For VU’s leading receiver, it only hurts when he catches

Perhaps it’s really not that bad. Or maybe Vanderbilt wide receiver John Cole finally got tired of missing time because of injury.

Whatever the reason, the redshirt freshman became the Commodores’ leading pass catcher with five receptions last Saturday against Army — despite a broken hand he sustained two weeks earlier against Rice.

“Sometimes it’s pretty painful,” Cole conceded. “It depends on how you catch (the ball). If you get it with the fingertips and it doesn’t get into your palm, it’s not too bad. But I really didn’t notice too, too much.”

His five receptions and 56 receiving yards against both were team-highs in the loss to Army, which marked his second straight appearance in which he was the Commodores’ leading receiver.

He also had career-highs of seven receptions and 67 yards against Rice on Sept. 26. That was the same day he sustained the broken hand, which forced to miss one game — a loss to Ole Miss on Oct. 3.

“He's working with a hand that was operated on two weeks ago,” coach Bobby Johnson said. “I think that is pretty remarkable.”

His 17 receptions are at least three more than any other VU receiver and better than the per-game average of the team’s top pass catcher last season, Sean Walker. His 175 receiving yards are 10 off the team lead of Udom Umoh, who has not missed a contest.

“I think I can do a lot more for the team,” Cole, who also has a 31-yard rushing touchdown, said. “We’re starting to get on the same page — (quarterback) Larry (Smith) and I — as far as timing and everything. We have to definitely improve on a lot of things, but we’re slowly coming on.”

The hand injury is just the latest in a litany of them for player who set Kentucky high school records for all-time receiving yards and touchdowns.

He managed to get on the field for the first three games of this season despite ankle and hamstring troubles, which drastically limited his participation throughout preseason camp. That after he sustained a season-ending knee injury as a true freshman in Vanderbilt’s 2008 season-opener against Miami (Ohio).

At least the knee injury did not cost him any eligibility. His limited participation before he was hurt qualified him for a redshirt, which means he has three more years of eligibility beyond this one.

“He will get better and better on his routes, which just comes with experience,” Johnson said. “John is used to catching a lot of balls. He caught a lot in high school and it isn't foreign to him at all.

“We expected John to step in there and do some good things and he was going to play last year as a freshman until he got hurt. We are glad to have him back in there and he is going to be a good player for us.”

Provided he can stay healthy, of course. To that end, he has little concern that the hand injury will derail him again.

“If I take a direct hit on it, then maybe I’d have some pain,” Cole said. “But I think it would come back within a couple of minutes, so it’s really not too big of a deal.”