Kirk Herbstreit, Joey Galloway react to Diego Pavia's handling of Heisman loss: 'Not a great look'

Diego Pavia apologized on Sunday after calling out the Heisman Trophy voters after finishing second to Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza. The Vanderbilt QB was recorded while partying with a NSFW sign at a club after Saturday night’s ceremony.

On Monday, Kirk Herbstreit and Joey Galloway reacted to how Pavia initially handled losing the Heisman race. Despite the apology, both pointed out how his actions could have impact on those around him.

“Not a great look for him,” Herbstreit said. “Not a great look for his school, not a great look for his head coach.”

The Commodores finished the regular season with a 10-2 record, and head coach Clark Lea has recently signed a long-term extension. Vanderbilt has quickly changed its reputation of being the bottom feeder in the SEC to being a team considered for the College Football Playoff while also flipping five-star recruits from other teams in the conference.

“I think that someone got a hold of him and said, ‘Hey, that is a terrible look,'” Galloway said. “… He’s representing his family in that situation. Really not a good look. Hopefully, the family came together and said, ‘Hey, man, let’s apologize. Let’s try to rectify that situation (because) that is really not a good look.'”

Pavia ultimately came in second place with 189 first-place votes compared to Mendoza’s 643. The social media posts made the rounds the following morning, and Pavia issued an apology by the end of the night.

“Being a part of the Heisman ceremony last night as a finalist was such an honor,” Pavia wrote, in part. “As a competitor, just like in everything I do I wanted to win. To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful. I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the way I wanted to. I have much love and respect for the Heisman voters and the selection process, and I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake, and I am sorry.”

Pavia went on to praise Mendoza as an “elite competitor” and a “deserving winner” of the award. He went on to announce his intention to play for Vanderbilt in their bowl game.

The Commodores will face off against Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Kickoff is set for Noon ET and will air live on ESPN.