Nashville has no mystery who’ll be taking the first snap for Vanderbilt in 2025. It’s Diego Pavia through and through. The 24-year-old quarterback broadcast his confidence and intentions to the world during an appearance on The Paul Finebaum Show. And his national championship standard wasn’t a slip of the tongue. Let’s replay their August 7 conversation.

• Diego Pavia: “I think we’ve got the tools (offensively) and defensively to put our foot forward and win the national championship.”
• Paul Finebaum: “I’m not trying to act like I didn’t hear what you said. I did, but you’re deadly serious, right?”
• Diego Pavia: “Yeah, I wasn’t cracking a joke. That’s the standard.”

Confidence is one thing. Conviction is another. And Diego Pavia has both in SEC starter-sized doses. But there’s an unspoken reality lingering in the background. What happens if he goes down?

Vanderbilt hasn’t named a clear No. 2 QB since Nate Johnson transferred out this offseason. That leaves a thin depth chart behind Diego Pavia. HC Clark Lea didn’t hide his concern in his August 12 Vandy247 appearance. “I don’t know that we’ve settled yet there,” he admitted. “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.” The statement speaks for itself. If their QB1 gets sidelined, Vanderbilt’s offense would shift from a multi-dimensional attack to something far more limited. 

Clark Lea emphasized keeping Diego Pavia healthy. “Fortunately, we’re not playing tomorrow,” he said. “I don’t think we’re obviously where we want to be right now. And so we got to keep Diego healthy, but more importantly, we got to keep developing those guys.” The offense runs through his legs, his arm, and his pre-snap control. Lose that, and you lose the identity.

If he’s out, the first call off the bench could be Blaze Berlowitz. At 6’3, 200 pounds, he offers a different flavor than the dual-threat style of the 6’0 QB1. More of a pocket purist, he prefers to let routes develop rather than bail and create with his legs. “[Diego’s] a gritty player and I like to think of myself the same way,” he said. “He definitely runs around a little bit better. Obviously, I’m a little bit bigger framed, I like to sit in the pocket a little bit longer. But at the end of the day, I feel like we’re both b— players and we’re going to do all we can to win.” 

Blaze Berlowitz’s resume is thin but not blank. In 2023, with Diego Pavia injured at New Mexico State, he started the Conference USA title game, throwing for 134 yards, a touchdown, and a pick, plus 36 yards on the ground. He’s already fluent in offensive coordinator Tim Beck’s system, which might be his biggest asset if pressed into duty. Behind him, there’s Drew Dickey with one career appearance and no pass attempts. Redshirt freshmen Jeremy St-Hilaire and Whit Muschamp are still absorbing the playbook, while true freshman Jack Elliott hasn’t taken a collegiate snap. But the question is if they can maintain Diego Pavia’s standard if he faces an unexpected setback in 2025. 

Steve Spurrier drops his stance on Diego Pavia’s national championship standard

6x SEC champion coach Steve Spurrier has seen his share of QBs with bravado during his coaching days. And the 80-year-old is fine with Diego Pavia’s swagger to a point. But he gave a blunt verdict on Vanderbilt winning a natty. “Odds are, they probably will not,” he said. “But if they did, at least one of the guys on their team believed they had a chance to do it. I like his attitude… Set your goals high.” And last season gave him reason to think big. 

Vanderbilt’s 7-6 mark included a bowl win and the upset of the year. No one saw the 40–35 takedown of No. 1 Alabama coming. Diego Pavia’s line that day was 80% completion with a game-winning drive to end a 40-year top-five drought. He finished 2024 with 2,293 yards, 20 touchdowns, and just four interceptions, with an SEC-best turnover avoidance rate. Add 800 rushing yards and 10 scores, and you have the conference’s most complete returning QB.

This season, 13 starters return, including WR Junior Sherrill, giving Vandy offensive continuity few SEC programs can match. It could even give him a sweet revenge for all the times he was overlooked because of his size. The Commodores open August 30 vs. Charleston Southern, with a trip to Virginia Tech looming before the SEC grind. If Diego Pavia stays upright, Vanderbilt might just force Steve Spurrier to trade that skepticism for a slow clap.