University of Tennessee Athletics
#FridayFlashback: Clausen Wins Senior Day
November 21, 2014 | Football
By Brian Rice
UTSports.com
Tennessee's seniors bid farewell to Neyland Stadium on a warm November afternoon against Vanderbilt in 2003. Twenty-three seniors ran through the "T" for the final time, each receiving individual introductions during the pregame ritual. And, appropriately, the last Vol to be introduced was four-year starting quarterback Casey Clausen.
Clausen was determined to make memories in his final home start and he started that early. His first pass on UT's opening drive went 35 yards to Tony Brown. It would be that kind of day for Vanderbilt defense. Clausen then hit Mark Jones for 17 yards and Jones for another 16 and the first Tennessee touchdown.
After the teams traded punts, Clausen led another scoring drive with passes to James Banks, C.J. Fayton and Jones to move UT to the Vanderbilt 7. Jabari Davis rumbled home for the final seven yards to extend the lead to 14-0.
Vanderbilt proceeded to go three-and-out and punted away to the Volunteers' do-everything man Jones, who blew the floodgates open with a 58-yard punt return for a touchdown to put Tennessee up 21-0. Add his team-leading three catches for 45 yards and 51-yard interception return and Jones' 216 all-purpose yards topped Vanderbilt's 191 total offense yards.
"In the beginning of the year, it was kind of hard to grasp everything as far as offense and defense - and of course, my special teams assignments," Jones said. "But as the course of the season went on, I was able to pick up on it and condition myself well. By now it should all be downhill."
James Willhoit added a 39-yard field goal early in the second quarter before Clausen got back to his show. A punt return from Jones set the Vols up at the UT 46, where Clausen needed just three plays to score again, connecting with Chris Hannon on a 38-yard strike to extend the lead to 31-0.
Moments later, Jones' aforementioned interception and ensuing return gave UT the ball at the VU 5. Davis moved the ball to the 1-yard line with three straight runs, but instead of settling for the field goal, head coach Phillip Fulmer sent his offense back on the field. Clausen dove forward for the necessary yard and a 38-0 lead. Wilhoit added a 41-yard field goal with just seconds remning in the opening half to boost the lead to, appropriately, 41-0.
"Midway through the season, I think confidence for a lot of our guys- particularly on offense- really picked up," Clausen said. "We're trying to get back to being a dynamic offense and being able to come out and put points up early."
Tennessee opened the second half with another scoring drive, a methodical 15-play, 77-yard scoring push capped by a 7-yard pass from Clausen to Derrick Tinsley that eliminated 6:30 from the game clock.
Vanderbilt did not cross the 50-yard line for the first three quarters and when Commodores finally did, things did not go well. Antwan Stewart intercepted Jay Cutler's pass at the 3, keeping the bid for the third-consecutive shutout in the series alive. Vandy also crossed midfield in the game's final drive, but the clock expired before they could pass the 42, and the streak lived on.
"I'm really proud of this team as it has grown and gotten better," Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said. "I can't say enough about the senior leadership, especially of the captains."
Clausen threw for 262 yards and three touchdowns in his final Neyland appearance, spreading his passes among 12 different receivers. His second-quarter interception was the first pick in five games for the senior, setting a Tennessee record for 143 consecutive passes without an interception. It was also Tennessee's first turnover in 16 quarters, dating to the first quarter of the Alabama game.
