Vanderbilt Commodores football

Vanderbilt Commodores football
2015 Vanderbilt Commodores football team
First season	1890
Athletic director	David Williams II (as Vice-Chancellor for Student Life)
Head coach	Derek Mason 2nd year, 3–9 (.250)
Home stadium	Vanderbilt Stadium
Field	Dudley Field
Year built	1922
Stadium capacity	40,550
Stadium surface	FieldTurf
Location	Nashville, Tennessee
League	NCAA Division I
Conference	SEC (1933–present)
Division	SEC Eastern Division (1992–present)
Past conferences	SIAA  (1895–1921) Southern Conference  (1922–1932)
All-time record	585–591–50 (.498)
Postseason bowl record	4–2–1 (.643)
Claimed national titles	0
Unclaimed national titles	2 (1921, 1922)
Conference titles	14 (0 SEC)
Division titles	0
Heisman winners	0
Consensus All-Americans	6[1]
Colors	Black and Gold
Fight song	Dynamite!
Mascot	Mr. C
Marching band	Spirit of Gold Marching Band
Rivals	Ole Miss Rebels Tennessee Volunteers Kentucky Wildcats
Website	vucommodores.com

The Vanderbilt Commodores football team represents Vanderbilt University in the sport of American football. The Commodores compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They are currently coached by Derek Mason. Vanderbilt plays their home games at Vanderbilt Stadium, located on the university's Nashville, Tennessee campus.

History

Head coaching history

Adopting the nickname the Commodores after the 1897 season, the team has played in more than 1,150 games over 121 seasons. In that time, 5 coaches have led the Commodores to a postseason bowl appearance: Art Guepe, Steve Sloan, George MacIntyre, Bobby Johnson, and James Franklin. 4 have led them to a conference championship: R. G. Acton, W. H. Watkins, James H. Henry, and Dan McGugin. McGugin is the leader in seasons coached and games won, with 198 victories during his 30 years at Vanderbilt. He was awarded 2 National Championships retroactively by Clyde Berryman.

Of the 27 different head coaches who have led the Commodores, McGugin,^[2] Ray Morrison,^[3] Henry Russell Sanders,^[4] and Bill Edwards^[5] have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The current head coach is Derek Mason.

Early history (1890-1903)

Vanderbilt and the University of Nashville played the first college football game in the state of Tennessee in 1890.^[6] In 1894 Vanderbilt was among the seven founding members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA). Just after the turn of the century, the team enjoyed fairly substantial success, with a composite record of 20–3–2 from 1901 –1903.^[7]

Chemistry professor William Lofland Dudley was known as the "father of Vanderbilt football." Dudley was a member of the Vanderbilt Athletic Association, formed in 1886 with Dr. W. M. Baskerville as president. Most students at Vanderbilt were members. The early sports played on the Vanderbilt campus were baseball, bicycling, and track and field events.^[8] Dudley was primarily responsible for the formation of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The first advance in the direction of its formation was in March 1888 when the Vanderbilt Athletic Association endeavored to secure track and field meets at Vanderbilt from Southwestern Presbyterian University, Sewanee, and Tennessee. Sewanee's opposition stopped it from occurring.^[9] On December 21, 1894, the SIAA was formed.^[10]

Vanderbilt played its first football game in 1890 at Nashville Athletic Park, against Nashville (Peabody). Vanderbilt won 40 to 0. Captain and fullback of the 1890 Vanderbilt Commodores football team Elliott Jones recalled the meeting which beget the game. Dudley called for a meeting of the Athletic Association, after Peabody had issued a challenge to play a contest on Thanksgiving Day. He felt the challenge a serious matter; that the pride of the university was at stake.^[8] In front of some 150 students in the gymnasium, Dudley explained that if the challenge were met, a new era of athletics would be created with the game of football. From his Kansas City law office many years later Jones remembered: "There followed a general discussion of the whole situation. The difficulties, particularly the shortness of time for preparation, and the fact that regular football had not been theretofore played at Vanderbilt at all, were dealt upon. Many thought that it would be unfair to ourselves to hazard a contest under the circumstances. We knew that Peabody Normal had been playing intramural football for several years. The predominating note, however, for discussion was that we had never taken anything off Peabody Normal and should not do now. Finally, P. M. (Pat) Estes, then of St. Louis, made a motion to the effect that the challenge be accepted and that E. H. Jones be authorized and directed to organize and captain a team for the occasion. The motion was unanimously carried."

Of Dudley, Elliott Jones said:

"Too much cannot be said about Dr. William L. Dudley in connection with early football at Vanderbilt. Since college days his picture has adored my office wall, and when asked by any one who the gentleman is, I always reply, 'The best friend of myself and every other student at Vanderbilt, in my college days.' He went with the team on every trip, and watched over us like a father. "He was our inspiration as well as our guardian. He was our true and loyal friend, under any and all circumstances, in adversity as well in prosperity. I have never known a more lovable, more genuine friend. I cherish the memory of his friendship above all else in my college experience."

Vanderbilt's football stadia have been named after Dudley for practically all of the program's existence. The first Dudley Field was christened on October 21, 1892 with the first instance of the Tennessee–Vanderbilt football rivalry. Vanderbilt won, 22 to 4. The Vanderbilt Law School presently occupies the old Dudley Field site. A second game against the Vols was played, this time in Knoxville, and Vanderbilt won 12 to 0. The quarterback for Vanderbilt that year, William E. Beard, dubbed the team the Commodores in the Nashville Banner in 1897.^[11] "Commodore" was the sobriquet of the university's namesake, Cornelius Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt's second ever game was the first instance of the Sewanee-Vanderbilt rivalry–at one time the south's oldest rivalry, on November 7, 1891. Vanderbilt won 22 to 0 in Sewanee, Tennessee at McGee Field. McGee Field is the oldest stadium in the south, and fourth oldest in the nation, still in use.^[12]

In 1894, Vanderbilt began one of its oldest rivalries: the Vanderbilt-Ole Miss rivalry.^[13] Vanderbilt won 40 to 0.

In 1895, the first year of the SIAA, John Heisman's Auburn Tigers scored a touchdown with Reynolds Tichenor on a "hidden ball trick" as the Tigers seemed to run a revolving wedge.^[14] Vandy still won 9 to 6 in the first game in the south decided by a field goal.^[15]

The 1897 team coached by R. G. Acton won the school's first conference championship, going 3–0 in SIAA play, and may have been the school's best team up to that point. Not a point was a scored on the Commodores. Virginia had also not lost to a southern team, and faced Vanderbilt in a battle for the south to close the season. The game ended in a scoreless tie. Phil Connell and Lucius E. Burch were prominent members of the team.

The 1899 team was led at quarterback by Frank Godchaux, Sr. Frank Godchaux, Jr. was the first to follow in his father's footsteps as a Vanderbilt football player.^[16]

The 1901 team clinched the SIAA title when it defeated University of Nashville (Peabody) 10–0 on Thanksgiving Day. The 1901 Nashville team was arguably the best in its history. The team defeated Sewanee 39–6 "and mopped up with about everything else."^[17] A riot broke out downtown the next day. According to the account of the event in the Nashville Banner (repudiated in the Hustler), the trouble started when a number of Vanderbilt students "tried to paint the stone fence of the University of Nashville yellow and black."^[18]

The 1903 team gave Sewanee its only loss, and had two All-Southerns and Rhodes Scholars in Bob Blake and John J. Tigert.

Dan McGugin era (1904-1934)

Dan McGugin's arrival as coach from his brother-in-law Fielding H. Yost's Michigan program in 1904 showed an immediate impact.^[19] The 1904 squad outscored its opposition by 474 to four in winning all nine games.^[20] McGugin's tenure spanned the years 1904-17 and 1919-34 with a record of 197–55–19.^[21] He beat two Northern schools for the first time in school history when in 1906 the team defeated Carlisle, and in 1924 the team defeated Minnesota. Three times he tied a Northern school: Navy in 1907, Yale in 1910, and Michigan in 1922. McGugin managed 4 straight Southern titles from 1904 to 1907, and three straight in 1910-12 and 1921-23. From 1910 to 1912, McGugin's teams went 24–2–1 and outscored opponents by a combined 816 to 35 margin. Clyde Berryman retroactively selected the 1921 and 1922 teams national champions, which had Wallace Wade as line coach. The 1915 team was also a southern champion and a legitimate "point-a-minute" team, scoring 514 points in 510 minutes.

In both 1905 and 1906, Vanderbilt played seven home games, winning all of them. The only loss in both cases came on the road at Michigan. The 1905 team beat Sewanee by the largest margin in school history, 68 to 4. Vanderbilt had its first player ever selected All-American in 1906 when Owsley Manier made Walter Camp's third team. The 1906 Vanderbilt team had one of the best seasons in school history, once ranked as the South's greatest team by 1905's captain Innis Brown.^[17] Seven of Vanderbilt's eight wins came by shutout. Only two teams scored on them all season. Vanderbilt outscored its opponents 278–16. Vanderbilt gave Texas, Sewanee, and Alabama their only loss, and defeated a Northern school in Carlisle, "the crowning feat of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association season."^[22] The defeat of Alabama was 78 to 0.

