Jan. 4, 2016
St. Petersburg, Fla. – Commodore seniors Steven Scheu and Andrew Williamson have accepted invitations to participate in the upcoming East-West Shrine Game.
Scheu, a tight end from Evansville, Ind., and Williamson, a safety from San Antonio, Texas, will play in the 91st edition of the showcase for prospective NFL players, scheduled Saturday, Jan. 23 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
The duo will become the first Commodores to play in the Shrine Game since Andre Hal participated in 2014. Hal impressed plenty of NFL scouts during the game, became a seventh round draft pick for Houston, and currently starts in the defensive secondary for the AFC North champion Texans.
Scheu was the Commodores’ second leading receiver in 2015 with 26 catches, good for 231 yards and a touchdown. He also concluded his career as Vanderbilt’s active leader in every nearly receiving category, including receptions (82), receiving yards (924) and touchdown catches (7).
Scheu earned 10 starts as a senior after making his way back back from an offseason leg injury. His three top performances as a senior came in Southeastern Conference play against Ole Miss, South Carolina and Missouri.
As a junior, Scheu earned second team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press after posting 39 receptions, good for 525 yards and four touchdowns. Scheu was one of the top scholar athletes on the Commodore squad.
A three-time SEC academic honor roll recipient, Scheu was nominated for several prestigious postseason honors, including the Wuerffel Trophy, William V. Campbell Trophy and National Scholar Athlete Award, and Senior CLASS Award.
Williamson was a two-year starter in the Commodore secondary, serving as one of the team’s top defensive leaders. A 10-game starter in 2015, Williamson registered 28 solo tackles, 41 total stops, a forced fumble and four defensed passes.
As a first-year starter in 2014, Williamson set season highs with 32 solo tackles, 54 total tackles and four tackles for loss.
Williamson ended his career ranking third on the team’s active roster with 85 solo stops and 134 total tackles. He also contributed two interceptions, 10 defensed passes and six tackles for loss.
The list of previous Commodore participants in the East-Game Shrine Game follows:
2014 Andre Hal (DB)
2008 Curtis Gatewood (LB), Jonathan Goff (LB)
2005 Justin Geisinger (OL)
2000 Matt Stewart (LB)
1997 Antony Jordan (LB)
1991 Kevin Brothen (C)
1984 Ricky Anderson (P/K), Kurt Page (QB)
1982 Allama Matthews (TE)
1981 Ken Hammond (QB)
1979 Frank Mordica (RB)
1977 Martin Cox (WR)
1975 Barry Burton (TE)
1972 Ken Stone (DB)
1970 Karl Weiss (TE)
1968 Chip Healy (LB)
1967 Gary Davis (QB)
1951 Bucky Curtis (WR)
1925 Gil Reese (RB)