Vanderbilt edge rusher Miles Capers was taken to a hospital for scans after getting hurt while trying to tackle Kentucky’s running back, Demie Sumo-Karngbaye, during the second quarter on Saturday night. He returned to the sideline in the second half to watch as the Commodores won 20-13 in the Southeastern Conference.
Capers was caught under a pile of players and stayed on the field for a moment after the play. Medical staff quickly came to help him, and the crowd at Kroger Field fell silent. Players from both teams knelt and prayed as a wooden board was brought over, followed by a stretcher.
He was stabilized and carefully placed on the stretcher before being taken off the field. A spokesperson for Vanderbilt said he went to the hospital for scans just to be safe, but he was back on the sideline in the third quarter wearing sweats and a hoodie.
Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea mentioned after the game that Capers had a neck injury and praised the medical staff for their caution. He also thanked Kentucky coach Mark Stoops and his staff for checking on Capers.
Regarding Capers, Lea said, “I don’t know if there’s lingering effects, but he had a smile on his face.”
The situation looked serious at the time, and Capers’ teammates surrounded him to show their support. He had been named the Southeastern Conference defensive lineman of the week for his role in last week’s historic upset of top-ranked Alabama, where he had a strip sack and forced a fumble that led to a touchdown.
Capers is fourth on the team with 22 tackles and is tied for the lead with 4.5 tackles for loss. In this game, he recorded three tackles, including one solo.
