Vanderbilt is trying to build a new offensive identity, and it starts with a simple reality: this is not the same group that spent 2024 leaning on control and keep-away football.
Clark Lea and Tim Beck have already lived through the version of this offense that could bleed the clock, shorten the game and do just enough to beat Alabama in the most meaningful win in program history. But that look is no longer the default. Lea said the Commodores’ offense in 2025 should be a mix of styles, one that keeps the physical run game but uses it as a gateway to more explosive passes.
“I would see this year being a blend,” Lea said in regard to the two styles. “I would see it not necessarily oscillating back and forth, but, having that plan to win and having it include game control elements where we're going to have a physical run game and anytime you start with a physical run game, you're talking about the ability to control the clock.
But, one of the things that's hard is that 15 play drives are great-they're just hard to maintain. And so how can we use these game control elements and a physical run game to in time open up the explosive passes?
And we have the personnel to do that, too.”
That personnel looks different now. Vanderbilt lost Diego Pavia, Eli Stowers, Tre Richardson and four of its five starting offensive linemen, so Beck is being asked to rebuild while also preserving what worked.
The challenge isn’t just replacing production. It’s finding a new way to function.
There are still clear pieces to build around. Sedrick Alexander and MK Young give the Commodores veteran depth at running back.
Junior Sherrill, whom Beck calls the leader of the receiver room, remains the most established wideout. Cole Spence is expected to take on a much larger role in the passing game than he has at any point in his career.
Beyond that, Beck is looking for younger players and portal additions to make themselves impossible to ignore. Vanderbilt is counting on growth from Tristen Brown, Joseph McVay, Brycen Coleman, Kayleb Barnett and Old Dominion transfer Ja’Cory Thomas. Even if a second or third receiver never fully separates from the pack, the Commodores believe the offense can still hit.
Spence put it plainly.
“It's just about execution,” Spence said. “You can make a counter play explosive if you block everybody upright, and we're running a lot of iso and those kinds of things.
But then when you get a first play first down, then we probably want to go tempo. We're going to be running a lot of those same things that have a lot of the same characteristics.
It’s just about execution, I think execution makes you explosive.”
Beck’s view goes deeper than chasing chunk plays. He believes Vanderbilt’s rise in 2025 was built in 2024 through the less glamorous stuff - perimeter blocking, clean execution and attention to detail in the margins. Lea, who calls Beck one of the best playcallers in the country, also believes the offense only reaches its ceiling if the whole operation executes consistently.
There’s another major piece to this too: quarterback. Vanderbilt will have a first-year starter in five-star freshman Jared Curtis or longtime backup Blaze Berlowitz, and the staff has not named a starter yet. Lea said the offense will be shaped around whichever player wins the job, with wrinkles tailored to that quarterback, but not a total overhaul.
He also said this is his deepest Vanderbilt team yet, which gives Beck more room to work with than he had before.
For now, though, the Commodores are still in discovery mode. Beck made that clear after Vanderbilt’s first practice of fall camp.
“This year we're still trying to find our niche,” Beck said Wednesday after Vanderbilt's first practice of fall camp. “That's exactly what this is for, to find what our identity is and who the guys that we need to get the ball to and then make sure it fits it within our system.”
In Other News...
Vanderbilts Quarterback Battle Just Took On A New Fall Twist
Vanderbilts first fall scrimmage offered an early look at a quarterback battle that is still very much alive, with Jared Curtis and Blaze Berlowitz both getting chances to make their case. Coach Clark Lea said Curtis had his best day in terms of consistency, a useful sign for a competition the Commodores are still sorting through as camp moves forward.
The scrimmage also gave Vanderbilt a few other encouraging snapshots beyond the quarterbacks, with freshman running back Evan Hampton showing off versatility and explosiveness and linebacker Nick Rinaldi drawing notice on defense. Lea said the staff is continuing to evaluate the competition, which keeps the door open for more twists as the offense keeps taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilts Depth Picture Looks Better Than Fans May Have Expected
Vanderbilts depth chart has a few more interesting layers than it did a month ago, and Nick Rinaldi is one of the reasons why. The linebacker has settled into a consistent role and has drawn some attention for NFL potential after putting up 47 tackles, 3.5 sacks and nine quarterback hurries last season, giving the Commodores a steadier presence in the middle of the defense than many expected heading into camp.
There are other encouraging signs, too, with Thomas working back from a hamstring injury and showing improvement, while quarterback Blaze Berlowitz has reportedly taken a step forward in system awareness and positioning. For a program trying to build reliable depth instead of just hoping the top line stays healthy, those developments matter, especially because they suggest Vanderbilt may have more usable pieces in place than the outside view originally suggested. [Read more 🡒]
Clark Leas First Vanderbilt Defensive Read Leaves One Clear Concern
After Vanderbilts first fall camp scrimmage, Clark Lea came away encouraged by the defenses overall coverage, a sign the unit has at least established a base to work from before the season starts. The head coach also singled out running back Evan Hampton for a strong showing, while noting that the defensive staff has been pushing quarterbacks Jared Curtis and Blaze Berlowitz in practice so they are better prepared for game situations.
Still, one area stood out as a concern in Leas first real read on the defense: how it handled outside rushing plays. With two weeks left in camp, that gives the Commodores a specific issue to clean up before the focus shifts fully toward opening week, and it is the kind of early detail that can shape how much confidence the staff has in the defense once live bullets start flying. [Read more 🡒]