Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea knows that Diego Pavia’s post-Heisman ceremony posts weren’t ones he should have made. Still, Lea wasn’t about to throw his star QB under the bus. He even expressed his support after Pavia apologized for that controversial move.

“I regretted the fact that he put that out there, and I appreciated his apology,” Lea said during Thursday’s presser. “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.

I’m certainly 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. 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.”

While the coach openly admitted that Pavia’s move wasn’t right, he also acknowledged the reality of the moment: emotions can blur judgment. That’s why mistakes happen, but actions have consequences.

This one felt louder only because of today’s nonstop social media access. So now, for him, it wasn’t about piling on or prolonging the backlash. While it was clear through the apology that the lesson had been learned, the focus is on quieting the noise around Pavia.

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As a leader, Lea showed just how protective he is of his QB. While Pavia’s Instagram story, with the caption “F– all the voters but family for life,” along with a video showing him raising a middle finger next to a club sign that read “F– Indiana,” was clearly unacceptable, Lea chose guidance over punishment due to his apology.

Still, Pavia had to face the fallout of his actions, and that made him realize his mistake. This realization led to his apology.

“To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful,” said Pavia. “I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the way I wanted to. It was a mistake, and I am sorry.”

Pavia’s heartbreaking moment came after a terrific season leading the Commodores to a sensational run. Pavia set multiple Vanderbilt school records this season (2025), including single-season passing yards, passing touchdowns, and total offense. All in all, he believes the Heisman should have come to him.

His coach understands his pain of not winning the Heisman, as he lifted him with encouraging words.

“What he understands completely is there are ripple effects and consequences to those things,” said the Vanderbilt head coach. “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, and so we’re going to allow him to move on from it.”

While Diego Pavia’s passion for football was evident, reflected in his 3,192 yards this season, his rise to Heisman runner-up carried extra weight. As the first Heisman finalist in school history, the emotions were bound to run high.

Still, directing frustration at the school of the eventual winner, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, crossed the line and ran counter to the spirit of sportsmanship.

That context helps explain why Rece Davis later expressed regret over his vote for Pavia.

Rece Davis’ take on Diego Pavia’s controversial move

After a chaotic Heisman weekend, Rece Davis admitted regret over his vote for Diego Pavia. The Vandy QB finished runner-up in a loaded race but reacted poorly when the trophy went to Fernando Mendoza. That’s when what should’ve been a moment of pride turned into a headline spiral. Here, Davis was clear about where the line was crossed.

“He can say what he wants to the voters,” said Davis on the College GameDay Podcast. “That didn’t bother me.”

However, what bothered him the most was Diego Pavia’s reaction to the winner.

“It was the way the response then went towards Fernando Mendoza. That was way across the line.”

While Davis praised Mendoza’s character, calling him “class and dignity,” he said moments like this reveal how players handle losing, not winning.

“Winning is easy. It’s always easy to win. We dance around, we celebrate, we jump up and down, we smile a lot, right?” said Davis. “Losing, that’s when you find out what kind of person you are, how do you react when you lose.”

Surely, Pavia’s apology mattered, and Davis accepted it. But the feeling lingered.

“It made me regret my Heisman vote,” he said. “After Pavia’s behavior, I’m glad he didn’t win.”

It looks like a reminder that the Heisman isn’t just about jaw-dropping plays; it’s about representing the award when the lights are brightest, and the answer isn’t easy.