Unlike Tennessee and Alabama, Vanderbilt football will not be going with its young five-star quarterback as its 2026 starter, at least for now.
The team went with experience over promise by choosing senior Blaze Berlowitz as its starter for the season opener against Austin Peay on Sept. 5, per ESPN's Pete Thamel
. Berlowitz threw for 131 yards and a touchdown behind starter Diego Pavia last season in Nashville.Vandy made headlines by snagging Curtis, the five-star hometown product out of Nashville Christian, as the school's biggest recruit in its history. However, Vandy will likely sit him for his freshman year as a starter to give a more seasoned player the chance at keeping the Commodores' football revival alive for now.
Thamel did note that
Curtis will get snaps during the Austin Peay game, so he'll at least get some playing time, even if he's not starting. However, the fans on West End may need to wait until 2027 to see Curtis as a full-time starter.
Sources: Vanderbilt senior Blaze Berlowitz will be the starting quarterback to open the season for the Commodores. He’ll make his first career start against Austin Peay on Sept. 5. Five-star true freshman Jared Curtis will also play in that game, marking his first career snaps. pic.twitter.com/IflEFhbFlV
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 25, 2026
It's always possible that Curtis could start later in the season if Berlowitz struggles, but he'll be on the sideline for now.
Could Curtis transfer over the decision?
It's always possible, but we're guessing Curtis knew before he joined Vandy he might sit during his freshman year.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why didn't Jared Curtis win the Vanderbilt QB battle? 1 reason stands out
