Everything Vanderbilt Head Coach Clark Lea Said After No. 14 Vanderbilt’s Win Over No. 19 Tennessee

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt made its final case to the committee in dominating fashion.

Vanderbilt came away with a 45-24 win over its in-state rival No. 19 Tennessee on Saturday. It was a dominating second half where the halftime adjustments Vanderbilt made worked perfectly. The win gave Vanderbilt 10 wins in a season for the first time ever. Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea spoke to the media postgame.

Here is everything Lea said after a historic night.

Opening Statement

“This is one for the record books. First 10 win season in program history. It's really special to win a game here in Knoxville on the road. Tough environment. It's really tough. The Tennessee team makes it more meaningful and just it's a credit to our players and our coaching staff, just all the work they poured into this, all the belief that the game was not straightforward. I mean, it had all the noise and all the chaos you would want, the way we settled in and finished the first half, the way we dominated the second half. That's a mature team, that's a physically capable team, and there's so much credit to go around. Robert Steiner, our string staff, obviously, I thought our defense played a really gutsy second half. And you know, Diego Pavia, again, another school record for him. There's a lot to like about that performance. And ultimately, 314 rushing yards. Our offensive line did a great job. Sedrick Alexander, with his first 100 yard game in his career and three touchdowns. That was a team win, and it's one that it's worth celebrating, and hopefully everyone that needs to be paying attention is paying attention. Because I felt like the way this team played to close out the season was worth taking note of and deserves an opportunity to compete for a national championship.”

Clark Lea on his emotions following the win

“They're obviously celebrating, and I'm so happy. Obviously, this was a big week for me personally just getting the extension to the finish line and knowing that we're going to keep and continue on this build, it was so meaningful. And shout out to Candice for her hard work and getting that done again. I say this as many times as I can't. I've got the best AD in the country. She's tough. She's resilient. Every time we needed her to step up, she stepped up. I mean, two years ago, in this exact space, the conversation was about we can't go on as we are, and all she did was link arms with us, not judge us, but look to help us and support us. And that's when we started to really plot our course to today. And what's cool to me is, with the extension now we can, we can take that line and plot it even further, but a meaningful week for me, meaningful week for this program and for the players to come out and play the way they did today. I mean, again, this game is their day. It's their moment. They were really impressive. And what are the emotions? I mean, some of it will sink in, some of it will take some time, but it's special, and I'm really, again, proud and happy.”

On Sedrick Alexander’s performance

“He plays the game the right way. The game honors toughness. He does anything that's asked of him. He's always been one of the most physical blockers we have, and so it's no surprise he's a really talented running back. I mean, he's had some big runs for us this year, and we've changed personality a little bit here lately. So spreading the field out and putting the ball in Diego's hands, it's kept us away from the run game some. But, yeah, I'm really proud of him. Not surprised. He's a really good player. And there's more out there for him. So great, great day for him and and again, become a great team member for us too.”

On how fulfilling it is to get a win in the rivalry

“It's big. I mean, we still have work to do on that. I mean, I think this is why we need to set our sights on continuing to improve our team. Our program starts with me and makes sure that we can be competitive at the highest level in the SEC and that's going to allow you to play in significant games late in November. But, yeah, this is obviously a big one for us, and one that we can kind of mark off is the first time for me as head coach winning in this game. And again, all the credit goes to our approach.”

On if he ever has taken a moment to pause and soak in the season

“I want to say proud, but not satisfied, is how we capture it. I mean, I'm very proud of what this group has done together, I think. And I told the team we need to pause. We need to take a moment to appreciate it, because these moments become memories and we lose them. And

we'll learn more about what this moment means in hindsight once we get past it and reflect back again. The maniac in me is going to be like, how do we leverage it? How do we pull it forward? How do we grow it? That’s the non stop pursuit of more, which is unhealthy. But in moments this season, in our home stadium, it has struck me that we have changed the pulse and the heartbeat of Vanderbilt football tonight. Celebrating with our fans at the end of that game and seeing how many were there in support of us getting back in with this team, and thinking about the way they won that game in the second half. I'm very proud of that. And yes, I take moments to recognize how far we've come. But this is worth soaking in, because this will be the only time. This is the breakthrough moment, and it happens once, and everything after just becomes you hope to do it again or replicate it, or move it a little bit further forward. But this group of players and this coaching staff has now done something that's been done in our program."

On smoking cigars in celebration

“I thought that was Joe (Rexrode). I thought Joe had cigars. I’m sorry Joe, you don’t deserve that. (laughs)”

On having the program’s first 10-win season, the celebration

“I think it speaks to the confidence of our team. I had no idea about (the cigars), but it means a lot. The 10 wins means a lot. You know, we've said from the beginning we want to compete for a national championship. So this is about getting to the playoffs and having a chance to do that. And I think, I mean not I think, I don't know what else that we need to do. I mean, you can look at the two road losses this year and see a team that was still coming into its own. We can judge that team for those performances, or we can recognize how we've grown from them. And I think that's the point. You know, we're playing our best football here late in the season and you asked about what 10 wins means, it means a lot, and how much to be celebrated? We celebrated a lot. And I know this group's anxious to get home and get back and get some rest, and we'll have some time here to kind of decompress as we figure out what's next. But definitely a special night and a night that's worth celebrating.”

