As Diego Pavia concludes his career at Vanderbilt, the program faces the challenge of finding his successor. Though replacing a program legend is never easy, maintaining a culture of winning requires it. The Commodores just completed their first 10-win season in 122 years. The key question now is who will step in for Pavia?
Vanderbilt Forecasted to Land Notre Dame QB Kenny Minchey
Pavia will play his final snaps as a college quarterback in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Iowa on the year’s last day, closing an iconic chapter in Commodores history. During his two years, he appeared in 25 games, throwing for 5,485 yards and 47 touchdowns. With his departure, coach Clark Lea must identify the next leader for the offense. Minchey entered to transfer portal.
The end of the season marks the end of Kenny Minchey’s Notre Dame career. ☘️🏈 https://t.co/TIgucH87qd
— WSBT 22 (@WSBT) December 9, 2025
PFSN analyst Joe Broback suggests that Notre Dame’s redshirt sophomore, Kenny Minchey, is a potential successor, framing the transition as a pivotal moment for the team.
“Diego Pavia could return to Vanderbilt next year, but that seems unlikely. The Commodores are expected to need a new quarterback after Pavia’s Heisman run and may use the portal to fill the spot.
Clark Lea’s staff landed five-star quarterback Jared Curtis this year, so that could be the route they choose. However, Minchey gives them a quarterback with experience that could help Curtis get more acclimated before taking over the offense.”
Minchey came to South Bend from Hendersonville, Tennessee, as a four-star recruit, according to 247Sports. In 10 games with the Fighting Irish, the six-foot-two, 208-pound pocket passer completed 79.3% of his passes. Mostly in mop-up duty, he threw no touchdowns or interceptions, adding 212 yards, and will retain two years of eligibility.
Athletically, Minchey doesn’t have Pavia’s quickness, but he slides well in the pocket and has a stronger arm. The playcalling will not be the same because of athletic dissimilarities. Yet, Vanderbilt with Pavia is predicated on running the ball to set up the pass.
Broback mentioned Curtis, an elite but untested incoming player from Nashville. Curtis committed to Georgia before switching to play for his hometown team. Would he wait a year while Minchey starts? Convincing a five-star recruit to sit would be difficult.
Whoever replaces Pavia will inherit significant expectations. PFSN’s Offense Impact metric, which measures efficiency and production, ranks Vanderbilt first this season and 17th last season. This highlights how Pavia led a top 20 offense for two years. The incoming starter, whether that’s Minchey or someone else, will need to meet the standard set. Minchey’s experience could help ease this transition for the Commodores.
