Clark Lea reacts to Diego Pavia hitting Heisman pose: 'He's the best player in college football'

Following a touchdown run against LSU on Saturday afternoon, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia struck the Heisman pose. And why not, at this point?

The Vanderbilt quarterback has been every bit the part of a quarterback who has made a wild difference for his team. He’s single-handedly willed the team to wins at times.

His coach, Clark Lea, was asked about the Heisman pose after the game. He had no problems whatsoever.

“I didn’t see the pose, but yeah, I mean I think he’s the best player in college football,” Lea said. “That’s what I think. You can’t watch him play and not realize what a game-changer he is.”

In the game against LSU, Pavia threw for 160 yards and a score and ran for 86 yards and two more touchdowns. That was enough to help power Vanderbilt to a 31-24 win.

It moved Vanderbilt to 6-1 on the season, suddenly a team that college football analysts will begin recognizing as a legitimate College Football Playoff contender. That’s how good he’s been. Heisman level.

“There are a lot of good players,” Lea said. “There’s only a handful, to me, that can take a game over, and he’s one of those. So he deserves all the attention, all the credit. He’s a confident guy, but he’s humble in his process. His greatest trait is his curiosity.”

Pavia has elevated the profile of the Vanderbilt program quite considerably. No longer are the Commodores viewed as a bottom-dweller in the SEC.

Now they’re a team nobody wants to face. Lea heaped praise on his Heisman contender.

“I mean he’s a dog,” Lea said. “That’s what he is, and the shows up every time. I love him and I’m glad he’s with us. Yeah, I mean I hope for everything for him, including Heisman.”