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Clark Lea revealed that Vanderbilt is planning on honoring Turner Cockrell at Wednesday’s teleconference.
Cockrell used to play tight end for Vanderbilt and passed away from melanoma in 2018. Saturday is going to be the late player’s birthday.
Lea and the team are planning on honoring Cockrell through the organization Turner’s Heroes. Former head coach Derek Mason will be in the broadcast booth calling the game, so it should be a special moment all around.
“We’re honoring Turner Cockrell this weekend, actually Saturday’s his birthday, so you’ll see our guys through the organization Turner’s Heroes that’s run and founded by Cody Markell. Both Cody and Turner are former Vanderbilt players who played for Coach Mason. Turner passed away after a battle with cancer while he was a player here. Cody, his teammate, really established Turner’s Heroes as a way to have Turner’s spirit live on through legacy.
I bring that up just to say it’s part of our history and a part of purpose and connection to our past. I’m really glad that Coach will around for that as well because those are people that obviously he had great impact on and also I know that he had depth of relationship with so we’ll be happy to have him with us as we honor Turner and represent Turner’s Heroes at the game.”
Cockrell played for the Commodores from 2016-2018.
Cockrell’s legacy will live on through Lea and the Vanderbilt players on Saturday. Vanderbilt faces Missouri in Nashville at 4 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Grant Bricker was a former freelancer for The News TN in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. He now freelances for Saturday Football. Follow on Twitter @GrantBricker.
