After Diego Pavia declared his high expectations for Vanderbilt’s upcoming season (and future as a program) on an episode of Bussin’ with the Boys recorded June 16th, the subtle disrespect of low expectations typically applied to Vanderbilt football became not so subtle. All sorts of talking heads felt compelled to have an opinion on Pavia’s interview, whether their views were informed or not. Some of the feedback from the media around the country sounded like this:

“This is a lot of bark coming from someone who lost to Georgia State.” (Danny Kanell, Cover 3 Podcast).

“You’re not going to sneak up on anyone this year.” (Sean Baligian, Woodward Sports Network on Diego Pavia and Vanderbilt).

“If I’m Diego Pavia, I don’t know if it’s a good idea to talk shit to everyone on your schedule.” … “I would not want to poke the beehive.” (Ari Wasserman, On3).

The blowback was harsh. What Pavia’s critics don’t seem to grasp, however, is that these statements aren’t anything new. To those who have watched Diego Pavia over his college career, the Bussin’ with the Boys interview was Pavia in his regular element. At his core, Pavia is a Grade A trash talker, a perpetual underdog, a student of the game, and has an unwavering belief in himself, his teammates, and his dream to play in the NFL.

There were no shortcuts or handouts for Pavia—everything Pavia has done in his career, he had to fight for and earn on his own. There’s no father figure pulling the strings behind the scenes or ESPN mouthpieces doing the bidding of Pavia’s camp. There was no fancy prep school network for Pavia. He had no Division One offers out of high school. His stardom is unique in that it is entirely self-made.

What makes Diego Pavia impressive is that he’s a star willing to roll up his sleeves and do the dirty work to win. No drill or practice activity is beneath him. Rather than become complacent, party all the time, play games with the media, and skip workouts and practices, Pavia appears as hungry as ever. His confidence has flooded the Vanderbilt locker room. It is strictly all about ball for the Commodores magnetic quarterback as the 2025 season approaches.

Some fans in black and gold cringed and got nervous after Pavia’s interview. Concerns about bulletin board material for opposing teams echoed on Twitter and message boards alike. For Vanderbilt fans concerned about the backlash from Pavia’s interview from the college football and other sports media, a quote from Otter in Animal House comes to mind:

“I got news for ya, pal. They’re gonna nail us no matter what we do! So we might as well have a good time!”

Even if Pavia said nothing at all, the college football world was not going to take Vanderbilt seriously. Quotes or no quotes from Pavia, the media was going to take their shots at the Commodores anyway. The Commodores are still “Little Old Vanderbilt” in the eyes of many. To them, last season was a one-off, built on catching an Alabama team asleep at the wheel.

In the minds of so many football pundits, if you aren’t a traditional blueblood team, you don’t matter for purposes of the College Football Playoff. Bluebloods bring order, and order brings comfort. When a team tries to challenge that narrative, the backlash is often ruthless, especially when the program, like Vanderbilt, has little to show for its success in the modern era. Any threat to that perceived order is expected to be crushed.

Last season, as Vandy came off a dumpster fire 2-10 season, there were no expectations. And then along came Diego Pavia and a dynamic transfer portal class who led the Commodores to a 7-6 season, with multiple upsets along the way, including the epic takedown of No. 1-ranked Alabama. Gone are the days of last season when Vandy was the lovable underdog. Now that the novelty is over, opposing fans, particularly those in the SEC, will be rooting against Vanderbilt all season. Expect opposing fan bases and coaches to be chippy and lose their minds if Vanderbilt can pull off some additional upsets and big wins this season.

So embrace it, Commodore fans. People are talking about Vanderbilt football in a way they never have before. Your team is now a villain, an upstart, and a pest in the eyes of many, with a star quarterback who people want to watch play on Saturdays. Enjoy it. Savor it. As we prepare for the 2025 season, put on Pavia’s interview and replay it. Brush your teeth to it. Have it on at the gym. Listen to it on the way to work. Crank up the volume in the car with it. Open a beer or pour a cocktail and put it on. Play it during a nice dinner. Replay it as you fall asleep.

To quote Billie Jean King, “Pressure is a privilege.” While there is now pressure to win, the Commodores have a gigantic privilege in Diego Pavia, who can take on that pressure and take the heat off his teammates. As bold as some of Pavia’s statements may have been, Pavia has something that Vanderbilt Athletics has never had in the modern era, a star with earned confidence who can lead AND back up his talk.

Besides his mobility and moxie, Pavia’s most valuable trait as a quarterback is his situational awareness and what lies between his ears. When Pavia is playing, he can move through his reads at lightning speed to see the field; he is fearless, and no moment is too big for him. There’s a reason Pavia received the highest awareness rating of every quarterback in NCAA Football 26 and received an 88 overall rating.

The 2025 season is new territory for the Commodores. For the first time since the James Franklin era, Vanderbilt Football is coming off a bowl victory and an offseason in which it reloaded through the transfer portal and brought in one of the program’s strongest recruiting classes in recent memory. And with that talent and experience comes an expectation to win and get the program to the next level.

Sure, Vanderbilt Football will not sneak up on anyone in 2025. But then again, it’s not trying to. Diego Pavia and Clark Lea aren’t trying to swipe scraps from the table. They want a seat at the table and to come back for seconds and thirds. And they are daring the competition to try and stop them.

Will they succeed? That remains to be seen. But the team’s attitude and aspirations have changed from the top down, and it’s a breath of fresh air. So Vanderbilt fans, I encourage you to sit back, embrace the hate, buckle up, and take a page from the Deltas of Faber College as we await what should be an epic toga party (football season).

Toga! Toga! Toga!

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