Cassen Jackson-Garrison's life story is straight out of a Hollywood movie script.

It's a journey of extremes.

There was a time when the former Central High School football star spent his nights wondering where he would find a place to sleep.

Often, it was at a friend's house. At times, it was in a cardboard box.

He lived through neglect at home and survived a mother's battle with drug abuse.

Look at him now.

When Vanderbilt visits Tennessee at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Jackson-Garrison will be starting at tailback for the Commodores.

"Cassen Jackson-Garrison's story is a great one," Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson said. "He's been adopted and had some pretty tough times when he was growing up.

"He has overcome a lot, and I tell you what, we really love him here."

Jackson-Garrison was simply Cassen Jackson through most of his stay at Central.

He had been homeless for long stretches in middle school and forced to attend Tennessee Prep School in Nashville as a ninth-grader.

When he returned to Knoxville as a sophomore, he found a different life.

He met Rodger and Darla Garrison through a church function and began living with the Garrisons in 2001.

In early 2003, as a senior at Central and eventual Class 4A Mr. Football Back of the Year winner, the Garrisons legally adopted Jackson the day he visited Vanderbilt.

Two years later, he gets his first start at tailback for the Commodores this week.

He's already Vandy's leading rusher with 479 yards on 79 carries, but the starting tailback all season has been Jeff Jennings, a former Jefferson County star.

Jennings had 448 yards on 123 carries before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament last week against Kentucky.

"We need to get Jeff all fixed up and bring him back next year and we'll feel good about those two for a long, long time," Johnson said. "We think they're good players and they're going to get better and better.

"Cassen learns a lot every day at practice. I'm very pleased with his attitude and his desire to make himself a better player."

That's something Central coach Joel Helton saw early in Jackson-Garrison's career as a Bobcat.

"When he was a sophomore, we used to call him 'Edward Scissorhands' out there trying to catch a football," Helton joked. "He couldn't block and he couldn't catch, but the spring after his junior year, he went to a ton of camps at North Carolina, Colorado, all over.

"He made himself into a good blocker and a good receiver."

Last week against Kentucky, he had seven carries for 48 yards, including a 35-yard TD, and four catches for 53 yards.

His best game of the season came in a 37-13 victory against Richmond. He had 11 carries for 119 yards and a 60-yard touchdown run.

Now, Jackson-Garrison comes home. Cardboard boxes are a distant memory.