Here's a mid-week notebook on Vanderbilt football as the Commodores prepare for LSU on Saturday.

It's been an emotional last year for Vanderbilt's football team. Tight end Turner Cockrell battled cancer all season before passing away from cancer on Nov. 29.

Tight end teammate Cody Markel since started "Turner's Heroes," which provides support to children with cancer, in Cockrell's honor. On Tuesday, Markel took the stage at VU's weekly press conference to promote an 82-hour fundraising effort for the foundation.

"Turner had an infectious personality filled with laughter, joy and good spirit. To be able to dedicate a game to Turner and his memory is something many of us talked about and wanted to do,” Markel said. “Turner’s Heroes was started to honor Turner, so to see this come to fruition is incredibly special to us, and to all of those who were connected to him.

Coach Derek Mason announced a $25,000 donation to the foundation earlier in the week.

“I want to say thank you to coach Mason,” Markel said. “I think this shows that coach Mason is not only a great football coach, but a phenomenal human being that truly cares about his players, this program and this community."

"I've told him like a thousand times, it didn't tell me anything about him that I didn't already know," a smiling Jared Pinkney said on Tuesday, when asked about Mason's contribution. "I could go on and on about how much I love coach Mason, but, I'll just leave it at, he's a great guy."

Pinkney still remembers how well Cockrell handled himself during the ordeal.

"His resilience, to be able continue to come to meetings and go to practice--the mundane things that come with football, while dealing with this life-changing condition that ultimately too his life," Pinkney said, when asked what he remembered about Cockrell.

Here's a link to the Turner's Heroes foundation that provides more information on how anyone can help.

Mason announced on Tuesday that running back Jamauri Wakefield, wide receiver Amir Abdur-Rahman and linebacker Colin Anderson are injured and out for the season. All three were backups, but each had a path to significance if healthy.

Wakefield entered the year as the primary backup to Ke'Shawn Vaughn at running back. Wakefield redshirted in 2016 and has 107 career carries, including one in the opener.

Abdur-Rahman had shown immense flashes of promise in fall and spring practices, as well as at the end of 2018. A redshirt season might not be the worst thing for the true sophomore, who is still relatively new to football and was stuck behind a group of more experienced receivers.

Anderson came to VU as a good-looking recruit out of Florence, Alabama two years ago. Anderson started in the season opener against MTSU last year and played well, but a foot injury sidelined him most of last season. Anderson has missed large chunks of fall and spring practices, and Mason said his issue now is a knee injury.

Those are three of the more significant injuries the 'Dores have had this year, but that's hardly been the sum of it.

Starting safety Frank Coppet, who hasn't played this year--but should be available at some point--is listed as a second-team safety on this week's depth chart.

Speaking of injuries, nowhere have the Commodores suffered more from them than on the offensive line. But that could be changing soon.

You can't always trust Vanderbilt's depth chart to reflect the reality of the situation, but sometimes, there are hints as to what's coming. And if the one VU put out on Tuesday is accurate, the Commodores might finally be able to line up with the offensive line they planned on having to start the season.

If so, here's how that would look:

Left tackle: Devin Cochran

Left guard: Saige Young

Center: Grant Miller

Right guard: Cole Clemens

Right tackle: Tyler Steen

The question is Cochran. VU lists him second in an "or" situation with Jonathan Stewart. Mason stopped short of saying Cochran would play against LSU, but did say that Cochran had practiced that morning

Cochran was named a third-team preseason All-SEC pick by Phil Steele, and was picked for the fourth team by Athlon. He earned a 70.5 grade from Pro Football Focus last year; Clemens (64.5) is the team's top lineman according to PFF this year.

Cochran's return would move Clemens back to his more natural position. He started eight games at left guard last year, and four at right guard last season.

The other "or" situation is at left guard, where Young is listed first ahead of Bryce Bailey. Young has always struggled to stay healthy and had three crucial penalties on the same drive against Purdue two weekends ago.

Steen and Miller have started both games at their listed positions this year.

Reserve offensive lineman Sean McMoore, who was in the mix to start somewhere in fall camp, isn't listed on this week's depth chart. McMoore has also had issues staying healthy. McMoore, in his fourth year on campus, has played just nine career games with one start.

Inside linebacker Feleti Afemui, who played well against Georgia, is listed as a starter at one inside spot for the LSU game. Afemui missed the Purdue game due to injury.

Interestingly, Dimitri Moore, whose 830 snaps were second-most on the team last year, is listed second behind Caleb Peart in another "or" situation inside. Moore started the Purdue game, but sat out the first quarter of the Georgia contest.

A three-day road closure at the I-65/I-440 interchange will affect travelers to Saturday's game. That road will be closed from 9 Friday morning until Monday morning.

If you're north of I-440, you should be okay. If you're not, don't plan on taking your normal route.

Options to get to the stadium include West End Avenue (Hwy. 70), Woodlawn Drive, 21st Ave. South (Hwy. 431), Belmont Boulevard, Granny White Pike/12th Avenue South, Lealand Lane, Bransford Avenue and Nolensville Road (Hwy. 41A).

Here's how traffic will be re-routed:

-Eastbound traffic on I-440 will be detoured to I-65 southbound.

- Westbound traffic on I-440 will be detoured to I-65 northbound.

-Southbound traffic on I-65 will be detoured to I-440 Westbound.

-Franklin Road (Hwy. 31) will be closed from Berry Road to Woodmont.

Here's a link to a map with more information on routes and road closures.