Injuries to Wilds, Carson deplete running corps
When he heard the news of senior cornerback Akeem Auguste's groin injury, Legree saw it as a chance for redemption.
With Auguste's evaluation projecting him to miss four to five weeks of the season, Legree, who only started two games last season at free safety, said Auguste's injury meant "it was just time for me to step up."
Though Legree said he's been practicing with the first team, alongside redshirt freshman Ahmad Christian taking snaps with the second team, secondary coach Grady Brown isn't ready to name Legree the starter for Vanderbilt.
Christian has been sidelined for several practices with a concussion. He wore a yellow "no contact" jersey in Monday night's practice.
"I wouldn't say that anyone is locked in," Brown said. "My job as a coach is to develop these guys and put the best four players on the field, whoever that may be at the time."
Besides Christian, Legree's competition to replace Auguste is freshman T.J. Gurley, who Brown praised as a "young guy that's doing a good job." Senior Jared Shaw can also play that position, as well as freshman Chaz Elder.
Brown said he isn't concerned about the depth because some of the younger players, like Elder and Gurley, are ready to play at that position, though he hasn't decided if either will redshirt this season.
"You'll always hear me talk about developing players, and this season is a prime example of why you need as many players ready as possible," Brown said.
Brown doesn't want to downplay experience, but he stressed having the best player at any time on the field.
As far as Auguste, Brown said his experience will be missed, but he thinks he has enough players ready to avoid moving people from another position to create more depth at cornerback. Auguste missed all of the 2011 season with a foot injury.
"He's doing well," Brown said. "He was obviously down early on when he initially injured his groin and everything. Day by day, time heals all wounds and he's getting better."
Running back injuries: Entering the season, running backs coach Everette Sands referred to his running back corps as a "full stable."
After injuries to both sophomore Brandon Wilds and redshirt freshman Shon Carson, Sands' depth has thinned considerably. Carson had surgery for a wrist injury that will keep him out indefinitely, while Wilds has been wearing a boot at practice for a sprained ankle.
Star tailback Marcus Lattimore, who missed most of the 2011 season with a torn knee ligament, said he sympathizes with not just Carson and Wilds, but everyone on the team who has suffered injury.
"It hurts me when they get hurt because I know what they're going through," Lattimore said. "I know Shon is hurting right now. All of the guys that have been injured on our team are hurting right now. That's who everyone on the team is playing for right now because we know how bad they want to be out there."