Zac Stacy had two 1,000-yard rushing seasons for the Vanderbilt football program. He checks in at No. 39 on our countdown of the 100-greatest players we've covered.
Honors and awards: 2011 second-team All-Southeastern Conference (AP and coaches)
2011 SEC Offensive Player of the Week (Kentucky)
2012 second-team All-Southeastern Conference (AP and coaches)
2012 Music City Bowl MVP
2012 East-West Shrine Game
2012 NFL Combine
In the VU record book: Single-game rushing yards: fifth, eighth, 10th (198 vs. Army in 2011, 184 vs. Wake Forest in 2011, 180 vs. Wake Forest in 2012)
Single-game rushing touchdowns: tied-third (three, vs. Wake Forest, Kentucky and Army, all in 2011)
Single-game rushing average (minimum 10 attempts): 15.4 (Ole Miss, 2011)
Single-game rushing attempts: tied-sixth, tied-eighth (29 vs. Missouri in 2012, 28 vs. Wake Forest and Kentucky in 2011)
Single-season rushing yards: third, fifth (1,193 in 2011, 1,141 in 2012)
Single-season rushing touchdowns in a season: tied-first (14, 2011)
Single-season 100-yard rushing games: tied-second (five, 2011)
Single-season rushing attempts: sixth and seventh (208 in 2012, 201 in 2011)
Career rushing yards: second (3,143 in 2009-12)
Career rushing touchdowns: second (30)
Career rushing average (minimum 400 attempts): second (5.4)
Career 100-yard rushing games: third (10)
Career rushing attempts: fourth (581)
Before VU: Senior captain and four-year starter at Bibb County (Ala.) High. Two-time West Alabama Player of the Year. Had 5,863 career rushing yards and 76 TDs. As senior, rushed for 2,413 yards on 217 carries (11.1 avg.) and 35 TDs, leading team to 10-2 mark and second round of 4A state playoffs. Scored seven TDs vs. Jemison. Earned First Team 4A All-State honors. As junior, rushed for 1,666 yards and 24 TDs, and caught 27 passes.
Freshman (2009): One of seven true freshmen to play, as he platooned with Warren Norman. Played 10 games, with four starts before a lingering ankle injury sidelined him. Rushed for 133 yards in his collegiate debut vs. Western Carolina. Ran for 83 yards vs. Georgia Tech, including a 62-yard TD, and added a 47-yard catch. Returned three punts for 37 yards vs. Tennessee. Returned one kickoff for six yards.
Sophomore (2010): Played in nine games before injury again ended his season. Was the team's Offensive Player of the Week in the opener vs. Northwestern, when he rushed for 69 yards, which included a 33-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown. Was again the team's Offensive POTW after he ran for 90 yards in a win over Eastern Michigan. Returned five punts for 12 yards, with a long of seven.
Junior (2011): Was named the team's Offensive MVP after helping VU to a 6-7 (2-6 SEC) mark and a berth in the Liberty Bowl. Established a new single-season rushing record (since broken by Ralph Webb) and also set a new standard for single-season rushing touchdowns (since equaled by Jerron Seymour) and total touchdowns (also shared with Allama Matthews), and was the SEC's third-leading rusher. Averaged 91.8 rushing yards per game, with 117 yard-per-game avg. at home. Ran 11 times for 169 yards vs. Ole Miss. Rushed for 97 and a TD against Georgia. Completed the first pass of his career, connecting with WR Jordan Matthews on a 43-yard TD; completed 2-of-5 pass attempts on the season. Career-high 198 rushing yards against Army with three TDs, including a 55-yard score. Ran 28 times for 128 yards, including a 62-yard TD, vs. Arkansas. Named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week for 135-yard, three-score performance against Kentucky. Ran for 184 yards at Wake to break team single-season record. Scored in seven of team's final eight games.
Senior (2012): Stacy started every game and ranked third in the SEC in rushing. Had four 100-yard games, including 180 vs. Wake Forest, which included a school-record 90-yard run. Ran for 107 yards and a TD in Music City Bowl win over North Carolina St. Had a career-high 86 yards receiving vs. Tennessee on a career-long 72-yard reception. Had big third-down conversion to seal the Missouri win. Made postseason appearance in East-West Shrine Game and was lone Vanderbilt player invited to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine.
Post-VU: The Rams drafted Stacy in Round 5 (pick No. 160) in the 2013 NFL Draft. Stacy rushed for 973 yards as a rookie, but his career tailed off and he was out of the NFL after 2015.
Final thoughts, and why I ranked him where I did: My enduring memory of Stacy was in that 2011 Kentucky game when, with some help from his offensive line, he dragged seven UK defenders at one point or another between the 10 and the end zone. Stacy could also beat you with a combination of speed and shiftiness, and also owns the school record for longest rush with a 90-yard run against Wake Forest. The fact that Stacy could get the job done either way says a lot about how good he was.
What limits Stacy are his issues with durability, which kept him from being a major difference-maker for two seasons. But Stacy had two excellent years at a demanding position and it's not hard to justify his spot here.
