxwell Football Club announced today.
Stacy, a senior from Centreville, Ala., who ranks second among active Southeastern Conference backs in career rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, is one of of 65 offensive standouts in the nation named as an early contender for the Maxwell Award. This marks the 76th year that the club will distribute the Maxwell Award, given to the nation’s outstanding offensive player.
Stacy becomes the first Commodore player named as a preseason Maxwell Award candidate since 2005 when the club’s selection committee recognized senior quarterback Jay Cutler.
Stacy is one of 30 running backs on the Maxwell watchlist. He is also one of 13 players from the SEC named as an early Maxwell candidate.
Stacy was one of the SEC’s top rushers as a junior, putting together arguably the finest season ever by a Vanderbilt running back. He set team single-season records with 1,193 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns in leading the Commodores to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.
He ranks second among active SEC backs with 2,002 career rushing yards and 20 career rushing touchdowns. His 2011 rushing total also ranks first among all SEC backs returning from a year ago.
Stacy surpassed 100 rushing yards in five games last year, topped by a 198-yard effort against Army, the No 3 single-game performance in Commodore history. Stacy also scored 13 of his 14 touchdowns during the final seven games of the season. He tallied three rushing touchdowns in wins over Army, Kentucky and Wake Forest.
Stacy enters his final year within reach of several Vanderbilt career rushing records. He needs 631 yards to surpass Frank Mordica’s 33-year-old team record of 2,632 yards. He also needs seven rushing touchdowns to eclipse Dean Davidson’s 26-touchdown total set from 1947-50.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced on Oct. 29, with the three finalists being unveiled on Nov. 19. The Maxwell Award winner will be announced as part of the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 6. The 2011 Maxwell Award winner was quarterback Andrew Luck of Stanford.
Stacy will be one of three seniors representing the Commodores at SEC Media Days next week. Stacy, quarterback Jordan Rodgers and cornerback Trey Wilson will join Head Coach James Franklin at the media event July 17 in Birmingham.
The Commodores open the 2012 season by hosting South Carolina on Thursday, Aug. 30 in Vanderbilt Stadium. Other SEC opponents on the Vanderbilt home schedule are Florida on Oct. 13, Auburn on Oct. 20 and Tennessee on Nov. 17.
Season tickets starting at just $126 remain available for the Commodore home slate. For more information, contact the Vanderbilt box office at (615) 322-GOLD (4653) or purchase online.