Vanderbilt Football

Former Vanderbilt linebacker Charles Wright continued to have access to the school's campus and the Commodores' football facilities following his expulsion after being found responsible for sexual assault by a school investigation, according to the Tennessean's Adam Sparks. 

The results of a Title IX investigation by Vanderbilt determined Wright violated the sexual misconduct policy, and he was expelled on Oct. 25, 2018.

However, Wright was allowed to attend the Commodores' pro day ahead of the 2019 NFL draft, according to documents and emails obtained by Sparks. The woman who was sexually assaulted was a student equipment manager. She was originally slated to take part in the showcase "but was moved to a different building away from the event to accommodate Wright's participation," per Sparks.

In a series of tweets, Regan Siems shared her story. She said Wright "preyed on my naivety, got me drunk, sexually assaulted and raped me" when she was a freshman. Per Sparks, Nashville District Attorney Mike Bottoms cited insufficient evidence for why his office didn't pursue a criminal case against Wright.

https://twitter.com/ReganSiems/status/1274424722583949313

https://twitter.com/ReganSiems/status/1274424725431881728

https://twitter.com/ReganSiems/status/1274424730418905088

Siems noted how Wright appealed his expulsion, which allowed him to stay on the university campus.

Wright made five appearances during the 2018 season; his final game was a 31-27 victory over Tennessee State on Sept. 29, 2018.

Rather than referencing Wright's ongoing Title IX investigation, Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason told reporters the senior had been dealing with a leg injury. Siems referenced the injury in her tweets and said it provided Wright with a pretense to continue using the football facilities:

https://twitter.com/ReganSiems/status/1274424727969374211

Vanderbilt's appeals panel affirmed his expulsion in February 2019, one month before the pro day. Siems told Sparks she reached out to Project Safe, the school's center for sexual misconduct prevention and response, about Wright's involvement. By the time Vanderbilt's Title IX office worked to remove Wright, Siems said the workout had already ended.

"I felt really betrayed," Siems told Sparks. "Not a single person was looking out for me. And no one ever apologized."

Vanderbilt University made history Thursday with the hiring of Candice Storey Lee as its new athletic director.

According to the school, Lee is the first woman to ever serve as athletic director at Vanderbilt and the first African American woman to serve in that role in the history of the SEC. 

Lee said the following regarding her installation as Vandy's AD:

"I am incredibly honored to lead the Commodores, and I could not have been in this position without the support of the university's leadership, our dedicated coaches and staff, and all of Commodore Nation. There are challenges ahead and much uncertainty about what college athletics can and should look like during a pandemic, but I firmly believe that anything is possible if we all work together.

"My priority, and the university's priority, continues to be examining everything we can do to support our student-athletes and ensure their safety and well-being. We also continue to prepare for the future—determining and establishing the conditions our student-athletes need to compete and succeed at Vanderbilt and beyond."

Lee was named Vanderbilt's interim athletic director in February following the resignation of Malcolm Turner, and her position as full-time AD was cemented Thursday.

In addition to athletic director, Vanderbilt named Lee the school's vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs.

Lee is deeply rooted in the fabric of Vanderbilt University, as she was a four-year letter winner and captain of the women's basketball team until her graduation in 2000. Lee later went on to earn two more degrees at Vanderbilt.

Prior to being named AD, Lee served as the associate vice chancellor, deputy athletic director and senior woman administrator of the athletic department at Vandy.

Lee is taking over as athletic director at a time when the football and men's basketball teams are largely struggling. The football team went just 3-9 last season and hasn't finished with a winning record since going 9-4 in back-to-back seasons in 2012 and 2013.

Vandy is just 27-47 with two bowl appearances in six years under head coach Derek Mason, and it may be time for Lee to make a difficult decision regarding Mason if significant progress isn't made in 2020.

The Vanderbilt men's basketball team reached the NCAA tournament in consecutive years in 2016 and 2017, but it has been all downhill since then. The Commodores are a combined 32-64 over the past three seasons, including an 11-21 mark last year.

Vanderbilt is just 9-45 in SEC play during that time, although last year's 3-15 SEC record was an improvement from going 0-18 in 2018-19.

There may be some hope on the horizon since Vandy hired highly regarded former NBA star Jerry Stackhouse as its head coach prior to last season.

Vandy is often overshadowed in the SEC by big-time schools like Alabama, LSU and Kentucky, which is the challenge that Lee will face in her new role.

