Vanderbilt Standout Seen With With Boot and Scooter On Right Foot

NASHVILLE—-Vanderbilt linebacker Bryan Longwell was seen on a scooter and in a boot in the open periods of Vanderbilt’s Thursday morning practice, in a Twitter/X post from Vandy On SI's Graham Baakko.

The boot was on Longwell’s right foot. He was in a white jersey, but had shorts and lounging shoes on. He was off to the side throughout the portions of Thursday’s practice that were open to the media. 

There was no immediate update provided on Longwell’s injury. Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea will meet the media after Vanderbilt’s Saturday spring game and will likely deliver an update there. 

Longwell was second on Vanderbilt’s roster with 70 tackles a season ago–Vanderbilt safety CJ Heard went for 71–recorded a sack and recorded an interception. He led Vanderbilt in tackles throughout the 2024 season. 

He’s perhaps Vanderbilt’s most recognizable defensive player as he enters his senior season. He's used that platform to take on a leadership role.

“He's engaged, like, that motivates the other guys around him,” Vanderbilt co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Nick Lezynski said earlier in spring camp. “We can only be an elite defense and connected defense if we’ve got guys like Brian Longwell that have great leadership and just have a great aptitude for the game. And he's always willing to share with the younger guys and also collaborate with me and with the coaches.”

Longwell made a statement before spring camp by getting a Vanderbilt logo and his No. 11 tattooed on his arm. The tattoo is the antithesis of the transfer portal era and indicates Longwell’s loyalty to Vanderbilt. 

He joined the program as a three-star recruit in 2023, endured a 2-10 season as a freshman and has been on the field for nearly every snap of the program’s turnaround. 

“This place just means so much to me,” Longwell said a few weeks ago. “Just them giving me an opportunity and the chance to come play cult football at a high level programming, I mean. This is my home, man, you know? And I couldn't be more thankful for everything that it’s given me. I feel like that's why I feel like I should get it on there, man. I mean, this is going to be part of me for the rest of my life.” 

How long Longwell will have to go without taking the practice field for this Vanderbilt program remains to be seen.