NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After leading a vastly improved Vanderbilt offense during his first season in Nashville, Commodore offensive coordinator Tim Beck has been named a semifinalist for the Broyles Award.
Given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach by the Broyles Foundation, Beck will now wait for finalists to be announced on Dec. 9. The award is named for Missouri and Arkansas head coach and longtime Arkansas athletics director Frank Broyles.
Beck has engineered an impressive turnaround of the Commodore offense, helping Vanderbilt earn bowl eligibility for the first time since 2018. From last season, Vandy saw its FBS ranks improve from 76th to 32nd in offensive efficiency (ESPN FPI), 116th to 32nd in third down conversion percentage, 84th to second in fewest interceptions thrown and 110th to 10th in red zone scoring percentage.
Vanderbilt’s four interceptions thrown were the fewest ever by a Commodore team (records available to 1946) and the fewest among Power 4 teams this season. The previous low interception total by the Dores was five, a mark hit in 2012 and 2004. It is just the 13th time since 1946 Vanderbilt threw less than 10 interceptions in a season.
Along the way, Beck’s offense helped secure key victories over then-No.1 Alabama and on the road at Kentucky in consecutive weeks. In the 40-35 win over the Crimson Tide, Vandy held the ball for 42:08, went 12-of-18 on third downs and registered 26 first downs. Those were all the best mark of any Alabama opponent this season.
The following week in Lexington, Vanderbilt’s 20 points were the second-most scored against Kentucky over the first half of the season after the Wildcats had held Georgia to 13 points and Ole Miss to 17 points.
The Commodores did not trail in either game, marking the first time since at least 1960 that Vanderbilt played consecutive SEC games without trailing at any point. It was also the first time since at least 2002 that Vandy played consecutive SEC games without recording a three-and-out on offense.
Individually, Diego Pavia was sensational in both wins. He was 16-for-20 with 252 passing yards and two touchdowns against Alabama, the best completion percentage against the Tide since 2010. When he followed with a 15-of-18, two touchdown performance at Kentucky, Pavia became the first quarterback in SEC history to record an 80 percent completion rate with at least two touchdown passes and 50 rushing yards in consecutive wins.
On the season, Pavia set the Vanderbilt record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 716 yards on the ground. That topped the previous mark of 694 set by Chris Nickson in 2006. Pavia, Nickson and Mike Wright are the only Vanderbilt quarterbacks to run for over 500 yards in a season since 1995.
Tight end Eli Stowers was Pavia’s most reliable target on the season, leading the team with 583 receiving yards and four touchdown catches. Stowers’ 583 receiving yards are the second-most by a Vanderbilt tight end since 1996, trailing only Jared Pinkney’s 774 in 2018. He finished second among SEC, sixth among Power 4 and 10th among all FBS tight ends in receiving yards.
Stowers grabbed six catches for 113 yards in the win over Alabama, becoming just the sixth tight end to eclipse 100 receiving yards against the Tide since 1996.
Beck is in his first season at Vanderbilt following a successful career as both a head and assistant coach. He spent the past two seasons at New Mexico State as offensive coordinator for Jerry Kill’s team, helping the Aggies to a pair of bowl games and a 10-win season in 2023, the program’s first since 1960. Pavia was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year in Beck’s offense in 2023. Beck spent one season at TCU as an offensive analyst with Kill, who would end up serving as interim head coach at the conclusion of the season.
The majority of Beck’s career was spent at his alma mater, Pittsburg State. After his playing career, Beck started as a graduate assistant at Pitt State in 1988, was named defensive coordinator in 1992 and offensive coordinator in 1994. In 2010, he took the reins as head coach and led the Gorillas to the 2011 NCAA Division II national title, earning Don Hansen Coach of the Year honors.
The Ness City, Kansas, native and his wife, Gena, have four children – Derek, Sydney, Drew and Samantha.
Beck and the Commodores await their postseason destination, which will be announced on Sunday. Fans can sign-up for ticket information to Vanderbilt’s bowl game as it becomes available.
