Vanderbilt’s offense is still sorting itself out in fall camp, but two days in, a few names are starting to separate from the pack.
The biggest storyline remains the quarterback battle, and it’s already clear the Commodores are not getting clean, mistake-free football at the position. All four quarterbacks have flashed with standout throws, but the inconsistency has been just as noticeable. Jared Curtis looks like the best quarterback on the roster right now, even if he’s still working through the kind of read-and-react decisions that come with a new offense and a competition that’s still wide open.
What separates Curtis from veteran Blaze Berlowitz is pure arm talent. Curtis has the kind of zip and physical tools that nobody else on Vanderbilt’s roster can quite match, and Thursday’s practice offered another example of how much that matters. He can make throws that others simply can’t get away with.
That doesn’t mean the job is decided, or that Vanderbilt has found its answer. It just means Curtis has been the most convincing option through the first two practices, even as the quarterbacks continue to trade good moments and rough ones.
At receiver, one of the more interesting early developments has been the rise of Brown. Tim Beck singled him out on Wednesday, and that praise seems well-earned after two days.
Brown hasn’t taken over camp, but he’s made the strongest case so far to be Vanderbilt’s No. 4 receiver behind Junior Sherrill, Ja’Cory Thomas and Cole Adams. That spot isn’t locked in yet, but Brown’s experience and steady work in practice have put him in a good position.
Both Vanderbilt quarterbacks seem comfortable going to Brown, especially in the short and intermediate game. He caught 10 passes for 137 yards in 2025, and through camp he’s been the most impressive non-Sherrill receiver on the field.
Sherrill, meanwhile, answered a rough opening day with a stronger Thursday. He delivered a few standout catches and carried himself with more authority overall. Vanderbilt has liked what it has seen, but there’s also a sense that it may need him to be even better than good.
The backfield has shown some interesting layers too. Young’s 9.0 yards per carry probably won’t hold up over the long haul in his second season at Vanderbilt, but he could become a useful outlet in the passing game for whichever quarterback wins the job against Austin Peay. Sedrick Alexander will cap Young’s rushing volume, though Beck has made it clear he’s open to expanding the two-back looks and using Young more as a receiver out of the backfield.
Freshman Evan Hampton has also caught attention with his quickness in space, and Lea liked Jamezell Lassiter’s intensity on Thursday. Among the deeper receivers, Kahden Smith has been the most impressive so far, even if he may still be fighting to get into the main rotation. Lebron Hill has also made more plays through two days than he did last camp.
The broader picture is encouraging, at least in pieces. Vanderbilt believes this offense could be explosive enough to give Beck more freedom than he had in 2024, with a blend of the 2024 and 2025 systems shaping what comes next. But the downfield passing game is still the big question, and the defense has been the better unit through the first two practices.
The talent to push the ball is there, especially with Curtis. The rest of it is still being built.
Vanderbilt is back on the field Friday morning.
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Joseph McVay has spent the offseason giving Vanderbilts staff a different kind of reason to talk about him. Wide receivers coach Alex Bailey says the sophomore has shown real growth away from the ball, with a stronger mindset and a more disciplined approach to the game as he works to become a steadier part of the Commodores offense.
For Vanderbilt, that kind of progress matters as much as any flash play in practice. McVay and the coaching staff have both stressed maturity, accountability and a willingness to learn from mistakes, the traits that can turn a promising receiver into one the offense can count on every week. The question now is how much of that offseason progress carries over once the games start for real. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilts Quarterback Battle Suddenly Has A Bigger Camp Question
Vanderbilts quarterback competition has been the obvious storyline through camp, but the receiver group is pushing its way into the conversation as well. Wide receivers coach Alex Bailey pointed to a mix of familiar and emerging names, including Kayleb Barnett, Junior Sherrill, Ja'Cory Thomas, Kahden Smith and Brycen Coleman, as the Commodores work through the early days of fall camp and try to sort out who can help stabilize the offense.
There is also some good news on the health front, with Tristen Brown saying he is fully recovered after leg injuries limited him last season. Vanderbilt has Saturday off before turning to its first scrimmage on August 15, and that session is shaping up as a key checkpoint for the offense as the staff moves closer to settling the most important spot on the field. [Read more 🡒]