Nov. 28, 2015
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Vanderbilt – Tennessee Postgame Notes
Nov. 28, 2015
Vanderbilt Stadium
Pregame Notes
– Vanderbilt is in its 126th year of organized football.
– The Commodores wore black helmets with white jerseys and pants.
– Tennessee won the toss and deferred with Vanderbilt electing to receive and defend the north end zone.
– Attendance was 98,327.
– Vanderbilt captains for the game were Spencer Pulley, Zach Cunningham, Darreon Herring and Ryan White.
Team Notes
– Vanderbilt met Tennessee on the football field for the 110th time on Saturday. The series is the most played in Vanderbilt history dating back to Vanderbilt’s 12-0 win in the first meeting in 1892.
– The Commodores finish the season 4-8 overall, 2-6 in the SEC.
– Ralph Webb set the single-season school record for rushes, carrying the ball 21 times to push his season total to 277 for the year and pass Jermaine Johnson’s total of 267 from 1995.
– Ralph Webb finished his sophomore season with 1,152 yards rushing, the most ever by a VU sophomore and the second-most in a single-season at Vanderbilt behind only Zac Stacy’s school record 1,193 yards set in 2011.
– Zach Cunningham finished with 10 tackles to give him 103 for the season and make him the first Commodore defender since Chris Marve in 2009 to record at least 100 tackles in a season (109). The sophomore had seven games of 10-plus tackles this season.
Individual Notes
– Sam Dobbs earned his first career start, getting the nod at wide receiver.
– Seniors Spencer Pulley and Jake Bernstein started their 41st straight game on the Vanderbilt offensive line.
– Ralph Webb’s 50-yard run in the first quarter was the second-longest rush of his career.
– Darrius Sims’ seven-yard rushing TD in the first quarter was the first rushing TD of his career.
– Trey Ellis carried the ball for the first time in his career for 19 yards on a reverse.
– Kyle Shurmur’s third TD pass of the season went to Trent Sherfield for his third TD catch of the season in the second quarter.
– Ralph Webb rushed for 115 yards in the first half to become the first Commodore to run for 100 yards in a game against Tennessee since Jermaine Johnson in 1995.
– Zach Cunningham led the Dores with six tackles in the first half to give him 99 for the season.
– Caleb Scott had two catches for a team-best 61 yards in the first half.
– Stephen Weatherly forced a fumble in the third quarter on a goal line stand.
– Ralph Webb notched his fourth 100-yard game of the season and third and the last four games with 149 yards, the most in his career against a SEC opponent.
– Kyle Shurmur set new career-highs with 15 completions, 34 attempts, 209 yards and three touchdown passes.
– Kyle Shurmur’s three TD passes are the most by a VU QB this season and the most since Johnny McCrary tossed five in a win against Old Dominion last season.
– Zach Cunningham finished with 10 tackles to give him 103 for the season and make him the first Commodore defender since Chris Marve in 2009 to record at least 100 tackles in a season (109). The sophomore had seven games of 10-plus tackles this season.
– Ralph Webb set the single-season school record for rushes, carrying the ball 21 times to push his season total to 277 for the year and pass Jermaine Johnson’s total of 267 from 1995.
– Ralph Webb finished his sophomore season with 1,152 yards rushing, the most ever by a VU sophomore and the second-most in a single-season at Vanderbilt behind only Zac Stacy’s school record 1,193 yards set in 2011.
– Oren Burks made nine tackles with eight solo stops.
– Arnold Tarpley led the team with a pair of tackles for loss.
– Trent Sherfield caught six passes for 85 yards and a touchdown.
– Senior Steven Scheu caught three passes for 22 yards and a TD in his final game as a Commodore.
Offensive Notes
– Vanderbilt’s 70-yard scoring drive in the first quarter was the Commodores’ 13th scoring drive this season of at least 70 yards.
– The Dores’ 80-yard scoring drive that ended with a Shurmur to Sherfield TD was the team’s third scoring drive of the season to cover at least 80 yards.
– Vanderbilt outgained Tennessee 276-222 yards in the first half, rushing for 178 yards.
– The Commodores gained 411 yards with 202 on the ground and 209 passing.
– Vandy scored on four-of-five trips in the red zone.
Defensive Notes
– The Commodores held Tennessee to 92 yards passing in the first half.
– The defense recorded five tackles for loss in the game.
Special Teams Notes
– Tommy Openshaw punted seven times for an average of 46.6 yards.
– Dallas Rivers returned four kicks for 76 yards.