Former NFL head coach Jeff Fisher is reportedly among the candidates who could replace Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason if he's let go by the school.

Adam Rittenberg of ESPN reported the news, highlighting Fisher's continued popularity in Tennessee after his tenure with the Titans.

Fisher is 173-165-1 as an NFL head coach and has been out of coaching since his dismissal in Los Angeles during the 2016 season. 

Mason is in the midst of his sixth consecutive losing season at Vanderbilt. The Commodores have reached just two bowl games since he took over for James Franklin, who had led Vanderbilt to consecutive top-25 finishes before taking the Penn State job.

Vanderbilt is currently 2-5, though the school is coming off a marquee win over Missouri. Athletic director Malcolm Turner has been noncommittal to keeping Mason on the job.

“As with any situation in any program, I'm constantly evaluating our programs. (Mason) has been a great partner already, and like I said, he is the right leader for our program, and I know he's very focused on what we need to fix and how we get this turned around," Turner said on WNSR-560 when asked if Mason would return next season, per Gentry Estes of the Tennessean.

It's unclear if Fisher would be interested in leaving his post-coaching life to take over a Vanderbilt program that presents its share of issues. Vanderbilt has a difficult time competing in the SEC due to its budgetary constraints and high academic standards. The program has perennially ranked near the bottom of the SEC for decades save an occasional strong season or two.

It's also unclear if Fisher's name has enough national cache to make him a worthy hire. At this point in his career, Fisher's best-known coaching trait is his ability to perennially coach 7-9 or 8-8 teams. 

Editor's note: This article was first published on August 28, 2019.

      

HOOVER, Ala. — Let's start with the shoes, because it's hard to start anywhere else. These aren't just black velvet loafers. These are black velvet loafers with four rows of sparkling gold rhinestones blanketed across each one of Ke'Shawn Vaughn's feet.        

He doesn't wear socks. That would dilute whatever look Vaughn is hoping to capture at SEC media days. Whether he's merely making a fashion statement or a declaration far grander is unclear, at least for the first few minutes. It doesn't take long, however, for the swag on his feet to be matched by the overflowing confidence of his words.

Inside Suite 315 of the Wynfrey Hotel, the senior Vanderbilt running back is unwinding after meeting with the media. His black suit jacket—filled with Vanderbilt logos in the lining—rests on a nearby chair. Vaughn spreads across a couch in the center of the room.

He wears a black vest, a black-and-gold tie and a white dress shirt. Each time he leans forward, it looks as though his powerful shoulders and chest might escape his dresswear.

Typically, when college football's most powerful conference meets the media in mid-July, Vanderbilt is a secondary attraction—an afterthought to the madness surrounding Alabama, Georgia, LSU. But Vaughn is an exception to these yearly assumptions—a running back whose size and talent transcend program affiliation.

"Ke'Shawn Vaughn is the best running back in the SEC, point blank, period," Vanderbilt wide receiver Kalija Lipscomb says. "He may not say it, but I will tell. I see how he works every day. He can do whatever he wants on the football field."

In 2018, Vaughn averaged 7.9 yards per carry—more than a yard higher than the second-best average in the SEC. He accumulated 1,244 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on only 157 carries, a workload that would have been greater had he not battled injuries.

At 5'10" and 218 pounds, Vaughn has the physical traits to be an every-down back in the NFL. But given an opportunity to start his professional career after his junior season, Vaughn instead returned to Vanderbilt—in the town where he grew up—with hopes of elevating the reputation of the program he once spurned.

Along the way, he wants to change how people view him. He wants to educate those who don't think a running back from Vanderbilt can be this good. He wants to open the eyes of those who list running backs such as Georgia's D'Andre Swift, Clemson's Travis Etienne or Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor above him on their draft boards.

And in truth, he's thinking even bigger than all that.

"I have looked up Reggie Bush's Heisman numbers," Vaughn says. "I have looked up LaDainian Tomlinson's numbers. I'm chasing their numbers, and I think I can get them."

He wants to put together a season as spectacular as the shoes on his feet.

---

Perhaps the only person with more shoe swag than Vaughn is his head coach. As Derek Mason greets the media, his crisp white Nikes, with a large black swoosh, seem to almost glow.

Since he took over for James Franklin in 2014, Mason has accumulated two six-win seasons and an overall record of 24-38. Winning here is difficult, and there is no getting around it.

