Vanderbilt football is planning to begin preseason practice on Aug. 5 in preparation for the start of the 2026 season.
The Commodores will open against Austin Peay at FirstBank Stadium on Sept. 5 (6 p.m. CT, SEC Network+).
There are plenty of intriguing storylines in the preseason with position battles likely to be fiercer than they were in 2025 given the number of program stalwarts, like Diego Pavia and Eli Stowers, who departed.
But coach Clark Lea doesn't view this as a rebuild. His expectations are as high as ever as the team reloaded for 2026.
Here are five storylines to watch:
Quarterback competition between Jared Curtis and Blaze Berlowitz
To what extent Blaze Berlowitz actually has a shot to win the job over 5-star Jared Curtis is a hotly debated subject in the Vanderbilt community. What Clark Lea says
here (of course he won't say that Curtis has the advantage, even if he does) may not match what Lea actually does.
If Berlowitz is named the starter, he is likely to lower Vanderbilt's ceiling because he just doesn't have the same talent level of Curtis, but Curtis must show command of the offense to win the job. That may not be there at the beginning of preseason, but he could gain more command by the end. Either way, he will have to earn it.
Which Vanderbilt wide receivers, tight ends take a step forward?
Junior Sherrill is back, and there are few questions about his ability to carry a heavy receiving load on this team. But behind him, all of Vanderbilt's most-used pass-catchers from last season − Eli Stowers, Tre Richardson and Richie Hoskins − are gone. That means the Commodores will need to find contributors other than Sherrill.
Old Dominion transfer Ja'Cory Thomas, Alabama transfer Cole Adams and freshman Owen Cabell are three newcomers who could get into the mix. There are also a few returners looking for more playing time, like Tristen Brown, Joseph McVay, Kayleb Barnett and Brycen Coleman. Cole Spence has been a starter but has been used as mostly a blocker and could become more of a receiving threat.
Walter Taylor's transition to tight end
It's quite possible that Walter Taylor, who was at Vanderbilt as a quarterback in 2022 and 2023, rarely or never sees the field in 2026, and the Commodores aren't relying on him to produce. But he has intriguing upside now that he's converted to tight end and is one of three transfer options looking to step into the "flex" position alongside Spence.
Taylor has ideal size at 6-foot-7, 235 pounds, but it remains to be seen how his ball skills will develop. Even if he works out, it's unfair to expect him to be the next Stowers since Stowers had more experience at the position when he came to Vanderbilt. Regardless, he could be a portal steal.
Sedrick Alexander and the running back rotation
There is little question that Sedrick Alexander will be Vanderbilt's No. 1 running back this year. But how will the rotation shape up behind him?
The Commodores have plenty of options: Makhilyn Young, Jamezell Lassiter, freshman Evan Hampton. The battle for carries will be fierce, but other options could establish themselves as having particular skillsets the team could use in certain packages.
Freshmen can carve out roles
The NCAA's new "5-in-5" rules that eliminate redshirts make a difference for freshmen. Now, teams no longer have to choose between holding freshmen out to get them a fifth year or playing them in a smaller role where they could be useful.
Now, any freshman who can help the team will be able to play in an unlimited number of games. For most freshmen, that will be on special teams, but some could carve out a role in certain packages.
Here are the highest-rated freshmen, besides Curtis, on Vanderbilt this season, per the 247Sports Composite:
- OL Mitchell Smith, 4-star, No. 360 nationally
- RB Evan Hampton, 4-star, No. 469 nationally
- TE Tilden Riley, 3-star, No. 527 nationally
- Edge Jace McCallum, 3-star, No. 586 nationally
- WR Owen Cabell, 3-star, No. 665 nationally
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Five most Vanderbilt football intriguing storylines for 2026 preseason practice
