Press Conference Notes: Clark Lea speaks to the media ahead of matchup against Delaware – The Vanderbilt Hustler

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Vanderbilt Football head coach Clark Lea spoke to the media for his weekly press conference Tuesday, Sept. 8. After the Commodores’ 28-9 victory over Austin Peay in their season opener, Lea’s squad now turns their attention to the Fightin’ Blue Hens. The former Commodore himself wasn’t afraid to address the elephant in the room: the quarterback competition between senior Blaze Berlowitz and five-star freshman Jared Curtis. Lea wants Berlowitz, who has earned the start again ahead of Week 2, to be put in more of a position to succeed. 
“I want to see Blaze have opportunities to go out and make plays”, Lea said. “I felt like Saturday, he handed the ball off a lot, and we were able to create distance before he really got a chance to show the things he was capable of.” 
Despite being named the starter, Berlowitz attempted a pass just once in the first 10 offensive snaps. Lea and offensive coordinator Tim Beck instead opted to establish the run early on. His low usage was alarming, as fans expected that the coaching staff would let Blaze play fearlessly against a weaker opponent in the Governors.  
“We have to call [Blaze] into those throws,” Lea said. “I don’t want there [to] be criticism on him that way. I thought when he had chances to make throws, he made them.” 
A strong emphasis on the run game is in Vanderbilt’s DNA, but running the ball that often seems more like a single-game strategy rather than a representation of what’s to come. Senior Sedrick Alexander led the Black and Gold’s run game with 10 carries for 60 yards, and MK Young was right behind with eight attempts for 24 yards. The Commodore running back room is headlined by veterans who have performed for Vanderbilt before, so it makes sense that Beck would lean on the rushing game in the season opener rather than exert pressure on a passing attack that contains almost all new personnel. 
“I think, in general, we need to get explosive offensively,” Lea said. “That will always start with a physical run game. It doesn’t have to start with five consecutive runs of the same play. That was unique [to] last week.” 
There was plenty of criticism surrounding the time at which Lea opted to enter Curtis into the game, as the Nashville native got his first look at collegiate football with 1:26 left in the first half. His first drive was a strong contrast to Berlowitz’s opening possession, with Beck calling four straight passes that eventually led to a punt. Lea acknowledges that he is learning from this experiment and wants to put both quarterbacks in a position to succeed. 
“[We are] continuing to develop both guys and give them opportunities, and [we’re] really learning from our first time doing this,” Lea said. “I think the way we organize the offense can be tighter and better. 
Berlowitz’s play style parallels a Diego Pavia-led offense, while Curtis’ stature, arm strength and presence in the pocket demand a different system. The head coach has yet to decide on who he wants as his long-term starter and doesn’t want to rush anything. 
“I’m working towards some clarity in my own mind,” Lea said. “I want to see it clearly, and I want both guys to have opportunities to show what they can do. I’m trying to get enough sample size to have some clarity as to what each guy brings to the table. We’re going to take an opportunity to see them both on Saturday again.” 
The two quarterbacks are at very different points in their respective careers. Berlowitz, a senior who backed up Pavia for three straight seasons at two different schools, finally earned an opportunity to be the lead signal-caller. Curtis, at just 19 years old and far from his full potential, was expected to start right away when he flipped his commitment to Vanderbilt from Georgia. Both share a knack for competitiveness and the belief that they have what it takes to lead the Commodores to success. 
“[Curtis] wants to play,” Lea said. “[Berlowitz] wants to play. They’re both really prideful, both really competitive, and I respect that. We all want what we want, and in so many ways, we’re all selfish. I admire the way these guys compete and the way they can set their selfishness aside to be a part of something bigger than themselves, which is a team. I’m a huge fan of [Curtis’] and I’m a huge fan of Blaze, and I have great vision for them both. Two guys that want the ball, that is a great thing to have.” 
Curtis has already been put on a pedestal by the Commodore fan base, and those expectations can be hard to live up to in the young quarterback’s first season. The hometown kid has never played at a collegiate level, let alone in the SEC, and isn’t used to this much attention surrounding his name. Despite the immense pressure he’s under, Curtis is up for the challenge, but Lea wants to make sure he always feels supported. 
“When you’re dealing with a young quarterback, I think he needs the support of the program,” Lea said. “When you think about what he’s trying to do where he’s growing, learning and elevating himself, he’s doing it on a stage that everyone is paying attention to. It’s a lot, so what I want is to run a program that is focused on his development, that helps to insulate him from some of that pressure, and where he knows [that] every day he comes in, he has a head coach that has his back and believes in him.” 
Although he opted for Berlowitz to lead the team, Lea is by no means tempering his expectations for Curtis. The talent is there — he’s just unpolished, which makes sense considering his age. 
“He just wants to win a national championship,” Lea said. “He can do that; he’s got the tools. We need to develop the quarterback, and we need to continue to evaluate him and know that when he’s ready, he’s going to be ready.” 
A core offensive piece that both Curtis and Berlowitz will both look to as a safety blanket is tight end Cole Spence, who has been elevated to the starting role following Eli Stowers’ getting drafted to the NFL. Spence is not only essential to Vanderbilt’s receiving game, but known as a stellar blocker up front. However, the senior was held out of the season opener due to injury. 
“It’s week-to-week with him,” Lea said. “It was the Sunday [before the] Austin Peay [game]. It was kind of a one-off incident. He just got in a compromised position catching a ball, and so [he’s] week-to-week lower body injury. It’s all about seeing how he responds to it.” 
Turning their attention to Delaware, the now 1-0 Commodores aren’t going to underestimate their opponent. Lea is preparing to go up against a team with a very different identity and wants to make sure his team is ready. 
“This will present different challenges than we had a week ago,” Lea said. “This is a three-down, three-safety defense that has the ability to create havoc on the offense and get us off schedule, and it’s a pass-first operation offensively that will challenge us in different ways.” 
Vanderbilt Football will host Delaware this Saturday, Sept. 12, with kickoff set for 3:15 p.m. CDT. 
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