Diego Pavia standing tall leading No. 12 Vanderbilt to historic season

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia has emerged as a strong contender for the Heisman Trophy, leading his team to a 9-2 record and potentially their first 10-win season with a victory over No. 18 Tennessee. Pavia, who is listed at 6 feet but reportedly measures under 5-10, has impressed with his performance, leading the SEC in total offense and ranking third nationally with an average of 325.9 yards per game. His achievements include leading Vanderbilt to a victory over then-No. 1 Alabama and setting a single-game passing record with 484 yards against Kentucky.

Pavia's journey to this point involved a transfer to Vanderbilt facilitated by his former New Mexico State coach Jerry Kill and offensive coordinator Tim Beck. Despite being a walk-on at New Mexico Military Institute, Pavia has become a standout player, completing 71.7% of his passes and leading the SEC with 26 touchdown passes.

Vanderbilt Coach Clark Lea has praised Pavia for