The 1907 team tied Navy and again loss to Michigan, this time at home for the first home loss under McGugin. This snapped a 26 game home winning streak, and set a southern football attendance record of approximately 9,000. Vanderbilt faced one of Sewanee's greatest teams in its annual rivalry game which would decide the SIAA championship. It featured a 35-yard catch by Vanderbilt center Stein Stone, on a double-pass play then thrown near the end zone by Bob Blake, that set up the 3-yard Honus Craig touchdown run to win at the very end.^[17] This play was cited by Grantland Rice as the greatest thrill he ever witnessed in his years of watching sports.^[23] McGugin in Spalding's Football Guide's summation of the season in the SIAA wrote "The standing. First, Vanderbilt; second, Sewanee, a might good second;" and that Aubrey Lanier "came near winning the Vanderbilt game by his brilliant dashes after receiving punts."^[24]

After 1908 and 1909 campaigns derailed by losses to Sewanee, the 1910 team was very strong. Led by All-Southerns W. E. Metzger, Bill Neely, Ewing Y. Freeland and Ray Morrison, it battled defending national champion Yale to a scoreless tie on Yale Field. The 1911 team lost Neely but gained former Auburn running back Lew Hardage. It shutout all its opponents except Michigan, a loss on the road by a single point. Edwin Pope's Football's Greatest Coaches on the 1911 team reads "A lightning-swift backfield of Lew Hardage, Wilson Collins, Ammie Sikes, and Ray Morrison pushed Vandy through 1911 with only a 9-8 loss to Michigan." The Atlanta Constitution voted it the best backfield in the South.^[25] The 1912 team suffered its only loss at national champion Harvard.

The "point-a-minute" 1915 team was led by All-Southerns Rabbit Curry, Josh Cody, and Russ Cohen. In the backfield with Curry was Johnny "Red" Floyd. The 1916 team lost to SIAA champion Tennessee 10 to 6 despite outscoring the Vols on the season. For example, Kentucky managed to upset Tennessee with a scoreless tie to end the season. Vanderbilt beat Kentucky on the road 45 to 0. The 1917 season had the first national champion from the south, John Heisman's Georgia Tech. Despite a decent 1917 team, which for instance beat Alabama, the powerful Tech team gave Vanderbilt its worst loss in school history, 83 to 0.

The 1918 season was affected most by the First World War. In August, former star Curry died over French skies. Grailey Berryhill ran for six touchdowns in the largest margin of victory over Tennessee, 76 to 0. Cody was captain in 1919. Ties to Tennessee and Kentucky, and a loss to Georgia Tech, derailed the season early. Despite this the team closed pretty strong, including a victory over Virginia on Lambeth Field and handing the only losses to SIAA champion Auburn and Alabama. Fred Russell's Fifty Years of Vanderbilt Football gives the year of 1920 the title "One of Most Difficult Schedules." Georgia Tech led by Buck Flowers along with Red Barron ran up a 44 to 0 score on Vandy; and Auburn led by John Shirey along with Ed Sherling won by 56 to 6 in the "Frightful Fortnight" of Vanderbilt football.^[26]

The team was back to form in 1921. Wallace Wade came over from Fitzgerald & Clarke School in Tullahoma, Tennessee where he won a state preparatory title. With Wade as assistant coach the Commodores went 15–0–2 in two seasons. Vandy upset Texas 20 to 0 at the Texas State Fair. Edwin Pope's Football's Greatest Coaches tells us "The Texas game, sparked by McGugin's unforgettable oratory, was the big one; and Vandy got out of the year without a loss."^[27] "Instead of hammering detailed strategy into them,"^[28] coach Dan McGugin had taken his team to the nearby grave of former Vanderbilt quarterback Irby "Rabbit" Curry in Marlin, Texas. In a noted speech just before the teams took the field, referring to this grave, McGugin tapped his fingers on the floor and told his boys:^[26][27]

You are about to be put to an ordeal which will show the stuff that's in you! What a glorious chance you have! Every one of you is going to fix his status for all time in the minds and hearts of his teammates today. How you fight is what you will be remembered by. If any shirk, the Lord pity him. He will be degraded in the hearts of the rest as long as they live.

Man is a curious kind of a "critter." You will all doubtless eat and have comforts and "butt around" for a good many days, but during the next hour you must forget yourselves absolutely. You are to hurl yourselves like demons with the fury of hell on the crowd that has come here to humiliate us. The man worth while is the man who can rise away above and beyond in the face of a great task. You must transcend yourselves.

I am glad Mr. Curry is here. Some of you knew Rabbit. We felt toward him all the tenderness a mother feels toward her own little boy. He had a little slender body; he weighed only 128 pounds, but he had a heart as big as that loving cup over there on the mantel. He was modest; his life was absolutely clean; and what a fighter he was. His life was a great contribution to Vanderbilt—particularly to our athletic traditions. The influence of his spirit will always abide. He always wanted to play with Vanderbilt against Texas. His body is resting only a few miles south of here; but his spirit is hovering above us now. Some of these days i want to see his likeness looking down on your athletic fields. I am glad his father is here so that he can see face to face, how we regard his son.

There is one thing that makes me sick at heart. I heard repeatedly before we left Nashville that this Vanderbilt team, this crowd of men into whose faces I now look, might win from Texas if it would only fight. Has anybody the right to imply such an insult? And, if so, when before now could such a thing be said of men from Tennessee? How about Pickett's men who moved out of the wood and exposed their breasts and faces to be shattered and torn as they moved up that slope? And how about the Tennesseans of the Thirtieth Division, who broke the Hindenburg Line--a task even greater because it was accompanied by so much mud and misery. All but a few here are Tennesseans and the rest have elected to be educated here. You are a part of us and you must uphold the traditions of Vanderbilt and Tennessee.

Who the devil started all of this bunk about the Texas team? Who thinks they are unbeatable? They say that they have the greatest team in their history and, perhaps this is true. They say Vanderbilt never had a team which could defeat theirs of this year, and that is not true. Texas has no shield like ours. We have some scars on it, but there are a lot of stars there, too. Texas has no such athletic tradition and history.

They say the climate is against us. That is not true. The change should do us good. This light, pure air will help us.

Texas is overconfident. They say it will be a Texas landslide. If you will put every ounce of strength you have into the first fifteen minutes, they will ask themselves: 'What liars deceived us this way?'

Everything is in our favor.

You have seen what the papers have been saying . . .They are betting Texas will beat you 20 to 0, they say you are a bunch of cowards. "Rabbit" Curry, whose father is sitting here with you, is looking down on you from his Eternal Home.^[28]... that you are only a shell of the old Vanderbilt teams. You don't deserve anything better unless you give the back of your hand to such an insult.

Now is there any man here who will not fight every inch of the way?

Will any man here disgrace himself and live in the contempt of his teammates the rest of his days?

Are you going to establish yourselves in your own self-respect and in the eyes of thousands who are watching you?

Are you going to make your own records and leave memories for others to live by?

The toughest Southern opponent left for either school, both with undefeated conference records, the Georgia-Vanderbilt game would decide the SIAA title. Georgia was the favorite to win this first meeting of the two schools since 1912, in part because the Bulldogs may have outplayed Harvard and defeated Auburn earlier in 1921.^[29] Georgia had the greatest line in the South,^[30] featuring four All-Southern linemen by the names of Puss Whelchel, Bum Day, Owen Reynolds, and Artie Pew.^[31] Not one team all year scored on Georgia through its line.^[32][33] Vanderbilt was 6-1 against Georgia all time, its only loss in 1898 by a score of 4 to 0. With all games in the series featuring shutouts, the score all time was 184 to 4 in the Commodores' favor.^[34] Soon after the start of the fourth quarter,^[35] Jess Neely intercepted a pass, weaving for a return of 25 yards to Georgia's 40-yard line before being brought down by Jim Reynolds.^[36] Two long pass attempts failed, and Thomas Ryan lined up to punt. Rupert Smith snuck in behind Ryan, and rushed to recover the 25-yard onside kick, jumping up to get the ball off the bounce among a hoard of Bulldogs, after they had let it bounce,^[37] including the outstretched arms of the Bulldogs' Hartley, and raced for a 15-yard touchdown.^[38] Rupert added his own extra point and the game ended as a tie, 7-7. Georgia would go on to beat both Alabama and Clemson handily in the following weeks, while the next week Vanderbilt handled Sewanee in the "muddiest game" in its history, giving both Vanderbilt and Georgia an equal right to the claim of a 1921 SIAA title.^[39][40]

In 1922, Vanderbilt hosted Michigan to inaugurate Dudley Field.^[41] The game ended in a 0-0 tie and figures prominently in the program's history.^[41] The game featured the season's top two defenses as measured by points against per game,^[42] and included a goal line stand by Vanderbilt to sustain the tie. "Thousands of cheering Vanderbilt fans inspired the surge of center Alf Sharp, guard Gus Morrow, tackle Tex Bradford, and end Lynn Bomar, who stopped Michigan cold in four attempts."^[43] VU football historian Bill Traughber chronicles the event:

The game between Vanderbilt and Michigan had a carnival-like atmosphere.

