Where Does Vanderbilt Football's Injury Situation Stand Entering Fall Camp?

Vanderbilt football coach Clark Lea met the media on Tuesday and updated his team's injury situation entering Wednesday's first fall camp practice.

Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea congratulates defensive players after they made a third down stop against Tennessee during the third quarter at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

NASHVILLE—-Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea has often measured his program’s progress by how many players are on the practice field for it when fall camp begins, and he has a positive indicator in that regard.

Lea says his Vanderbilt team will be relatively healthy when it opens fall camp on Wednesday August 5. Based on his assertion, the program is as healthy as it’s been entering camp in his tenure.  

“On the whole, we have a healthy team and we'll have a team that—the majority of which to some level of available as we start fall camp,” Lea said. “I think on the whole, most of what we're dealing with is just wear and tear.”

Vanderbilt wore down with soft-tissue injuries early in Lea’s tenure, but made staffing changes that resulted in it trotting out a significantly healthier team in 2024 and 2025. It appears as if that trend will continue in 2026.

Standout linebacker Bryan Longwell missed time at the end of spring practice, but the indication is that he will be back on the field during fall camp. Vanderbilt’s only long-term loss from the spring was LSU transfer CJ Jackson, who is out for the season after an in-practice injury.

Vanderbilt’s only player with a significant injury entering camp otherwise is Jacksonville State transfer Talan Carter, who Lea didn’t provide an exact timetable on when he spoke to the media on Tuesday. 

Carter projects to be a rotational piece on Vanderbilt’s defensive line and was one of its most highly-touted transfer portal additions following its 10-3 campaign in 2025. He stood out in Vanderbilt’s spring game, but will be off to the side as Vanderbilt opens camp Wednesday. 

“Talan Carter's going to be limited here at the start,” Lea said Tuesday. “We’re going to give him some time to come back from a toe injury.”

Vanderbilt has a roster that’s largely older and more proven than a number of Lea’s others, which could lead to more load management in camp—but most of its sidelined players won’t be lifting weights and running as a result of injury. As a result, Lea is optimistic in regard to what’s to come.

“Training camp is a special time. I just had our first team meeting and we're so excited,” Lea said. “This is a special group of people that is looking to accomplish special things, and we got a lot of working out of us, but it feels good to be at this point, and I think it's worthy at least from a team standpoint to celebrate where we are and where we're headed.”

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