Warren Norman and Zac Stacy seemed like seasoned veterans as opposed to a pair of true freshman running backs each playing in their first collegiate game on Saturday.

In Vanderbilt’s 45-0 romp over Western Carolina, Stacy rushed for 133 yards and a touchdown while Norman gained 105 yards and reached the end zone twice. It was the first time since 2002 that two Vanderbilt players rushed for 100 plus yards in a game.

“It was just a good experience. We played hard, but we also had fun,” Stacy said.

Besides opening their respective Commodore careers with a resounding bang, Norman and Stacy each etched their names in the Vanderbilt record book, becoming the first pair of freshman to each rush for over 100 yards in a game.

“I thought they could handle it,” said head coach Bobby Johnson. “They’re both pretty cool customers.

Though playing in front of 40,000 fans may seem nerve wracking to most, the pair seemed to take their immediate responsibility in stride. Playing early in their career isn’t new to either of the players — Stacy was a four-year starter in high school, while Norman started for three seasons.

“As we got more snaps, the game kind of slowed down a bit,” Stacy said.

Vanderbilt players and fans knew it was going to be a good night as Stacy ran for 9 yards on Vanderbilt’s first offensive play of the game. He duplicated that effort on his next carry and followed that rush with a run of 7 yards. Norman saw his first touches on the next drive, rushing for 7 yards in his first collegiate carry. Six minutes later, he had his first career touchdown, scampering into the end zone on another 7-yard rush.

Like Stacy, Norman was calm and ready to go from the start.

“I’d say I was a little bit nervous (beforehand),” added Norman. “But I’ve been prepared for so long, so it just seemed like when (the game) finally came here, all the jitters were gone.”

The relationship between the two freshmen is not limited to the gridiron. The pair are roommates, and Stacy says that Norman and he are “basically like brothers.” As a result, their performance on the field is enhanced.

Says Stacy, “if one of us makes a mistake, we let each other know.”

While Stacy and Norman may be the headliners of the true freshman class so far, many of their classmates saw playing time against Western Carolina and made an impact. Eric Samuels intercepted a pass and returned it for 19 yards, while Collin Ashley connected with quarterback Larry Smith for a catch of ten yards.

“The experience is great,” Johnson said. “It’s hard to play football if you’ve never been in the game. Scrimmages help, but that’s not the cure, you have to get in there and play.”

As they prepare for next week’s match at LSU, Vanderbilt’s dynamic duo of Warren Norman and Zac Stacy now know that they belong in the collegiate game. And the best part for Vanderbilt fans? The two “brothers” will be sharing the backfield for four more years — perhaps the most important statistic of the night.