During the 2026 NFL Combine, former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia left his mark with his notable passes. Even among the shortest quarterbacks, his talent showed how Clark Lea will be missing out on his talent. However, the head coach refuses to live in the past and shared how Vanderbilt will continue to succeed even without Pavia. 

“This team is excited about the narratives that exist that say you’ve lost a lot of production and you’re not returning Diego [Pavia] or Eli [Stowers]. This program is bigger than one person, bigger than two people,” Lea said. “That’s going to be a special kind of drive for us as we form to say this is about Vanderbilt football and about us sustaining success.”

Well, the ones circulating this narrative cannot be blamed. After all, Pavia did contribute highly to Vanderbilt football. Finishing his two-year Vanderbilt stint on 444-for-676 passing for 5,832 yards with 49 touchdowns, he led Vanderbilt to a 10-3 record in the 2025 season. However, it has been a two-way effort. Since Lea’s quarterback did not meet the ideal 6-foot standard, standing at 5 feet 10, he faced significant disadvantages. On top of that, Lea’s Commodores struggled with a faulty offensive line. Pavia got sacked 18 times in 2024. 

So, last spring, they landed a four-star transfer from Liberty, Jordan White. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 300 pounds, he ranked as one of the top interior linemen in the nation. Even though Pavia got sacked 23 times last season, the overall stats instantly improved for Lea’s quarterback. 

From 2024 to 2025, Pavia’s completion rate rose to 70.6% from 59.4%. At the same time, he racked up 1,246 extra yards and nine more touchdowns in 2025. So, we know where Lea’s confidence comes from about chasing greatness without Pavia in the driver’s seat. 

The same goes for Eli Stowers, who declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. Listed as a quarterback at New Mexico State, he transferred to Lea’s program in 2024 and played as a tight end for the rest of the two seasons. But finding success in a new position would not have been possible without the right guidance from Lea and his staff. He led the team with 62 receptions for 769 yards and four touchdowns in 2025. But before tasting success, it was his faith in the coaches that paid off. 

“I could tell they had a really good culture over there. That’s what appealed to me. I wanted to be a part of that and help rebuild,” Stowers said.

Now that Lea claims that Vanderbilt is “bigger” than any one or two players, this is what fires his confidence. The head coach is confident enough that the Commodores have the right coaching minds and the resources to build the program from scratch. Now that Jared Curtis steps into Vanderbilt, known for Pavia’s excellence, Lea sets his expectations clearly. 

Clark Lea keeps things sharp for Jared Curtis

Curtis had almost made up his mind to go to Athens. But just before the Early Signing Day, the quarterback decided to join Lea’s Vanderbilt. Hailing from Nashville, he was mesmerized by what Lea had put up with the Commodores, and he changed his choice. 

But with it comes great responsibility, as the freshman will be donning Pavia’s No. 2 jersey. Turns out, the head coach is giving the quarterback enough breathing room but at the same time is setting the bar high.

“I think a young player that needs room and time to develop,” said Lea. “I’ve been impressed with his toughness and felt like he had a good offseason. Inevitably, he’s got a long way to go. So we need to give him the room to grow and to make mistakes and to be a part of that quarterback competition.”

A tough competition awaits Curtis at Vanderbilt. There is Blaze Berlowitz, who is entering year three, having a significant level of experience. While he needs some improvement, Berlowitz’s USP lies in his arm talent. Then there is Whit Muschamp, who has already impressed Lea with his flashes of excellence this spring. Even though he is seen as best-suited for a third-string job, he will definitely try to improve. 

Even though sophomore quarterback Jack Elliott struggled to impress his team last season, he has already picked up a comparison to Pavia. In this process, Lea gave him a nickname, a “bulldog.” With so many quarterback talents to take care of, can Curtis gift Vanderbilt fame without Diego Pavia?