In this story:
NASHVILLE—Vanderbilt football is still waiting on a return from veteran linebacker Bryan Longwell after an injury he suffered during spring practice, Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said.
Longwell enters his senior season after finishing second on Vanderbilt’s roster with 70 tackles, defending two passes, recording a sack and intercepting a pass. In the final days of spring practice, though, Longwell was seen scootering around Vanderbilt’s practice facility with a boot on his right foot.
Lea didn't address Longwell's injury at the time, but appears to have some sense of optimism in regard to his timeline. The indication from Lea is that Longwell suffered a bone break in his lower leg in last competitive practice period prior to Vanderbilt's spring game, but that he avoided any season-altering news.
"Bryan is still coming back," Lea told Vandy on SI in a wide-ranging summer interview. "That is not going to be a big deal. Obviously with a break, you've got to give it time.
He's had it repaired and he's working his way back. And it's good to see him off crutches, and it's good to see him walking around. But, I'm excited for him and here in the next couple of weeks, we should see him getting back into some training and actually moving on field, which will be great."
During an open practice period I saw linebacker Bryan Longwell in a boot and on a scooter. It seems like he hurt his foot. Don’t have an official diagnosis or any other information on it.
Obviously it’s never good when a defensive leader like Longwell seems to be hurt. pic.twitter.com/DX39j8QZ1N
At this stage of transition within Vanderbilt’s stage of transition from its old core to the new one it has in place, this program is relying on its holdovers to bridge the gap.
Longwell is one of a few logical candidates to do it as a result of being in Vanderbilt’s program through a number of ups and downs, understanding its history as a local guy and production that stacks up with a number of the program’s most established players. Longwell has also gotten the Vanderbilt logo tatooed on his arm, which demonstrates the pride he has in the program. It appeared for a second as if he would have to wait to prove something for this Vanderbilt team.
That doesn't appear to be reality, though.
"I feel great," Longwell said. "It was a small little setback, but I'm back quickly. I still feel like I'm in the best shape of my life."
Vanderbilt will likely need Longwell back to build on the 10-3 season it put together in 2025.
“The defense has to do its part in improvement, you ask about the guys that we think could be kind of production leaders, obviously, you're going to talk about Bryan Longwell,” Lea said. “He's fifth among returning SEC linebackers in career tackles. Sixth in career pass breakups, seventh in career interceptions, led the SEC in tackles for loss or no gain.
So a guy that's been disruptive, he's been a high havoc player.”
Follow us onTwitter/X,Facebook,YouTube,Instagram,ThreadsandBlue Skyfor the latest news.
Loading recommendations… Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations
Joey Dwyer is the lead writer on Vanderbilt Commodores On SI. He found his first love in college sports at nearby Lipscomb University and decided to make a career of telling its best stories. He got his start doing a Notre Dame basketball podcast from his basement as a 14-year-old during COVID and has since aimed to make that 14-year-old proud. Dwyer has covered Vanderbilt sports for three years and previously worked for 247 Sports and Rivals. He contributes to Seth Davis' Hoops HQ, Basket Under Review and Mainstreet Nashville.
© 2026 ABG-SI LLC – SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. – All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates, licensees and related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
