From Buckhead to Vanderbilt via Birmingham

There was a Buckhead connection made in Birmingham, Ala., over the weekend as future Vanderbilt football player Grant Haley and former Commodore Tommy Archbold chatted up the Southeastern Conference school before Saturday’s BBVA Compass Bowl at Legion Field.

Both were on-hand to see the Commodores score a 41-24 win over Houston to record back-to-back bowl wins and consecutive nine-win seasons for the first time in school history. The Commodores are now 16-4 in their past 20 games.

Archbold was a standout student-athlete at North Fulton High School and went on to play linebacker and center for Vandy from 1956-59 before graduating magna cum laude in 1960 and later returning to Buckhead.

Haley has helped lead The Lovett School Lions to Class AA state championships in baseball (last spring) and football (last month). The outstanding student-athlete starred at running back and safety for the Lions and will be a welcomed addition to the Nashville school’s program at the next level.

Still, both Haley and Archbold expressed concern over the Vanderbilt coaching situation, as Commodore head coach James Franklin is a hot commodity for job openings both in the NFL and college ranks as a result of his success at Vandy.

While Haley wouldn’t comment, there is speculation that should Franklin leave Nashville, Haley could switch commitments, possibly to Florida, which is coached by Will Muschamp, the brother of Lovett’s coach, Mike Muschamp. Stayed tuned.