Sitting outside the playoff bubble at No. 14, Clark Lea’s situation at Vanderbilt remains in a precarious position. But the real heartbreaker is this weekend’s showdown with Kentucky (November 22), being Diego Pavia’s last home game. Expect ribbons and fliers as Lea got emotional. 

On the November 21st episode of the SEC Network, ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum inquired about Lea and the Commodores fans’ emotions. Lea’s facing the hard truth. “But no, he [Pavia] needs to go play in the NFL,” said the head coach. “He’s a great quarterback, and we’re going to miss him like crazy.”

Unless Lea’s boys pull a home playoff miracle, this is likely the final curtain for the Heisman contender. Since 2024, he’s been hitting all the right notes, turning a 2-10 squad into a CFP contender. 41 passing touchdowns, 4733 yards, nine interceptions, and a program once down and out now buzzing thanks to this New Mexico State transfer.

Pavia’s already a legend. He flipped the script last year with Vandy’s first-ever top-five takedown, blasting No. 1 Alabama 40-35. This season? He has kept the magic alive, stacking wins over then-No. 11 South Carolina, No. 10 LSU, and No. 15 Missouri, turning the Commodores into a playoff dark-horse everyone’s watching.

Moreover, the Commodores must appreciate Lea for trusting the quarterback. The head coach saw the Auburn upset tape and knew Pavia wasn’t just any portal recruit; he was the guy.

“I saw this kid throw an interception early in the game, said Lea on ESPN’s College GameDay. We don’t like that, but he suplexes the linebacker on the sideline. Literally, he got flagged for it. I learned about Diego Pavia in that moment, and so we made some systems adjustments there.” 

The fact that Pavia did not let him down, Lea came with a request for the Vandy fans.

“These seniors deserve to have a stadium filled with Vanderbilt fans. It’s not totally eliminated that we could play a home playoff game, but this could be the last chance you get to see Diego Pavia at FirstBank Stadium,” the head coach said gleefully.

For a Pavia postseason cameo, the Commodores must storm the playoff bracket. Two more wins, land at 10-2, and hope the committee answers the door. While Lea hopes the crowd gets another Pavia game, Vandy fans wonder if he’ll even be around. Lea’s name keeps popping up as a Plan B for a program on the hunt.

$8.5 million termination puts Clark Lea in the spotlight

According to USA Today 2025, Lea is the SEC’s lowest-paid skipper. The Vanderbilt head coach earns approximately $3.7 million and ranks 57th among college football coaches nationwide. He is 16th out of 16 in the conference, and around 12 SEC coaches earn more than $6.5 million.

So, given the head coaching carousel, Lea’s name has been tossed into the mill.

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A program flashing double his Vandy paycheck is calling his name. Penn State fired James Franklin, who was earning an $8.5 million salary. Lea is sitting as their Plan B.

In an era of portal madness and razor-thin edges, Lea’s evolution-first mindset is the blueprint for surviving and thriving. His steadiness and belief make him the kind of coach built for Penn State’s pressure cooker and long-term title dreams. However, if the Nittany Lions are desperate about Lea, they’d better rev up their wooing game. 

Notably, the Commodores might work towards a contract extension soon. As the Commodores’ AD, Candice Storey Lee hinted, “It’s my objective to continue investing and supporting the great leader that we have in Clark Lea so that we can keep building something special here.”

Meanwhile, if Lane Kiffin heads to Baton Rouge, don’t be shocked if Ole Miss hops into the chase as well.