Newest 4-star commit and renovation news

Here are a couple of Vanderbilt news items making the rounds right now.

Four Star Corner Headed to Vandy

The outstanding recruiting news for the Vanderbilt shows no sign of slowing down as James Franklin and his staff continues to sell the Commodore experience to all comers. The latest recruit to the Vandy class of 2013 is Trinity (Ky.) defensive back Ryan White. White is notable because he is the third four star recruit to commit to the Commodores for 2013, and he is ranked as highly as the 15th best defensive back in the country by some recruiting services.

White had originally verbally committed to the University of Louisville, but it is thought that a chance to play in the SEC was a major reason for his change of heart. In bringing White into the Black and Gold, Vanderbilt beat out teams of the caliber of Michigan and Arkansas on the recruiting trail. While White saw little of the ball last year (opponents constantly threw away from him) he has 44 tackles, 12 pass break ups, and an interception. Also of note is the fact he returned three punts for touchdowns, the longest of which was an 88-yard scamper. White also brings a winning attitude to the fold as he started on the Trinity High squad who were the USA Today National Champions in 2011.

Renovations Wrapping Up

With the season fast approaching it is time for an update on the state of the renovations taking place at Vanderbilt Stadium. Workers expect have all the improvements finished over the next couple of weeks, in plenty of time for the season opener on August 30th.

So far the lights have been installed, and the new turf field is secured to the ground but not totally complete. The turf has yet to be treated with the mix of sand and rubber pellets which will determine just how fast the surface plays. At the most basic level the more rubber you have the more the cleat sinks, while the more sand you have the harder (and faster) the field plays. For now it seems that the Athletic Department is going to use the manufacturers recommended mix, but adjustments could still yet be made.

Also yet to be completed is the installation of the giant video board and a new grass hill in the north end zone which will add an extra 500 or so to the stadium capacity. Let’s just hope there are no snags along the way and the stadium is in perfect condition for the nationally televised game against South Carolina.