The 2011 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represents Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...

 during the 2011 college football season

2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season

The 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season, play of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level, began on Thursday, September 1, 2011...

. The team's head coach is James Franklin , who is in his first year at Vanderbilt; he was previously the Offensive Coordinator and Head Coach in Waiting at the University of Maryland

University of Maryland

When the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...

, and was hired at Vanderbilt on December 17, 2010. Vanderbilt has been a member of the Southeastern Conference

Southeastern Conference

The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...

 (SEC) since the league's inception in 1932, and has participated in that conference's Eastern Division since its formation in 1992

1992 NCAA Division I-A football season

The 1992 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first year of the Bowl Coalition, and ended with Alabama's first national championship in thirteen years—their first since the departure of Bear Bryant...

. The Commodores play their seven home games at Vanderbilt Stadium at Dudley Field

Vanderbilt Stadium

Vanderbilt Stadium at Dudley Field is a football stadium located in Nashville, Tennessee. Completed in 1922 as the first stadium in the South to be used exclusively for college football, it is the home of the Vanderbilt University football team...

 in Nashville

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...

, Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

, which has been Vanderbilt football's home stadium since 1922.
2011 Vanderbilt football team seniors became the first in school history to qualify for a bowl twice.
In Coach James Franklin's first season, the Commodores (6-6) qualified for their first bowl since 2008.

Coaching changes

At the end of the 2010 season, Head Coach Robbie Caldwell

Robbie Caldwell

-External links:*...

 resigned from Vanderbilt. After a long nationwide coaching search, in which Auburn Offensive Coordinator Gus Malzahn

Gus Malzahn

Gus Malzahn is the current offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Auburn University. Malzahn is a high school coaching legend in the state of Arkansas and the former offensive coordinator at University of Arkansas and the University of Tulsa...

 nearly accepted the job, James Franklin was hired as the 27th Head Football at Vanderbilt University. Franklin proceeded to hire John Donovan

John Donovan (American football)

John Donovan is a college football coach, currently serving as the offensive coordinator for the Vanderbilt Commodores football program.- Coaching career :...

 as the new Offensive Coordinator and Bob Shoop

Bob Shoop

-External links:** at VUCommodores.com...

 as the new Defensive Coordinator. Franklin also retained offensive line coach Herb Hand from the previous staff, and hired Chris Beatty

Chris Beatty

Christopher Beatty is an American football assistant coach. Beatty was formerly the running backs and slot receivers coach for the West Virginia Mountaineers football team...

 from West Virginia, who had been Percy Harvin

Percy Harvin

William Percival "Percy" Harvin, III is an American football wide receiver, return specialist, and running back for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League...

's high school coach, as the new Wide Receivers Coach.

Recruiting

On February 2, 2011, Head Coach James Franklin announced a football recruiting class of 21 athletes. The class has been hailed as one of the best in Vanderbilt football history, especially because Vanderbilt was able to persuade several prospects from larger and nationally known schools, such as Lafonte Thourogood from Virginia Tech, Dillon Van der Waal and Jacquese Kirk from Arkansas, and Barron Dixon from Mississippi State. Lafonte Thourogood and Dillon van der Waal were both rated as four star recruits by Scout.com.

Coaching staff

Name	Position	Years at VU
James Franklin	Head Coach	0
John Donovan John Donovan (American football) John Donovan is a college football coach, currently serving as the offensive coordinator for the Vanderbilt Commodores football program.- Coaching career :...	Offensive Coordinator / Running Backs Coach	0
Bob Shoop	Defensive Coordinator / Safeties Coach	0
Charles Bankins	Special Teams Coordinator / Tight Ends Coach	0
Chris Beatty	Wide Receivers Coach	0
Herb Hand	Offensive Line Coach	2
Wesley McGriff	Defensive Backs Coach	0
Ricky Rahne	Quarterbacks Coach	0
Brent Pry	Co-Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers Coach	0
Sean Spencer	Defensive Line Coach	0
Andy Frank	Assistant Director of Football Operations	2
Jemal Griffin	Football Chief of Staff	0
Ricky Rahne	Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach	0
Michael Hazel	Director of Football Operations	2
Norval McKenzie	Assistant Recruiting Coordinator	2
Joey Orck	Offensive Graduate Assistant	2
Tom Bossung	Head Athletic Trainer	12
Kevin Colon	Associate Director of Student Athletics	0
Dwight Galt	Football Strength and Conditioning Director	0
Chuck Losey	Football Assistant Strength Coach	0
Kevin Threlkel	Offensive Administrative Assistant	0
Luke Wyatt	Head Equipment Manager	28

Schedule

Elon

This game marked the first meeting between these schools.

Connecticut

This was the third meeting between these schools. Vandy holds a one-game lead in the series at 2 wins to 1 loss.

Mississippi

One of college football's oldest rivalries, Vanderbilt and Old Miss have played 85 times since 1894. Vandy won the first 19 of those games, and Ole Miss did not score in the first ten games. Vandy trails at 37-47-2 Vandy won last game 30-7.

South Carolina

Vandy first played USC in 1961, but they did not play each other again until 1992. They have played each year since, with Vandy losing the first seven games. Vandy trails the overall series 4-16, and USC has won the last two games. The score of the most recent game was 3-21 in favor of South Carolina.

Alabama

Vandy has played Alabama 78 times since 1903. Vandy won the first five games, but have only won ten more times since. Vandy trails the all-time series 15-59-4. Alabama has won the last 20 games (the 1993 games was forfeited). They last played in 2007, with the result a 10-24 Alabama win.

Georgia

Vandy has been playing Georgia almost every year since 1893. Vandy trails 18-51-2 all-time. Georgia has won the last three games, and the last game was 10-34 Georgia.

Army

Army and Vandy have played eight games since 1968. The series is tied at 4 games each. In 2009, Army won their last meeting in overtime, 13-16.

Arkansas

Vandy has played Arkansas eight times since 1949. Vandy trails the series 2-6, and Arkansas has won the last two last games. The last game was an Arkansas win, 14-49.

Florida

Vandy and Florida have been playing since 1945. Vandy trails 9-33-2, and Vandy has lost the last 20 games. In their last meeting, Florida won 14-55.

Kentucky

Vandy and Kentucky have played 83 times since 1896. Vandy won the first nine games, and Kentucky did not score on Vandy for the first eleven games. Vandy trails 38-41-4, and Kentucky has won the last two games. The last game was a 20-38 Kentucky victory.

Tennessee

Vandy and Tennessee have played 105 times. Vandy did not lose for the first 12 games, but since 1928 UT has dominated the series. Overall, Vandy trails 27-72-5. Tennessee has won the last five games in the series, and the last game was a 10-24 Tennessee win.

Wake Forest

Vandy and Wake Forest have played 13 times since 1964, and this is the only series in which Vandy plays during the 2011 football season that Vandy holds the all-time lead in, at 7-6-0. Wake, however, has won the last three. The last game was a 13-34 Wake Forest win.