Vandy lands Station Camp's Anderton

Any questions about Station Camp High senior quarterback Kyle Anderton's football future were answered on Sunday evening.

Anderton committed to Vanderbilt University, doing so three days after receiving a formal offer from the Commodores.

He was recruited as a tight end and expects to play at that position once he gets to Vanderbilt.

The 6-foot-4 signal-caller had also received offers from the University of Memphis and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Anderton said the education aspect drew him to Vanderbilt, along with a chance to play in the Southeastern Conference.

"Education is a big reason because I have decent grades," Anderton said. "I know that football ends, and I just want to be able to walk out with a degree that you can take into the office and, bam, they know that degree."

Being given a good feeling about the coaching staff didn't hurt either.

"The coaches, they're a family," Anderton said. "They sent out a good vibe. (Head coach) Derek Mason is a blue-collar man, and that's what I like. I'm a blue-collar type of guy. If it's hard, there's only one way to get it done — you've just got to work through it. (Vanderbilt's) struggling this year, but I just want to be there when they start making strides."

Having the decision made this early has allowed Anderton to focus on the task at hand, getting the 5-4 Bison into the Class 6A playoffs. Station Camp hosts District 9-AAA champion Hendersonville on Friday night.

"The opportunity's there," Anderton said. "They don't offer people who they think can't play."

Anderton, who says he's at 260 pounds, also plays basketball for the Bison and will do so again this season. He hopes to lose about 10 pounds through basketball season to get down to a better tight end weight.

"The limit for a tight end's mobility is probably at 260 (pounds)," Anderton said. "I'm not in a big hurry to lose any … but after basketball season, if I'm still this heavy, I plan to work on it. It'll be time to go on a healthy diet. I usually lose about 10-15 pounds in basketball, but the conditioning's totally different for football."

Anderton, who also plays at defensive end (making 13 total tackles), threw for 1,801 yards and 19 touchdowns last season, with current University of Tennessee freshman Josh Malone as his primary target. This season, those targets have been distributed to younger players, and more emphasis has been placed on the running game. Anderton has thrown for 1,258 yards, 10 scores and four interceptions through nine games. He's also carried the ball 117 times for 550 yards and 11 touchdowns.

His ball-carrying ability will translate to tight end, a challenge Anderton is ready to take next season regardless of whether he gets playing time or has to sit and learn.

"Playing time doesn't bother me as much," Anderton said. "I'm going in and playing a new position. Whether I play the first or second year, it doesn't matter. I'm excited to learn from their tight ends. If I do what I can, I can play there. Now when that will happen, I don't know."

Anderton said his family was on board after discussions with them over the past three days.

"My family agreed with it," Anderton said. "My mom and dad are on board, and that really helped send it home."

Getting an offer from Vanderbilt also provided Anderton with a boost of confidence.

"It's not really a weight lifted off," Anderton said. "It's more like a reassurance. There's still expectations of work ethic, and there's skills that I'll have to build on. I'll be playing in the SEC, and that's big-time football. It's reassuring that I'm good enough to make it, and it's time to get to work to meet those expectations."

Anderton is Sumner County's fourth SEC commitment as of late, joining Malone, University of Tennessee freshman Jalen Hurd (a Beech High product) and Gallatin High junior Dorian Banks (a Tennessee commit).

Hendersonville High's Joe Townsend is a senior center for the Commodores, who have a 2-6 record.

Pope John Paul II High product Wesley Tate was a senior running back at Vanderbilt last season, helping the program to its third consecutive bowl game (a 41-24 victory over Houston in the BBVA Compass Bowl). It marked the first time the Commodores have made three straight bowl appearances and its seventh overall.

Vanderbilt won nine games during the 2013 campaign, the second consecutive year the program won that many games in a season.