Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia completed second in Heisman Trophy voting to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
That, in fact, is kind of an accomplishment.
However Pavia apparently felt in any other case. After the outcomes had been introduced Saturday in New York, the 23-year-old senior posted a photograph of himself together with his offensive linemen on his Instagram Tales and gave it a profane caption.
“F-ALL THE VOTERS,” Pavia wrote, adopted by a thumbs-down emoji, “BUT ….. FAMILY FOR LIFE”
On Sunday evening, Pavia posted a prolonged apology on X.
“Being part of the Heisman ceremony final evening as a finalist was such an honor,” he wrote. “As a competitor, similar to in the whole lot I do I needed to win. To be so near my dream and are available up quick was painful. I didn’t deal with these feelings nicely in any respect and didn’t characterize myself the best way I needed to.
“I’ve a lot love and respect for the Heisman voters and the choice course of, and I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake, and I’m sorry.”
Heisman Trophy finalists, from left to proper, Notre Dame‘s Jeremiah Love, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin pose with the trophy earlier than the award ceremony Dec. 13 in New York.
(Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / Related Press)
Mendoza obtained 643 first-place votes and a pair of,362 total factors to Pavia’s 189 first-place votes and 1,435 factors. Notre Dame operating again Jeremiyah Love completed third in voting (46 first place, 719 factors), and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin was fourth (eight first place, 432 factors).
Indiana (13-0) is the highest group within the Faculty Soccer Playoff rankings and can play the Oklahoma-Alabama winner within the Rose Bowl. Mendoza has performed a big position within the Hoosiers’ success. He accomplished 71.5% of his passes for two,980 yards with a national-best 33 landing passes and 6 interceptions. As well as, Mendoza rushed for 240 yards and 6 touchdowns.
“Fernando Mendoza is an elite competitor and a deserving winner of the award,” Pavia wrote. “I’ve nothing however respect for his accomplishments in addition to the success that Jeremiyah and Julian had this season.”
Pavia additionally put up enormous numbers for Vanderbilt (10-2), which was No. 14 within the remaining CFP rating and can play Iowa within the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec. 31. He accomplished 71.2% of his passes for 3,192 yards with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions and rushed for 826 yards and 9 touchdowns.
A former walk-on at New Mexico Navy Institute, Pavia performed two years at New Mexico State earlier than transferring to Vanderbilt in 2024. Main as much as the Heisman ceremony, Pavia declared himself the most effective school soccer participant of all time. He not too long ago instructed Sports activities Illustrated, nevertheless, that his self-confidence shouldn’t be mistaken for conceitedness.
“As an underdog paying to stroll on to JUCO, you type of must be your personal cheerleader,” Pavia mentioned. “And it simply by no means left my head, to be like ‘Oh I arrived, I don’t want to try this anymore.’”
Pavia mirrored on his previous in his apology put up.
“I’ve been doubted my entire life. Each step of my journey I’ve needed to break down doorways and battle for myself, as a result of Ive realized that nothing can be handed to me,” he wrote. “My household has all the time been in my nook, and my teammates, coaches and workers have my six. I really like them — I’m grateful for them. — and I wouldn’t need something to distract from that. I stay up for competing in entrance of my household and with my group yet one more time within the ReliaQuest Bowl.”
