Honors
• 2013 SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week (Nov. 9)
2014
Azubike started at both outside linebacker and defensive end in Vanderbilt’s 3-4 scheme as a junior… Earned seven starts – six at DE and one at OLB… Played in 11 of 12 games… Set single-season career high with 39 total tackles and matched another with four quarterback sacks… Contributed six tackles for loss and a pair of QB hurries… Opened the year in sensational fashion, posting two QB sacks against both Ole Miss and UMass… Also matched single-game career high with seven total tackles against Ole Miss and UMass… Also registered at least four tackles against Kentucky, Old Dominion and Missouri… Set single-game career with three tackles for loss in win over UMass… Nagging injuries limited production in team’s closing three games.
2013
Azubike became one of the Commodores’ top defensive linemen without earning a start… Part of five-player rotation at defensive end… Showed tons of improvement from start of season to closing stretch… Served as top reserve DE, seeing action in 10 games… Did not play against Tennessee, Wake Forest or Houston in the BBVA Compass Bowl… Finished the regular season with 21 solo tackles and 31 total tackles, both career highs… Also topped the defense with 10 tackles for loss and shared the team lead with four quarterback sacks…Earned Southeastern Conference Defensive Lineman of the Week honors for superb performance in win at Florida – four tackles, two QB sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a pair of hurries… Recorded career-best seven tackles, including two resulting in losses, against Missouri… Contributed five tackles at South Carolina, and registered first sack of season vs. Austin Peay… Added two tackles, a defensed pass and QB hurry in opener aginst Ole Miss.
2012
Azubike enjoyed one of the finest campaigns ever by a Commodore true freshman defensive end… Saw action in all 13 games, playing more snaps than any other Vanderbilt first-year player… Set team record for true freshmen with four quarterback sacks… Ended season with 15 solo tackles, 21 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and a pair of QB hurries… Played well in Music City Bowl win, earning three tackles and fumble recovery… Set season high with three solo tackles, including a sack, at Northwestern… Added key sack in win over Tennessee.
High School
Senior captain, two-year starter at DE… As senior, topped the Raiders with 117 tackles, 30 tackles for loss, 10 QB sacks and six forced fumbles for Raiders… Two-time team MVP… All-State recipient as senior; listed on Tennessean’s Dream Team… Posted three sacks at postseason Offense-Defense All-American Bowl held in Texas… Earned defensive MVP honors in Tennessee East-West All-Star Game after setting record with 17 tackles… Finalist for Hume Award, given to Nashville public school’s top scholar-athlete.
Personal
Chukwuemeka Caleb Azubike… Majoring in Medicine, Health, and Society… Son of Chuck and Nkechi Azubike… Born March 31, 1994 in Nigeria… Dad is private businessman; mom is a nurse… Has two brothers, Onochie and Ifeatu, and two sisters, Adaobi and Chinazor… Family moved from England prior to ninth grade… Played trumpet in McGavock marching band as freshman.
Career Highs
Total Tackles: 7, (3x) Last vs. UMass, 9/13/2014
Solo Tackles: 5, vs. Missouri, 10/5/2013
QB Sacks: 2, (4x) Last vs. Kentucky, 11/14/2015
Tackles for loss: 3.0 (2x), Last vs. Kentucky, 11/14/2015