Dignitaries and politicians were invited to participate at Dudley Field, the largest football-only stadium in the South at that time. The guest of honor for the dedication game was Cornelius Vanderbilt, the great-great grandson of the university's namesake.

Accompanied by his wife, Vanderbilt arrived at Nashville's Union Station on the morning of the game, his first trip to the city. The day's first event was a luncheon for the young Vanderbilt couple, which was held at the Hermitage Hotel and hosted by Vanderbilt University Board of Trust.

Thousands of Vanderbilt students and alumni met downtown for a parade with Tennessee Governor Alf Taylor riding in the lead automobile. Decorated in orange and black, their automobile began the parade at Twelfth and Broadway, weaving through the side streets to a reviewing stand at the foot of the Capitol Building.^[44]

A young Earnest Albert Craft, born in 1898, employed with the construction team that built the Dudley Field wooden stands was in attendance completing final work on Dudley Field the day of the game vs. Michigan. Earnest was called on to raise the first American flag during the national anthem. Later, Rev. Earnest Albert Craft would become city councilman of the West Nashville area and 40 year pastor of Sylvan Park Free Will Baptist Church in Nashville's historical Sylvan Park area. Clippings of this event are documented in archives of the old Nashville Banner newspaper. A copy of this newspaper account is held today by grandson by adoption, Albert D. Mitchell. Albert, named after Rev. Earnest Albert Craft, lives on the west side of Nashville in Bellevue.

Albert D. Mitchell was a standout athlete at and graduated of Cohn High School and later return to teach and coach at Cohn High School, finally retiring from the Metro Nashville School system in 1898. Vanderbilt finished the year undefeated in one of the best seasons in Vanderbilt and Southern football history.^[45][46]

1922 was also the year that Vanderbilt entered the Southern Conference as a charter member.^[47] The Commodores tied for the conference championship in 1922 and 1923 and continued to finish in the upper half of the conference standings for the next decade.^[48] Vanderbilt football has not won a conference championship since 1923; as of the 2014 season, it is one of the longest such droughts in FBS.

1924 saw Vanderbilt defeat a Northern school with a 16 to 0 victory over Minnesota at Memorial Stadium. It also saw the first victory over Georgia Tech in Atlanta since 1906 when Hek Wakefield drop kicked a field goal. Wakefield was a consensus All American. Fred Russell dubs 1924 "the most eventful season in the history of Vanderbilt football."

The 1926 and 1927 teams were led by College Football Hall of Fame quarterback Bill Spears; and included Bill Hendrix leading the south in points scored in 1926, and Jimmy Armistead leading the nation in points scored in 1927. The 1926 team lost only to national champion Alabama.

In 1932, Vanderbilt—at the pinnacle of its athletics dominance in the South^[49]—joined the other SoCon schools south and west of the Appalachians in founding the Southeastern Conference. The other charter members were Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State, Sewanee, Georgia Tech, and Tulane.^[50]

Coach McGugin retired after the 1934 season.^[51] He remains the most successful Vanderbilt head football coach in the history of the program.^[51] He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1951.^[51][52] McGugin selected Bull Brown, Josh Cody, Lew Hardage, Ray Morrison, Bill Spears, and Hek Wakefield as the six best players he ever coached.^[53]

Ray Morrison era (1935-1939)

Coach Ray Morrison retook the reins of his alma mater following the retirement of his predecessor, Dan McGugin.^[54] Morrison posted a 29–22–2 overall record^[55] but his teams were inconsistent, with three winning seasons but two losing, failing to duplicate the success of his successful predecessor.^[55] He won SEC Coach of the Year honors in 1937 before being replaced after five seasons.^[55]

Sanders, Alley and Bartling (1940-1948)

Henry Sanders had a successful stint as head coach at Vanderbilt, compiling a 36–22–2 (.617) record there from 1940-1942 and 1946-1948.^[56] His record is the best of any Vandy head football coach while the school has been a member of the SEC.^[57] Highlights included

• A stunning upset of #7 ranked Alabama on November 22, 1941, in a driving rainstorm in Nashville;^[58] up to that time, only the second time in Commodore history where they defeated a ranked team.^[57]
• The first top-20 ranking in the school history in 1947, where the team was ranked #10 after opening the season with two wins. The team defended its ranking with a defeat of #18 Mississippi, the first time Vanderbilt played a ranked school while ranked.
• An eight game winning string to end the 1948 season, including a ranking in the final poll and a defeat of arch rival Tennessee. This still stands as the second^[59] longest single-season win streak in Vanderbilt football history.^[57]

Sanders left the Commodores after the 1942 season to serve in World War II but returned to lead the Commodores for three more seasons before leaving to accept the head football coach position at UCLA.^[57] He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1996.

Ernest Alley led the Commodores for the 1943 season while Sanders was away at war. He posted a 5–0 record before departing to become an assistant at Auburn.

Doby Bartling led the Commodores for two seasons (1944-1945) until Sanders returned. Bartling posted a 6–6–1 overall record in those two seasons.^[60]

Bill Edwards era (1949-1952)

Bill Edwards was hired as Vanderbilt's head football coach and athletic director in 1949, replacing Henry Russell Sanders when Sanders left to become head coach at UCLA.^[61] Vanderbilt gave the 43-year-old coach a three-year contract paying a $12,500 salary ($123,899 in today's dollars).^[61] "I don't like to leave the Cleveland Browns and Paul Brown in particular," he said at the time. "I'll never forget my experiences with the Browns over the past two years."^[61] Edwards remained at Vanderbilt for four seasons, building up a 21–19–2 record.^[62][63] He instituted a modern T formation offense to replace Sanders's more traditional single-wing formation.^[64] He resigned in 1953 under pressure from Vanderbilt alumni following a 3–5–2 season.^[65]

Arthur Guepe era (1953-1962)

Vanderbilt lured Arthur Guepe from Virginia in 1953 and he coached the Commodores for ten seasons (1953-1962).^[66] Guepe's 1955 Vandy team, beat 8th-ranked Auburn in the Gator Bowl and finished 8–3.^[66] His Vandy teams won more Southeastern Conference games (19) than any Commodore coach before or since.^[66]

After retiring from coaching after the 1962 season, Guepe said matter-of-factly and without bitterness: "There is no way you can be Harvard Monday through Friday and try to be Alabama on Saturday."^[67] His message to the Vanderbilt chancellor and trustees was unambiguous—to be competitive in the arena of big-time college football, Vanderbilt would have to ease some of its rigorous standards for admissions and academic eligibility. To their great credit, Vanderbilt officials refused to follow these suggestions, and Vanderbilt has maintained the integrity of its admissions and eligibility standards to this day.

John Green era (1963-1966)

John Green was hired away from his post as defensive coordinator at Florida as the new head football coach after Guepe's retirement.^[68] Green's Commodores struggled mightily under his watch, failing to win more than three games in a single season under his watch and posting a dismal 7–29–4 record in Green's four seasons.^[69][70] Green was fired after the 1966 season because of these miserable struggles and low attendance and fan support at home games.

Bill Pace era (1967-1972)

Bill Pace, previously an assistant at Arkansas, took over as the Commodores head coach after Green's firing.^[71] He too, would find winning difficult at Vanderbilt, posting only one winning record (a 5–4–1 1968 season) en route to a 22–38–3 overall record in his six seasons at the helm.^[72] Pace resigned after the 1972 season^[73] but remained the school's athletics director for another year before resigning that position as well.^[73]

Steve Sloan era (1973-1974)

In 1973, Steve Sloan took over as head coach.^[74] In his first season, Vanderbilt finished at 5–6, including a 1–6 record in conference play.^[75] During his second season, however, Vanderbilt finished at 7–3–1 and qualified for a post-season bowl game.^[75] The team was placed in the Peach Bowl against Texas Tech.^[76] The two teams played to a 6-6 tie in the game.^[77] It was Vanderbilt's first bowl game since 1955 and only the second in school history. Sloan left Vanderbilt after two seasons to accept the head football coach position at Texas Tech.^[78]

Fred Pancoast era (1975-1978)

Fred Pancoast arrived as head football coach at Vanderbilt from Memphis.^[79] In Pancoast's first season at the helm of the Commodores, the team posted a 7–4 record.^[79][80] That season, unfortunately, would be Pancoast's only winning season, as three consecutive 2–9 seasons followed.^[79][80] Amid dissatisfaction and frustration among the athletics department and fan base, like several of his predecessors, Pancoast resigned after the 1978 season.^[79] His final record in four years at VU is 13–31.^[80][80]

George MacIntyre era (1979-1985)

George MacIntyre, previously Ole Miss' offensive coordinator, became the Commodores' head coach in 1979.^[81] Following three losing seasons (1–10 in 1979, 2–9 in 1980, and 4–7 in 1981), Vanderbilt went 8–4 in 1982 and earned a berth in the Hall of Fame Classic Bowl, a game they lost.^[82] This would be Vanderbilt's only winning season with MacIntyre as coach, and MacIntyre would have an overall 25–52–1 record in seven seasons as head coach.^[82] After the 1985 season, MacIntyre resigned from Vanderbilt, and in doing so echoed the reasoning of his predecessors, blaming the "continuing rise in academic standards, both in admissions and in the retaining of student athletes" for Vanderbilt's losing seasons.^[83]

Watson Brown era (1986-1990)

Watson Brown, older brother of former Texas head coach Mack Brown, came to Vanderbilt from Rice.^[84] Brown could never get the Commodores pointed in the right direction or find success, failing to post a winning record or win more than four games in a single season in his five-year tenure as head coach.^[85] After posting 1–10 records in 1989 and 1990,^[85] Brown was fired.^[86]

Gerry DiNardo era (1991-1994)

In December 1990, Gerry DiNardo took the head coach job at Vandy, starting in the 1991 season.^[87] DiNardo went 5–6, 4–7, 5–6, and 5–6 in his four seasons at the helm.^[88] DiNardo's two biggest wins were the Commodores victory over #17 Georgia on October 19, 1991 and #25 Ole Miss on September 19, 1992. These were the first times Vanderbilt defeated a ranked team in years, and there was hope that DiNardo would restore the glories of the past and recruit well despite high academic requirements for acceptance and enrollment.

