Clark Lea knows where much of the attention will be when Vanderbilt comes into Sanford Stadium to play Georgia.

Jared Curtis is the Commodores’ quarterback, and every defensive game plan starts with stopping the player at that position.

But when Vanderbilt and the No. 2-ranked Bulldogs kick off at 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, there are some who will have personal feelings attached after Curtis turned his back on his commitment to be Georgia’s quarterback of the future the day before the 2026 signing day.

Lea, who has beaten out Kirby Smart for SEC Coach of the Year each of the past two years the Bulldogs have won the SEC Championship Game, understands the circumstance.

“Anytime you’re talking about relationships in addition to just what is a normal SEC Saturday, I mean, emotions run high in general,” Lea said at his Tuesday press conference. “I don’t know that Jared’s focus is anywhere other than just on his own progress.

Curtis is 63-of-98 passing (64.3%) for 746 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions, and he’s second among Vanderbilt’s rusher with 41 carries for 133 yards, even though yardage from his seven sacks has been subtracted from his rushing total.

Lea said the Commodores understand how Georgia will come after Curtis, comparing it to the Auburn defense they just faced on the road in a 21-15 loss on Saturday.

“What Jared has shown is if you can separate the (pass) rush he’s going to find an escape lane, and he can run the ball, and he can make the tough runs in the moment when we need the tough runs,” Lea said. “All of that will be set in motion by our performance up front … they strengthened as the game went on Saturday (at Auburn).

“Georgia poses a similar challenge in terms of the way they collapse the pocket and the way they get after the quarterback and the way they pressure, so my hope is we take the experience and growth we had in the Auburn game and apply it in Athens.”

Lea said Vanderbilt will come in with a commitment to establishing a run game early and executing on offense, defense and special teams.

“The word this week is engagement; how are we engaged in every meeting, every rep, every walk-through, every part of this process to build toward Saturday, because Saturday is going to be about snap-by-snap engagement,” Lea said. “We understand this is a team in Georgia that’s been very successful, they’ve got an identify, and when you play on the road against a team with identity you better bring your identity.”

Vanderbilt’s identity is very much Curtis and what he brings to the field, and Lea made no attention to dodge that in saying that Curtis “is the one the spotlight is on” in Saturday’s game.

“I would say first of all, Jared is a special person, and independent of his choice, the decision to come to Vanderbilt is a representation of the fact that he thinks for himself and he knows what he wants, and I’ve been so Impressed, not just with him as a player, but honestly more so with him as a person,” Lea said.

“This guy’s got a great heart, he’s compassionate, he wants to use his platform for good, he’s a great teammate, he’s a hard worker, he’s a passionate competitor,” he said. “So anyone with those descriptors opting in Vanderbilt makes me excited because shows the signals we are sending out in the world are attracting those kind of people and those kind of players.”