Diego Pavia’s post-Heisman controversy gets a new direction. While the move sparked backlash, led to an apology, and even prompted ESPN’s Rece Davis to admit regret over his Heisman vote, the moment has drawn an even louder response. This time, veteran ESPN college basketball voice Dick Vitale offered a strong reaction.

“I could not agree more with my @espn buddy ⁦@ReceDavis & his reaction to the CLASSLESS comments of ⁦ @VandyFootball QB Diego Pavia after losing the Heisman,” wrote Vitale on X on Thursday.

It clearly suggests that losing out on college football’s most prestigious award put Pavia in an emotional, high-pressure moment. That intensity likely led to the unacceptable comments aimed at the winning team and voters.

With 45 years of experience in sports, the 86-year-old’s words speak volumes.

“F-All THE VOTERS,” wrote Pavia with a thumbs-down emoji, “BUT…FAMILY FOR LIFE.”

Despite the frustration, making such comments as a premier athlete reflects poor judgment. More importantly, it casts a shadow over his reputation. However, the good part is that he realized his mistake.

“To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful. I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the way I wanted to,” wrote Pavia. “I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake, and I am sorry.”

Still, Davis wasn’t convinced and openly acknowledged his regret over voting for Pavia. That, in turn, may have prompted Vitale to step in and try to quiet the noise surrounding Diego Pavia. However, that didn’t change Davis’s view of the Vandy quarterback.

“I didn’t feel like he owed the voters an apology,” said Davis. “He can say whatever he wants to them. But the one thing that his behavior, even with the apology included and accepted, did for me was that it made me regret my Heisman vote.”

Pavia’s video, showing him raising a middle finger next to a club sign that read “F— Indiana,” was clearly unacceptable. That behavior, targeting Heisman winner Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, led Davis to regret his vote.

“I regretted the vote because after Pavia’s behavior in the aftermath, I was like ‘Man, I’m glad he didn’t win.’ That’s not the way you should feel about a player as great as Pavia is on the field.”

While the talent is undeniable, reflected in his 3,192 yards this season and multiple Vanderbilt school records, including single-season passing yards and passing TDs, Davis believes that losing reveals a person’s true character, and in that regard, Pavia fell short.

Still, his apology prompted the Vanderbilt head coach to step in for his quarterback, just like the ESPN veteran Vitale did.

Clark Lea’s take on Diego Pavia’s controversial move

Clark Lea knows Diego Pavia’s post-Heisman posts crossed a line, but he wasn’t criticizing his QB. After Pavia issued an apology, Lea stepped up with clear support.

“I regretted the fact that he put that out there, and I appreciated his apology,” said Lea. “He used words that sent the wrong message, that don’t align with our program and don’t align with who he is, and we make mistakes. I think we need to give him a lot of grace. This can be a growth moment for him.”

While emotions can blur judgment, Lea added, in today’s social media world, mistakes feel louder than ever. While the QB’s apology showed the lesson had been learned, Lea made it clear the focus now was on quieting the noise, not piling on.

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“What we love about Diego is his passion, his belief, his competitive edge,” stated Lea. “It went past a line coming out of that Heisman ceremony, and he apologized, and so we’re going to allow him to move on from it.”

Pavia’s season was one for the record books. The first Heisman finalist in Vanderbilt history, he led the Commodores on a sensational run. Despite that success, missing out on the trophy stung even more.

But Lea understands the pressure and the heartbreak. That’s why he prefers guidance and supports the QB.