One of the surprise teams of the college football season may well be the Vanderbilt Commodores, who—after an outstanding regular season—are dreaming of reaching the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history. Clark Lea, the mastermind behind this success, knows they have plenty of reasons to dream big.
During his Monday press conference, the head coach of this breakout team discussed their realistic chances of making a deep run in the Playoffs and the reasons behind their rise to this decisive stage of the season.
“We’re here because we’ve got a really good football team here,” Clark Lea said. “This is not about narratives and stories. It’s about the facts and the data that support a really good football program. It’s my responsibility to make that case and make sure I’m fighting for a team I believe deeply in, and I believe, with every strand of my being, deserves a chance to compete for a national championship.”
It’s clear that the Commodores are this season’s new underdogs in the NCAAF, and any step forward from here would be a major statement. While they may be coming from behind, nothing—and no one—can take away their belief that they can reach the National Championship Game.
Lea praises his offense’s work
Much of the team’s sustained success throughout the season has come from the offense led by Diego Pavia. In fact, this is something Clark Lea emphasized in recent comments to the press.
“Again, I think this group deserves to be competing for a national championship. What a great stage for the most exciting offensive in all of college football,” Lea said. “And when you talk about our offense… we’re No. 1 offensive efficiency, we’re No. 1 in yards per play, we’re No. 2 in DSSR, down-series success rate, we’re No. 3 in points per possession, No. 3 in third-down efficiency, No. 3 in big play percentage, and No. 8 in scoring offense, which includes being No. 4 in points per play.
“We’ve got the best player in the country playing quarterback for us, Diego Pavia. He is the best in college football and should be a Heisman frontrunner. We believe he belongs in New York and belongs winning that award.”
Diego Pavia’s exceptional campaign
The Vanderbilt Commodores are enjoying an extraordinary, historic season, propelled by the exceptional play of quarterback Diego Pavia, who has cemented himself as a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate.
Pavia’s dual-threat mastery has been the engine of the Commodores’ record-breaking success, with his impressive statistics through the regular season including 3,192 passing yards and 27 touchdowns through the air, complemented by a substantial 826 rushing yards and 9 rushing touchdowns. His overall production and leadership have led Vanderbilt to its first-ever 10-win season.