As he watched Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe’s pass leave his hands, Vanderbilt Football STAR Randon Fontenette knew exactly how his first career interception would play out.

“When the ball went in the air, I knew I was going to the end zone,” Fontenette said.

Fontenette snatched the ball out of the air and darted for the left pylon, extending the ball into the end zone to bring Vanderbilt’s lead to 13-3. 

The sophomore from Freeport, Texas, has shined in his inaugural season with the Commodores, beyond just his pick-six against the Crimson Tide. He’s led the defense in several key statistics in multiple matchups this season, stepping up to the plate as a STAR (linebacker and safety hybrid position). Fontenette never envisioned himself at Vanderbilt, though; in fact, his early sports career started as anything but football.

“I was big in[to] rodeo,” Fontenette said. “Then I used to want to be a truck driver.”

The Texan began to dabble in football at around six years old, and once he got to middle school, he started to see his potential for success.

“Going into junior high, that’s when I set a tone [of] ‘okay, you can be something in high school,’” Fontenette said. “I just kept working [from that point].”

Fontenette started getting offers as soon as his junior year of high school began. He was tagged as a consensus four-star recruit out of Brazosport High School, excelling as both a free safety and a quarterback. He committed to Texas Christian University late in the recruitment process, initially certain of his career as a Horned Frog. He chose TCU over Texas Tech, Utah and Vanderbilt, among others. The move made sense at the time, as Fontenette was a Texas native, and the Horned Frogs were in the midst of their 13-2 season that saw them reach the College Football Playoff National Championship.

But, after his first year at TCU — when he only appeared in six games — the former four-star recruit became hungry for more. That’s where Vanderbilt came in.

“I never envisioned this,” Fontenette said. “I just [felt] like for me as a player, I wasn’t going to splurge [at TCU] the way I [envisioned] myself, so that’s when I made the move here.”

When Fontenette went through the recruitment process in high school, head coach Clark Lea pitched Vanderbilt to him. That pitch wasn’t as much selling the overall program as it was making it clear what the STAR position was capable of.

“He always just told me [about] my potential,” Fontenette said. “But recruitment is a dirty game, you know. Other coaches get in your ear.”

Fontenette said Lea’s interest didn’t waver during his freshman year despite a lack of statistical production, and as soon as he entered the transfer portal, Vanderbilt was right back on his radar.

“When I hit the portal, he told me the same thing,” Fontenette said. “He emphasized even more that he actually saw what I put out on Saturdays. It wasn’t a pitch –– he kept it real. That’s all I could ask for.”

Fontenette said he always saw Vanderbilt’s potential as a program, and that pulled him to Nashville even before the Commodores notched six wins and bowl eligibility.

“That’s why I came [here],” Fontenette said. “You could say [it’s because of] the coaches, but at the end of the day, you need the players to lead. I knew they needed some players that [were] going to play with a different mindset. That’s what we got now, and we just got to keep building off of it.”

Fontenette has thrived as a pivotal part of Vanderbilt’s defense, surpassing his TCU season-best 16 tackles through just four games with the Commodores. He’s led the defense on the road at Georgia State and Kentucky with eight and seven tackles, respectively. 

His 46 total tackles rank second on the team, while his six passes defended are more than double any other Commodore. He’s shown an ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks as well, notching 2.5 sacks.

The STAR’s most significant contribution this season, though, was his pick-six against former No. 1 Alabama. It wasn’t just his first career interception — Fontenette’s 29-yard return put him in the end zone for the first time in his collegiate career. The budding superstar looks back at the moment with a laugh.

“I didn’t imagine my first pick to be like that,” Fontenette said. “Everything was just fast. I really thought Milroe was coming [in] at an angle, so that’s why I did that.”

Vanderbilt’s narrow five-point victory versus the Crimson Tide was the program’s first win over an AP top-five team, and it wouldn’t have been possible without Fontenette’s contributions. His standalone interception, coupled with a pass breakup, helped push the team toward success. Beating The Crimson Tide — a historical goliath of college football — made that win extra special from a personal standpoint.

“That one meant a lot to me because, growing up, you always heard ‘Alabama, Alabama, Alabama.’ And being able to say I’m 1-0 against Alabama –– that’s a good feeling,” Fontenette said.

Fontenette added that it wasn’t just a win for himself, but a significant win for the program, especially after repeated seasons of struggles and shortcomings. Vanderbilt had just fallen short against another top-10 opponent in Missouri in its previous game, so the win was extra special for the team’s locker room.

“I know a lot of people didn’t believe,” Fontenette said. “We went out there and you [could] barely hear [home] fans cheering. But we knew we could win that game, and it happened, so it meant a lot. As a brotherhood, [we’re] in this together, and we can go out and be anybody, compete with anybody.”

The sophomore has continued to excel in the weeks following the Alabama win. He tied a career-high in tackles (8) and solo tackles (5) in the Commodores’ home loss to Texas. He batted two passes into the air — also his single-game record — as one of them was intercepted by Miles Capers to put Vanderbilt into prime field position.  If that wasn’t enough, he also recorded career-highs in tackles for loss (2.5) and sacks (1.5) against his home-state Longhorns.

Fontenette tied his career-high 2.5 tackles for loss in the team’s first-ever win at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, last weekend.

As the team approaches its final three games of the regular season, Fontenette said his expectations won’t come as a numerical goal. Instead, he’ll strive to contribute to the best of his ability week in and week out, showing the potential that Lea saw in him from day one.

“[Whether] I get 0 tackles, 5 tackles, 10 tackles, 1 pick, 2 picks… I’ll just do my job, play my role, and the play is gonna come,” Fontenette said. “Whatever is supposed to come to me will come, and I’m going to make that play when it comes.”

Fontenette and the rest of the Black and Gold’s defense will need to be on their A-games with an all-important home clash against South Carolina looming on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 3:15 p.m. CST.