Rice Game Notes
9/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 26, 2009
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes
Rice captains for the Vanderbilt game were WR Toren Dixon, LB Terrance Garmon, QB John Thomas Shepherd and DB Andrew Sendejo. Vanderbilt won the toss. Rice received the ball and defended the south goal to open the game.
Defensive lineman Michael Smith's eight-yard sack of Vanderbilt quarterback Larry Smith in the first quarter was the sophomore's first career sack and tackle for lost yardage.
Also in the first quarter, freshman linebacker Trey Briggs recorded his first career sack for a 10-yard loss. The play came on third and long, forcing a Vanderbilt first in the quarter's final period.
Much like his slow start the previous week against Oklahoma State, Toren Dixon's first reception to extend his active Division I streak of consecutive games with a reception went for no yards. Dixon finished with four receptions for 40 yards and caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from John Thomas Shepherd in the fourth quarter.
With a 39-yard, second-quarter field goal, senior place kicker Clark Fangmeier booted the 27th of his career. He moved into a tie for third on the career field goal list at Rice, tying Derrick Crabtree (1998-2001).
Senior defensive back Andrew Sendejo intercepted his ninth career pass to end the first half. Sendejo moved into a tie for seventh on the Rice career chart with Michael Downs (1977-80) and Brian Patterson (1981-83).
Rice linebacker Chris Jones set a new career high with 10 total tackles. Jones had seven solo stops and had 1 ½ tackles for lost yards (4). Jones had eight stops on the road at Tulsa in 2008.
