By Rowan Fisher-ShottonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberVanderbilt officially locked Clark Lea to a six-year extension on Friday, a decision that immediately sharpened focus on one of college football’s most-watched late-cycle recruiting battles: five-star Nashville product Jared Curtis, a 2026 quarterback pledge to Georgia.
Hired in 2021 as an alum, Lea has shepherded a rapid turnaround from repeated losing seasons to a 7–6 finish in 2024 and now a 9–2 record entering Week 14 of the college football season.
The Commodores are ranked No. 14 in the nation, on the verge of a College Football Playoff berth, and are led by Heisman-contending QB Diego Pavia, who has thrown for 2,924 yards, 26 touchdowns, and six interceptions, along with 661 rushing yards and eight rushing scores.
Across five seasons, Lea sits with a 25-35 overall record, but a run of signature wins, SEC Coach of the Year honors in 2024, and back-to-back winning seasons have justified a longer commitment and investment into the program.
That is what makes potentially flipping Curtis — the No. 1-ranked QB in the 2026 class per 247Sports — so intriguing.
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Curtis committed to Georgia on May 5, 2025, after an extended recruitment; he also took visits and received offers from Oregon, Florida State, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt, among others.
A powerful dual-threat QB from Nashville Christian School, Curtis produced over 9,500 passing yards and more than 2,100 rushing yards for a career total north of 11,700 yards over four seasons, including a state championship season in which he threw 40 TDs and ran for 18.
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Despite initially pledging to Kirby Smart's Bulldogs, over the past month, a chorus of recruiting analysts and local reporters has flagged Vanderbilt as an active suitor with a plausible path to “flip” Curtis before early signing.
Pieces from Sports Illustrated, 247Sports, and other outlets say Vandy’s staff have intensified contact and in-person visits, leaning on a hometown pitch, the promise of immediate playing time, and the institutional commitments in Lea’s extension.
Landing Curtis would be historic for Vanderbilt as it would likely make him the highest-rated prospect in program history and immediately address a post-Pavia quarterback need with a true freshman starter.
It would also be a major recruiting signal that the Commodores’ recent on-field success and increased resources can compete with traditional powers for elite in-state talent.
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