MTSU’s Chase Cunningham, Vanderbilt’s Ray Davis Named Comeback Player Of The Year Semifinalists

Ray Davis & Chase Cunningham

Middle Tennessee quarterback Chase Cunningham and Vanderbilt running back Ray Davis have been named as semifinalists for the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year Award by the College Sports Communicators, in association with the Associated Press (AP) and the Fiesta Bowl Organization.

The award recognizes college football student-athletes from all divisions of college football for overcoming injury, illness, or other circumstances.

Cunningham, after his 2021 season ended early due to a torn ACL suffered against Southern Miss, bounced back to lead the Blue Raiders to a 7-5 record and a trip to the Hawai’i Bowl. The Knoxville, Tennessee native has passed for 2920 yards and 19 touchdowns while completing 67 percent of his passes in 11 starts. The sixth-year senior also rushed for six touchdowns on the ground.

Davis led the Commodores in rushing with 232 attempts and 1,081 yards. He scored five touchdowns and averaged 4.5 yards per carry. His offensive prowess led the Commodores to a 5-7 record, which included two SEC wins over Florida and ranked Kentucky.

In a vote by a panel of AP writers, editors, sports information directors and Fiesta Bowl Organization representatives, three college football student-athletes will be honored as 2022 Comeback Player of the Year Award winners.

Cunningham is one of two Conference USA Athletes (Jyaire Shorter, WR, North Texas) to make the semifinalist list. Davis is one of two SEC athletes (Ventrell Miller, Florida, LB).

The Full 15-Man Semifinalist List:
(Conference / Player / School / Position)
ACC: Payton Wilson, NC State, LB
BIG 12: Adrian Martinez, Kansas State, QB
BIG 12: Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma, QB
BIG 12: Trace Ford, Oklahoma State, DE
BIG TEN: Mohamed Ibrahi, Minnesota, RB
BIG TEN: Ronnie Bell, Michigan, WR
CONFERENCE USA: Chase Cunningham, Middle Tennessee, QB
CONFERENCE USA: Jyaire Shorter, North Texas, WR
INDEPENDENT: Marist Liufau, Notre Dame, LB
MID-AMERICAN: Kyle Pugh, Northern Illinois, LB
PAC 12: Justin Flowe, Oregon, LB
PAC 12: Laitu Latu, UCLA, LB
PAC 12: Michael Penix Jr, Washington, QB
SEC: Ventrell Miller, Florida, LB
SEC: Ray Davis, Vanderbilt, RB

Trent Dilfer Exits Lipscomb Academy To Coach UAB Football

Trent Dilfer. Photo: Courtesy of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics

Lipscomb Academy head football coach Trent Dilfer will be leaving his position to coach the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) football team. He will officially begin his tenure at UAB on Friday (Dec. 2), following Lipscomb Academy’s state championship game on Dec. 1 in Chattanooga.

“Having the opportunity to lead such a quality program like UAB is one that I am beyond excited about,” Dilfer explains. “The investments the university has made for UAB Football aligns with my vision of taking this program to new heights as we join the American Athletic Conference and compete annually for the highest prize of playing in the College Football Playoff. I would like to thank President Ray Watts, Director of Athletics Mark Ingram and the entire search committee for their commitment to excellence and for trusting in me as we venture into this new era of UAB Football together.”

Dilfer spent the last four years as the head coach of Lipscomb Academy in Nashville where he led the Mustangs to the 2021 TSSAA D2-AA State Championship and will once again play for the state title tonight (Dec. 1). With one game remaining, Dilfer will finish his tenure with Lipscomb Academy with immense success, compiling an overall record of 43-10 in his four years and a mark of 25-1 in the last two seasons.

A former NFL quarterback, Dilfer was selected sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and threw for 20,518 yards and 113 touchdowns during his 14-year career. In 2000, he led the Baltimore Ravens to a 34-7 victory over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 1997 and was the recipient of the Bart Starr Award and Ed Block Courage Award in 2003.

In 2008, Dilfer began a nine-year broadcasting career as an analyst on ESPN for a variety of programs, including Monday Night Countdown and NFL Primetime. He was nominated for a Sports Emmy in 2012 for Outstanding Sports Personality in the Studio Analyst category.

Dilfer is also the head coach of the Elite 11 Academy, which began in 2009 to train elite-level high school quarterbacks. His alumni include 27 of the 32 current NFL starting quarterbacks and 14 of the past 15 Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks. Currently, 60 of the 64 Power 5 starting quarterbacks in 2022 attended the Elite 11 Finals or Elite 11 Regional.

“Trent is a proven winner on and off the field at all levels and will be a tremendous leader for our program,” Director of Athletics Mark Ingram adds. “He is a Super Bowl-winning quarterback who played the game at its highest level for many years, and he has coached some of the top quarterbacks who are currently NFL franchise players. Trent’s goals and vision for our program is to lead UAB to the College Football Playoff and we have no doubt that he is the right coach to lead our transition in the American Athletic Conference. Most importantly, Trent is an outstanding man, husband and father with tremendous character who fits our department’s core values of winning championships, graduating with honors and making a difference in our community.”

While appropriate members of the UA System Board of Trustees have been notified of the proposed terms and conditions of this proposed agreement, the financial terms remain subject to approval by the Board of Trustees.

Former Vandy Star Carolyn Peck To Be Inducted Into Women’s Basketball Hall Of Fame

Carolyn Peck. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Former Vanderbilt women’s basketball player Carolyn Peck is set to be inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023. Selected for inclusion in the class as a coach, she will be honored at the organization’s annual induction ceremony on April 29 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

She was named the Naismith College Coach of the Year and Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year, and was also honored as the national Coach of the Year by both the Women’s basketball Coaches Association and United States Basketball Writers Association in 1999 after leading Purdue to the NCAA Tournament championship–still the only national title in the sport for a Big Ten team.

In two seasons, Peck guided the Boilermakers to a 57-11 record overall, including a 26-6 mark in league play. She would go on to coach two seasons with the WNBA’s Orlando Miracle and at the University of Florida from 2002-07, where she helped the Gators to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances.

Peck scored 1,240 points and recorded 679 rebounds during her four-year career with the Commodores from 1985-88, earning induction into Vandy’s Hall of Fame in 2013. She also served on the Dores’ coaching staff as an assistant coach during the 2016-17 and ’17-18 seasons.

Nashville Superspeedway Partners With Vanderbilt University’s Accelerator Program

The Nashville Superspeedway is offering college students a behind-the-scenes look at NASCAR and motorsports this summer as part of the Accelerator Summer Business Immersion program at Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management.

Students will spend three weeks at various organizations combining classroom and consulting experience for career preparation. Nashville Superspeedway is the first business to be featured for the project in 2023.

“We are delighted that our Accelerator students will join the team at Nashville Superspeedway to attract a new generation of fans to the excitement of motorsports,” says Cherrie Wilkerson, Assistant Dean for Young Professional Programs at Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management. “Sports and entertainment are hallmarks for Nashville, and this partnership allows our students to work hard to bring results for both the Superspeedway and regional fans.”

During the week of June 4-9, students will research, measure and provide possible solutions for expanding and diversifying Nashville Superspeedway’s fan base. They will be tasked with developing strategies to attract audiences outside of NASCAR’s typical audience and creating a greater connection between the Superspeedway and Nashville metro area.

Students will conclude their project by attending Nashville Superspeedway’s June 23-25 tripleheader weekend, which includes the Ally 400 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, June 25.

SEC, ACC & ESPN Announce Men’s And Women’s Basketball Challenges Starting In 2023

The Southeastern Conference (SEC), Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and ESPN have announced the formation of the ACC/SEC Challenge for men’s and women’s basketball. It will begin as part of the 2023-24 season.

