Vanderbilt Dealing with Lengthy List of Injuries vs Kentucky

The Vanderbilt Commodores had more than their ego damaged in a last-second loss at UNLV. Entering Saturday’s matchup at FirstBank Stadium off back-to-back losses on the road, they’ll return to Nashville’s West End with a lengthy injury report.

Unlike most SEC head coaches, Clark Lea provides a detailed list of injuries during his weekly press conferences. The Commodores’ porous pass defense — opponents average 241.5 yards per game, ranked No. 12 in the SEC — has been bit hard by the injury bug.

Lea categorized three of the team’s top seven tacklers, all from the Vanderbilt secondary, as “questionable.” Savion Riley missed the UNLV game with an upper body injury and has yet to return to practice. Jaylen Mahoney, a fifth-year team captain with a pair of pass break-ups this season, was unable to complete the UNLV game and still has not practiced.

“Although I think he’s feeling better,” Lea said Tuesday. “I’m hopeful to see him back doing something tomorrow and full participation Thursday. We’ll have to see how he responds.”

The biggest potential absence is from De’Ricky Wright. Even though the Vanderbilt defense ranks near the bottom of the SEC in multiple statistical categories, one thing they have done well is force turnovers. Wright has played a role in almost every one of Vanderbilt’s six takeaways. He has picked off two passes, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble. Wright will not be at full strength as the safety deals with a lingering ankle injury.

“He’s been such a warrior the last two weeks, had to play a ton of snaps. Got so much respect for him and unfortunately this is going to be something that persists up until we have a chance to rest it,” Lea said.

Closer to the line of scrimmage, BJ Anderson is probably against Kentucky. The Commodores’ leading cornerback returned to practice after dealing with an illness. CJ Taylor, the “Anchor” that is arguably Vandy’s best defensive player, is likely to play, but enters the Kentucky game banged up.

In addition to the injuries in the secondary, starting right tackle Junior Uzebu is doubtful after missing the last three games. Another offensive lineman, Grayson Morgan, has been dealing with a back issue but will likely be available against Kentucky. Christian James, a starting defensive tackle for the past two seasons, still has not made his debut in 2023 and that will wait for at least another week.

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Lea Down with the Sickness vs. Kentucky

The biggest win of the Clark Lea tenure happened when the coach was banged up. An illness spread like wildfire throughout the Vanderbilt locker room prior to the road trip to Kentucky and it was unclear who all would be available to play, or even coach, against the Wildcats in 2022.

Despite the difficult circumstances, Mike Wright and Ray Davis kept the Kentucky defense off balance and wracked up yards until Will Sheppard delivered the dagger that gave Vanderbilt its first SEC win since 2019.

“That game started out on our first possession with a fumble and our defense came out and held Kentucky to a field goal and it was just kind of a slugfest. We lost the lead late, were able to come back and get it and then finishing.” Lea added, “That’s the level of resiliency we want this program to be defined by.”

A message of resiliency is one Lea is sharing with this year’s Vanderbilt team after letting a victory slip away in the final seconds at UNLV.

“It’s very easy externally to hit a panic button to start forecasting what happened in Las Vegas and somehow that was assumed to be a win for us. Internally, it’s like we have a process, we have a journey, a track we’re on. We’re staying the course and we’re focused on cleaning up our play,” said the Vanderbilt head coach.

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