The Vanderbilt football program spent most of the last decade at the bottom of the SEC, but that changed when head coach Clark Lea took a chance on transfer quarterback Diego Pavia from New Mexico State.
Since arriving in Nashville, Pavia has brought new energy to the Commodores, and Lea recently spoke about his quarterback both as a player and as a person off the field.
Clark Lea Opens Up About His Connection With Diego Pavia On and Off the Field
Lea took over as Vanderbilt’s head coach in 2021, and after three straight losing seasons, he led the Commodores to their first winning season since 2013 in 2024. This year, Vanderbilt looks like one of the top teams in the country. The Commodores are off to a 5-0 start and ranked No. 16 in the latest AP Poll.
While Lea undoubtedly played a significant role in the program’s turnaround, he likely couldn’t have done it without Pavia. Since taking over as Vanderbilt’s starting quarterback, Pavia has elevated the offense to new heights and helped turn the Commodores into a highly competitive SEC team.
In an interview with CBS Sports, Lea praised his quarterback’s play, explaining that Pavia is one of the few players in the country capable of taking over an entire game.
“Diego Pavia deserves all the attention and credit he gets,” Lea said. “I mean, he is a difference maker. There’s only a handful of guys that can take a game over, and we’re fortunate enough to have one of those taking the snaps for us.”
Lea isn’t wrong about Pavia’s impact. The veteran quarterback has helped lead Vanderbilt to the fourth-ranked offense in the country according to PFSN’s CFB OFFi metric, and he currently ranks as the eighth-best quarterback in college football by PFSN’s CFB QBi metric.
It’s not just Pavia’s talent that makes him special. Lea also highlighted his mentality, explaining that the former JUCO standout has carried a chip on his shoulder from his days at New Mexico Military Institute all the way to playing in the SEC. According to Lea, that mindset fits perfectly with the “misfit” identity that defines the Commodores program.
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“He also is a chip on the shoulder guy,” Lea said. “He’s a guy that’s had to prove it his entire life, and that’s the kind of program we are. We say we’re a team of misfits here, and he fits in perfectly to that.”
While Lea admires the player Pavia is on the field, the head coach also praised his character off it. He explained that Pavia takes the time to build relationships with everyone in the Vanderbilt program, from reserve players to Lea’s own children.
“He takes the time to see and spend time with every person connected with our program, including my children,” Lea said. “My children feel like they have an older brother, and you know, as a coach, that means more to me than anything. Really good person, excellent player, really happy to have him with us.”
It’s clear that Lea thinks very highly of Pavia, and their connection has been a significant factor in Vanderbilt’s rise as a program. While the Commodores sit at 5-0, they’ll face their first major test of the season this weekend when they travel to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 10 Alabama.
Vanderbilt’s matchup with the Crimson Tide is set for Saturday, October 4. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET, with coverage airing on ABC.