ACC and SEC teams will square off as part of the new annual challenge–one in men’s basketball and one in women’s basketball. Each one of the 28 games (30 starting in 2025-26) will be carried on an ESPN platform, and each conference will host an equal number of home games. Matchups and game times will be announced at a later date.

This new format will allow fans to see NCAA Tournament style games with SEC teams, such as Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina and Auburn, face the likes of Duke, North Carolina, NC State and Syracuse.

“We are excited women’s and men’s basketball student-athletes will have the opportunity to compete with their colleagues from the ACC as we initiate a new Basketball Challenge experience,” says SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “I appreciate the collaboration of Jim Phillips and the ACC members, along with our broadcast partner ESPN, to make possible the SEC/ACC Basketball Challenge which will provide our fans with exciting basketball early in the 2023-24 season. I also thank the Big 12 for the many great challenge games we experienced together in past years.”

For SEC men’s basketball, the onset of the challenge with the ACC brings an end to a challenge with the Big 12 which began in the 2013-14 season. The 10th SEC-Big 12 Challenge will take place Jan. 28, 2023. SEC women’s basketball conducted a challenge with the Big 12 from 2014 to 2021.

“The future ACC-SEC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Challenges will be outstanding events for our student-athletes, member institutions and fans,” says ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “The SEC, led by Greg Sankey, and our partners at ESPN have been terrific, and there’s great excitement for the first annual ACC/SEC Challenge next season. As part of this announcement, we’d like to acknowledge the Big Ten for its partnership on the ACC/B1G Challenge that spanned more than 20 years.”

The creation of the ACC/SEC Challenge marks the end of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, which ESPN established with the two conferences in 1999 as a first-of-its-kind event. The final installment of the 23-year-old event, and the 15th edition of the ACC/Big Ten Women’s Challenge, will take place this week.

“We look forward to showcasing the talented men’s and women’s programs throughout the ACC and SEC in the years ahead through this exciting new collaboration with both conferences,” says Nick Dawson, ESPN Vice President, Programming. “Since establishing the very first interconference challenge in 1999, these events have been a staple of our college basketball schedule for more than two decades. We thank both the Big Ten and Big 12 for their partnership in the final year of our existing events and look forward to finding more ways to creatively partner with both conferences in 2023-24 and beyond.”

Vanderbilt Athletics Announces Hall Of Fame Class Of 2022

Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Thirteen inductees into the Vanderbilt Athletics Hall of Fame have been announced by Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and Athletic Director Candice Lee. Among the Class of 2022 members are Steve ChandlerLeonard ColemanJacqui Concolino, Jackie CowanRandy Johnson, Lucy Jones, Billy McCaffrey and Hunter Stewart.

Additionally, Vanderbilt will be posthumously inducting five former football players and coaches who are already members of the College Football Hall of Fame, but not yet members of the Vanderbilt Athletics Hall of Fame as part of a “Legends” induction. Those five honorees are Bill SpearsLynn Bomar, John Tigert, Jess Neely and Red Sanders.

The additions will bring the number of Hall of Fame inductees to 95 since it was established in 2008. The official induction ceremony is set for Feb. 3.

Steve Chandler (1975–77, Baseball):

A star outfielder for the Commodores in the late 1970s, Chandler hit .357 his junior season of 1976, while driving in 22 runs and smacking five homers. He also helped lead Vandy to winning records in 1976 and 1978.

An All-SEC selection in 1976 and 1977, Chandler was a standout in three sports at Henry Clay High School in his native Lexington, Kentucky, where he graduated in 1973. His football jersey, baseball jersey and basketball jersey were all retired by the school.

In 1997, Chandler was chosen as Vanderbilt’s Athlete of the Year, and he also received the Bob Stovall Award for community service and the Jim Ribbons Award for outstanding leadership. A former scout for the New York Yankees, Chandler was recently a teacher at Bryan Station High School in Lexington.