On finishing in the second half, why his team should be in the playoffs

“Well, winning the margins, and in our conference, you have to play smart, smart teams win. And so we want to capture all those situations where we can gain advantage. And we did that tonight. And that was about execution. It wasn't anything that Tennessee didn't do. It was just that we happened to have possession. We were able to, we got it right up to the line there, and scored that touchdown before the half. And then a testament to our guys in the second half coming out, making a statement. So that's that's important, that second half performance, that's been a signature of this group. And it's not been every game, but there's been a few times this year where I felt like we've gone out the second half and put the clamps down, and we did that tonight. That was a lot of fun. The way we were running the ball there in the third and fourth quarter was special.

“But I mean, this is a 10-win SEC team that has played in a lot of tough environments on the road. We've got what, in my mind, is a Heisman front-runner playing quarterback. But this is a story about more than one person. It's way bigger than one person. It's about a team that plays together and plays with great heart. It's a great story in college football. I mean, this is a story that's gained a lot of attention and, I think again, to do anything other than allow these guys to compete for it all would be just an injustice to the work they've done. So that's out of my hands. I mean, all I can do is fight for what I believe in. And we play in the hardest league in the country, and we've come out of it with 10 wins, capping it off with a tough road win against a really good Tennessee team. And I have a ton of respect for Josh (Heupel) and the program he's built. In so many ways, his program build has forced us to hit the accelerator in pursuit of Tennessee. But tonight was our night, and again, I hope that the people that need to be paying attention are paying attention.

On his message to QB Diego Pavia in the locker room

“Our messages are just about the love and appreciation we have for each other. We always talk about how our paths cross for a reason. There are no mistakes. And the way he's transformed our locker room, the way he's transformed the play on the field, and the relationship he and I built around him growing in that role and not losing his personality. Not losing the things that make him so special, because that's not what the world needs. They don't need Diego in a box. So it's been a meaningful run for us, and we don't want it to end. We're going to keep swinging until they tell us to stop. And those moments are about those connections.”

On what the next week is like sitting and waiting for the selection show

“There's a process to shift to. We'll turn to just some roster retention conversations, and we'll aim towards what's going to happen in the portal and where we need to strengthen. And we'll look to train our team and keep them fresh. And we'll probably get out and practice maybe once or twice. And then it’ll all come into clarity there, and we'll know exactly what awaits us. And by the way, that little thing I did was not my case. Give me some time and to clear the cigar smoke off me. But certainly that there's a case to be made there. And you know, we're going to be talking to whoever we need to talk to to try to get that pushed and understood.”

On what distinguishes QB Diego Pavia on the field

“His ability to create, his ability to run when we need to run. Pass we need to pass. Patience in the pocket. I just - even tonight. I forget this specific play. I remember he spun out of the pressure at one point, and it's like, how? And then he found, I think, MK, maybe a little sidearm throw to MK, it's just like that creative ability, the game moves so slow for him. I just don't think many people can do that. I mean, he's got that unique ability to take a game over. And not only that, but as the best player in the country also strengthens the performance of everyone on this football team. And some of that is not statistical. But I'm not sure where he's going to net out statistically with all the guys that will be up for the award, but I can't imagine there's many more that will have as impressive a resume as he has, and he's done it in the hardest conference in the country. And, you know, again, I just don't, I don't know what else to say, and I don't know what else to be done. But it is my belief he's the best football player in the country.”

On the defense limiting Tennessee

“Though we played well in the secondary. Obviously, we gave up the shot touchdown, and that was more to me, we need to be organized. That was a tempo play. I didn't think our eyes were in the right spot, and so that was unfortunate, but we rallied and tackled well. There were a couple of runs that got leaky on us in the first half. I think we made really good adjustments schematically in the second half to make those runs harder. And we have a disruptive team, you know? I mean, they were in the backfield. We got negative yardage plays, and we got them by the chains, and we were able to build the stops. It was a really well-designed and called game. I think Steve kept pressure on them, kept pressure both in presentation, but also in post-snap actually blitzing. And I thought both of those things were effective, and there was some real courage in some of those fourth down calls where he zeroed up and went after the quarterback. And to be able to do that, to have a belief in the players to do that, I thought was awesome.

“So I'm proud of those guys. You know, I think we've grown a lot, honestly, since the Texas and Auburn game defensively. I think the last few weeks have been really good for us, kind of getting aligned on what an organized defense looks like and how we need to play, and Steve's gotten really comfortable calling it, and built chemistry with our players, and so we just need to take that forward in the postseason. But I thought it was a great night for them on defense. I mean, it wasn't perfect, okay, but against a really explosive offense, we stepped up and made the place we needed to make when we needed to.”