Overview
- At SEC Media Days this week, coach Clark Lea publicly reiterated that Vanderbilt still aims to compete for a national championship and warned the program will not try to replicate Diego Pavia one-for-one.
- Diego Pavia has moved on to the NFL after a 2025 season that included 3,539 passing yards, 862 rushing yards and national award finishes that raised expectations for the program.
- Five-star freshman Jared Curtis, who flipped his commitment from Georgia, is the headline addition but has not been named starter and will compete with Blaze Berlowitz, Whit Muschamp and Jack Elliott.
- Lea says the staff will prioritize a collective or “village” approach and continue strengthening the roster through recruiting, NIL support and targeted transfers to reduce reliance on a single quarterback.
- The quarterback battle will play out in training camp ahead of the Sept. 5 season opener against Austin Peay and could be further defined by a notable Oct. 3 trip to Georgia.