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Since preseason injuries to offensive tackle Andrew Jelks and quarterback Shawn Stankavage, the Vanderbilt Commodores have had a relatively injury-free time in the 2016 football season.
But that changed on Saturday, as starting left guard Delando Crooks went down with injury. On Tuesday, Vanderbilt released its depth chart ahead of Saturday’s game against the Florida Gators, and while Crooks is still listed as the starter at left guard, Derek Mason was noncommittal on his status for the game.
Mason says left guard Delando Crooks is questionable, but he is listed as starter. Ean Pfeifer played well late in game at WKU
— Adam Sparks (@AdamSparks) September 27, 2016
With the possibility that Crooks won’t play, Vanderbilt now lists redshirt freshman Ean Pfeifer — who filled in for Crooks in the Western Kentucky game — as the backup left guard. while Cole Hardin appears on the depth chart for the first time this season replacing Pfeifer as the backup center.
Mason didn’t provide an update on inside linebacker Nigel Bowden, who missed the Western Kentucky game, but he’s again listed as the starter on the depth chart so we can probably assume that he’ll be back in action on Saturday.
The only other change to note on the depth chart is that true freshman Ryley Guay appears as the backup kicker behind Tommy Openshaw, and apparently ahead of Hayden Lekacz. Guay handled kickoff duties against Georgia Tech and while Openshaw was once again handling kickoffs in the Western Kentucky game, he did have a kickoff go out of bounds (though the other three went for touchbacks.) Mason may again be considering replacing Openshaw on kickoffs this week.