“I came back because I want to win a national championship.” Undoubtedly, Diego Pavia is gearing up for something special this season. Pavia’s 2024 campaign was a hit, defeating the powerhouse Alabama and making his mark. With that, there is optimism peeking through in Nashville. Though his eligibility concern popped out, a court injunction resolved that wrinkle as well. Now, Clark Lea is looking forward to an explosive season, with Pavia in tow. In a conversation with Jim Rone, Lea sent across a clear message about his QB1.

“I couldn’t imagine having another person be the quarterback right now.” Lea exuded confidence in his star QB1. “He is everything that this program needs. I had such a great relationship with him, and have enjoyed, you know, just the chance to spend another year with him. I was so excited that he won his case,” he added.

Diego Pavia’s eligibility case grabbed headlines last season and lit hope for other players scrambling to get their eligibility intact. After graduating high school, he went to JUCO and played two seasons at New Mexico Military Institute. He then spent another season at Mexico State before hitting the gravel at Nashville. As we know, the 2024 campaign shot Pavia into the spotlight. But to start the 2025 season, he had exhausted his four-year eligibility. So, he contested his JUCO-year eligibility in court and received a preliminary injunction in his favor.

“And I think it’s good for obviously, good for our program, good for national, it’s good for college football, too. This guy is the real deal. And so much of what you see publicly or externally is that confidence and swagger that we love, but what makes Diego special is his curiosity and how process-driven he is, and he’s just a remarkable person,” Lea said.

Last season, the Commodores’ QB1 chipped in 2,133 passing yards and 17 touchdowns, along with 716 yards on the ground and six scores. But that wasn’t the highlight. His standout moment came when he beat Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama. He threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns, leading to a 40-35 victory.

Lea continued. “So obviously thrilled to have him. I just again. I think you know, when we look back on this moment for this program, 15 years from now, I mean, you know you’re not going to be able to tell this story without Diego Pavia and so much that has to do with the chip on his shoulder and how he perfectly represents the kind of attitude that we have here at Vanderbilt and also the belief we have and what’s possible.”

Given Pavia’s skillset, he had received a $4 million offer from an SEC program, but he rejected it, wanting to build his legacy at Nashville. Though he kept the program under wraps. It’s not the million-dollar deal that stood out in here; it’s his loyalty to the Vanderbilt that kept him glued to the First Bank Stadium, even though Lea couldn’t offer him close to that amount.

“‘They (Vanderbilts) were telling me. ‘We could pay you that, but we are not going to get these guys to go throw the ball around.’ And it just made sense to me, man, I value winning over anything else,” he had said on the Bussin’ With Boys podcast. As reported by On3’s Pete Nakos, Pavia is scheduled to receive north of $2 million this season. Clark Lea brought in additional pieces for his O-line and wide receivers corps. Chance Fitzgerald (Virginia Tech), Trent Hudson (Mississippi State), and Tre Richardson (Washburn), to name a few. Even with Pavia’s dominance, one pressing concern might cost Clark Lea dearly.

Vanderbilt might buckle if Diego Pavia gets sidelined

“I think we’ve got the tools (offensively and defensively) to put our foot forward and win the national championship.” Diego Pavia is oozing confidence. Clark Lea has found a solid offense in his 5’11”, 205-pound QB1. But there’s one catch: behind Pavia, the depth chart stretches thin. If the QB1 moves to the sidelines, the offense might buckle.

“I don’t know that we’ve settled yet there,” he admitted on a Vandy247 appearance. “I felt like you had flashes of plays from Drew, flashes of plays from Blaze, and the name of the game right now is how do we build that second spot so that we do have that confidence.” If Pavia gets sidelined, Blaze Berlowitz might start; although not a dual threat, he showed his merit at the Conference USA title game. He threw for 134 yards, a touchdown, and a pick, along with 36 yards on the ground.

As for other potential talent on the roster, the player development never screeched to a halt. Vanderbilt will begin their season against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers.