Wide receiver Rockey Vann had only two catches in the homecoming game against the Blazers of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Those two catches helped him rack up 88 yards for the day.
Vann has a total of three receptions for 112 yards, which is an average of just over 37 yards a play.
After not being extremely active on the roster since the 2009 season, Vann has definitely dusted off his old play style. The receiver played in seven games and made three starts for the Panthers in 2009 before redshirting in 2010 after an offseason injury.
Between 2010 and the start of this current 2013 season, Vann played in only four games. He suited up against the University of North Texas in the 2011 season opener before missing the rest of the season with injury and in 2012 he made appearances on special teams against the University of Louisville, Arkansas State University and Troy University.
Vann also missed the end of spring practice and the first few games of the 2013 season with injury.
“It’s good and I am just trying to contribute to the team,” Vann said. “Whatever I can do to help the team is fine with me and that is all that really matters.”
There are two things that Vann believes are contributing to his successes in the past few weeks.
“I think it might be both of the facts that teams are working off of very little film on my play from this season in this offense and the fact that I can blow by people with my speed,” Vann said. “With the coaches putting me in the position to make plays, I am able to make as many plays for the team as I can.”
Vann went on to discuss some of the things that kept him going through his injuries throughout his tenure at the University and how the transition has been from former Head Coach Mario Cristobal – who is now with the University of Alabama Crimson Tide – to current Head Coach Ron Turner.
“Keeping my faith in the Lord and my family telling me to persevere through everything and just myself, my determination and will to get through was a big factor,” Vann said. “It was tough at first. I had some rough years with coach Cristobal but i made it through. Then coach Turner came in with a new vibe and I bought into his system and I was just trying to make plays and help the team.”
His quarterback, Jake Medlock, added on about the emergence of the wide receiver.
“Rockey and I go way back. I mean we were roommates when we first got here,” Medlock said. “We know each other really well. As you can see he has had some bad luck, but now his luck has changed. With anyone, if you keep working and fighting back from adversity, it will show and he is doing a great job of it. He has kinda helped us realize that we have had that ‘it’ factor all along. Before [the win], we were stressing, worried about everything and making mistakes. Now we are going out there and having fun and Rockey is doing a great job to help keep it that way.”
Medlock also went on to speak on how his receiving core has advanced in the last few weeks.
“[Vann], along with some of the other guys like receiver T.J. Lowder and tight end Ya’Keem Griner – who went off in this last game against the Blazers for Homecoming – have been improving throughout this season and along with my improvements it is starting to look better,” Medlock said.
Coming off of the team’s second and final bye week of the season, the Panthers will begin a two game home slate as they welcome in the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech University, Oct. 2 and East Carolina University Pirates, Nov. 2.
Following those games the Panthers will travel Nov. 9 to go against former Sun Belt Conference foe Middle Tennessee State University.
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