Surrounded by resource-rich football powers that cycle through the nation's best athletes yearly, Mason has to navigate each season differently than his peers. Vanderbilt's academic standing makes recruiting a daunting assignment.

Vaughn, born and raised in Nashville, was originally one that got away for Mason. A homegrown star from nearby Pearl-Cohn High School, Vaughn was named the Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year in 2014 after he ran for 2,646 yards and 45 touchdowns as a senior.

Ohio State, Notre Dame and Wisconsin all wanted him. As did Vanderbilt, although a 3-9 season in Mason's first year made it a difficult sell. Vaughn committed to Illinois, largely because it was close enough to Nashville and he felt he could see the field early.

His hopes were realized during his freshman season, when he ran for 723 yards—becoming an instant weapon and one of the bright young stars in the Big Ten. But as a sophomore, after Lovie Smith was brought in as head coach, Vaughn's numbers and carries dipped significantly.

"That was a great coaching staff," Vaughn says. "But it didn't work out in my favor, so I got out."

Mason had been keeping an eye on Vaughn and rooting for him from afar. By the time Vaughn made it known he planned to transfer from Illinois, Vanderbilt was showing promise—making it to a bowl and winning six games in 2016. The Commodores also proved to be a good place for a running back that season, with junior Ralph Webb rushing for 1,283 yards and 13 touchdowns.

"We always stayed in contact in terms of me cheering him on when he was at the University of Illinois," Mason says. "When the change occurred and he decided to come back home, he and I sort of rekindled our relationship. We've become close, extremely close, and I'm thankful for that."

The decision to come home came at a price—at least, it would have for most. Because he was transferring, Vaughn was forced to sit out the 2017 season. While players have applied for waivers and gone to great lengths to avoid missing games in recent years, Vaughn had a different approach.

"I knew that I was going to have to sit, and I accepted that," he says. "I'd been playing football since I was five. I was exhausted. I needed that year off, honestly."

His body healed as he focused on learning a new playbook and refining parts of his game. Jukes. Cuts. Catching the football. He returned home and enjoyed a slow, patient transition that is counter to the current mindset for most.

As the Commodores' scout-team running back, he also provided a glimpse at practice of what Vanderbilt would see the following year. "I'll tell you," Mason says with a smile. "In my time, he may have been the best scout-team running back I've ever coached."

---

Pick a run. Or at least try to pick one.

Start with his 46-yard touchdown burst in his second game at Vanderbilt. He broke one tackle and then outran the entire Nevada defense.

Or maybe it's his 78-yard dash against Tennessee State later that month. Or his 43-yard runs against Georgia and Florida, two of the nation's best defenses. Or his two runs of 60-plus yards against Arkansas and Missouri.

Or maybe one of his 13 carries against Baylor that accounted for 243 yards in Vanderbilt's bowl game—a day where the whole catalog of size and speed was on display.

Asked if he has a favorite, Vaughn leans back and smiles. He gives it a few seconds of thought before giving up. "I can't think of just one," he says. "There are so many."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWO7eF7vJtw

As he walks through his running style, he can't help himself. The confidence just flows from him no matter where the conversation goes.

"I mean, I'm unpredictable," he says. "It's hard to scout me, because I'm able to run you over, run past you and also juke you. Those are three things that every running back can't do."

While some have to manufacture this kind of self-belief, Vaughn's comes naturally. It's not alarming or off-putting, either. This is a player who's sure of himself and what he's capable of—unafraid of the expectations that will follow.

"I'm able to gain speed the more I run," he continues. "I'm able to get through holes quick. That's why my linemen know they don't have to block three or four seconds for me. You can block a second, maybe a second-and-a-half, and it's a touchdown."

Vaughn carried the ball more than 20 times only twice last season. Perhaps more significantly, he carried the ball 10 or fewer times in six games—battling injuries that hindered his opportunities but not his production.

"I think it goes without saying that when you average eight yards a carry, but he is getting the most out of every run that he can," Vanderbilt tight end Jared Pinkney says. "There are no false movements or bad reads. If there's a hole, he is going to find it."

In his final five games of the year, Vaughn ran for 749 yards and eight touchdowns on only 85 carries. His 1,244 yards rushing and 14 total touchdowns would make for a remarkable season without any further context.

