March 20, 2009
On campus in Nashville – An energetic scrimmage featuring both offensive and defensive highlights capped a 2-hour, 20-minute Vanderbilt practice Thursday on campus.
The 35-play scrimmage included a pair of offensive touchdown passes and several stellar defensive plays to halt drives.
The Commodores are expected to practice Friday afternoon, then return to Vanderbilt Stadium for a full-contact session Saturday. The team’s featured Black & Gold Scrimmage is scheduled for Saturday, March 28, in the stadium, with admission free to Commodore followers.
Quarterbacks Mackenzi Adams and Jared Funk sparked the Commodore offense on Thursday, with Adams finding tight end Justin Green for a 28-yard touchdown and Funk hitting wide receiver Turner Wimberly for a 32-yard sideline route resulting in another score.
Several defenders, including cornerback Casey Hayward, linebacker Chris Marve and defensive end Theron Kadri, made key individual plays to stop possessions.
Other highlights included:
– Physical running by tailback Kennard Reeves, who punished Hayward at the end of a 11-yard carry. Earlier in the practice, Reeves broke two tackles on an impressive 30-yard rush.
– Receiver John Cole showed continued progress returning from injury, catching five passes, including a pair of acrobatic passes. Cole also dodged tackles on three of the receptions for extra yardage.
– Before colliding with Reeves on the sidelines, Hayward made an impressive third-down tackle for loss of tailback Ryan van Rensburg to halt the first possession.
– A quarterback sack by Marve and tackle for loss by tackle Billinger helped the defense stop two other drives.
Special Visitors…
Former Commodore and new Tennessee Titan defensive lineman Jovan Haye watched most of the session from the sidelines with former Vanderbilt and current Buffalo Bills linebacker Marcus Buggs.
Haye, a standout defensive tackle at Tampa Bay for the last two years, has been a frequent practice guest since signing a free agent deal with the Titans on March 2.
Others watching the practice were 2008 Commodore All-America cornerback D.J. Moore, former receivers George Smith and Sean Walker, and 2008 captain Reshard Langford. All four former Commodores are expected to participate in Pro Day activities Friday morning on campus.
