The first real thud of camp arrived Tuesday morning at Vanderbilt’s McGugin Center, and with it came a clearer read on where the Commodores stand after six days. It was their longest and most physical practice so far, packed with live periods before a Wednesday off day, and Clark Lea still has a relatively healthy group to work with.
The biggest question on offense remains the quarterback spot, and Curtis is starting to move in the right direction. He didn’t have his sharpest day throwing the ball, and there were still a few passes that missed the mark, but he also showed signs that he may be settling into the job. One of his best moments came not with his arm, but with his eyes, as he looked off a safety and helped create a chunk play.
That kind of growth matters because, as Lea said in the spring, nobody should expect Curtis - or any Vanderbilt quarterback - to walk in and run the offense as smoothly as Diego Pavia did. Even so, Tuesday suggested Curtis can get Vanderbilt through the opener against Austin Peay in competent fashion. His processing still has room to grow as he learns an offense Tim Beck says is very different from the one he ran at Nashville Christian, but the early signs were encouraging.
The defense, though, is still setting the tone.
On Tuesday, it had the upper hand for long stretches. Run plays got swallowed up, the downfield passing game was slowed by strong cornerback work, and the offense left too many catches on the turf.
Joseph McVay and Cole Adams were among the players who had trouble holding onto the ball. That edge on defense isn’t new for Beck’s teams at Vanderbilt; it’s been a familiar early-camp storyline every time he’s run the offense.
A few players stood out in their own ways during the morning work. Sedrick Alexander took some hits from the defensive front but still managed to pop a big run or two and remained effective in short-yardage situations. It’s been a solid but quiet camp for him, and at this point the question is less about what he has to prove and more about how Vanderbilt plans to use him.
Cole Spence continued to look like a steady target for the quarterbacks. He’s been consistent as a receiver and seems to have carved out a dependable safety-valve role, which is something he says he takes real pride in.
Clinton Azubukie flashed again physically and had several strong individual reps, even though he was pushed back at times in pass protection. Kahden Smith, meanwhile, is making a case for himself after a spring that left him looking like something of an afterthought on the depth chart. Early in camp, he’s been hard to ignore and has clearly outperformed fellow freshman and former Alabama flip Owen Cabell.
Junior Sherrill keeps building momentum, too. After a shaky opening day, he has stacked strong practice after strong practice and has become the clear leader in the wide receiver room. Through this stretch, he’s been Vanderbilt’s best performer by a noticeable margin.
MK Young is also making his presence felt. He catches the ball naturally and looks like Vanderbilt’s best receiving back in 2026. Sedrick Alexander may limit him somewhat as a runner, which could keep Young from posting the kind of wild yards-per-carry numbers he might otherwise produce, but he should still matter in the passing game.
There were also a few injury-related notes from Tuesday. Alabama transfer offensive lineman Micah DeBose was not a full participant, while veteran tight end Walter Taylor and sophomore receiver Kayleb Barnett were both in red jerseys and limited.
And in the backfield, another name may be carving out a path. Freshman Evan Hampton entered camp with plenty of buzz, but Izayah Lee looks like he may have the more direct route to playing time right now.
Hampton brings shiftiness, but Lee offers more physicality than Vanderbilt has elsewhere and could be a fit in short-yardage situations. He’s not a finished product yet and needs to rein in his vertical style at times, but the upside is there.
In Other News...
Vanderbilt's Offense Is Starting To Reveal A Few Real Camp Battles
Vanderbilts offense spent another practice session ahead of its scheduled scrimmage working through a few spots that already look like real competition points. Receiver Thomas has started to turn a corner after earlier struggles tied to injury, and his improved showing added to the sense that the Commodores may have more viable options emerging as camp moves along.
Jared Curtis, the freshman quarterback, also flashed enough to keep the conversation interesting even with some mistakes still in the mix, while Blaze Berlowitz and Jayvontay Conner showed their own varying degrees of progress. For a staff trying to sort out roles before the season fully takes shape, the next practices should say plenty about who is trending up and which offensive jobs are still up for grabs. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilts Young Defenders Are Already Pushing This Team Forward
Vanderbilts seventh day of fall camp brought another reminder that the defense may be the early edge in preseason work. Several young defenders kept showing up throughout practice, with safety Jailen Ruth, cornerbacks Cayden Daniels and Mason Lewis, linebacker Josiah Broxton and defensive lineman Jaylon Stone all drawing notice as the Commodores keep sorting through their depth and trying to settle starting spots.
The encouraging part for Vanderbilt is not just that those names flashed, but that they did so in a camp setting where roles are still very much up for grabs. If the defense continues to stay ahead of the offense, the pressure only grows on the young players to turn those practice moments into something more meaningful once the season begins. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilts Identity Shift Starts With A Unit Fans Usually Overlook
Special teams is usually the part of a roster fans notice only when something goes wrong, but Vanderbilt has made it a central piece of the way it wants to play. Under Clark Lea, the Commodores have leaned into a model that asks key offensive and defensive players to matter in kickoff and punt return work, with assistant special teams coach Shane Gallant helping drive that approach alongside the staff. It is part of a broader effort to shape the programs identity around details, effort and hidden yardage.
Jeff LePak has emphasized that the group is not just a place for backups or specialists to stand around between snaps. Veteran players and younger ones alike are being pushed to contribute there, with special teams framed as a real route to earning playing time. For Vanderbilt, that makes the third phase less of an afterthought and more of an audition room, one that could end up revealing which players the staff trusts most when the games start tightening up. [Read more 🡒]