Vanderbilt Commodores Star Cements Program Legacy with Penultimate Campaign

The Vanderbilt Commodores star put his name in the school's record books with his performance on the field this year, and has one season left to top it.

Dec 27, 2024; Birmingham, AL, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) throws the ball against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the first half of the 2024 Birmingham Bowl at Protective Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

The Vanderbilt Commodores have not been a program that has been known for having superstars.

You have to go back two decades before finding any names that made an impact on Sundays, and even then the list is pretty bare.

The last Commodores quarterback to make a national name for himself played for the program from 2002 through 2005 but had much more success in the NFL, and went by the nickname "Smokin" Jay Cutler.

While the current quarterback may not make a name for himself at the professional level, Diego Pavia has certainly cemented his legacy at Vandy in his first year with the program.

How @diegopavia02’s captivating season stacks up in @VandyFootball history: ⬇️

⚓️ QB Rush Record (800 yards)
⚓️ 2nd Total Offense (3,093)
⚓️ 4th Rush TDs by QB (8)
⚓️ 5th Passing TDs (20)
⚓️ 8th Best Comp. % (59.4)

**Only season w. 20+ pass TD & less than 5 INTs. #AnchorDown 🏈

— Andrew Allegretta (@AAllegretta) January 2, 2025

Pavia, a run-first quarterback, set the school record for rushing yards in a single season by a quarterback with 800. The previous record was held by Chris Nickson with 694 yards, set in 2006.

While Cutler did turn into a much better thrower, he was a late bloomer with his senior year being his best by a wide margin.

In 2005, Cutler eclipsed 3,000 passing yards and 20 touchdowns for the first time, though it also came with nine interceptions.

Pavia fell well short of 3,000 yards through the air, finishing with 2,293, but did reach 20 touchdowns and only threw four interceptions in the process. He is the only quarterback in the history of the program to throw 20 or more touchdowns with fewer than five interceptions.

The senior also did something that no other Vandy quarterback accomplished in 40 years: beat the Alabama Crimson Tide.

In what is ranked as Pavia's best performance per Sports Reference's Rate stat, the quarterback threw for 252 yards on 16 of 20 passing with two touchdowns and no interceptions while adding 56 rushing yards on 20 attempts. The Commodores emerged victorious by a score of 40-35, giving the then-number-one-ranked Crimson Tide their first loss of the year.

With one year left of college eligibility for Pavia and more time under the Clark Lea learning tree, the best may be yet to come from the quarterback.

Barring something drastic, Pavia has already cemented his legacy as one of the best the school has ever seen at his position in just one year.