Nashville, TENN--Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia preaches it.

The veteran quarterback doesn't believe Vanderbilt needs a roster overhaul or makeup change.

"We've got all we need in this locker room," Pavia said. "We preach that every day."

Pavia has heard the doubts, he's heard the criticism. The veteran quarterback still believes, though.

That belief extends to his head coach, who he feels he shares a mentality with.

"A lot of people doubt him too, whether he can do it or not," Pavia said of Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea "Me and him share a common ground of that chip on our shoulder every single week, we've got to go out and do it."

Vanderbilt did it on Saturday as it pulled an upset win over Virginia Tech as 13.5-point underdogs.

Lea's team fell behind and had to see what it was made of at that point. As a sellout crowd at FirstBank Stadium waited to see what was inside of Lea's group, Pavia already knew.

"We say in this program belief is a practice and that means your actions no matter the circumstances should reflect the deep belief you have that you're gonna come out with a positive outcome," Lea said. "[Pavia] embodies that in everything he does."

That was easily sensed by Vanderbilt receiver Quincy Skinner.

"We have everything we need to go on a run," Skinner said. "With Diego at the helm everything is possible. We have everything we need."

Lea knows that talk like that can easily go in one ear and out the other for a program that has its fair share of "demons" of the past.

As Lea sits in year four of his tenure, his team believes that its past doesn't have to define it anymore, though.

"Coach Lea gets emotional when he talks about team one, team two, team three and now us," Pavia said. "I want to do it for him, you can tell he’s been through a lot...We’re gonna be electric this year and I said that from the beginning so we’re here to put on a show and win football games"

With Pavia at the helm Vanderbilt says that confidently, not just to fill airtime in a press conference or for their personal brands.

This Vanderbilt team has an edge when they speak that no other team under Lea has. That's apparent in a talk with Pavia

It's also apparent in a conversation with veteran safety CJ Taylor, who's seemed to have his own motto as he switches positions.

“I’m just ready to answer all the questions everybody’s got," Taylor says repeatedly.

Taylor and Vanderbilt did that on Saturday. They don't want that to define them, though.

They want more.

"Our goal is to win every game this year," sophomore running back Sedrick Alexander said. "I'm just excited for this team."