"When he touches the ball, he's hard to tackle," Mason says. "I mean, the young man's dynamic. If you ask me how fast he runs, I don't know. 4.36? 4.39? At 220 pounds, he's fast. Faster than any running back that I've seen since I've been here."

At the end of the season, Vaughn had a choice: declare for the NFL and skip his senior year, or return to Vanderbilt for one more season.

He explored both. He began by talking to his head coach and family. Vaughn then received feedback from the College Advisory Committee—a collection of NFL executives and other talent evaluators who will advise a player on his possible draft standing.

The committee typically provides three layers of feedback: a potential first-round selection, second-round selection and what essentially amounts to "return to school" guidance. Vaughn was told to return to school, which he did.

"I don't think I'm third-round talent," he says. "I should be first-round talent. I believe in myself, so I'm taking a risk on myself."

---

It won't take long for the NFL to see what Vaughn is capable of against some of the country's most gifted football players.

On Saturday, Vanderbilt starts its season at home against Georgia, the No. 3 team in the preseason AP poll. The Commodores will then travel to Purdue, a formidable out-of-conference opponent. They will then play No. 6 LSU after a bye.

One victory would be considered a productive first month for a team that is likely to be an underdog in all three games. But Vaughn is not of this mindset, no matter the schedule.

"That's one of the reasons I stayed," he says. "People seem to downplay Vanderbilt. We're in the SEC, but it's like we're in a different SEC or something.

"We will end up getting the recognition we deserve by the time the season's over."

If that transformation is to take place, Vaughn will be asked to do much of the heavy lifting. Although Lipscomb and Pinkney give the team a potent three-headed monster on offense, Vaughn is the centerpiece.

Along the way, watchful eyes will take inventory of his performance. While the committee suggested he return for his senior year, the NFL has taken notice of the top senior running back in the 2020 draft class.

"A lot of people think he's a move-the-pile guy, but he's so much more than that," one NFL scout tells Bleacher Report. "He's got wiggle and shake, and he's got game-breaking speed. There's value in this league for running backs that can do both—move the pile and make you miss. He's that guy and more."

This year, he has a chance to prove it and lift the perception of his program along the way. Regardless of the outcome, it won't be for a lack of belief.

The rhinestone shoes will be tucked away for another occasion. Perhaps they will surface come December at the Heisman ceremony or next spring when the NFL draft rolls around.

Vaughn will have to wear something less grandiose for now. But the flash and swagger will remain.

            

Adam Kramer covers college football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @KegsnEggs.

Vanderbilt tight end Turner Cockrell died Thursday of cancer at the age of 21 after he was diagnosed over a year ago. 

"My heart is broken for Randy, Noelle and the Cockrell family, for all of Turner's teammates, and for all who came in contact with Turner," Commodores head coach Derek Mason said in a statement, per the Associated Press. "Turner had a wonderful spirit and fought an incredible fight. He was a Vanderbilt Man through and through, and he will always be remembered here."

Cockrell was a scout team player in his first two years with the Commodores. In honor of Cockrell, the team has worn No. 82 stickers on their helmets this season, as he wasn't able to play due to his treatment.

Per the team's website: "Mason and the Commodores dedicated much of their season to Cockrell during his battle with melanoma. Cockrell sat with Mason's family in the coaches' suite during Vanderbilt's season-opening win over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 1. After the game, Mason delivered the game ball to Cockrell, who was celebrated by his teammates."

According to the AP, Cockrell was diagnosed with melanoma in Nov. 2017 after discovering two lumps in his neck. While he had surgery in Dec. 2017 to remove cancerous lymph nodes and underwent radiation, doctors found in July that the cancer had spread to his lungs.

Former Vanderbilt cornerback Brandon Banks was sentenced to 15 years in prison stemming from his involvement in a 2013 gang rape of a female student. 

Per Stacey Barchenger of the Tennessean, criminal court judge Monte Watkins handed down the sentence on Friday after a jury convicted him of aggravated rape and aggravated sexual in June. 

Barchenger reported in June, after Banks' conviction was announced, the victim was "unconscious when he [Banks] and another football player carried her into a dorm where juries have said two men, including Brandon Banks, raped her."

Per ESPN.com, prosecutors in the case "leaned on graphic photos and videos, some shot by Banks and others by his teammates, to rebut the 23-year-old's argument that he feared he would get beat up if he didn't participate in the assault."

Banks was on Vanderbilt's football team in 2012, though he didn't play in a game during his redshirt freshman season. 

