www.thestar.com - RSS Results of type article
· collected 2026-08-20 · by Teresa M. Walker The Associated Press
Vanderbilt's football coach Clark Lea is looking to build on the program's historic 10-win season in 2025, with expectations running high after finishing ranked 14th in the College Football Playoff rankings. To achieve this, Lea will have to replace Heisman Trophy runner-up Diego Pavia, who accounted for 4,401 total yards and 39 touchdowns last season, as well as three top pass catchers and four starting offensive linemen. The Commodores' biggest challenge is finding a new quarterback after Pavia's departure, but they do retain some key players from their strong offense, including running back Sedrick Alexander and wide receiver Junior Sherrill. Vanderbilt opens the season on September 5 hosting Austin Peay.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Vanderbilt Commodores are coming off a historic 10-3 season, which ended with them ranking 14th in the College Football Playoff rankings and 15th nationally. Coach Clark Lea is looking to build on this success, but faces a challenge: replacing Heisman Trophy runner-up Diego Pavia, who led the team as its offensive leader. Pavia threw for 3,539 yards, rushed for 862 yards, and accounted for 39 touchdowns in 2025. He was also the AP SEC's offensive player of the year. Lea will have to find someone to take over these responsibilities, but is confident that he can build on the team's progress with the help of his chief consultant and senior offensive assistant, Jerry Kill.
Written for “College Football Recruiting” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 1611 · logged 2026-08-21
Vanderbilt
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — 2025 record: 10-3
Expectations
The Vanderbilt Commodores are coming off the best season in program history, and winning 10 games has only made them hungry for more.
asserted
them → come → more
Coach Clark Lea helped his alma mater post the first 10-win season for a program that began play in 1890.
asserted
that → help → 1890
The Commodores wound up 14th in the final College Football Playoff rankings and finished ranked 15th nationally.
asserted
Commodores → wind → rankings
“Progress is not the destination,” Lea said.
asserted
Lea → say → ?
Our objective remains what it’s always been, to build the best football program in the country.”
asserted
it → remain → country
Such talk drew chuckles before Lea beat then-No. 1 Alabama in 2024 and followed that up with an amazing 10-3 season to earn a contract extension.
asserted
Lea → draw → extension
Now Lea has to prove he can win without Diego Pavia, the Heisman Trophy runner-up as Vanderbilt’s first ever finalist for that award.
asserted
he → have → award
Aside from Pavia’s leadership, Vanderbilt has to find someone to take over as the offensive leader.
asserted
Vanderbilt → have → leader
Pavia was the AP SEC offensive player of the year who threw for 3,539 yards and led Vandy with 862 yards rushing for 4,401 total yards and 39 touchdowns.
asserted
who → throw → yards
His 29 TD passes led the Southeastern Conference.
asserted
passes → lead → Conference
Vanderbilt opens the season Sept. 5 hosting Austin Peay.
asserted
Vanderbilt → open → Peay
Strengths at some of the key skill positions
Lea still has Jerry Kill as his chief consultant and senior offensive assistant to help him and work with offensive coordinator Tim Beck trying to retune an offense that scored an average of 38.5 points a game in 2025.
asserted
that → have → 2025
They have running back Sedrick Alexander and Makhilyn Young and wide receiver Junior Sherrill back.
asserted
They → have → Alexander
Cade McConnell has started 25 games the past two seasons on the offensive line.
asserted
McConnell → start → line
Defensive coordinator Steve Gregory is back for a unit that gave up 22.8 points a game last season.
asserted
that → give → points
Top tackler Bryan Longwell and cornerback Martel Hight, who had a career-high four interceptions in 2025, are both back.
asserted
who → have → 2025
Weaknesses include questions at the QB spot
Vanderbilt has to replace Pavia along with three top pass catchers and four starting offensive linemen.
asserted
Vanderbilt → include → catchers
Blaze Berlowitz backed Pavia up after following him from New Mexico State, but Vanderbilt stunningly flipped Jared Curtis from Georgia.
asserted
Vanderbilt → back → Georgia
Curtis, a Nashville native, was the No. 1 overall player in his class according to composite rankings of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports.
uncertain
Curtis → accord → 247Sports
New faces
Curtis easily is the biggest as the highest-rated recruit in the modern era at Vanderbilt.
asserted
Curtis → rat → Vanderbilt
WR Ja’Cory Thomas through the portal from Old Dominion, freshman WR Kahden Smith has some nice size.
asserted
Smith → have → size
WR Cole Adams is a graduate transfer from Alabama, while OL Micah DeBose transferred from Alabama after one season.
asserted
DeBose → transfer → season
WR Tre Richardson left for Louisville, and WR Richie Hoskins graduated.
asserted
Hoskins → leave → Louisville
LB Langston Patterson went to federal court trying to get a fifth season but failed to get an injunction.
asserted
Patterson → go → injunction
