Vanderbilt Football Injury Update: Martel Hight out, Miles Capers Working Back, Transfer Updates

Nashville–While Vanderbilt’s defensive ends were running from the sideline and shuffling their feet, there Miles Capers was riding the bike and standing off to the side throughout Vanderbilt’s first fully-padded practice at FirstBank Stadium on Tuesday.

On the other hand, Vanderbilt three-way standout Martel Hight was nowhere to be found after starring for Vanderbilt’s offense at wide receiver on Monday morning.

“Martel is going through concussion protocol,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said. “I’m actually not aware of exactly where that stands right now, but yesterday it was kind of an incident in practice where he ended up hitting his head on the ground and we’re just gonna be super cautious with that.”

Lea says that he expects all of Vanderbilt’s players that have been sidelined “to be available for the first game and certainly to be back practicing.” Vanderbilt opens the season in 25 days against Charleston Southern and will hope to give each player who’s been out of the lineup significant practice reps before then.

Tuesday was Capers’ first day off to the side after leaving Monday’s practice and heading to the injury tent. Clark Lea says Capers doesn’t have a long-term injury that will hold him out, though.

“Capers dealt with a little shoulder issue yesterday at the end of practice,” Lea said. “He’s gonna be fine. He’s a guy that’s banked a lot of reps here and we want to be cautious of that. That’s just a matter of some soreness calming down. He’ll be back out here.”

The Vanderbilt EDGE rusher appears to be poised to make a leap in his senior season as a result of his emphasis on adding strength while not losing the speed that’s made him effective for the first three seasons of his career.

Not everyone who was on the sideline on Tuesday is as experienced as the Vanderbilt senior, though.

Vanderbilt sophomore tight end Brycen Coleman is dealing with an ankle sprain that’s held him out of camp thus far and “is working on recovery on that.” Lea hopes to have him as well as Cole Spence–who has a quad injury that isn’t considered to be long term–back fully healthy so that they’ll be able to stack reps before Vanderbilt’s opener. The Vanderbilt coach isn’t as concerned about Eli Stowers, who has taken two consecutive maintenance days.

Offensive lineman Chase Mitchell–who is projected to start at guard this season, rather than tackle–has an AC Joint sprain that has held him out of certain periods of practices. Vanderbilt is being precautionary with the veteran offensive lineman at this stage, as it is with veteran receiver transfer Trent Hudson.

Hudson has a “soft tissue” injury that’s held him out of the past few days of camp and is working to rehab his groin so that he’s fully healthy and avoids the lingering effects of the injury that could come by rushing back into the lineup.

“He’ll be back,” Lea said. “He’s going to be okay.”

Vanderbilt does have two longer-term injuries with offensive lineman Kevo Wesley as well as EDGE rusher Simeon Boulware, but is healthy at this stage of camp.

The bodies are wearing down and the group working with strength and conditioning coaches rather than taking reps in practice is increasing, but Vanderbilt doesn’t have much to concern itself with from a health perspective as it sits five days into camp.