Blaze Berlowitz will be Vanderbilt football's starting quarterback for the season opener.
It will be Berlowitz taking the first snaps when the Commodores take the field against Austin Peay on Sept. 5 (6 p.m. CT, SEC Network+), rather than 5-star freshman Jared Curtis, the No. 2 recruit in the 2026 class.
Berlowitz has been around much longer than Curtis, with three years in Tim Beck's offense and behind 2025 Heisman runner-up Diego Pavia. But over the past three years, he's appeared in just seven games and attempted 36 passes. When he played in 2025, he was 9-for-17 passing for 131 yards and one touchdown while also rushing 11 times for 81 yards and a touchdown. The majority of his attempts came in nonconference play but he did attempt five passes against
Kentucky and one against South Carolina.
Here's what the quarterback upset means for the Commodores in 2026 and beyond:
Blaze Berlowitz strengths, weaknesses
Berlowitz has a strong knowledge of the offense, and he can consistently move the ball through short passes and runs. During the second scrimmage, he more consistently moved the ball than Curtis did.
He is also a fierce competitor. While no one compares to Pavia in that department, Berlowitz provides a reminiscent personality. He made an Instagram post recently calling out the people who have doubted him.
The preseason didn't allow for much opportunity to evaluate Berlowitz as a runner, but his numbers from 2025 are promising as he averaged 7.4 yards per carry.
Berlowitz can keep the offense ahead of the chains for the most part, but his problem comes when he does get behind. During the preseason, Berlowitz struggled to convert third-and-long, and he frequently threw the ball at defenders in those situations. That raises red flags for what could happen when he faces SEC defenses. He will need to avoid turnovers or negative plays on third-and-long.
How the schedule shapes up
The schedule has Vanderbilt's three non-conference games first, followed by nine straight SEC games, the first time the SEC will play nine conference games. The Commodores' first two SEC games are on the road against Auburn and Georgia.
This means if Berlowitz starts the first few games but struggles, and the Commodores decide to make the switch to Curtis, he will be thrown right into difficult SEC games without having much margin for error.
While Berlowitz has been in college longer, neither quarterback has much in-game experience at the level. The nonconference games will be necessary to adjust to the level if Berlowitz remains the starter for the entire season as well.
What this means for Jared Curtis' future
It's too early to tell what this means for Curtis' future. But if Berlowitz remains the starter for the entire season, it raises significant questions.
Curtis came to Vanderbilt in part for a more immediate shot at playing time compared to Georgia, where he was previously committed. But even if he is willing to sit this year, if Curtis sees minimal playing time this season, the Commodores would go into 2027 not knowing fully what they have in him. That might make it difficult to justify an NIL payday consummate with his 5-star high school ranking.
If Berlowitz excels, he still has a fifth year of eligibility in which he could return to Vanderbilt.
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: What Vanderbilt football's Blaze Berlowitz decision means for 2026, Jared Curtis
