With Vanderbilt’s Saturday scrimmage coming into view, Thursday’s practice at the McGugin Center was a quieter one. The Commodores were in the first day of a three-day stretch that will have them on the field every day, so there weren’t a ton of live periods to pick through. Still, a few offensive developments stood out.
One of the clearest winners was Thomas, whose spring struggles drew plenty of criticism. That noise was real, but it’s also looking more and more like his early issues were tied to the hamstring injury he said he was practicing through in the spring. That injury made it much harder for him to separate, and now he looks far more like the player Vanderbilt expected when he arrived.
Thursday may have been Thomas’ best day of camp so far. He looks like the front-runner to become Vanderbilt’s second-leading receiver in 2026. Junior Sherrill is still the standard on the roster in terms of production, but Thomas brings a different kind of threat: a bigger frame, versatility, and the ability to stretch defenses in chunks.
He’s the sort of receiver Vanderbilt thought it might be getting from New Mexico State transfer Trent Hudson last season. Thomas can threaten in the red zone, create explosive plays and cause problems for defenders trying to match up with him. There have been some concentration drops during camp, but the overall trend has been encouraging.
At quarterback, freshman Jared Curtis continues to look like the favorite to win the starting job. He had another solid day and flashed the arm talent that has been part of his appeal, though he also put one throw out there that fit the freshman label. Vanderbilt is likely going to have to absorb some of those growing pains, but the staff seems prepared to ride out the bumps.
Blaze Berlowitz has avoided many glaring mistakes since Sunday, but he still doesn’t appear to be closing the gap on Curtis. Unless Berlowitz takes a big step forward, the battle seems tilted. Whit Muschamp, meanwhile, has put together a steady camp and might be the best option outside of Curtis and Berlowitz right now.
At tight end, Jayvontay Conner is backing up what he said about wanting more consistency. He’s been doing that. While Cole Spence still looks like the clear leader in the room and the most likely top target there, Conner is making his case as a real factor in the passing game.
He seems to catch a few balls every day, and he carries himself with the kind of confidence that stands out. Talent-wise, Conner looks much closer to Spence than to Vanderbilt’s third-string tight end, and that gap may not be especially close.
In Other News...
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 🡒]