Will Stein doesn’t need a scouting report to know what Vanderbilt is bringing into Lexington.
The Kentucky head coach, who once worked on Dan Lanning’s staff at Oregon, spent plenty of time evaluating Jared Curtis before the five-star quarterback ever stepped into college football. Stein recruited Curtis “heavily” when he was the offensive coordinator for the Ducks, and he came away with a clear opinion on the Nashville-area standout.
“I know him very well. He is a freak show,” Stein said of his initial thoughts on Curtis.
“He’s very young but in terms of the tangibles of the position, being able to throw it, arm talent, running strength. He is a prototype first round talent.
He has growth ahead of him but he gets better every single game.”
That kind of language stands out, especially coming from an opposing head coach. Stein’s view of Curtis seems to go beyond the usual pregame respect; it reflects the kind of ceiling he sees in the Vanderbilt quarterback’s game.
Curtis, who originally committed to Georgia before flipping to Vanderbilt in early December last year, will be on the other sideline when the Wildcats host the Commodores on Saturday night. Vanderbilt enters the matchup needing a win, and Stein knows exactly why Curtis can tilt a game.
Between his size, the arm talent, and what he has already shown after just four collegiate starts, Stein sees a quarterback with real trouble-making ability.
“I’m not saying he’s this player, but in terms of play style, it’s like a Josh Allen type style. In terms of he can run it and he runs hard and physically. And he’s got the arm talent to literally throw a 70-yard bomb on the dot,” Stein said.
Curtis has yet to pick up his first SEC win, but the numbers show why people around the conference keep talking about him. In six appearances for Vanderbilt, he has thrown for 1,242 yards with six touchdowns and seven interceptions, while adding 144 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.
And while Vanderbilt has dropped four straight, Curtis still has a shot to make Saturday interesting. Kentucky comes in ranked 117th in college football in passing yards allowed, giving up 249.7 passing yards per game.
Stein isn’t expecting a surprise when it comes to Curtis’ talent level. He sounds fully prepared for the challenge.
“I’m excited about him and obviously don’t want him to play well on Saturday versus us, but I know he’s going to be a really big problem for people in his career,” Stein said.
In Other News...
Why Clark Lea Finally Reimagined Davin Chandlers Role
Davin Chandlers path has shifted in a meaningful way for Vanderbilt, and the move has come with real traction on the field. After beginning his time in the defensive backfield at safety, Chandler has settled into a cornerback role and is now being used as a nickel corner, a spot that asks for versatility, quick processing and the ability to handle a lot of different assignments. It is the kind of adjustment that can quietly reshape a defense, especially when a player embraces it the way Chandler has.
Clark Lea has taken notice of both the production and the approach. Chandler has been active in recent games and has worked his way into important depth behind the starter at cornerback, giving Vanderbilt another option in a secondary that always needs reliable bodies. The bigger question now is how far that expanded role can go, especially after Chandler turned in one of his best tackling performances yet and reinforced why the staff is comfortable trusting him in a new spot. [Read more 🡒]
Jared Curtis Is Carrying A Big Vanderbilt Question Into This Weekend
Jared Curtis is still just a freshman, but Vanderbilt is already watching him grow into more than the five-star label that arrived with him. In a season where the Commodores have had to work through their share of challenges, the quarterbacks early rise as a voice in the room has become one of the more encouraging developments around the program, especially as he gets more comfortable with the pace and pressure of college football.
Clark Lea has noticed Curtis earning respect in the locker room and finding more space to operate with each passing week, which matters for a team looking for steadying influence. The bigger test now is how that progress translates when Vanderbilt starts leaning on him more heavily, with the staff still shaping what the offense can be around his skill set and the questions around his role only getting bigger heading into this weekend. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Still Has To Live With One Huge Quarterback Decision
Clark Lea spent part of the week revisiting a quarterback chase that Vanderbilt would probably rather not think about too often. Kenny Minchey, a Nashville native who left Notre Dame and transferred to Kentucky, was once on the Commodores radar, and Lea made clear he still holds plenty of respect for the player and person. It is the kind of recruiting storyline that lingers because it sits right next to a programs biggest personnel bet.
Instead of landing Minchey, Vanderbilt committed to five-star quarterback Jared Curtis, a decision that points the program toward a different long-term answer under center. Curtis remains the centerpiece of that plan, and Lea sounded convinced the Commodores made the right call for the future. Still, the presence of Minchey on the opposite sideline this weekend gives the old comparison an immediate edge, even if Vanderbilt has already moved on from the choice itself. [Read more 🡒]