We continue our countdown to kick-off with our series detailing one biggest concern for every SEC team heading into 2026. Today, we head to Nashville to talk about the Vanderbilt Commodores.
The Quarterback
We conclude our series with the easiest answer of any of the 16 teams in the league. Vanderbilt’s answer is quarterback.
True freshman quarterback Jared Curtis is the projected starter. He’s an elite prospect, a former five star, and the highest ranked recruit in the history of the program. He has big shoes to fill with the departure of Diego Pavia. I mean, not literally. I think my mother and Diego have the same shoe size, but that’s neither here nor there. Metaphorically speaking those shoes are Shaq size, and the production that comes along with it.
Pavia led the ‘Dores to their first ten win season in program history and finished second in the Heisman trophy race. Pavia’s 2025 season included 4,400 yards of offense and 39 total touchdowns. Vanderbilt doesn’t need that. They do, however, need adequate quarterback play.
This is a tough league to break in a true freshman quarterback. Think about some of the recent ones. Bo Nix at Auburn, DJ Lagway at Florida, and out of the SEC, Bryce Underwood at Michigan. All of those quarterbacks were five stars, and all struggled mightily out of the gates in year one. What’s an even bigger concern for Vandy is that they also have to replace last year’s quarterback’s top target. Vanderbilt had one of the best tight ends in America in Eli Stowers, and while they’ve done a good job at adding talented pass catchers in the portal, they still have an uphill battle.
There’s no one outside of the four walls at Vanderbilt’s facilities in Nashville that think they’re winning ten games again. There might be very few people inside those four walls that believe it. But, can a true freshman get them to six wins in year one and keep this turnaround that Clark Lea orchestrated still going? No one knows, but that is their biggest concern going into the 2026 season.
