Diego Pavia wins hearts for wholesome intro with legendary Nick Saban on live TV ahead of LSU vs Vanderbilt showdown

Quarterback Diego Pavia shared a wholesome moment with former Alabama coach Nick Saban ahead of Vanderbilt’s matchup with LSU on Saturday. Saban, now a part of ESPN’s College GameDay crew, fired a quick pre-game question at Pavia during the warmup ahead of the game.

The legendary coach asked the quarterback how he and the Commodores team had been coping with the “rat poison” of media hype amidst recent success. Pavia responded:

“First off, what’s up, Mr. Legendary Nick Saban? I didn’t get to see you last week or two weeks ago, and I wanted to say hi. But I didn’t get the chance to meet you. But I would say the rat poison is just what you think about it.”

Pavia then went on to explain that the team blocks out outside influences, focusing on their games one at a time. The Commodores are 5-1 this season, with their lone defeat so far coming two weeks ago against Saban’s former team.

Prior to that game, the seven-time national championship-winning coach heaped a ton of praise on the Vanderbilt team and Diego Pavia. During an appearance on the Pat McAfee show, Saban said:

“I don’t think there’s any question about it: this is a lot better Vanderbilt team this year than what they had last year. Last year, to me, it was the Diego Pavia show… He dominates the game now differently because he makes every player on his team better, and he’s a much better passer.”

Saban went on:

“This is a real team, to me. This guy is a tremendous playmaker. He’s like a point guard out there. This is gonna be a real challenging game. I think the big thing is that you talk about people’s perceptions. You perceive Vanderbilt as an academic school that’s always struggled in the SEC, especially in football. That’s not the case anymore.”

Diego Pavia’s importance and the tests ahead of Vanderbilt

Diego Pavia has been very important for the Commodores this season, throwing for 1,409 yards and 14 touchdowns with four interceptions. He has likewise run for 352 yards and two touchdowns.

The game against the Tigers is a real test, however. Vanderbilt’s failure to get a win against Alabama has raised a question mark on its ability to seriously compete against top teams, especially in the SEC.

With matchups against Missouri and Texas next on their plate, the Commodores have a lot to prove in the coming weeks.

Edited by Kayode Akinwumi