Vanderbilt Football Injury Report Ahead of Utah State Game

The Commodores will be without a couple players on Saturday, including one defensive starter.

Vanderbilt Commodores defensive lineman Yilanan Ouattara (5) comes up with an Alabama fumble in the second half of their game at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NASHVILLE – Vanderbilt football head coach Clark Lea talked with the media after practice Thursday and discussed the latest injury updates heading into Vanderbilt’s nonconference finale against Utah State.

While Vanderbilt will be mostly healthy, defensive lineman Yilanan “Issa” Ouattara is listed as doubtful ahead of Saturday and it is more than likely that he will stay out for now with a shoulder injury.

“We have him listed as doubtful. He hadn't practiced this week,” Lea said. “I think he's feeling better, but we're not going to put him out there until he's feeling 100% and confident in that shoulder. So he’s probably not going to be out there, but we're going to give it a chance over the next couple days to maybe heal up.”

Ouattara’s injury occurred in training camp before the start of the season. Ouattara did play against Virginia Tech on Sept. 6 after being out in the season-opener against Charleston Southern. In that game, he did record one tackle with a minute left in the first quarter, but was unable to play late in the game. Despite playing through the early stages of the game, his injury from camp did not get any worse. It is more so that Lea and the coaching staff want to be sure that Ouattara’s shoulder strength gets back to normal before he gets back out on the field.

“I don't regret it [playing Ouattara early in the Virgina Tech game] because the science says, ‘Hey, he's not going to injure it further by playing.’ But that doesn't mean that he's able to perform at a level that he needs to perform to be out there,” Lea said. “So we're going to keep track of it and look maybe something that ultimately becomes surgical. We want to give it time to see if it heals, and see what we can get out of him this season.

Ouattara has been a missing presence on a defensive line that has been a tenacious threat to opposing teams through its first four games. 

Also listed on the injury report is sophomore linebacker Jamison Curtis, who is out Saturday due to a soft tissue injury. Last game, Curtis blocked a Georgia State punt and returned it for a Vanderbilt touchdown in the Commodores’ win.

Offensive lineman Clinton Azubuike was dealing with a trap spasm, but he is listed as questionable and has been feeling better, according to Lea.

All in all, Vanderbilt has been able to stay healthy for the vast majority of the roster. In a long season like college football, the best ability is availability and the Commodores have done a good job of that so far and they are hoping it lasts into the late stages of the schedule.

Vanderbilt and Utah State kickoff is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. CT on SEC Network.