#39 Brett Upson Season 2007-08

2009
Southeastern Conference coaches honored Upson for finest year in Commodore uniform by naming him to second team All-SEC squad… Also shared team[apos]s postseason ‘Specialist of the Year’ award with return specialist Warren Norman… Started all 12 games, running consecutive start streak to 49 games… Finished year with a 43.1-yard average, nearly three yards beyond his prior best… Also had 81 punts, setting a new Vanderbilt single-season record… Posted 23 punts downed inside the opponent 20-yard line and 22 efforts of at least 50 yards, with just 10 resulting in touchbacks… Started season poorly, averaging just 27.5 yards vs. Western Carolina and 38.1 yards at LSU… Averaged 45.2 yards during next six games… Showed consistency and range by having five games with three punts of 50 yards or more… Earned or shared team[apos]s Specialist of the Week award after Mississippi State, South Carolina and Kentucky games.// Finished career with 40.4-yard average on 271 attempts, the second highest punt total in team history.

2008
Put together his best year in a Commodore uniform as a junior… Averaged career-high 40.1 yards on 68 punts… Nearly a third of punts inside the opponent 20-yard line… Had 13 punts of 50 yards or more, including a season-long of 60 yards at Wake Forest… Named Most Valuable Player of the the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl for his punting throughout the game: one of his rugby-style efforts from the BC 42-yard line hit an Eagle defender and was recovered by Commodore player for Vanderbilt[apos]s lone touchdown; two other efforts pinned the Boston College offense deep in its own territory…Also was splendid during the Commodores[apos] early start, earning SEC Specialist of the Week honors after performance against Auburn and at Georgia… Kept Auburn bottled up deep in its own territory with four punts inside the 20-yard line, including a final effort of 55 yards that was downed at the Tiger 3-yard line… Two weeks later, he kept team in excellent field possession at Georgia, averaging 44.6 yards on seven punts, with three downed inside the UGA 20-yard line… Earned or shared team[apos]s top specialist honors after Miami (Ohio), Ole Miss, Auburn and Georgia games.

2007
Served as Commodore punter for second straight year, averaging 39.2 yards on 61 punts… Ranked among the SEC leaders in 22 punts (37.2%) downed inside the opponent[apos]s 20-yard line… Averaged more than 44 yards per attempt in SEC games against Ole Miss, Georgia and Tennessee… Shared team[apos]s Specialist of the Week honors after booting a 59-yard punt and averaging 46 yards per punt at Tennessee.

2006
Earned starting role as true freshman, replacing Bryant Hahnfeldt, who concentrated on placekicking as a sophomore… Finished the season ranked 10th among SEC punters with 37.4-yard average… Of Upson[apos]s 52 punts, 27 were either fair caught or downed inside the opponents[apos] 20-yard line… Opposing returners averaged less than six yards per return, ranking Vanderbilt 17th in the NCAA… Started the season in excellent fashion, winning team[apos]s Specialist of the Week honors at Alabama by averaging 43.7 yards… In first home appearance versus Arkansas, attempts include a career-long 69 yarder… Posted two punts covering more than 50 yards to aid in Commodore road win over Georgia.

High School
Two-year captain and three-year punter/kicker for Atlanta-area school… As senior, punted for 44.2-yard average, including seven of more than 55 yards… Career long punt of 72 yards… Earned First Team AAA All-State honors from Georgia Sports Writers Association… Converted seven of 13 field goals as senior, including school record from 54 yards… Made 25 field goals in three-year varsity career… Averaged 42 yards as junior punter… Named Special Teams Player of the Year by Atlanta Touchdown Club… Holds region[apos]s soccer scoring record of 87 goals… Maintains +2 handicap in golf as member of varsity squad… An honors student.

Personal
Brett Kole Upson… Son of Brian and Tracee Upson… Has one sister, Patricia-Anne… Dad is civil engineer; mom works for Airtran Airways… Is an Eagle scout… Interned at local CSI crime lab… Upson will graduate in May 2010 with a degree in Human and Organizational Development… First athlete in five-year history of school to sign I-A scholarship… An avid hunter.

Spalding Coach Kirk Hoffmann

‘Brett is an outstanding student and an outstanding athlete, really does an excellent job in both areas.

‘Brett has one of the strongest legs I[apos]ve seen in 21 years of coaching high school, and really works hard at being the best kicker he can be. I[apos]d say his mental toughness is one of Brett[apos]s biggest assets.’