Vanderbilt names its starting quarterback entering the 2026 season

As the 2026 season approaches, Vanderbilt faces the daunting task of filling the void left by a quarterback whose impact on the program was nothing short of legendary. The Commodores have officially moved on from the Diego Pavia era, leaving the coaching staff to settle a high-stakes competition to lead the offense.

The Battle for QB1

The race to replace Pavia was a primary focus throughout Vandy’s fall camp, narrowing down to a two-man duel between Jared Curtis and Blaze Berlowitz. A winner has now been decided, with Blaze Berlowitz earning the starting nod to open the season. Much like his predecessor, Berlowitz brings experience from both Vanderbilt and New Mexico State to the field, though he has seen limited game action thus far. During the previous season, he recorded 131 passing yards and a touchdown.

Depth and Expectations

While Berlowitz holds the starting job, the quarterback room remains deep. Curtis, a highly touted five-star recruit out of Nashville, is expected to see playing time during the season opener against Austin Peay on September 5.

Regardless of which signal-caller is under center, the 205focus.com team notes that the expectations are high. Replacing Pavia is a significant challenge; he set a massive bar by throwing for 3,539 yards and 29 touchdowns while finishing as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy last season.