Vanderbilt Coach Clark Lea Says Next Quarterback Doesn’t Need to Replicate Pavia’s Performance

Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea has not yet made his decision on who will start at quarterback to replace Heisman finalist Diego Pavia. During Day 2 of SEC Media Days, Lea emphasized that the new starter will not be expected to match Pavia’s individual performance.

“I don’t actually believe that that player needs to perform the way that Diego performed,” Lea told ESPN.

Pavia led Vanderbilt to a 10-3 record last year, marking the best season in school history. He broke program records with 3,192 passing yards and 27 passing touchdowns, while also rushing for 862 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Vanderbilt’s offseason attention has centered on Jared Curtis, who was flipped from Georgia as the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the country. Lea confirmed Curtis is part of a group of four quarterbacks competing for the starting role, along with Blaze Berlowitz, Whit Muschamp, and Jack Elliott.

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“We have to focus on ways to strengthen as a team to take pressure off that position,” Lea said. “I don’t know how it’s going to look. The story is yet to be written. I do know that I’m excited for it, and we’ll be excited to kind of see it unfold through training camp.”

Landing Curtis was viewed by Lea as a milestone for the program’s growth since he took over when Vanderbilt finished 2-10 in 2021. Lea reflected on his public statement at his first SEC Media Days as head coach when he said, “We know in time Vanderbilt football will be the best program in the country.”

“I think it’s a great statement for our program to be able to go and recruit the No. 1 player in the country,” Lea said. “I love the fact that he hails from Nashville. I think that has been the hardest ground for us to harvest because the echo chamber was so negative for so long. What makes me even more excited about that is there weren’t any promises made.”

Lea explained that Curtis’s recruitment was based purely on open competition, not guaranteed playing time. “This wasn’t about creating expectations for Jared to come in and step into a role. The promise was competition. What does that say about Jared? We talk about being a team of misfits. And I told him that his choice to come to Vanderbilt makes him a misfit, whether he likes it or not.”

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All of Vanderbilt’s quarterbacks went through live drills during the spring to simulate game conditions. Lea said Curtis has shown “all the makings of someone who’s going to have a really great career,” but stressed that patience will be important. “Now we’ve got to be patient enough with him to make sure that he’s not out there until he’s ready.”

Lea acknowledged that patience can be rare in the competitive environment of college football but said Vanderbilt is motivated to show the team is more than Diego Pavia.

Throughout Media Days, Lea reiterated his earlier goal for the Vanderbilt program: “We’re not finished,” he said. He added that he does not want to simply sustain success but to continue elevating the team.

Receiver Junior Sherrill echoed Lea’s remarks, noting that outside doubts persist. “We’re still doubted right now, even though like we had two good years,” Sherrill said. “But sometimes, you’ve got to pop out and show them.”

Lea closed his comments highlighting that the quarterback competition, growth of the program, and team unity will remain central storylines as training camp begins. He said Vanderbilt’s identity will continue to be defined through competition and collective development rather than comparisons to past players.

The Commodores’ preparation for fall camp will determine how that unfolds, with multiple players set to get their chance to prove themselves under Lea’s guidance.

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