Jared Curtis finally stepped in front of the Vanderbilt media on Tuesday, and the five-star quarterback did not arrive acting like the center of a storm. He came into the team room, greeted the room warmly and waited for the cameras before settling in.
That mattered because his absence from the podium had become its own talking point. Vanderbilt hadn’t made him available since April, and by the time Curtis sat down, the conversation around him had grown louder than anything he said once the questions started. But the quarterback himself came off as steady and unremarkable in the best way possible.
He made eye contact. He answered carefully.
He didn’t duck anything. Curtis also went out of his way to speak well of others, including Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey, Vanderbilt backup Blaze Berlowitz and his high school coach Jeff Brothers.
Nervous or not, he didn’t show it.
The setting wasn’t especially forgiving, either. Curtis was asked to talk after two of Vanderbilt’s worst losses under Clark Lea, while also carrying the weight of his own game-altering interceptions in a loss and the broader backdrop of a losing streak. It was a heavy stage for a freshman quarterback who still looks like he’s settling into the job.
Still, he handled it like someone who belongs in the SEC spotlight.
“I have no issue with that guy in front of everybody,” Lea said. “He’s got a level heard. In so many ways, he’s made for this.”
Lea said he had gone back and forth with Vanderbilt’s public relations staff for weeks about getting Curtis in front of reporters. The delay, in Lea’s telling, wasn’t about hiding him so much as protecting him while he adjusted to everything on his plate.
First came the quarterback competition. Then he won the job.
Then he got injured and missed the road loss to Georgia, a setback Lea said made him emotional.
Lea didn’t shy away from the obvious question about why Curtis wasn’t speaking earlier. He just said Tuesday felt like the right time.
Curtis didn’t pretend everything is fine. He admitted he’s not playing well enough, said the opponents he’s facing each week look very different from the ones he saw a year ago and acknowledged Vanderbilt hasn’t produced the season he wanted. Even so, he said he still believes in Lea’s plan and that he’s enjoyed being a Vanderbilt player so far.
The quarterback also made clear he isn’t dwelling on the noise around him.
“I try not to get too deep on social media,” Curtis said. “If I see something, I scroll past it.
It is what it is. People are going to have their opinions, but ultimately I have to play better.”
Curtis said the game is slowing down for him and that he’s gaining a better grasp of Vanderbilt’s offense each week, especially when it comes to formations, reads and the plays he’s being asked to run. Asked what he most wants to clean up before he plays again, he pointed to seeing checks and recognizing pressure.
Lea has long believed Curtis can be a star in this program, but he’s also asked for patience because of the jump in competition. He extended that same patience to Curtis’ growing comfort in the public eye.
“I like Jared a lot as a person. He's got a humility to him,” Lea said.
“Here’sHere's a young person that's learning about himself, learning about college. We need to give him the space to do that.
And so all that to say, you know, I also, I also I'm very proud to have representing us and I not only trust him, but I want him to speak on behalf of this program.”
In Other News...
Vanderbilt Already Looks Different Under Mark Byington For One Reason
Vanderbilts first glimpse under Mark Byington offered a pretty clear theme: this group already looks more connected than a typical roster still trying to find itself in October. Against UAB, the Commodores moved with real purpose and got meaningful contributions from Tyler Tanner, Sebastian Williams-Adams and Bangot Dak, with Dak showing why he was such a sought-after transfer. For a team that enters the year as one of the youngest in the power conferences, the biggest early takeaway wasnt just talent. It was how willingly the pieces seemed to fit together.
Byington was encouraged by the larger picture even as he noted the kind of early-game sloppiness that comes with a new group learning how to play together. The turnovers and nervous moments were part of the process, but the bigger point was that Vanderbilt did not look like a roster still waiting to become a team. If that cohesion holds as the competition gets sharper, the Commodores may have found a foundation that can accelerate their growth far sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Fans Just Got An Intriguing First Look At Ant Brown
Vanderbilts exhibition win over UAB offered an early glimpse of what freshman Ant Brown might bring to the Commodores this season, and the first impression was a promising one. Brown showed enough defensive energy and enough feel as a passer to stand out in a game that gave Vanderbilt a chance to start sorting out roles before the real schedule begins.
The freshmans ability to handle the ball and create for others caught the attention of head coach Mark Byington and teammate Tyler Tanner, both of whom came away encouraged by the debut. For a team still figuring out how its backcourt will fit together, Browns performance added a little more intrigue to the offense and suggested there may already be a young guard ready to carve out meaningful minutes. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilts New-Look Roster Just Gave Fans A Reason To Believe
Vanderbilts new-look basketball roster offered a promising first look in Memorial Gym, rolling past UAB in its home exhibition game and giving the Commodores something tangible to build on before the season starts. The performance had the kind of energy coaches like to see in October, with the team leaning on defense, creating turnovers and protecting the rim while several newcomers and key returners settled into their roles.
Tyler Tanner, Ant Brown Jr. and Bangot Dak were among the players who helped set the tone, and the mixture of pressure defense and activity on both ends suggested there is more to this group than preseason optimism alone. Vanderbilt still has one more exhibition left against Miami (FL) to close out the preseason, and it should provide a better read on how close this roster is to becoming what the Commodores hope it can be. [Read more 🡒]