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By Matt Audilet
Contributing Sports Writer
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Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia was the first runner-up in 2025 Heisman Trophy voting, finishing second behind Indiana Hoosiers signal caller Fernando Mendoza.
Following the Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York, Pavia made waves on social media with some controversial behavior. The star quarterback posted a photo with the caption "[expletive] all the voters" and was spotted partying in a club next to a sign that read "[expletive] Indiana."
The next day, Pavia issued a lengthy statement apologizing for his actions.
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Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea was asked about his quarterback's behavior during a press conference on Thursday.
“I regretted the fact that he put that out there, and I appreciated his apology,” Lea said, via On3 Sports. “This is such an example of the way – I mean, this kid has had an unbelievable career. It’s an amazing story. He got up into the point where he was reaching a childhood dream and he fell just short. And there’s so much goodness in that. In a moment of emotion, he posted something that – we are in charge and responsible for our perception in the world. That’s just the reality. That’s something we talk about in his program."
“But the idea that he’s been battling against doubters and feels like he’s constantly having to prove himself, that’s not new to him," Lea continued. "But what is always true to Diego is the people in his corner, those that he’s closest with, they have his heart. That’s our program. So in a moment where I think he was trying to communicate that, 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.”
Lea admitted that Pavia crossed a line with his behavior, but also lauded the quarterback's passion.
“Certainly, I’m glad that I didn’t have social media access when I was 23 because I’m sure I would have had to apologize for a number of things in my emotional state, too,” Lea added. “I think we need to give him a lot of grace, I think we need to allow this to be a growth moment for him and what he understands completely is, there are ripple effects and consequences to those things.
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“But what we love about Diego is his passion, his belief, his competitive edge. We’ve celebrated that for two years here, and it went past a line coming out of that Heisman ceremony. And he apologized for it. So we’re going to allow him to move on from it and I’m going to move on from it. Again, I think it’s a great learning moment, and we totally support him and believe in him.”
Lea, Pavia and the Commodores will face off against the Iowa Hawkeyes in a ReliaQuest Bowl matchup on New Year's Eve.
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