Three Reflective Thoughts on Vanderbilt Football's Quarterback Decision--And Whether It's Really Been Made
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NASHVILLE—Vanderbilt football has named a starting quarterback for its season opener against Austin Peay, but what does that really mean?
Blaze Berlowitz will get the first snaps against Austin Peay, but does that mean he's Vanderbilt's long term starter? Clark Lea had an answer for that on Thursday.
“This is just about the Austin Peay game,” Lea emphasized to the media. “I think that’s really important because I think the actual competition’s been close and I think we’ve seen moments of really strong play from both players.”
Lea didn't answer everything, though, at least not directly. As a result, Vandy on SI has poked around and deliberated in regard to what Vanderbilt football's quarterback decision may really mean. Here's what we've come up with.
Jared Curtis will still start most of Vanderbilt’s games in 2026
There’s no private indication within Vanderbilt’s program that it’s given up on Curtis being its quarterback of the future because of it selecting Berlowitz on Tuesday. It doesn’t seem like it’s ruling out the idea that Curtis could be its quarterback of the present in the next few weeks, either.
As evidenced by Curtis getting snaps in Vanderbilt’s opener against Austin Peay—although, it’s not clear how many he’ll take—he will still have a chance to win its starting job. This sounds more like a continuation of Vanderbilt’s months-long quarterback competition than Berlowitz winning the job for good. If the plan is to start Berlowitz and eventually phase Curtis in, that sounds similar to some tendencies that the program showed throughout fall camp.
It sounds like Vanderbilt knows that Curtis starting as soon as possible is the best thing long term for the program. Berlowitz has paid his dues and deserves to keep the starting job until he’s beat out, though. It appears as if Lea, offensive coordinator Tim Beck and Vanderbilt’s offensive staff as a whole is waiting until Curtis does that definitively.
Curtis was the more impressive quarterback in Vanderbilt’s two fall camp scrimmages, but he didn’t separate. Berlowitz didn’t necessarily either, but he knows the offense and will have to be overtaken. Credit to Berlowitz for developing enough to hold off Curtis.
Don’t rule out Berlowitz doing some good things
Berlowitz hasn’t developed into the program’s quarterback of the future like some had hoped, but he’s one of the best non-Diego Pavia quarterbacks that Vanderbilt has rostered in the Lea era.
There’s some real arm talent here, some movement skills and Berlowitz has certainly done a better job checking it down rather than forcing it. Just because Curtis looks like the quarterback of the future doesn’t necessarily mean that Berlowitz doesn’t give Vanderbilt the best chance to win against Austin Peay.
Don’t rule out Berlowitz holding off Curtis with some solid performances. After all, Lea did say early on that the determining factor here—along with two others—is ball security.
Jared Curtis will not transfer because of Tuesday’s decision
If Curtis is that upset over not starting in week one then Vanderbilt may want to look elsewhere anyway. Curtis will probably start enough games in 2026 to make this a non story by season’s end.
In the case that Curtis doesn’t, then Vanderbilt either has a star in Berlowitz or Curtis hasn’t gotten anywhere near expectations. Who knows how Curtis is feeling now, but he likely won’t be all that upset by this in the end.
After all, he’s going to play in week one and will have a chance to prove himself all season. Vanderbilt hasn’t taken that from him.
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Joey Dwyer is the lead writer on Vanderbilt Commodores On SI. He found his first love in college sports at nearby Lipscomb University and decided to make a career of telling its best stories. He got his start doing a Notre Dame basketball podcast from his basement as a 14-year-old during COVID and has since aimed to make that 14-year-old proud. Dwyer has covered Vanderbilt sports for three years and previously worked for 247 Sports and Rivals. He contributes to Seth Davis' Hoops HQ, Basket Under Review and Mainstreet Nashville.
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