Leonard Coleman (1980–83, Football):

Coleman was named first team All-America in 1983 by the Gannett News Service and was a third team All-America selection by the Associated Press. A consensus All-SEC selection, Coleman left Vanderbilt rated as the nation’s No. 1 cornerback by NFL scouts. He was a four-year starter.

His efforts as a junior were key for Vanderbilt’s Hall of Fame Bowl season in 1982, including a pair of interceptions in the season-opening victory over Memphis. He finished the year by setting a team high with eight interceptions, and he holds the team record with 15 career interceptions. Coleman played professionally in the USFL and several seasons in the NFL with Indianapolis and San Diego.

Jacqui Concolino (2006–09, Women’s Golf):

Concolino was a first team All-American in 2007, second team All-American in 2006 and a first team All-SEC selection in 2006 and 2007. Her 54-hole total of 204 and 18-hole score of 66 were program records at the time. The 2007 NCAA Central Regional low medalist, Concolino won three individual tournament titles during her career.

Concolino made her LPGA debut in 2012. In 2017, she made the cut in 21 of the 26 events she played in and recorded three top-10 finishes.

Jackie Cowan (1983–86, Women’s Basketball):

Cowan starred at Memorial Gymnasium from 1983 to 1987. She was named Vanderbilt’s Female Athlete of the Year in 1986 after leading the Commodores to a 22-9 record and their first berth in the NCAA Tournament.

A member of the 1985 team that defeated Tennessee for the first time in program history, Cowan is fourth on Vanderbilt’s all-time scoring list with 1,875 points in 116 career games. Her 235 career steals total ranks seventh. She was named an SEC Great in 2006.

Randy Johnson (1973–2001, Men’s & Women’s Soccer):

In 29 seasons at the helm of the Commodores, Johnson built two soccer programs from the ground up, raising the men’s club team to varsity status in the late 1970s before becoming the first face of Vanderbilt women’s soccer in 1985.

The Vandy women’s soccer program recently announced the Randy Johnson Men’s Soccer Alumni Scholarship, which will benefit women’s soccer student-athletes at Vanderbilt while honoring Johnson and the members of the men’s soccer program that helped lay the foundation for the women’s program.

Johnson coached the Vanderbilt men’s program from 1973 to 2001 and recorded 12 seasons of 10 wins or more. The Commodores went 13-5-1 in 1996.

Lucy Jones (1983–2011, Administration):

Jones retired from the Vanderbilt Athletics department as its senior director in 2011. Jones worked at Vanderbilt for 28 years and held various roles such as ticket manager and National Commodore Club staff member.

Billy McCaffrey (1993–94, Men’s Basketball)

After being on Duke’s NCAA Championship-winning team as a sophomore in 1991, McCaffrey transferred to Vanderbilt to finish his collegiate basketball career.

McCaffrey became a two-time All American and averaged 20.6 points per game in the 1992–93 and 1993–94 seasons. Vandy won the SEC regular season title and was a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament during the 1993 season.

He holds the Vanderbilt record for assists in a game with 14 and for career free throw percentage (88%). He and Kentucky’s Jamal Mashburn were named SEC Player of the Year in 1993.

Hunter Stewart (2012–15, Men’s Golf):

Stewart was the 2015 SEC Player of the Year and 2015 All-American, and those are only a couple of the highlights from his long list of accomplishments as a Commodore.

The Lexington, Kentucky native was the first Vandy golfer ever named the league’s player of the year and just the second to earn All-American honors. Stewart won the Carmel Cup, the Tavistock Collegiate Invitational and Mason Rudolph Championship as a senior while finishing in the top five in three other events.

Stewart finished tied for third in stroke play at the 2015 NCAA Championships.

Lynn Bomar (1921–24, Football):

As the student-athlete who put foot to pigskin to kick off the first ever game in Vanderbilt’s new football stadium in 1922, Bomar was often second to none on the gridiron. In addition to those kicking duties in the Dudley Field opener against Michigan, Bomar was a defensive end and a dominant offensive force as a blocking and pass-catching end. He earned a place as one of Walter Camp’s All-Americans in 1923. At a time when college football honors were still dominated by schools from the northeast, he was among the first All-Americans from a southern school.

