Full Breakdown
Vanderbilt Elevates True Freshman Quarterback Jared Curtis to Starting Role
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Season Background and Recent Success
Vanderbilt’s football program entered the 2024 season after recording its first 10-win campaign in school history and finishing inside the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2013. The Commodores’ previous season featured Heisman Trophy runner-up Diego Pavia and a second consecutive SEC Coach of the Year honor for Clark Lea.
Early-Season Quarterback Rotation
Senior Blaze Berlowitz started the first two games, a 28-9 victory over Austin Peay and a 35-26 win over Delaware. In each contest, true freshman Jared Curtis entered for snaps, and in the Delaware game he replaced Berlowitz early in the first quarter after the senior “fizzled out.” Curtis completed 14 of 22 passes for 210 yards, threw one touchdown, recorded no interceptions, and added two rushing touchdowns.
Curtis’s Recruiting Profile and Performance Metrics
Curtis entered Vanderbilt as the No. 2-ranked quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class, the top-ranked prospect from Tennessee, and the fourth-overall recruit nationally according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. At 19 years old, he has already logged two weeks of game experience, posting a 68 % completion rate and contributing three total touchdowns in limited action.
Coach Lea’s Decision and Upcoming Challenge
Coach Clark Lea announced that Curtis will start the Week 3 matchup against NC State, marking the freshman’s first official start. The change was reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Lea’s move reflects confidence in Curtis’s early performance despite the limited sample size, and the upcoming contest against NC State is expected to present a significant test for the 19-year-old quarterback.