Oct. 17, 2016
Birmingham, Ala. – Linebacker Zach Cunningham and return specialist Darrius Sims were named Southeastern Conference Defensive and Special Teams Player of the Week, respectively, in the aftermath of Vanderbilt’s 17-16 victory at Georgia last Saturday.
Cunningham, a redshirt junior from Pinson, Ala., produced one of the finest defensive performances in recent Commodore history, notching 19 total tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in the win. Sims, a senior from Memphis, registered 124 yards on two kick returns, including a 95-yarder to start the game that enabled Vanderbilt to take an early 7-0 lead.
The performances by Cunningham and Sims helped Vanderbilt Head Coach Derek Mason earn his first conference road win. It also moved the Commodores to 3-4 overall, with a non-conference home game against cross-town Tennessee State on tap this Saturday in Vanderbilt Stadium.
The SEC award for Cunningham comes one day after he garnered Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week recognition, becoming the first Commodore so honored since 2008.
Cunningham’s performance in Athens featured the decisive tackle in Vanderbilt’s win. On Georgia’s last offensive play, a fourth-and-1 from the Vanderbilt 41-yard line, Cunningham broke through the line to stop speedy Isaiah McKenzie short of a first down.
Cunningham’s 19-tackle effort marked a career high, and was the highest single-game total by a Commodores since linebacker Jamie Winborn had 20 stops in a 11-10 win at South Carolina on Oct. 23, 1999.
Success in the SEC is no surprise for Cunningham, as he leads the conference in multiple defensive categories. He tops the league with 81 total tackles and 13 tackles for loss. In four SEC games, Cunningham is averaging 13.8 tackles and 2.3 tackles for loss – both tops in the league.
Sims started the game off with a huge play for the Commodores, taking the opening kick 95 yards to the UGA 3-yard line. Two plays later, Vanderbilt took a 7-0 lead on Ralph Webb’s short plunge into the end zone.
Sims, who finished with a season-high 142 all-purpose yards, is closing in on Vanderbilt’s record for career kick return yards. He needs 44 yards to surpass Mark Johnson’s 30-year-old record of 2,263 yards.
It also marks the second time that Sims has earned SEC player of the week honors. He was recognized on Sept. 20, 2014 after setting a league record by returning two South Carolina kicks for touchdowns.
Cunningham, a consensus first team All-SEC performer in 2015, is the first Commodore defensive player to claim SEC weekly honors since Nov. 14, 2015 when fellow linebacker Oren Burks was recognized after a two-interception game against Kentucky.
The Commodores return to action this Saturday against Tennessee State. Kickoff for the homecoming game is 6:30 p.m. CT. Tickets ($30 ea.) remain available.