LEXINGTON, Ky. — Vanderbilt football’s loss to No. 12 Kentucky Saturday night may have felt like a similar situation as it did last week, but the Commodores did have one player make his mark on the game.
Going through his opening statement, Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea talked about what went wrong in his team’s loss, but he also talked positively about his five-star quarterback, Jared Curtis.
Lea first mentioned that he felt there was a lot to like about Curtis’ performance, especially to start the game. Making his fifth start, Curtis looked like he was making week-by-week progress and was getting more comfortable at the college level in recent weeks. Lea echoed that sentiment postgame Saturday, talking about the progress Curtis has made.
“I really liked where Jared was, early in the game, too. I thought the game looked slowed down. You could see progress,” Lea said.
Curtis finished the game completing 27 of his 36 passes for 247 yards, two passing touchdowns, one interception and one fumble. His mistakes did hurt Vanderbilt as Kentucky scored 10 points off his turnovers, but the full Jared Curtis experience was on full display.
Throughout the game, Curtis showed a sign of progress by using the middle of the field more often than he has in a game before. In every game he has played in, the vast majority of Curtis’ throws have felt like they were outside the hashmarks, down the sideline throws. He had his occasional throws over the middle going into this game, but it was not a hallmark of his game.
Saturday, it was. Curtis was able to get tight ends Cole Spence and Jayvontay Conner heavily involved early in the game and completed passes over the middle to other receivers as well, notably Junior Sherril and Ja’Cory Thomas.
Curtis found Thomas for a touchdown down the sideline and in the endzone on a critical fourth down play that kept Vanderbilt within a score in the late stages of the third quarter. It was a beautifully-placed pass to a receiver he has continued to build a strong connection with.
Lea has also noticed that connection flourishes more as each week goes by. Thomas got off to a slow start this fall, but has made himself out to be a reliable target for Curtis over the past few weeks.
Between the over-the-middle passes and everything else, Lea noticed something perhaps more encouraging than some of the throws Curtis made. Lea saw the offense forming around Curtis’ abilities. A Vanderbilt offense that does not force Curtis to change his play style to what the playbook said, but rather an offense that caters to Curtis as its foundation. The missing element that could have helped Curtis more, though, was the run game. The Commodores finished the game with 15 rushing yards as a team. Lea knows that is going to need to change if this offense is going to fit around what Curtis brings.
“I do think that I saw a system that was organized around his skills,” Lea said. “I do also think that we need to run the ball. Part of that organizing around his talents isn’t to abandon the run game now. I mean, we have to stay committed because that’s going to take pressure off of him in times where the game’s moving a little fast for him.
Curtis had the range of plays Saturday night from the turnovers to the touchdowns. On the interception and fumble he had, it felt like those times Lea referenced where there was maybe too much pressure on Curtis.
It looked as though on the interception and the fumble, Curtis felt like he needed to be a hero and make plays that were just too difficult to make. Lea would seem to agree with that statement, noting that he thought Curtis was pressing at times.
Overall, though, Lea said he thought it was the cleanest game he has seen Curtis play despite the turnovers. With Vanderbilt going into its bye week, Lea sees the week off as more opportunity to help his quarterback grow and to build the offense more around what Curtis can do on the field.
“I think we got a young quarterback who showed flashes of what he can be. I’m really excited about that. With every game, he gains experience. You see that talent surface,” Lea said. “I’m encouraged by the progress.”
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