This week, Netflix released its documentary series “Any Given Saturday, ” following SEC programs throughout the 2024 college football season. The series gave fans a closer look at the conference and included some previously unseen moments.
One notable scene showed Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea overhearing the Auburn Tigers’ coaching staff making disrespectful comments about the Commodores before their game. Now, Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia is responding to those remarks.
Diego Pavia Addresses Auburn’s Disrespect After Leaked Coaching Chat
The 2024 college football season was a breakthrough year for Vanderbilt. Long considered the laughing-stock of the SEC, the Commodores hadn’t finished a season above .500 since 2013.
That changed in Lea’s fourth year, as Vanderbilt finished 7-6 and stunned the college football world with a win over Alabama, the Commodores’ first victory against the Tide since 1984.
However, in “Any Given Saturday”, Lea revealed that while the Alabama win was incredible, the game against Auburn meant the most to him.
The Vanderbilt locker room after beating Auburn and qualifying for a bowl game.
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— Netflix (@netflix) August 6, 2025
He explained that during the pregame of their matchup with Auburn, he overheard the Tigers’ coaching staff making disrespectful comments about the Commodores. They said they needed a way to motivate their players because the game against Vanderbilt wasn’t considered a significant challenge.
Lea responded strongly to those comments in his pregame speech to the team.
“That is, first of all, [expletive] disrespectful,” Lea said to his team. “He said, ‘They are still Vanderbilt. We are still Auburn.’ Think about that [expletive]. This is absolutely about earning some [expletive] respect around here.”
The Commodores went on to defeat the Tigers 17-7, proving they deserved more respect from the Auburn staff.
Lea wasn’t the only one to respond. ESPN’s Paul Finebaum recently asked Pavia about the comments. The quarterback emphasized that despite Vanderbilt’s past struggles, they still deserve respect as an SEC opponent.
“I mean, anytime you go into an SEC game versus an SEC opponent, it should be a big game no matter, you know,” Pavia said. “Like I said, the title’s Any Given Saturday, and if you don’t bring your A-game, you know, it’s going to be a long day for you.”
Heading into the 2025 season, Pavia returns as Vanderbilt’s starting quarterback, and the Commodores are expected to earn more respect from their opponents. This year, they are projected to be just as competitive. According to DraftKings, Vanderbilt’s win total over/under is set at 5.5, a significant jump from the 2.5 line they opened with in 2024.
So while teams like Auburn may have overlooked the Commodores last season, this year, opponents would be wise to approach Vanderbilt with the same level of preparation and respect they give to any other SEC program.
