Vanderbilt’s first availability report for its trip to Georgia brought a little bit of everything Wednesday night: the expected absences, a few important names trending toward playing, and one headline that stood out more than the rest.
The biggest surprise was freshman quarterback Jared Curtis, who was listed as “Questionable” even though he played the full game against Auburn and never left the field while Vanderbilt’s offense was on the field. That status jumped off the page more than anything else on the report.
The Commodores are carrying eight total players on the initial report, with statuses ranging from “Out” to “Probable.” Four players are already ruled out again this week.
Cornerback Jaylin Lackey and linebacker Jamison Curtis will both miss the game as they continue recovering from what head coach Clark Lea has called soft tissue injuries. Both had originally been labeled “week-to-week” when the injuries first surfaced, and they remain sidelined.
Vanderbilt will also be without defensive linemen Aaron Bryant and Nikhil Jefferson. Bryant’s season-ending ACL injury was announced by Lea ahead of the Commodores’ game against NC State.
There was better news for a few other key pieces. Miles Capers, Vanderbilt’s top EDGE rusher, along with starting center Lyndon Cooper and starting offensive tackle Clinton Azubuike, were all listed as “Probable.”
That leaves Vanderbilt with several important names in flux heading into what is easily its toughest regular-season test: a road trip to face No. 2 Georgia after the Commodores dropped their SEC opener to Auburn. The timing matters, too, because this is the kind of game where every unavailable player gets magnified.
It’s still only Wednesday, so there’s room for the report to change before kickoff. Lea is scheduled for his second weekly press conference Thursday, when he’ll likely be asked to clarify where things stand with the players on the report.
Vanderbilt and Georgia are set to kick off Saturday at 11:45 a.m. CT on SEC Network.
In Other News...
Vanderbilt May Have Found An Unexpected Answer At Wide Receiver
Vanderbilts search for more answers at wide receiver took an unusual turn against Auburn, when backup quarterback Blaze Berlowitz lined up in the pass-catching group for a few snaps. He finished with one catch for no yards and drew another target, but the bigger takeaway was that the Commodores were willing to experiment with a player whose athleticism and feel for the offense have kept him in the mix.
Head coach Clark Lea confirmed Berlowitz had been working at wide receiver in practice and pointed to the chemistry he has developed with quarterback Jared Curtis as part of the appeal. Whether that usage sticks is still unsettled, but the staff is clearly exploring ways to get Berlowitz on the field, which could give Vanderbilt a little more flexibility as it looks for help in that room. [Read more 🡒]