Sept. 3, 2015
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Vanderbilt – Western Kentucky Postgame Notes
Sept. 3, 2015
Vanderbilt Stadium
Pregame Notes
– Vanderbilt is in its 126th year of organized football.
– The Commodores wore all black with black jerseys, black pants and helmets.
– Vanderbilt won the toss and elected to receive, Western Kentucky defended the north goal.
– Attendance was 30,307.
– Vanderbilt captains for the game were Spencer Pulley, Darreon Herring and Tommy Openshaw.
Team Notes
– Vanderbilt is now 78-45-4 all time in season openers.
– The Commodores fell to 3-7 all-time in Thursday night games.
– Vandy is now 3-1 against Western Kentucky all-time in the first game between the two schools since 1938.
Individual Notes
– Johnny McCrary made his sixth career start at QB for the Commodores.
– Barrett Gouger, Blake Fromang, Trent Sherfield and Darrius Sims all made their first career starts on the offense.
– Tre Herndon and Nehemiah Mitchell made their first career starts for the Commodores on defense.
– Johnny McCrary rushed for 27 yards on the opening drive, passing his career game-high of 16 yards.
– Jake Bernstein and Spencer Pulley made their 30th straight start on the VU offensive line with Steven Scheu earning his 27th straight starting assignment at TE.
– Tre Herndon picked up his first career sack and the Commodores’ first of the season in the first quarter to force a third and long.
– DeAndre Woods made his first career catch in the second quarter, hauling in an 11-yard pass on fourth down to pick up a first down.
– Trent Sherfield hauled in his second career catch near the end of the first half, making a 10-yard grab.
– Tommy Openshaw nailed a career-long 49-yard field goal for the Commodores’ first points of the 2015 season in the second quarter.
– Oren Burks broke up two passes in the first half and led the team with three tackles.
– 12 different Commodores saw their first action in Black & Gold with Khari Blasingame, Josh Smith, Bryce Lewis, Wilson Johnson, Ladarius Banks, Nehemiah Mitchell, Charles Wright, Jacob Schultz, Bruno Reagan, Jared Pinkney, Justin Skule and Kyle Anderton seeing action, including four true freshman.
– Trent Sherfield’s 31-yard catch early in the fourth quarter set a new career-long and was his second catch of the night.
– Tommy Openshaw booted a 64-yard punt in the third quarter to set a new career-high.
– Tommy Openshaw connected on a 26-yard field goal in the fourth quarter for his second field goal of the night giving him his third two field goal game in his career.
– Jonathan Wynn notched his second career sack late in the game for a seven-yard loss.
– Trent Sherfield’s career-best fourth catch of the game was his first career touchdown, picking up two yards on the play.
– Torren McGaster led the Commodores with six solo tackles on the night with Darreon Herring and Andrew Williamson making six stops each.
Offensive Notes
– The Commodores dominated time of possession in the first have, holding the ball for 20:57.
– Vanderbilt collected 11 first downs in the first half with six coming on the ground.
– Johnny McCrary completed passes to six different players in the first half.
– The Dores ran 36 plays in the first half for 206 yards and a 5.7 average yards per play.
– The Commodores outgained Western Kentucky 393-247 in total yards, amassing the second-most total yards in the Mason era.
– Vanderbilt’s seven third down conversions were more than any game last season with the offense converting 7-of-18.
– Nine different receivers caught passes in the game led by Trent Sherfield’s career-high four receptions.
Defensive Notes
– The Commodores held WKU to 46 total yards in the first half, including -12 yards rushing.
– Vanderbilt held the Hilltoppers to just 1-for-7 on third down in the first half.
– The VU defense held an opponent scoreless in the first half for the first time since shutting out Austin Peay September 7, 2013.
– Vanderbilt held Western Kentucky to 247 total yards and only 38 on the ground, the fewest allowed under Mason.
– WKU picked up only 11 first downs in the game, the fewest under Mason.
– The defense held the Hilltoppers to just 2-of-11 on third down.
– The Commodores held WKU to 14 points, the fewest in the Mason era.
Special Teams Notes
– Tommy Openshaw’s first career punt travelled 63 yards in the first quarter.
– Tommy Openshaw nailed a career-long 49-yard field goal for the Commodores’ first points of the 2015 season in the second quarter.
– Tommy Openshaw booted a 64-yard punt in the third quarter to set a new career-high.
– Tommy Openshaw connected on a 26-yard field goal in the fourth quarter for his second field goal of the night giving him his third two field goal game in his career.
