NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Diego Pavia had only one real destination in mind after a federal judge granted him a sixth season of college football.
Vanderbilt. It's where coach Clark Lea brought Pavia to the Southeastern Conference in 2024 and where the quarterback led the Commodores to the biggest win in program history.
“I want to finish something that I started,” Pavia said.
Pavia already helped Lea post his first winning season as a head coach at his alma mater. He also led the Commodores to their first win in 61
games against an AP Top Five opponent. Better yet? Vanderbilt never trailed against then-No. 1 Alabama last October.
With Pavia, Vanderbilt capped the season with a bowl win and its first winning record since 2013 at 7-6.
“He’s the ultimate competitor, and that’s what everybody loves about him,” wide receiver Richie Hoskins said of Pavia. “There’s nobody you’d rather put down than Diego because all he wants to do and all he cares about is winning, and you can put a lot of trust in a guy like that.”
Aside from beating Alabama, Pavia also has a big win after he sued the NCAA last November over a rule limiting the time players who start their careers in junior college have to compete at the Division I level. Pavia's attorneys argued he could earn more than $1 million in NIL compensation with another season.
Pavia won his injunction last December, then helped Vanderbilt beat Georgia Tech in the Birmingham Bowl. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear arguments Sept. 16 in the NCAA’s appeal. Others trying to follow his judicial path to another season have had mixed success.
Generously listed by Vanderbilt as 6-foot, Pavia didn't get an FBS offer coming out of Volcano Vista High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He went to New Mexico Military Institute in 2020 and led the junior college to the 2021 national championship.
He went to New Mexico State in 2022 and led that team to a 10-win season in 2023. The Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year followed his head coach, Jerry Kill, and offensive coordinator Tim Beck to Vanderbilt.
Pavia won the starting job and finished sixth in the SEC with 20 touchdown passes. He set a school record for a quarterback rushing with 801 yards, leading all Power 4 quarterbacks in that category. He was intercepted only four times in an offense that had the nation’s fewest turnovers with just seven in 2024.
Running back Sedrick Alexander expects even more from Pavia after a season in the SEC.
“He's very adapted to the SEC, and I think that he's bringing his team along and the offense running with Coach Beck is going to be very explosive this year,” Alexander said.
Pavia won Lea over by how he listens closely when coaches speak along with having a knack for connecting with teammates. Vanderbilt now has a chance to benefit with Pavia securely the starter going into Saturday night's season opener against Charleston Southern.
“I think he's really comfortable here in the right ways, so yes I'm hoping that will also show up for us in the way we play,” Lea said. “At the end, this is a long season. ... Knowing what to expect from the quarterback? I think that can help a bunch.”
The rest of the SEC has seen Pavia too, and tough road trips await at No. 13 South Carolina, No. 8 Alabama, No. 1 Texas and No. 24 Tennessee.
Beck has been with Pavia long enough to know the quarterback's strengths and doesn't want to discourage his instincts when it's time to bolt from the pocket or try to find someone downfield.
“He knows this is a tremendous opportunity for him, so just continuing to operate our offense at a high level is something he’s gotten better at and continues to work on,” Beck said.
When Pavia dealt with an injured hamstring last season, Vanderbilt lost four of its final six after a 5-2 start. That's why Pavia is working out, drinking water when home with a specific pH level to help muscles recover better, dry needling and even a hyperbaric chamber. All to be as healthy as possible for Vandy.
“We want to be pure fireworks,” Pavia said.
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