Jerron Seymour and Spencer Pulley burn redshirts — Did Joe Townsend? Did Andrew Bridges play?

Last year, Robbie Caldwell apparently decided to burn everybody’s redshirt trying to land the full-time head coaching job. In all, he played 12 true freshmen, including guys like Fitz Lassing and Chase Garnham who saw little action other than special teams. Before Caldwell, Bobby Johnson redshirted nearly everybody. That’s why this year’s roster has seven redshirt seniors, all of whom are starters or who’ve started in the past.

Though he talked on signing day about not believing in redshirting, James Franklin apparently meant he didn’t believe in telling hotshot new recruits that he believed in redshirting.

The only true freshman to see any significant playing time on Saturday was Jerron Seymour, who spelled a gimpy Zac Stacy and touched the ball six times for a total of 42 yards, with his longest plays being a 21-yard reception and a 14-yard run.

Spencer Pulley also jumped into some action at guard, when starter Jabo Burrow missed a play, and I think saw some mop-up duty later.

I confess to not seeing the game. I’m changing cable providers and getting CSS before the Vandy-UConn, so I’ll have both of the unofficial Vandy networks, CSS and ESPNU. It ticks me off how unreliable the final report is on the official Vanderbilt athletic site. The http://vucommodores.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/090311aae.html say that true freshman Joe Townsend also played in the game but redshirt freshman Andrew Bridges did not, but the list of game participants in the box score lists Bridges but not Townsend.

Let me know if you saw Townsend and/or Bridges in the game, and if you saw any other true freshmen playing.

We know Seymour and Pulley played – two true freshmen at the least – and maybe Townsend too for a total of three. If Townsend played and Bridges didn’t then none of the offensive linemen in the 2010 signing class – Bridges, Chase White, Grant Ramsay and the injured Logan Stewart – played against Elon while we burned the redshirts off Pulley and Townsend. That’s disappointing.

The other guys who saw their very first NCAA action on Saturday were:
• Redshirt junior quarterback Jordan Rodgers
• Three walk-ons: cornerback Reggie Ford and linebackers Kellen Williams and Robby Barbieri
• Five redshirt freshmen: receivers Trent Pruitt and Chris Boyd, defensive ends Kyle Woestmann and Thomas Ryan and linebacker/snapper Andrew East – or six if Andrew Bridges actually played.

Other scholarship players, not counting true freshmen, who haven’t played yet are
White, Ramsay, DT Vince Taylor and LB Blake Gowder.

Guys with playing experience who aren’t listed as playing last night include sophomores Logan Stewart, who’s injured, and safety Andre Simmons. Not sure what’s up with him.