Bomar was an integral part of three consecutive conference champions under legendary coach Dan McGugin, winning a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association title in 1921 and back-to-back Southern Conference titles in 1922 and 1923. The Commodores compiled a 20-2-3 record en route to those championships. Known as the “Blonde Bear,” the Gallatin, Tennessee native was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1956.

Jess Neely (1920–22, Football):

The namesake of the street that now brings Commodore fans to Vanderbilt Athletics events, Neely’s connection and contributions to Vanderbilt spanned more than five decades, from shortly after World War I through the moon landing.

As a student-athlete, Neely was an offensive juggernaut on some of Dan McGugin’s most impressive teams. A halfback and end, he captained the 1922 team that went undefeated (8-0-1), opened Dudley Field and won the inaugural Southern Conference championship. Setting a precedent for what would eventually follow decades later under Tim Corbin, Neely also won a conference championship while competing for the Vanderbilt baseball team in 1921.

After earning a law degree from Vanderbilt, he went on to a distinguished coaching career, most notably at Clemson, and for nearly three decades at Rice. He returned to Vanderbilt in 1967 and served as athletic director until his retirement in 1971. That same year, celebrating a lifetime in the sport, he was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

Henry “Red” Sanders (1940–42, 1946–48, Football):

A Vanderbilt alumnus who played for Dan McGugin, Sanders went on to show he learned plenty from his old coach during an impressive coaching career. Although his two stints as Vanderbilt football head coach were interrupted by extended service in the United States Navy during World War II, Sanders made his mark on program history. His teams compiled a 36-22-2 record. That included an 8-2-1 record and No. 12 ranking in the final Associated Press poll in 1948, when the Commodores won their final eight games by a combined 307-26 margin.

Sanders was also a versatile student-athlete at Vanderbilt from 1924 to 1926. In addition to his time as a quarterback, he competed in baseball and basketball and captained the baseball team.

After serving as head coach at Vanderbilt and later at UCLA, he was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Although variations of the quote are frequently credited to Vince Lombardi, Sanders is widely considered to be the source of the famous line: “Winning is not the most important thing; it’s the only thing.”

Bill Spears (1925–27, Football):

A beloved student-athlete who remained part of the university for much of the rest of his life, Spears was the star quarterback during Dan McGugin’s late golden era. Spears enjoyed his greatest acclaim in 1927, when he earned both first-team All-SoCon and All-America honors. He was just the second Vanderbilt quarterback, after Ray Morrison, to be named an All-American. Spears led one of the highest-scoring offenses in the region in 1927, opening up McGugin’s offense with a passing attack that entertained fans and complemented his own running prowess. The Commodores compiled a 22-5-2 record in his three seasons on the field.

Spears remained fiercely loyal to Vanderbilt after going into law practice in Chattanooga. He served on the Board of Trust for nearly four decades, from 1954 until his death in 1992. Known as “Bounding Bill Spears,” he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1962.

John Tigert (1901–03, Football):

A Rhodes Scholar, public servant and university president, Tigert also helped put Vanderbilt football on the map. Competing at the turn of the last century, barely a decade after the university fielded its first football team in an organized game, Tigert helped pave the way for the Hall of Fame members who would follow in his footsteps. He played in three of the first six games between Vanderbilt and Tennessee, helping the Commodores win all three. Overall, Vanderbilt went 20-3-2 in his three football seasons. He also competed in baseball, basketball and track.

Despite his feats on the field, Tigert’s greatest legacy came after his playing days. He served as president of both Kentucky Wesleyan and Florida and later as U.S. commissioner of education. He was a tireless advocate for collegiate sports who helped implement the athletic grant-in-aid system.

Seven TSU Tigers Named To All-OVC Football Teams

Seven members of the Tennessee State football team earned All-OVC honors as the Tigers finished their season on Nov. 19 with a win against Texas A&M-Commerce.

