Andrew Hughes
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The Vanderbilt Commodores are about to make the obvious and exciting decision in the quarterback room ahead of the 2026 season: start 5-star freshman Jared Curtis under center right away.
After Curtis flipped from the Georgia Bulldogs to the Commodores in December, Vanderbilt’s expectations for this fall skyrocketed. There was still a question whether Clark Lea would start another freshman after Ken Seals led the Commodores to a 2-9 record in 2021, with wins over the UConn Huskies and Colorado State Rams, a 23-3 loss to the East Tennessee State Buccaneers, and a 0-7 record in the SEC.
As FOX Sports’ Michael Cohen relayed, Curtis is going to be named Vanderbilt’s starter any day now over Diego Pavia’s New Mexico State Aggies backup that came with him to Nashville, Blaze Berlowitz.
“Fast-forward to the present and Curtis, the only five-star signee in program history, is squarely in contention to become a day-one starter this fall. Reports from spring practice suggest that he matched or exceeded the lofty expectations heaped onto him by fans and analysts alike, flashing an enticing combination of arm strength and athleticism that should get him on the field this fall. His primary challenger is senior Blaze Berlowitz, a former three-star prospect and New Mexico State transfer entering his third season with the Commodores. Berlowitz made six appearances in 2025 but has never started a game for Vanderbilt. It seems unlikely that he will hold off Curtis much longer,” Cohen wrote.
Pavia may never get his true flowers outside of the Music City in his football career. Now signed to the Baltimore Ravens, Pavia has been clowned since the 2025 season for being too small to thrive in the NFL at under six feet tall. His Johnny Football reincarnated act wasn’t a hit with most, either.
Pavia was one of the main reasons Curtis committed to the Commodores over a traditional powerhouse, UGA, though. If not for the program’s miraculous transformation from a 2-10 team to a bowl team to a bubble CFP contender, Curtis doesn’t sign on the dotted line.
Now, the Nashville Christian School star is staying home, and Vanderbilt has hope for at least the next three years. Curtis could be a generational QB who proves that the Pavia era wasn’t just a one-off and keeps the brand strong heading into the next phase of NIL/rev-share.
Times have changed for the Commodores. Pavia was the one who started the transformation. Curtis could be the one to solidify it.
Andrew is a freelance journalist based in Auburn, Alabama, who currently serves as the site expert for Fly War Eagle and Glory Colorado. His work has been featured in The Miami Herald, Bleacher Report and Heavy Sports. Andrew graduated from Brooklyn College with a degree in print journalism in 2017 and has been a sports fan since 1993. He has covered the University of Alabama’s pro day and the American Century Championship.