Despite pleas from the fan base and administration to stay, DiNardo left the Commodores after the 1994 season to accept the head football coach position at LSU.^[89]

Rod Dowhower era (1995-1996)

Rod Dowhower was brought to Vanderbilt from his position as an assistant coach for the NFL's Cleveland Browns amid high hopes that he would build on the momentum of his predecessor DiNardo's tenure.^[90] However, this never came to pass, as things went downhill very quickly and steadily, as Dowhower's teams was only able to salvage two 2–9 seasons (that included only one conference victory),^[91] after which Dowhower resigned under pressure.^[92][93]

Woody Widenhofer era (1997-2001)

Long-time and well-respected NFL assistant coach Woody Widenhofer was brought to Vanderbilt amid hopes that he was the right hire and that he would resurrect the seemingly dead Commodores football program.^[94] He, like his predecessors struggled to find success on the football field, and the high academic standards of the university limited his recruiting possibilities. Widenhofer's best season was a mediocre 5–6 1999 season.^[95] Other than that, the Commodores were unable to win more than three games in a single season,^[95]leading to Widenhofer's resignation after five seasons.^[96] While his on-the-field results weren't very successful, the NCAA announced that Widenhofer graduated a perfect 100% of his players in 2001, the best in the entire country.

Bobby Johnson era (2002-2009)

Bobby Johnson was hired in 2002 as the head football coach.^[97] Johnson had previously coached at NCAA Division I-AA power Furman, leading the Paladins to the Division I-AA title game in 2001, his final year. However, at the time, some questioned the wisdom of hiring a I-AA coach to lead a program in what has widely been reckoned as the strongest football conference in the nation.^[98]

Vanderbilt officials had pursued and offered the position initially to Gary Barnett and Tyrone Willingham, both of whom had steered small, private universities (Northwestern and Stanford, respectively) to football success. Both turned down the job for different reasons.^[98]

The same critics that questioned Johnson's initial hiring also derided the loyalty given to Coach Johnson by the Vanderbilt administration after his first three seasons at the school led to three consecutive 2–9 records.^[99] During this time, however, Johnson was continuing to recruit players that had been passed over by major-power schools, but whom Johnson and his staff believed could be molded into SEC-caliber players.

In 2005, Vanderbilt finished with a 5–6 record, the program's best finish since 1999.^[99] This included a win in Knoxville against cross-state rival Tennessee.^[100]

All-SEC Quarterback Jay Cutler, the team's offensive captain that season and the offensive player of the year in the SEC, was selected 11th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos^[101] and named starting quarterback for the last five games of his rookie season. Cutler currently starts at quarterback for the Chicago Bears.^[102]

In the 2006 season, Vanderbilt finished with a 4–8 record with sophomore Chris Nickson at quarterback.^[103] The 2006 team's peak performance came with a 24–22 defeat of conference rival #16 ranked Georgia at Sanford Stadium, the first time Vanderbilt had ever defeated a ranked opponent on the road.^[103]The team came within seconds of defeating Arkansas and Alabama in consecutive weeks.^[103]

Vanderbilt fans approached the 2007 season with considerable optimism, given the return of many experienced starters, including WR Earl Bennett and the closeness of the Arkansas and Alabama losses. Vanderbilt started the year strong with a decisive victory over Richmond, but hopes for a win against Nick Saban's Alabama squad fizzled in a 24-10 loss marked by several controversial penalties.^[104] Vanderbilt rebounded with strong wins against Ole Miss and Eastern Michigan, but the Ole Miss victory came at a cost, as quarterback Chris Nickson suffered an injury that negatively impacted his future performance and led to his mid-season replacement by Mackenzi Adams. While Vanderbilt appeared to be en route to a convincing homecoming win against #21 Georgia, a late-game Bulldog rally coupled with a costly Vanderbilt fumble in the final minutes of the fourth quarter led to a disappointing 20-17 loss.^[104] Vanderbilt rebounded with a stunning upset of #6 ranked South Carolina 17-6 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia,^[104] beating a top 10 team for the first time in 33 years and a Steve Spurrier-coached team for the first time ever. It was the highest ranked team Vanderbilt had beaten since defeating #6 LSU in 1937. In the following home game against Miami (Ohio), junior wide receiver Earl Bennett made history by breaking the SEC record for most career receptions. Vanderbilt would go on to win the game 24-13.^[104] With a 5–3 record entering the last four games of the season, the Commodores seemed primed for bowl eligibility. After a lopsided defeat against Florida and a close loss to Kentucky, the Commodores went to Knoxville to play Tennessee at Neyland Stadium for the first time since their 2005 win. Despite entering as heavy underdogs, Vanderbilt jumped out to a 24–9 lead at the end of the third quarter, but the Volunteers scored 16 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win the game by one point.^[104] Vanderbilt went on to lose its final game of the series against Wake Forest 31-17.^[104]

In 2008, Vanderbilt began the season winning their first five games, beating Miami (OH), South Carolina, Rice, Ole Miss, and Auburn.^[105] Vanderbilt lost its next four games, however on November 15, 2008, Vanderbilt defeated Kentucky to become bowl eligible for the first time since 1982.^[105] The Commodores finished the 2008 regular season with losses to Tennessee and Wake Forest, completing the regular season with a 6–6 record (4–4 in the SEC).^[105]

Their 2008 finish was good enough for the Commodores to earn an invitation to play Boston College in the Music City Bowl on December 31, 2008.^[105] In a come-from-behind win, Vanderbilt narrowly beat Boston College by a score of 16-14, to win its first bowl game in fifty-three years.^[105]

The 2008 Vanderbilt Commodore football team is also noteworthy because it won the 2008 Academic Achievement Award from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). This award recognizes graduate rate successes on the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level. Vanderbilt was recognized for graduating 95 percent of its 2001 freshman class, the highest graduation rate among all 119 FBS teams.^[106]

Junior cornerback D.J. Moore received All-SEC first team honors for the second straight season and second team All-American honors following the 2008 season.^[107] He was later drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft.^[108]

The upward trajectory of Vanderbilt football took a step back in 2009. Despite returning 18 starters from the 2008 bowl-championship season, the Commodores finished a disappointing 2–10.^[109] Numerous injuries contributed to the team's troubles, as several starters were lost with season-ending injuries, including Ryan Hamilton (Safety), Jared Hawkins (RB), James Williams (OL), and Larry Smith (QB). In addition, transfer WR and projected starter Terrence Jeffers was not academically eligible to play the entire season.

On July 14, 2010, Bobby Johnson announced his retirement.^[110] With less than two months until the season opener, the move was a shock to many players and fans. Said Johnson, "I’ve decided to retire, not resign".^[111]

Robbie Caldwell (2010)

On August 2, 2010, Vanderbilt Vice-Chancellor of Student Life David Williams, who has overseen intercollegiate athletics since Vanderbilt dissolved its athletic department in 2003, announced that the "interim" tag would be dropped from Robbie Caldwell's title, and that they had agreed to a new contract to be the full-time head coach.^[112] Vanderbilt did not release the terms of the contract, but it is known to have been a multiyear contract.^[113]

Caldwell was popular in his first public appearance at SEC Media Days, and has been a sought-after guest among sports talk shows.^[114] His first major coaching decision came on August 6, 2010, when he hired Herb Hand, former offensive co-coordinator at the Tulsa to be the offensive line coach at Vanderbilt.^[115]

On September 18, 2010, after close home losses to Northwestern and LSU, Caldwell picked up his first win as a head coach, as Vandy defeated the Ole Miss Rebels 28-14 in Oxford, MS.^[116] He became the first Vanderbilt coach since 1975 to win his road debut.^[117] Caldwell won his second game 52-6 against Eastern Michigan. However, starting with a 43-0 loss to Georgia, the Commodores began a six-game losing streak going into the season ending game against Wake Forest.^[118] On November 27, hours before kickoff against Wake Forest, Robbie Caldwell announced that he would resign as head coach effective that evening saying, “Having the opportunity to be Vanderbilt’s head football coach has been a dream come true and I greatly appreciated the chance to serve, and I gave it my best. However, after a lot of reflection, I’ve realized it is time for me to step aside and let someone else pick up the hard work and efforts of our staff.”^[119]