Of the seven Tigers selected, two players–senior defensive tackle Terray Jones and transfer defensive end Terrell Allen–landed on the All-OVC First Team Defense. Senior wide receiver JJ Holloman was selected to the Second Team Offense, while Jahsun Bryant (ILB), K’Vaughan Pope (OLB), and first-year Tiger Bryce Phillips (CB) landed on Second Team Defense. Kaleb Mosley rounds out the Tiger All-OVC performers as he was named Second Team Specialist as a kicker.

First-year linebacker Pope and juco transfer Phillips were also named to the All-Newcomers team.

Jones wreaked havoc on offensive linemen all season long alongside teammate Allen. Jones finished with a career-high 37 tackles on the season (12 solo, 25 assists). He tallied four sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, forced one fumble, and had three quarterback hurries. Jones finished with a season-high eight tackles against Murray State, while he recorded seven tackles, 2.0 for loss, and one sack against Lane College.

Transfer defensive end Allen made a big impact from his defensive end position in his first year as a Tiger. He finds himself on the All-OVC First Team Defense after earning second-team honors last season at Austin Peay. Allen finished the year with 36 tackles (20 solo, 16 assists), while leading the team in tackles for loss (12.0), and finishing tied-in sacks with 4.5. He also swatted down two passes and had seven quarterback hurries. Allen dominated UTM’s offensive line, collecting nine tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and one sack. He finished with 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks against EIU.

First-year wide receiver Holloman lands on the Second Team Offense after leading TSU in receptions (33) and yards (353). The senior from Georgia had one receiving touchdown. Holloman’s best performance came against Murray State as he hauled in nine passes for 94 yards.

Senior linebacker Bryant closes his TSU career with Second Team Defensive honors after leading the Tigers in tackles. Playing and starting in all 11 games, the Nashville native racked up a career-high 88 tackles (39 solo, 41 assists) in his final season. He finished with 5.0 tackles, for loss, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.

Ohio State transfer and first-year OLB Pope finds himself on the Second Team Defense with fellow teammate LB Bryant. Pope finished tied for second on the team in tackles with 62 (29 solo, 33 assists). He tallied four sacks, .5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, and one forced fumble.

Playing in all 11 games in his first year as a Tiger after transferring in from Santa Ana College, cornerback Phillips rounds out TSU’s All-OVC Second Team Defense selections. The California native led the team in pass breakups with 10, while collecting 35 tackles (27 solo, eight assists).

In his first season handling both punting and kicking duties, Mosley made a smooth transition in taking over for former All-OVC kicker Antonio Zita. He earns Second Team Specialist as a kicker. Mosley finished the year 15-of-21 on field goal attempts, while also knocking through 18 extra point attempts. Mosley had a long of 51 against Lane and had a 47-yarder against TAMUC in the season finale. He finished 3-of-3 against EIU and TAMUC.

Tennessee Vs. Vanderbilt Matchup Sold Out As Commodores Look For Bowl Eligibility

Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Vanderbilt football’s final game of the 2022 regular season against rival No. 9 Tennessee at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville is sold out.

The Commodores (5-6) will host the Volunteers for the 117th meeting between the rivals on Saturday (Nov. 26) at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network.

Vandy is coming off of two historic SEC wins against Kentucky and Florida–their first multi-conference win season since 2018. A win for Clark Lea‘s Commodores will make the team bowl eligible for the first time in four years.

As previously announced, tailgate parking lots are also sold out. The university is encouraging ride sharing for fans who have not already purchased parking.

Fans looking to purchase tickets should visit StubHub, the official secondary marketplace of Vanderbilt Athletics.

Game Day Reminders

  • FirstBank Stadium observes a clear bag policy.
  • Vandyville will run from 4:30-6:30 p.m. feature live music, food, kids zone and more.
  • Concessions will be adding multiple points-of-sale in anticipation of the sell-out crowd.