As Vanderbilt football quarterback Diego Pavia faces a lawsuit with the NCAA, the team’s primary concern is his health as they prepare for their upcoming game against No. 22 LSU on November 23. Pavia has been struggling with injuries in recent weeks, and Commodores head coach Clark Lea provided a vague update on the senior quarterback’s status.
During last Saturday’s loss to South Carolina, Pavia sustained a lower-body injury in the second half of a game where the team overall performed poorly, leading to a 28-7 defeat. After the injury, he was taken to the medical tent and later to the locker room, where he did not return to the game. Lea mentioned to the media that Pavia’s status is expected to be “somewhere between questionable and probable,” according to 247 Sports.
“Nothing from the South Carolina game indicated that he wouldn’t be available to play,” Lea said during the SEC coaches’ teleconference. “I’d expect we’ll classify him as somewhere between questionable and probable. He isn’t practicing this week, but many players are in the same boat. It’s more about resting and recovering, and he is undergoing training with the other individuals not on the practice field.”
“He says he feels good,” Lea added. “He believes he needs this week off, but we plan on him being back for practice on Sunday and having a normal week.”
Pavia has had a standout season for Vanderbilt, achieving significant victories against major programs, including Auburn and even top-ranked Alabama on October 5.
Vanderbilt football’s Clark Lea on where the offense needs to improve
They put up a strong challenge against the University of Texas, ranked No. 5 at the time, narrowly losing 27-24 on October 26. However, their most recent game was disappointing for the Commodores, with Lea noting the struggles in their performance up front, highlighting their ongoing frustration in that area.
“We haven’t been effective at the line of scrimmage on offense,” Lea said. “There are a few areas we need to address. We’ll look to design plays that take advantage of our offensive line matchups, but we also need to enhance our connection to technique—the fundamental skills that are causing some problems.”
“Our offensive line has been focused during practice this week,” Lea added. “They’re putting in the effort and working together to make the necessary improvements to get those plays going. Right now, our main emphasis is on the front line. We have confidence in these guys; they’ve experienced success this season. However, we’ve faced some challenging defensive lines and haven’t performed well enough to win. We need to make those adjustments.”
Pavia has amassed 1,843 passing yards, with 15 touchdowns and three interceptions, while also rushing for 628 yards and five scores. Amid his ongoing lawsuit with the NCAA, he hopes to play against LSU to help the Commodores get back on track. They currently have a record of 6-4 and 3-3 in conference play.
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