Sept. 19, 2015
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Vanderbilt – Austin Peay Postgame Notes
Sept. 19, 2015
Vanderbilt Stadium
Pregame Notes
– Vanderbilt is in its 126th year of organized football.
– The Commodores wore the team’s new black helmets and pants with gold jerseys.
– Vanderbilt won the toss and deferred to the second half, Austin Peay elected to receive and defend the north goal.
– Attendance was 31,399.
– Vanderbilt captains for the game were Darreon Herring, DeAndre Woods and Tommy Openshaw.
Team Notes
– Saturday’s match-up with Austin Peay was the second between the two schools and first since 2013 when the Commodores won 38-3.
– Vanderbilt is now 18-0 against FCS teams all-time.
– The Dores are 14-0-1 against teams from the Ohio Valley Conference.
Individual Notes
– Zach Cunningham made his first start of the season and sixth of his career, filling in for Nigel Bowden.
– True freshman Justin Skule earned his first career start, getting the nod at right tackle on the offensive line.
– Dare Odeyingbo made his collegiate debut, playing on special teams and becoming the sixth true freshman to see action for the Commodores this season.
– Tommy Openshaw connected on a 40-yard field goal near the end of the first quarter for his fifth made field goal of the season.
– DeAndre Woods’ 43-yard catch in the second quarter is the longest reception of his career.
– Ralph Webb scored his first touchdown of the season on a three-yard run in the quarter giving the Commodores’ their first rushing TD of the year.
– For the third straight week, Tommy Openshaw made two field goals in the game adding a 38-yard field goal late in the second quarter.
– Ralph Webb scored his second TD of the day on a nine-yard catch late in the first half for his first career receiving score and the first two-TD game of his career.
– Johnny McCrary was 13-for-15 for 181 yards and a TD in the first half.
– Tre Herndon led the Dores with four tackles in the first half.
– Ralph Webb became the first Commodore to score three touchdowns in a game since 2013 when Jerron Seymour scored three at Florida.
– Trent Sherfield’s career day made him the first Commodore to have 100-plus yards receiving since C.J. Duncan against Charleston Southern last season.
– Trent Sherfield’s 240 yards set a new single-game school record breaking the record held by Earl Bennett’s (223 vs. Richmond in 2007). Sherfield becomes just the sixth Commodore to record 200-plus yards receiving in a single-game and the eighth 200-yard receiving game in school history.
– Arnold Tarpley’s sack in the third quarter was his first career sack.
– Johnny McCrary’s 368 yards passing made him the first Vanderbilt QB since Austyn Carta-Samuels against Missouri in 2013 to pass for 300-plus yards.
– Johnny McCrary’s 368 yards are the most by a VU QB since Chris Nickson’s 446 yards against Kentucky in 2006.
– Johnny McCrary gained a career-high 409 total yards and scored three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing).
– Johnny McCrary’s 28 completions set a new career-best and are the most for a Vandy QB since Austyn Carta-Samuels completed 29 against Missouri in 2013.
– Johnny McCrary set the school record for completion percentage in the win completing 28-of-33 for 84.9% breaking Hank Lesesne’s mark from 1961 vs. Georgia.
– Charles Wright notched his first career sack in the fourth quarter.
– Cole Hardin, Jay Hockaday, Brian Doney and Ronald Monroe made their collegiate debuts.
– Dallas Rivers scored his first touchdown of the season and third of his career late in the fourth on a four-yard run.
Offensive Notes
– Ralph Webb scored his first touchdown of the season on a three-yard run in the quarter giving the Commodores’ their first rushing TD of the year.
– Vanderbilt’s scoring drive in the second quarter was the Dores’ longest of the season covering 78 yards on eight plays.
– The Commodores gained 268 yards in the first half, passing for 181 yards and averaging 7.2 yards per play.
– For the third straight game at least eight Commodores caught passes with nine Dores catching passes.
– Vanderbilt’s 541 yards of offense and 47 points are the most under Head Coach Derek Mason.
– The Commodores went 9-for-14 on third down, recording the most conversions and best percentage under Mason.
– Vanderbilt converted on six of the team’s seven trips into the red zone.
– The Dores’ 394 yards passing set a new high in the Mason Era with the team capturing a new Mason-era best 17 first downs through the air.
– Through the team’s first three games, the offense has gained 1326 yards (442.0 YPG) and scored 73 points (24.3 PPG) compared to last season through the team’s first three games when the Dores compiled 755 yards (251.7 YPG) and scored 44 points (14.7 PPG). VU is averaging 22.3 first downs per game after picking up 26 on Saturday. The Dores averaged 13 first downs per game through the first three games of 2014.
Defensive Notes
– Vanderbilt held Austin Peay to just 75 yards of total offense in the first half, including just 25 on the ground.
– The Dores allowed just four first downs in the first half and held the Govs to 2-for-7 on third down.
– The Commodores allowed only seven points in the win, the fewest under Head Coach Derek Mason.
– Vanderbilt allowed only 144 total yards, including just 34 yards rushing the fewest under Mason and fewest since. The total yards are the fewest allowed by Vandy since allowing 139 yards against Austin Peay in 2013 and the rushing yards are the fewest allowed by VU since 2008 when the Dores gave up just 28 yards on the ground against Duke.
Special Teams Notes
– Tommy Openshaw connected on a 40-yard field goal near the end of the first quarter for his fifth made field goal of the season.
– For the third straight week, Tommy Openshaw made two field goals in the game adding a 38-yard field goal late in the second quarter.
– Ryan White returned a punt 36 yards back to the 15-yard line in the fourth quarter.
– Tommy Openshaw’s lone punt travelled 66 yards in the second half.
