5-star freshman Vanderbilt QB Jared Curtis to make first start against NC State
· Yahoo Sports
The Jared Curtis era is officially beginning at Vanderbilt.
Visit somethingsdifferent.biz for more information.
After Curtis saw playing time in each of the Commodores' first two games of the season, Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said he would start in Week 3 against NC State. Curtis, a Nashville native, was the top quarterback recruit in the country in the class of 2026 and flipped to Vanderbilt from Georgia ahead of the early signing period.
Curtis saw the majority of playing time in Vanderbilt's Week 2 win over Delaware after senior Blaze Berlowitz started the game. Curtis finished 14-of-22 passing for 210 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for two touchdowns. In Week 1 against Austin Peay, Curtis was 7-of-9 passing for 60 yards.
Berlowitz was named the team's starter ahead of the season after a four-way competition that included Curtis. When he announced that Berlowitz would start in late August, Lea said that it was "best for our offense to organize in the first game around Blaze taking the first snaps" before saying that Curtis had also earned the right to play.
Berlowitz was just 3-of-9 passing against the Blue Hens for 29 yards and is 14-of-25 passing for 178 yards this season. Like former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, Berlowitz transferred to Vanderbilt from New Mexico State.
After playing NC State, Vanderbit opens SEC play against Auburn in Week 4 before visiting Georgia in Week 5. Curtis, the highest-ranked high school commit to ever sign with Vandy, had been verbally committed to the Bulldogs for over six months before changing his mind.