James Franklin era (2011-2013)

James Franklin, formerly offensive coordinator at Maryland, took over the Vanderbilt football program as head coach.^[120] Franklin started out the 2011 season bringing the Commodores to a 3–0 start with wins against Elon, Connecticut, and SEC rival Ole Miss.^[121] This was the best start for a new Vanderbilt coach in 68 years. After losing three games including a close loss to Georgia, Vanderbilt improved to 4 wins with a homecoming victory against Army.^[121] After losing a 31-28 game against SEC opponent Arkansas and Florida 26-21,^[121] the Commodores under Franklin defeated conference opponent Kentucky at home in Nashville by an impressive 38-8, improving to 5 wins on the season.^[121] After a close loss to in-state and SEC rival Tennessee, Vanderbilt capped the season with a 41-7 road win against Wake Forest, finishing the season 6–6,^[121] with a 2–6 record in the SEC, and earning a trip to the Liberty Bowl in Memphis against the Cincinnati Bearcats; with a loss of 31-24, Vandy finished 6–7.^[121]

Franklin became the first Vanderbilt head coach to lead a Commodore team to a bowl game as a first-year head coach. As Franklin is the first coach to bring a Vanderbilt team to a bowl game two years in a row, he also has the most bowl appearances as a Vanderbilt head coach. He has the most wins for consecutive years (15) since 1926–27.^[122] "Anchor Down" was established as the team's motto during the 2012 season and carried over into the 2013 season.

Coach Franklin was on the radar for a number of teams looking for a new head coach. On January 9, 2014 coach Franklin was rumored to have accepted a job as head coach of Penn State Nittany Lions, though neither university had confirmed the report. Finally, on January 11, 2014, Penn State officially announced that James Franklin had become the 16th head coach of the Nittany Lions effectively ending his tenure as the Vanderbilt Commodores head coach.^[123]

Derek Mason era (2014-present)

On January 17, 2014, Derek Mason, formerly Stanford associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator, was announced as the new Vanderbilt head coach.^[124]

The Derek Mason era got off to a bad start when his mistake-prone Commodores were outscored in a 37-7 loss to visiting Temple at home. It was Vanderbilt's worst opening-season home loss in the school's history of football and the worst opening game loss since 1998 a 42-0 loss to Mississippi. The Commodores had seven turnovers, leading to 27 points for Temple.^[125] After back to back home losses Coach Mason won his first game against the #120 ranked UMass in a hard fought game 34-31. Vanderbilt did not score an offensive TD for nine quarters. Vanderbilt was also the last team in the Division 1 FBS to score an offensive TD.^[126] Vanderbilt had been out scored 10-78 in the two prior games before the win.^[127] Vanderbilt would lose its next three games to South Carolina,Kentucky and Georgia, falling to 0-4 in conference play. On October 11, the Commodores would beat Charleston Southern by one point, an FCS school. The next week would see a ten point loss to the Missouri, dropping them to 0-5 in conference play. Following a 42-28 victory over Old Dominion, a school that is new to the FBS, Vanderbilt would lose to Florida, Mississippi State, and archrival Tennessee, by a combined score of 109-27. Vanderbilt would end the season 3-9 (0-8) in the SEC.^[128]

Milestones

1890

• First football game

1891

• First game against Sewanee.

1892

• First game against Tennessee.
• First game against Georgia Tech.

1893

• First game against Georgia.
• First game against Centre.

1894

• First game against Ole Miss
• Founding member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

1896

• First game against Kentucky.

1897

• First conference title (SIAA)

1899

• First game against Texas.

1901

• Largest margin of victory over rival Georgia, 47–0.
• SIAA champions.

1902

• John Edgerton was All-Southern.

1903

• First game against Alabama
• SIAA co-champions.
• Pair of All-Southerns in Bob Blake and John J. Tigert.

1904

• Dan McGugin's first year, an undefeated 9–0.
• Averaged 52.7 points per game, the most in college football, and allowed 4 points all year.
• SIAA champions
• Beat Centre 97–0

1905

• First game against Michigan.
• Outscored opponents 372–22 from 1903 to 1905
• Record of 22–2–1 over this same span
• SIAA champions
• Largest margin of victory over rival Sewanee, 68–4.

1906

• Beat Carlisle 4–0
• Beat Alabama 78–0.
• SIAA champions
• Owsley Manier was first Commodore selected to an All-American team, Camp's third-team.

1907

• Tied Navy 6–6.
• Home win streak ended at 26 by Michigan.
• SIAA champions for seventh straight year.
• Bob Blake was selected first-team All-American by Michigan coach Fielding Yost

1910

• Held Yale to a scoreless tie at Yale Field.
• SIAA champions

1912

• Third straight SIAA title
• Only loss to national champion Harvard
• Atlanta Constitution voted Vanderbilt's backfield of Hardage, Collins, Sikes, and Morrison best in the South.

1915

• A legitimate "point-a-minute" team, scoring 514 points in 510 minutes of play.
• SIAA champions
• Largest margin of victory over rival Ole Miss, 91–0.

1916

• Largest margin of victory over rival Kentucky, 45–0

1918

• Largest margin of victory over rival Tennessee, 76–0

1921

• First year with Wallace Wade as assistant coach. Vanderbilt is 15–0–2 under his tenure there.
• Upset Texas 20–0 at the Texas State Fair.
• Team's leading scorer Rupert Smith tied defending conference champs Georgia on the final play to secure a share of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship.

1922

• Founding member of the Southern Conference
• Shared Southern title at 8–0–1
• Tied Michigan 0–0 at the dedication of Dudley Field, the first stadium built exclusively for college football in the South.
• Nation's top ranked defense as measured by points against per game (1.8). Allowed no points at home.

1923

• Last conference title in football
• Lynn Bomar was one of the first Southern players to make first team on Walter Camp's list of All-Americans.
• Beat Georgia and Tennessee by a combined 86 to 14.

1924

• First victory over a Western school, 16–0 over Minnesota at Memorial Stadium.
• Hek Wakefield selected as a consensus All-American.
• First win over Georgia Tech in Atlanta since 1906.

1926

• Bill Hendrix leads SoCon in scoring with 96 points.
• Only loss to national champion Alabama.

1927

• Jimmy Armistead leads nation in scoring with 138 points.
• Bill Spears receives the most votes on the All-Southern team.

1930

• Beat Minnesota at Memorial Stadium 33–7.

1932

• Founding member of the Southeastern Conference

1948

• Finished #12 in final AP poll

1954

• First night game at Dudley Field, against Baylor.

1955

• First bowl victory, over Auburn 25–13 in the Gator Bowl.

1956

• Lynn Bomar becomes the first Commodore football player elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

2012

• The longest road winning streak (4) since 1950.
• Longest win streak (7) since 1948.^[122]
• Most times scoring 40 (5) or more points since 1915.
• First Vandy player (Zac Stacy) to rush for over 3000 yards in career (3,148)
• First time since 1949–1951 that Vanderbilt beats Rival Ole Miss in consecutive years.
• Jordan Matthews set a single-season record with 1,262 yards receiving.
• Kicker Carey Spear school record 81 points.
• Largest margin of victory over Rival Tennessee (23) 41–18 since 1954 (26-0)
• Largest margin of victory against secondary rival Kentucky (40) since 1916 when Vanderbilt won 45-0
• First time a Vanderbilt team to a bowl in back to back years
• First win at home vs Tennessee in 30 years
• First 8 win season since 1982
• Longest rush from scrimmage 90 Zac Stacy.
• First winning record in the regular season since 1982
• Four straight wins in SEC play for the first time since 1949
• The first time in Vanderbilt history a player (Zac Stacy) has rushed for over 1000 yards back to back years.
• The first 9 win season since 1915^[129]

2013

• First back to back 9 win seasons in school history
• Three years and three bowls games.
• Jordan Matthews SEC record with 263 career receptions and 3,759 career yards.
• Jordan Matthews single-season SEC reception record at 112.
• Coach James Franklin improved his record at Vanderbilt to 24-15, equaling Dan McGugin’s school-record win total after the first three seasons by a Commodores coach. McGugin went 24-2 from 1904-06.
• Carey Spear set Vanderbilt’s single-season scoring record with 99 points.
• Jerron Seymour set the single-season Vanderbilt record for touchdown at 14.
• Vanderbilt beat Florida, at "the Swamp" for the first time since 1945.
• Vanderbilt beat Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, and Tennessee in the same season for the first time in school history.
• The Commodores were 10-2 in November under James Franklin and 8-0 the last two years.

Rivals

Ole Miss

Ole Miss is Vanderbilt's cross-divisional rival in the SEC.

Vanderbilt and Ole Miss have played 87 times since 1894.^[13] Ole Miss leads the series 48–37–2.^[13] The largest margin of victory was by 91 points won by Vanderbilt in 1915. Vanderbilt also holds the longest win streaks in the series (18) from 1894 to 1938.

