NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For the second time in as many days Vanderbilt football has a pair of individuals who have earned SEC honors with the announcement Wednesday of the league’s individual awards. E. Bronson Ingram Chair in Football Clark Lea is the 2025 SEC Coach of the Year while Diego Pavia has been voted the SEC Offensive Player of the Year.
It’s the second year in a row that Lea has claimed the award, making him the first Commodore head coach to ever accomplish the feat. Pavia was also honored for the second consecutive season after he was named the inaugural SEC Newcomer of the Year in 2024.
On Tuesday, Pavia and Eli Stowers were both announced as first-team All-SEC selections.
Lea is a finalist for four national honors this year including the Walter Camp Football Bowl Subdivision, American Football Coaches Association, George Munger and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Awards. He was announced as the AFCA Region 2 Coach of the Year last month—the second straight season he has earned the recognition—and was placed on the Paul “Bear” Bryant and Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award watch lists in October.
This fall Lea has led the Dores to a 10-2 overall record and 6-2 SEC mark, setting program records for both total and conference victories. Vandy has claimed four matchups against top 25 opponents, equaling the number of nationally-ranked wins recorded by the program the previous 16 seasons combined, and as a result the Commodores have been included in the Associated Press’ poll a school-record 13 weeks in 2025.
A finalist for the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Player of the Year and Manning Awards, Pavia was selected the 2025 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award® winner last week. He was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week three times, and was chosen the Walter Camp and Associated Press National Player of the Week on two occasions during the course of the season.
Pavia leads the SEC in six individual statistical categories entering postseason play including total offense (33.4 yards per game), pass efficiency rating (171.5), touchdown passes (27), completion percentage (71.2%), yards per pass attempt (9.39) and points responsible for (218). The graduate student from Albuquerque, New Mexico, has set Vandy season records with 3,192 passing yards and 4,018 yards of total offense as well as for touchdown passes, while his 826 rushing yards are second-most among all Power 4 quarterbacks.
Lea, Pavia and the Commodores will conclude the 2025 campaign when they meet Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl, which will kick off on Dec. 31 at 11 a.m. CT and be broadcast on ESPN.
