After missing out on the end of the exhilarating 2008 season, Vanderbilt's Broderick Stewart is eager to once again do what he does best: wreak havoc.

Rangy, quick and carrying himself with a swagger on the field, Stewart, a redshirt senior defensive end, has established himself as one of the best pass rushers in the SEC. He led Vanderbilt last year with 9.5 tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries, and he tied for the team lead with five sacks to go along with three forced fumbles.

However, his big year was cut short in the 20-10 loss to the Tennessee last November, suffering a broken leg that sidelined him for the regular season finale at Wake Forest, as well as the Music City Bowl. After long months of rebab, he's ready to go with a clean bill of health. The first game of the year is always hotly anticipated, but for Stewart it holds particularly special meaning.

"Words can't really express it," Stewart said. "My last year I want to do big things. Sitting out those two games, it really made me appreciate the game more. I think that coming back, I'll be playing with a renewed sense of emotion and vigor."

Stewart, with 16 career sacks, is 5.5 sacks shy of the all-time Vanderbilt record set by Alan Young (21.5, 1989-1993).

Defensive ends Theron Kadri, Tim Fugger (Few-ger) and Teriall Brannon all saw significant action last year, with Kadri and Brannon earning starts in place of Stewart while he was hurt. With fellow defensive end and sackmaster Steven Stone out for the first six weeks of the year with a broken bone in his foot, all three will be counted on again. Let's hope they demonstrate the same grit we've come to expect from Stewart; he thinks they will.

"We have some young guys in there who can step in and close ranks," Stewart said. "We're going to play fast, we're going to try to make big hits and we're going to try to get the fans excited."