VandyMania Anchor Awards- Game I

Vanderbilt blasted Western Carolina, 45-0, on Saturday, September 5. Each week VandyMania.com recognizes top offensive and defensive players. Look inside to see what players VandyMania.com honors this week.

Vanderbilt 45

Western Carolina 0

OFFENSIVE STARS OF THE GAME

TB #21 Zac Stacy

TB #27 Warren Norman

On a night when the Commodores racked up 433 yards running the football without injured starting back Jared Hawkins no less, you know a back is getting the offensive player of the game. The tough question for this one is which back? Vanderbilt featured two of their young freshmen backs Saturday night and neither disappointed. Zac Stacy started in the tailback role for VU and he opened the runfest by going for eight, nine and eight yards on his first three carries as a Commodore. Unfortunately, for Stacy, the drive ended with a fumble and he would have to wait to score his first touchdown as a Commodore. Warren Norman recorded the games first rushing touchdown when he busted into the end zone from seven yards out. Zac Stacy later would score running out of the wildcat package or as one fan put it the “Zac Cat” package. Both of the electrifying true freshmen went on to put on quite a show for the home folks. Warren Norman rushed eighteen times for 105 yards (5.8 ypc) with two scores while starter Zac Stacy ran the ball 20 times for an equally impressive 135 yards (6.7 ypc) and the one TD out of the “Zac Cat”.

DEFENSIVE STAR OF THE GAME

MLB #13 Chris Marve

This week a familiar face chalks up yet another Anchor award. The defense as a whole had this one taken care of rather easily, or at least it appeared that way. Middle linebacker Chris Marve continues to stand out especially with his unique ability to embarrass opposing ball carriers by swiping the ball from their grasps. The word embarrass is defined as “to become or cause somebody to become painfully self-conscious”. That would sum it up pretty well. I would say Marve will go on to make quite a few backs in this league feel “painfully self conscious”. Who can forget the well-timed swipe of the Ole Miss tailback on the goal line last year? Well, Marve was back at it again on Saturday forcing two fumbles and recording four tackles on the day. Marve is well on his way too becoming the player this staff envisioned when he came to VU out of high school out of the Memphis area. Keep your eyes on #13 at all times or he will separate you from the ball…and maybe your cleats.

Next week the Anchor drops on the Mighty Tigers of LSU. I sure hope they are ready for the terrific twosome of Zac Stacy and Warren Norman. Add in a hopefully healthy Jared Hawkins and it could be quite a battle in the Bayou.

GO DORES!!!!!