Vernon Sharp


Vernon Hibbett Sharp, Jr. was a college football player and coach.

Early years

Vernon Sharp, Jr. was born in Nashville on November 30, 1906 to Vernon Hibbett Sharp and Lorene Seleney Dandridge. His older brother Alfred Sharp was also a Vanderbilt center.

Vanderbilt University

He was a prominent center for Dan McGugin's Vanderbilt Commodores of Vanderbilt University. He was in the same class as the quarterback to whom he snapped the ball, College Football Hall of Fame member Bill Spears.

1927

Sharp was captain of the 1927 team, which included the nation's leading scorer in running back Jimmy Armistead. Sharp received the second most All-Southern votes of any center, behind Elvin Butcher of Tennessee. Sharp arguably had the better season, but was seen as having been outperformed by Butcher in the Vanderbilt-Tennessee game. Sharp was suffering from a knee injury at the time, including the week before against Georgia Tech and Peter Pund. He was called by coach McGugin the greatest Vandy center since Stein Stone.

Coaching career

In 1936, he coached Vanderbilt's freshmen team.