Georgia

Having started in 1893, the Georgia-Vanderbilt football series has been played annually since 1968. The two are divisional opponents in the SEC East. The series, which rotates between Nashville, Tennessee and Athens, Georgia, stands with Georgia leading 54–19–2^[130]

Kentucky

Having started in 1896, the Kentucky-Vanderbilt football series has been played annually since 1953.^[131] The two are divisional opponents in the SEC East. The series, which rotates between Nashville, Tennessee and Lexington, Kentucky, stands at 41–41–4 with the average score being Vanderbilt 17-Kentucky 15.6.^[13]

Tennessee

Vanderbilt and Tennessee have played 107 times since 1892 , Tennessee leads the series 73–30–5.^[132] When the rivalry first started Vanderbilt dominated by taking 19 of the first 24 with 3 ties. After 1928, UT has dominated the rivalry with a record of Vanderbilt 71–11–2. The largest margin of victory for Vanderbilt was by 76 points in 1918 at Old Dudley Field in Nashville. (Vanderbilt 76, Tennessee 0) The largest defeat was 65 points in 1994 at Vanderbilt Stadium (Tennessee 65, Vanderbilt 0). The longest win streaks for Vanderbilt is (9) from 1901 to 1913. The longest win streak for Tennessee is 22, from 1983 to 2004.^[133]

Sewanee

Vanderbilt and the Sewanee Tigers were both founding members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA), the Southern Conference, and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). It is the oldest of Vanderbilt's rivalries;^[134] dating back to 1891 when Vanderbilt played its second football game. Vanderbilt leads the series 40–8–4.^[135] The largest margin of victory was in 1905 when Vanderbilt won 68–4. Usually played towards the end of the season on Thanksgiving Day, the two teams have not met again since 1944.

Records

Bowl records

Vanderbilt has a record of 4–2–1 in bowl games.

Win

Loss

Tie

Result	Date	PF	Opponent	PA	Bowl
W	December 31, 1955	25	Auburn	13	Gator Bowl
T	December 28, 1974	6	Texas Tech	6	Peach Bowl
L	December 31, 1982	28	Air Force	36	Hall of Fame Bowl
W	December 31, 2008	16	Boston College	14	Music City Bowl
L	December 31, 2011	24	Cincinnati	31	Liberty Bowl
W	December 31, 2012	38	NC State	24	Music City Bowl
W	January 4, 2014	41	Houston	24	BBVA Compass Bowl

National championship selections

Season	Coach	Selector	Record
1921	Dan McGugin	Berryman	7-0-1
1922	Dan McGugin	Berryman	8–0-1
National championship selections			2
Berryman is considered a 'major selector' in the NCAA Division I FBS Record Book.

Conference championships

Season	Conference	Coach	Overall Record	Conference Record
1897†	SIAA	R. G. Acton	6-0-1	3-0-1
1901	SIAA	W. H. Watkins	6-1-1	6-0-1
1903†	SIAA	James H. Henry	6-1-1	5-1-1
1904	SIAA	Dan McGugin	9-0	5-0
1905	SIAA	Dan McGugin	7-1	6-0
1906	SIAA	Dan McGugin	8-1	6–0
1907	SIAA	Dan McGugin	5-1-1	4-0
1910	SIAA	Dan McGugin	8-0-1	5-0
1911	SIAA	Dan McGugin	8-1	6–0
1912	SIAA	Dan McGugin	8-1-1	4-0-1
1915	SIAA	Dan McGugin	9-1	5-0
1921†	SIAA	Dan McGugin	7-0-1	4-0-1
1922†	Southern	Dan McGugin	8–0-1	3-0
1923†	Southern	Dan McGugin	5-2-1	3-0-1
Conference Championships			14
† Denotes co-champions

Year-by-year results

Conference Champions

Bowl Eligible

^[136]