Vanderbilt Commodores head football coach Derek Mason suspended wide receiver Donaven Tennyson, cornerback Frank Coppet and safety Tae Daley on Wednesday.

Adam Sparks of the Tennessean cited a Vanderbilt statement, noting the suspensions are indefinite after the players were involved in a shooting Monday night when attempting to retrieve a stolen cell phone.

Sparks described the incident, which took place in a Target parking lot.

Tennyson put his phone on sale online, but it was stolen when he met a potential buyer. He then made a fake account to retrieve it when he saw it on sale again online and brought his two teammates with him.

The players brought a pellet gun to the meeting but were shot at by a handgun and shotgun. "Daley was shot in the leg, and his Corolla was stolen," Sparks wrote. "Coppet suffered birdshot wounds in his arm. On Tuesday, Vanderbilt's initial statement said the players' injuries are 'not life-threatening.'"

Daley was a 3-star prospect in the class of 2017, per Scout, while Coppet redshirted during the 2016 season when he would have been a freshman. Tennyson tallied four carries for 28 yards in 2016 as a freshman.

Vanderbilt football players Tae Daley and Frank Coppet were shot Monday night when they attempted to recover a teammate's stolen cellphone, according to the Tennessean's Natalie Neysa Alund.  

Citing police in Nashville, Tennessee, the Associated Press (via ESPN.com) reported Daley suffered a "noncritical gunshot wound" to his leg, while Coppet suffered "noncritical birdshot wounds" to his arms. 

According to Alund, sophomore wide receiver Donaven Tennyson had his phone stolen Monday when he went to meet with a prospective buyer after he offered it for sale on the internet. 

Tennyson reportedly later found his phone for sale on the same website, and he set up a meeting with the alleged robber to recover his property. Daley and Coppet accompanied Tennyson and arrived at the scene with a pellet pistol. 

Police said the players approached the car of the men they were attempting to confront. One man, armed with a pistol, got out of the car and shot at the players, while another man in the car shot at the players with a shotgun. 

The shooters have yet to be identified. 

Former Vanderbilt defensive back Brandon Banks was found guilty of rape by a jury on Friday. 

Per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com), the jury found Banks guilty of one count of aggravated rape and one count of aggravated sexual battery.

Banks was found not guilty on five other charges of aggravated rape and aggravated sexual battery in the case stemming from a 2013 gang rape of an unconscious female student.

According to the AP report, jurors deliberated for approximately 15 hours and prosecutors relied on "graphic photos and videos" of the assault to argue the case.

Banks' conviction on one of the aggravated rape charges carries a minimum sentence of 15 years, per the AP. He becomes the third person accused of rape by the female student to be found guilty in this case along with including former teammates Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey last year. 

Batey was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Vandenburg received a 17-year prison sentence after being found guilty on all eight counts against him. 

Vanderbilt added another piece for its future secondary Thursday by receiving a commitment from defensive back Tre Douglas.

He announced his choice of the Commodores on social media:

It's Been A Long Road . God's Not Done With Me Yet ! Vanderbilt Commit #AnchorDown⚓️⚓️ pic.twitter.com/NvDyjbGYhj

— TD (@tred0ugh) June 22, 2017

Douglas registers as a 4-star recruit and the No. 237 overall prospect in the 2018 recruiting class, according to the Scout.com rankings. He's also rated as the No. 20 cornerback and the second-best player at the position from the state of Georgia among the group.

The Eagles Landing Christian Academy playmaker, who also possesses experience on the offensive side of the ball, has a prototypical frame for a modern cornerback. He's 6'2" and 183 pounds with ideal length and good ball skills.

He doesn't feature elite straight-line speed, and his willingness to attack the line of scrimmage to help in run support must still be proved.

Douglas told Chad Simmons of Rivals the most important thing for him during the recruiting process was finding a comfort zone.

"My decision will be based on if I feel at home," he said in March. "I am looking for the place I can call my home away from home."

All told, Douglas is the type of prospect who can really help round out a recruiting class. He's not flashy and it's probably going to take some time before he cracks the Vandy secondary rotation, but he's got the potential to become a key asset a few years down the road.

The most important factor during the early stages of his Commodores career is becoming more sound from a technical standpoint. Since he doesn't have high-end quickness, he must limit his mistakes in other areas. And he'll likely be asked to contribute on special teams while he develops.