Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia Fights for More Playing Time

Diego Pavia, the quarterback for Vanderbilt, is taking a stand against the NCAA. He's suing them because he wants an extra year or two of eligibility. Right now, Pavia is listed as a senior, but he's only 23 years old. He didn't start his college football career at a big university. Instead, he played two seasons at a junior college called New Mexico Military Institute and then two more at New Mexico State. That's where he was the starting quarterback for the Aggies. The NCAA usually counts those junior college seasons toward a player's eligibility. But Pavia thinks this is unfair. He says these rules make it hard for athletes to make money from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). He also thinks these rules break antitrust laws because they don't let players redshirt after playing four years. Pavia filed his lawsuit in the U. S. District Court of Middle Tennessee. He wants a temporary restraining order against the NCAA. He believes he should be able to play college football beyond the 2024 season. Pavia didn't get any offers from big universities after high school. That's why he chose the junior college route. He was the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 before transferring to Vanderbilt. In a big game against Alabama earlier this season, Pavia threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns. The Commodores won and are now bowl-eligible.