Year	Conference	Coach	Conference				Overall				Notes
			Win	Loss	Tie	Pct.	Win	Loss	Tie	Pct.
1890	None	Elliott H. Jones					1	0	0	1.000
1891	None	Elliott H. Jones					3	1	0	.750
1892	None	Elliott H. Jones					4	4	0	.500
1893	None	W. J. Keller					6	1	0	.857
1894	SIAA	Henry Thornton	2	0	0	1.000	7	1	0	.875
1895	SIAA	C. L. Upton	3	1	0	.750	5	3	1	.611
1896	SIAA	R. G. Acton	3	0	1	.875	3	2	2	.571
1897	SIAA	R.G. Acton	3	0	0	1.000	6	0	1	.929	SIAA Champions
1898	SIAA	R. G. Acton	1	2	0	.333	1	5	0	.167
1899	SIAA	James L. Crane	4	0	0	1.000	7	2	0	.777
1900	SIAA	James L. Crane	2	3	1	.417	4	4	1	.500
1901	SIAA	W. H. Watkins	5	0	1	.917	6	1	1	.813	SIAA Champions
1902	SIAA	W. H. Watkins	6	1	0	.857	8	1	0	.889
1903	SIAA	James H. Henry	5	1	1	.786	6	1	1	.813	SIAA Co-Champions
1904	SIAA	Dan McGugin	5	0	0	1.000	9	0	0	1.000	SIAA Champions
1905	SIAA	Dan McGugin	6	0	0	1.000	7	1	0	.875	SIAA Champions
1906	SIAA	Dan McGugin	6	0	0	1.000	8	1	0	.889	SIAA Champions
1907	SIAA	Dan McGugin	4	0	0	1.000	5	1	1	.786	SIAA Champions
1908	SIAA	Dan McGugin	3	0	1	.875	7	2	1	.750
1909	SIAA	Dan McGugin	4	1	0	.800	7	3	0	.700
1910	SIAA	Dan McGugin	5	0	0	1.000	8	0	1	.889	SIAA Champions
1911	SIAA	Dan McGugin	5	0	0	1.000	8	1	0	.889	SIAA Champions
1912	SIAA	Dan McGugin	4	0	1	.900	8	1	1	.850	SIAA Champions
1913	SIAA	Dan McGugin	3	1	0	.750	5	3	0	.625
1914	SIAA	Dan McGugin	1	4	0	.200	2	6	0	.250
1915	SIAA	Dan McGugin	5	0	0	1.000	9	1	0	.900	SIAA Champions
1916	SIAA	Dan McGugin	3	1	1	.700	7	1	1	.833
1917	SIAA	Dan McGugin	3	2	0	.600	5	3	0	.625
1918	SIAA	Ray Morrison	4	0	0	1.000	4	2	0	.667	Dan McGugin did not coach due to service in World War I.
1919	SIAA	Dan McGugin	3	1	2	.667	5	1	2	.750
1920	SIAA	Dan McGugin	3	3	0	.500	5	3	1	.611
1921	SIAA	Dan McGugin	4	0	1	.900	7	0	1	.938	SIAA Co-Champions
1922	Southern	Dan McGugin	3	0	0	1.000	8	0	1	.944	Southern Conference Co-Champions
1923	Southern	Dan McGugin	3	0	1	.875	5	2	1	.688	Southern Conference Co-Champions
1924	Southern	Dan McGugin	3	3	0	.500	6	3	1	.650
1925	Southern	Dan McGugin	3	3	0	.500	6	3	0	.667
1926	Southern	Dan McGugin	4	1	0	.800	8	1	0	.889
1927	Southern	Dan McGugin	5	0	2	.857	8	1	2	.818
1928	Southern	Dan McGugin	4	2	0	.666	8	2	0	.800
1929	Southern	Dan McGugin	5	1	0	.833	7	2	0	.778
1930	Southern	Dan McGugin	5	2	0	.714	8	2	0	.800
1931	Southern	Dan McGugin	3	4	0	.428	5	4	0	.556
1932	Southern	Dan McGugin	4	1	2	.625	6	1	2	.778
1933	SEC	Dan McGugin	2	2	2	.500	4	3	3	.550
1934	SEC	Dan McGugin	4	3	0	.571	6	3	0	.667
1935	SEC	Ray Morrison	5	1	0	.833	7	3	0	.700
1936	SEC	Ray Morrison	1	3	1	.300	3	5	1	.389
1937	SEC	Ray Morrison	4	2	0	.667	7	2	0	.778
1938	SEC	Ray Morrison	4	3	0	.571	6	3	0	.667
1939	SEC	Ray Morrison	1	6	0	.143	2	7	1	.250
1940	SEC	Red Sanders	1	5	1	.214	3	6	1	.350
1941	SEC	Red Sanders	3	2	0	.600	8	2	0	.800
1942	SEC	Red Sanders	2	4	0	.333	6	4	0	.600
1943	SEC	E. H. Alley	0	0	0	.000	5	0	0	1.000	Red Sanders did not coach due to service in World War II.
1944	SEC	Doby Bartling	0	0	0	.000	3	0	1	.875	Red Sanders did not coach due to service in World War II.
1945	SEC	Doby Bartling	2	4	0	.333	3	6	0	.333	Red Sanders did not coach due to service in World War II.
1946	SEC	Red Sanders	3	4	0	.429	5	4	0	.556
1947	SEC	Red Sanders	3	3	0	.500	6	4	0	.600
1948	SEC	Red Sanders	4	2	1	.643	8	2	1	.773	Finished #12 in final AP poll
1949	SEC	Bill Edwards	4	4	0	.500	5	5	0	.500
1950	SEC	Bill Edwards	3	4	0	.429	7	4	0	.636
1951	SEC	Bill Edwards	3	5	0	.375	6	5	0	.545
1952	SEC	Bill Edwards	1	4	1	.250	3	5	2	.400
1953	SEC	Art Guepe	1	5	0	.167	3	7	0	.300
1954	SEC	Art Guepe	1	5	0	.167	2	7	0	.222
1955	SEC	Art Guepe	4	3	0	.571	8	3	0	.727	Defeated Auburn 25–13 in Gator Bowl
1956	SEC	Art Guepe	2	5	0	.286	5	5	0	.500
1957	SEC	Art Guepe	3	3	1	.583	5	3	2	.600
1958	SEC	Art Guepe	2	1	3	.583	5	2	3	.650
1959	SEC	Art Guepe	3	2	2	.571	5	3	2	.600
1960	SEC	Art Guepe	1	6	0	.143	3	7	0	.300
1961	SEC	Art Guepe	1	6	0	.143	2	8	0	.200
1962	SEC	Art Guepe	1	6	0	.143	1	9	0	.100
1963	SEC	Jack Green	0	5	2	.143	1	7	2	.250
1964	SEC	Jack Green	1	4	0	.200	3	6	1	.350
1965	SEC	Jack Green	1	5	0	.167	2	7	1	.200
1966	SEC	Jack Green	0	6	0	.000	1	9	0	.100
1967	SEC	Bill Pace	0	6	0	.000	2	7	1	.250
1968	SEC	Bill Pace	2	3	1	.417	5	4	1	.550
1969	SEC	Bill Pace	2	3	0	.400	4	6	0	.400
1970	SEC	Bill Pace	1	5	0	.167	4	7	0	.364
1971	SEC	Bill Pace	1	5	0	.167	4	6	1	.409
1972	SEC	Bill Pace	1	5	0	.167	3	8	0	.273
1973	SEC	Steve Sloan	1	5	0	.167	5	6	0	.455
1974	SEC	Steve Sloan	2	3	1	.417	7	3	2	.667	Tied Texas Tech 6–6 in Peach Bowl
1975	SEC	Fred Pancoast	2	4	0	.333	7	4	0	.636
1976	SEC	Fred Pancoast	0	6	0	.000	2	9	0	.182
1977	SEC	Fred Pancoast	0	6	0	.000	2	9	0	.182
1978	SEC	Fred Pancoast	0	6	0	.000	2	9	0	.182
1979	SEC	George MacIntyre	0	6	0	.000	1	10	0	.091
1980	SEC	George MacIntyre	0	6	0	.000	2	9	0	.182
1981	SEC	George MacIntyre	1	5	0	.167	4	7	0	.364
1982	SEC	George MacIntyre	4	2	0	.667	8	4	0	.667	Lost to Air Force 28–36 in Hall of Fame Bowl
1983	SEC	George MacIntyre	0	6	0	.000	2	9	0	.182
1984	SEC	George MacIntyre	2	4	0	.333	5	6	0	.455
1985	SEC	George MacIntyre	1	4	1	.250	3	7	1	.318
1986	SEC	Watson Brown	0	6	0	.000	1	10	0	.091
1987	SEC	Watson Brown	1	5	0	.167	4	7	0	.364
1988	SEC	Watson Brown	2	5	0	.286	3	8	0	.273
1989	SEC	Watson Brown	0	7	0	.000	1	10	0	.091
1990	SEC	Watson Brown	1	6	0	.143	1	10	0	.091
1991	SEC	Gerry DiNardo	3	4	0	.429	5	6	0	.455
1992	SEC	Gerry DiNardo	2	6	0	.250	4	7	0	.364
1993	SEC	Gerry DiNardo	2	6	0	.250	5	6	0	.455
1994	SEC	Gerry DiNardo	2	6	0	.250	5	6	0	.455
1995	SEC	Rod Dowhower	1	7	0	.125	2	9	0	.182
1996	SEC	Rod Dowhower	0	8	0	.000	2	9	0	.182
1997	SEC	Woody Widenhofer	0	8	0	.000	3	8	0	.273
1998	SEC	Woody Widenhofer	1	7	0	.125	2	9	0	.182
1999	SEC	Woody Widenhofer	2	6	0	.250	5	6	0	.455
2000	SEC	Woody Widenhofer	1	7	0	.125	3	8	0	.272
2001	SEC	Woody Widenhofer	0	8	0	.000	2	9	0	.182
2002	SEC	Bobby Johnson	0	8	0	.000	2	10	0	.167
2003	SEC	Bobby Johnson	1	7	0	.125	2	10	0	.167
2004	SEC	Bobby Johnson	1	7	0	.125	2	9	0	.182
2005	SEC	Bobby Johnson	3	5	0	.375	5	6	0	.455
2006	SEC	Bobby Johnson	1	7	0	.125	4	8	0	.333
2007	SEC	Bobby Johnson	2	6	0	.250	5	7	0	.417
2008	SEC	Bobby Johnson	4	4	0	.500	7	6	0	.539	Defeated Boston College 16–14 in Music City Bowl
2009	SEC	Bobby Johnson	0	8	0	.000	2	10	0	.167
2010	SEC	Robbie Caldwell	1	7	0	.125	2	10	0	.166
2011	SEC	James Franklin	2	6	0	.250	6	7	0	.462	Lost to Cincinnati 24–31 in Liberty Bowl
2012	SEC	James Franklin	5	3	0	.625	9	4	0	.692	Defeated NC State 38–24 in Music City Bowl #20 C/# 23 AP
2013	SEC	James Franklin	4	4	0	.500	9	4	0	.692	Defeated Houston 41–24 BBVA Compass Bowl #23 C/# 24 AP
2014	SEC	Derek Mason	0	8	0	.000	3	9	0	.250
2015	SEC	Derek Mason	0	0	0	.000	0	0	0	.000
1890	2014	Totals	280	433	32	.398	585	591	50	.498	14 Conference Championships
1932	2014	SEC	133	395	17	.260	327	514	27	.393	7 Bowl Appearances
1922	1931	Southern	42	17	5	.695	75	21	7	.762	2 Southern Conference Championships
1894	1921	SIAA	107	26	10	.783	183	56	16	.749	12 SIAA Championships

^{[137] [138]}

Recruiting

Vanderbilt Commodores Football Scout.com team recruiting rankings:

Class	Scout.com Rank	Commits	Top Commit
2015	72	18	Josh Smith
2014	50	22	Nifae Lealao
2013	19	26	Zach Cunningham
2012	45	22	Brian Kimbrow
2011	50	21	Dillon van der Wal
2010	54	25	Blake Gowder
2009	72	18	Walker May
2008	74	21	Tristan Strong
2007	87	14	Ryan van Rensburg
2006	61	26	Jonathan Massey
2005	76	25	Mackenzi Adams
2004	62	20	Brad Allen
2003	61	22	Jonathan Loyte
2002	59	20	Grant Brigham

Commodores currently in the NFL

Player	Years at VU	NFL Team
Casey Hayward	2008–2012	Green Bay Packers
Reshard Langford	2004–2008	Kansas City Chiefs
D.J. Moore	2006–2008	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Earl Bennett	2005–2007	Cleveland Browns
Curtis Gatewood	2004–2007	Arizona Cardinals
Jonathan Goff	2004–2007	New York Giants
Chris Williams	2004–2007	St. Louis Rams
Jay Cutler	2002–2005	Chicago Bears
Jovan Haye	2002–2004	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jamie Winborn	1999–2001	Tennessee Titans
Myron Lewis	2005–2009	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Thomas Welch	2005–2009	St. Louis Rams
Tim Fugger	2007–2011	New York Jets
Ryan Seymour	2008–2012	San Francisco 49ers
Zac Stacy	2009–2012	St. Louis Rams
Wesley Johnson	2009–2013	Pittsburgh Steelers
Jordan Matthews	2009–2013	Philadelphia Eagles

College Football Hall of Fame

Vanderbilt Commodore football personnel have been inducted into the National Football Foundation's National College Football Hall of Fame.^[139]

Players

Name	Position	Years at VU
John J. Tigert	Halfback	1901–1903
Josh Cody	Tackle	1914–1916, 1919
Lynn Bomar	End	1921–1924
William Spears	Quarterback	1925–1927
Carl Hinkle	Center	1935–1937

Coaches

Name	Years at VU
Dan McGugin	1904–1917, 1919–1934
Ray Morrison	1918, 1935–1939
Jess Neely	1920–1922
Red Sanders	1940–1942, 1946–1948
Bill Edwards	1949–1952

Jess Neely never coached at Vanderbilt.

