The Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback room will look completely different this season. This could be a good change, as Vandy has struggled heavily in recent seasons to find stability at the quarterback position. Diego Pavia, and his backup Blaze Berlowitz both arrive from New Mexico State, and these two will battle another transfer former Utah quarterback Nate Johnson for the starting job. The Commodores return Sedrick Alexander at running back and Quincy Skinner at wide receiver, so whoever takes the starting role will have some very capable options.
Vanderbilt Commodores Head Coach Clark Lea Doesn’t Want To Make A Decision Just Yet
Vanderbilt has three scholarship quarterbacks for spring ball. Utah transfer Nate Johnson has arm talent, athleticism, and the ability to escape the pocket and run the ball, but has been pretty inconsistent in the past. Drew Dickey is the lone holdover from last season, although he didn’t attempt a pass. New Mexico State transfer Blaze Berlowitz, also joins the team with the tools to possibly win the job.
Those aren’t the only quarterbacks who will be in play for the starting job. New Mexico State transfer Diego Pavia and freshman Jeremy St-Hilaire and Whit Muschamp will be joining the team later on in the fall. While Johnson is the likely favorite to win the starting job, coach Lea doesn’t want to make a decision just yet. For now, the spring scrimmage will be a further opportunity to evaluate Johnson, Dickey, and Berlowitz, and the spring game or games will look a lot different this year for Vanderbilt.
A Different Look At The Spring Games This Year And A Chance For These Guys To Prove Themselves
Instead of a true spring game this year, the Vanderbilt football team is holding a series of three scrimmages at local high schools. The scrimmages which are not open to the public, are a way for the Commodores to see where they are with a roster that has faced a significant shift. Vanderbilt lost all three quarterbacks who attempted a pass last year, as well as its top three receivers. After the first scrimmage coach Lea felt that Johnson was too careless with the football, which was a huge issue for Vandy in 2023, and finding a quarterback who can avoid giveaways is a top priority for Lea.
Vanderbilt spent the first portion of spring working on installing a new offensive system under offensive coordinator Tim Beck and offensive line coach Chris Klenakis. Now the focus is on sharpening the more detailed points of their offense. Nate Johnson is a dynamic quarterback who adds a dual-threat option and will most likely get a shot leading this offense before Pavia arrives. Pavia will shake things up and make things interesting once he joins, because of his experience in Beck’s system at New Mexico State.
Diego Pavia has the best combination of experience and production but lacks the size for an SEC quarterback. Blaze Berlowitz has intriguing arm strength and stands at 6-foot-3, 202 pounds, But the redshirt freshman is more of a developmental prospect than a starter for the 2024 season. The last thing to look at for the Vanderbilt football team is where the defense will stand going into 2024.
What Will The Vanderbilt Defense Look Like In The 2024 Season
Ncaa Football Tennessee Volunteers At Vanderbilt Commodores
Vanderbilt lost some key pieces on defense to graduation and the portal, specifically linebackers Ethan Barr, and Kane Patterson. Safety Jaylen Mahoney is gone as well, but the good thing about this defense there were a lot more additions over the off-season than subtractions. The Commodores and Commodore fans are particularly excited about pass-rusher Khorda Sydnor from Purdue.
Defensive line coach Jovan Haye drew a comparison to former Vandy star Dayo Odeyingbo. The bottom line is that for a team like the Commodores that only won two games last year, it remains to be seen this turnover on offense and defense is a good or bad thing. There’s no question the 2023 roster was undoubtedly not good enough, with some changes much needed. On the other hand, Vanderbilt also lost several of its most talented players, many of whom landed at other SEC schools.
