VANDERBILT SEASON REVIEW: 10 special teams plays to forget

This season, our offense was down, our defense was up, and our specials teams were up and down. Here are the top 10 down plays of the year:

1. HAHNFELDT SHANKS CHANCE FOR LEAD (DUKE 10/25): After Vanderbilt drove the ball in the second quarter to the Duke 9 yard line in scoreless game, Bryant Hahnfeldt shanked a 34-yard field goal.

2. HAHNFELDT MISSES ANOTHER CHANCE (DUKE 10/25): Midway through the fourth quarter, the Vanderbilt offense drove 62 yards deep into duke territory, but Hahnfeldt missed another field goal that would have tied the game.

3. JAMIE FUMBLES PUNT (DUKE 10/25): With Vanderbilt desperate to generate some yardage against Duke, Jamie Graham fumbled a third quarter punt on his own 15-yard line. It would lead to a field goal that would prove the difference in a 10-7 game.

4. SHANK WIDENS VOLUNTEER LEAD (TENNESSEE 11/22): With the Commodores down 7-0 to the Vols in the second quarter and forced to punt from their 18, Upson shanked it 17 yards, which led to a Tennessee field goal and 10-0 lead.

5. UPSON PUNT HELPS DEVILS (DUKE 10/25): With Vanderbilt’s homecoming looking like it would end in a 0-0 tie, Brett Upson managed a 23-yard punt. The shank led to a Duke touchdown and 7-0 halftime lead.

6. BLOCK PUTS GATORS IN GREAT SHAPE (FLORIDA 11/8): The Gators went after yet another Brett Upson punts like, well, Gators after raw meat, getting the block and the ball on the VU24. Seconds later, the score was 28-0 and it was only the second quarter.

7. WALLACE ANSWERS FOR REBELS (AT OLE MISS 9/20): Seconds after Ryan Hamilton returned an interception 79 yards for a touchdown, Ole Miss’ Mike Wallace took the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown and a 17-7 first quarter lead for the Rebels.

8. BLOCK GETS CATS ON SCOREBOARD (AT KENTUCKY 11/15): With fourth and goal on the UK25 and Vanderbilt poised to blow out the Cats in Lexington, Bryant Hahnfeldt put his foot into a 42-yard field goal attempt. It was blocked and returned 57 yards for a touchdown. Instead of leading 17-0, the Commodores were up only 14-7.

9. HAHNFELDT STARTS SLUMP (AUBURN 10/4): Early in the second half, with Vanderbilt trailing 13-7, Bryant Hahnfeldt missed a 40 field goal. He would go nearly two months without making a field goal.

10. TIGERS BLOCK FIELD GOAL (AUBURN 10/4): With Vanderbilt up 14-13 in the third quarter and trying to get some breathing room, Bryant Hahnfeldt’s 49-yard field goal was blocked by the Tigers.

HONORABLE MENTION: But we won these games, so who cares?

D.J. A FUMBLE AWAY FROM PERFECT (AT KENTUCKY 11/15): Early in the third quarter, D.J. Moore fumbled a punt at the VU12, leading to a Wildcat touchdown that cut the lead to 24-14.

GAMECOCKS GASH KICK COVERAGE (SOUTH CAROLINA 9/4): Seconds after kicking a field goal late in the first half to cut the South Carolina lead to four, the Commodores surrendered a 50-yard kickoff return that led to a Gamecock field goal as time expired to put the deficit back to a touchdown.

UPSON GIVES GAMECOCKS GIFT (SOUTH CAROLINA 9/4): With the Commodores hanging on to a 7-point lead over South Carolina late in the fourth quarter, Brett Upson punted the ball out of bounds at the VU48 for a net of only 30 yards, giving the Gamecock offense excellent field position.