Commodores All-Americans

Player	Year	Pos
Jordan Matthews	2013	WR
Casey Hayward	2011	CB
D.J. Moore	2008	DB
Earl Bennett	2006	WR
Jamie Winborn	1999	LB
Jamie Duncan	1997	LB
Bill Marinangel	1996	P
Boo Mitchell	1988	WR
Chris Gaines	1987	LB
Ricky Anderson	1984	P
Leonard Coleman	1983	DB
Chuck Scott	1983	TE
Jim Arnold	1982	P
Allama Matthews	1982	TE
Preston Brown	1979	Back
Barry Burton	1974	TE
Bob Asher	1969	T
Chip Healy	1968	LB
George Diedrich	1958	G
Charley Horton	1955	RB
Bill Wade	1951	QB
Bob Werckle	1951	T
Bucky Curtis	1950	Receiver
Bob Gude	1941	C
Carl Hinkle	1937	C
Pete Gracey	1932	C
Bull Brown	1929	G
Dick Abernathy	1928	End
Bill Spears	1926, 1927	QB
Gil Reese	1923, 1924	Back
Henry Wakefield	1923, 1924	End
Oliver Kuhn	1922	QB
Lynn Bomar	1922, 1923	End
Josh Cody	1914, 1915, 1919	T
Irby Curry	1916	QB
Lewie Hardage	1912	Back
Ray Morrison	1911	QB
W. E. Metzger	1910	G
Bob Blake	1907	E
Owsley Manier	1906	Back

Captains

Year	Captain
1890–1892	Elliott Jones
1893–1894	W. J. Keller
1895–1896	Phil Connell
1897	H. M. Boogher
1898	Joe Goodson
1899	Walter H. Simmons
1900	John F. H. Barbee
1901	John Edgerton
1902	H. W. Davis
1903	Frank Kyle
1904	Irish Graham
1905	Innis Brown
1906	Dan Blake
1907	Bob Blake
1908	Vaughn Blake
1909	H. H. Williams
1910	Bill Neely
1911	Ray Morrison
1912	Lew Hardage
1913	Enoch Brown
1914	Ammie Sikes
1915	Russ Cohen
1916	Irby Curry
1917	Alfred T. Adams
1918	Herman Daves
1919	Josh Cody
1920	Johnny "Red" Floyd
1921	Pink Wade
1922	Jess Neely
1923	Doc Kuhn
1924	Tuck Kelly
1925	Gil Reese
1926	Neil Cargile
1927	Vernon Sharpe
1928	Jimmy Armistead
1929	Bull Brown
1930	Joe Scheffer
1931	Amos Leonard
1932	Chosen by game
1933	Chosen By Game
1934	Eugene Beck
1935	Charles W. Geny
1936	Dick Plasman
1937	Carl Hinkle
1938	Marvin. A. Franklin
1939	Raymond Andrus
1940	John Ellis
1941	Joe Atkinson
1942	Fred Holder
1943	James & Bob Hamilton
1944	Lee Austin & Dick Bostick
1945	Dick Bostick & James Hamilton
1946	Alf Satterfield
1947	John North & Tex Robertson
1948	John Clark
1949	Carl Copp
1950	Russ Faulkinberry
1951	Bob Werckle
1952	John Cheadle & Don Wade
1953	Larry Stone
1954	Pete Williams & John Hall
1955	Larry Frank & Jim Cunningham
1956	Don Orr & Art Demmas
1957	Bob Laws & Phil King
1958	Billy Grover
1959	No permanent captain
1960	Fred Riggs
1961	Cody Brinkley & Ed Creagh
1962	Jule Crocker & Mike Reese
1963	Sam Sullins
1964	Dave Malone, Bill Juday, & Wilford Fuqua
1965	Lane Wolbe
1966	Dave Maddux & Jim Thomas
1967	Bob Goodridge & Sid Ransom
1968	Mike Giltner & Rex Raines
1969	Bob Asher & Bill McDonald
1970	Steve Fritz, Mal Wall, & John Robinson
1971	John Carney & John Drake
1972	Jim Avery, Joe Cook, & Ken Stone
1973	Mark Ilgenfritz & Bo Patton
1974	David Lee
1975	Lonnie Sadler & Tom Galbierz
1976	Tom Ballman & David Hale
1977	Ed Parrish, Mike Birdsong, Reggie Calvin, & Mitch Lilly
1978	Randy Sittason & John Wooten
1979	Mike Ralston, Preston Brown, & Ronnie Myrick
1980	Phil Swindoll, Keith Phillips, & Rodney Gurley
1981	Rodney Gurley, Ken Hammond, & Andrew Coleman
1982	Whit Taylor, Allama Matthews, & Joe Staley
1983	Tom Moore, Steve Bearden, & Phil Roach
1984	Rob Monaco, Steve McCoy, Chuck Scott, & Manuel Young
1985	Steve Wade, Kermit Sykes, & Will Wolford
1986	Thanh Anderson, Mark Wracher, Mark Woehler, & Carl Woods
1987	Chris Gaines, Everett Crawford, Daryl Holt, & Carl Parker
1988	Eric Jones, Brent Turner, Joe Gentry, & Mike Johnson
1989	John Gromos, DeMond Winston, Andy McCarroll, & Greg Smith
1990	No permanent captains.
1991	Bobby Craycraft & Rod Keith
1992	Marcus Wilson & Marcus Young
1993	Gerald Collins, Tony Jackson, & Eric Dahlberg
1994	Gerald Collins & Eric Lewis
1995	No permanent captains.
1996	No permanent captains.
1997	Jamie Duncan, Corey Chavous, Jay Stallworth, Damian Allen, & John Bradley
1998	Rahim Batten, Clay Condrey, Jared McGrath, & Fred Vinson
1999	Jeff Barnett, Ainsley Battles, Lamont Turner, & Todd Yoder
2000	Ryan Aulds, Elliott Carson, John Markham; & Matt Stewart
2001	Jamie Byrum, Antuian Bradford, Nate Morrow, & Dan Stricker
2002	Jamie Byrum, Rushen Jones, & Dan Stricker
2003	Jay Cutler, Justin Geisinger, & Jovan Haye
2004	Jay Cutler, Justin Geisinger, Jovan Haye, & Chris Young
2005	Jay Cutler & Moses Osemwegie
2006	Brian Stamper & Jonathan Goff
2007	Jonathan Goff, Chris Williams, & Theo Horrocks
2008	Reshard Langford, Bradley Vierling, & George Smith
2009	Patrick Benoist, Ryan Hamilton, & Bradley Vierling
2010	Joey Bailey, T. J. Greenstone, Adam Smotherman, & Chris Marve
2011	Kyle Fischer, Casey Hayward, Chris Marve, Larry Smith, & Carey Spear
2012	Jordan Rodgers, Walker May, Archibald Barnes, Zac Stacy, Johnell Thomas, Javon Marshall, Wesley Johnson, & Carey Spear
2013	Austyn Carta-Samuels, Wesley Johnson, Jordan Matthews, Walker May, Chase Garnham, Andre Hal, Javon Marshall, Carey Spear, & Andrew East

Conference recognition

Vanderbilt Commodores personnel, including coaches and players, have received recognition from the Southeastern Conference for their performances on the football field.^[139]

Most valuable player

Name	Year
Bob Goodridge	1967
Bill Wade	1951
Jack Jenkins	1941
Carl Hinkle	1937
Willie Geny	1935

Offensive player of the year

Name	Year
Jay Cutler	2005

Freshman of the year

Name	Year
Kwane Doster	2002
Warren Norman	2009

Best blocker

Name	Year
Jack Jenkins	1941, 1942

Best wide receiver

Name	Year
Earl Bennett	2005–2007

Coach of the year

Name	Year
Bobby Johnson	2008
George MacIntyre	1982
Art Guepe	1955
Red Sanders	1941
Ray Morrison	1937

Future opponents

Non-division opponents

Vanderbilt plays Ole Miss as a permanent non-division opponent annually and rotates around the West division among the other six schools.^[140]

2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
at Ole Miss	vs Ole Miss	at Ole Miss	vs Ole Miss	at Ole Miss	vs Ole Miss	at Ole Miss	vs Ole Miss	at Ole Miss	vs Ole Miss	at Ole Miss
vs Texas A&M	at Auburn	vs Alabama	at Arkansas	vs LSU	at Texas A&M	vs Mississippi State	at Alabama	vs Auburn	at LSU	vs Arkansas

Non-conference opponents

Note: all the games subject to change.

2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
at Middle Tennessee	vs Middle Tennessee	at Middle Tennessee	vs Middle Tennessee	vs Northern Illinois		vs Houston	at Northern Illinois
vs WKU	at Georgia Tech	vs WKU
at Houston	at WKU
vs Austin Peay	Power 5 opponent	Power 5 opponent	Power 5 opponent	Power 5 opponent	Power 5 opponent	Power 5 opponent

^[141]

References

Further reading

• Rosenberg, Michael (September 19, 2011). "Ultimate Underdog: For Vanderbilt, playing in the nation's toughest conference is a losing proposition. But the only team in the SEC that everyone can love is 2--0, thanks to a new coach who has turned a blind eye to the past". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2011-11-23. 

External links

• Official website

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