Vanderbilt Learned Just How Valuable Eli Stowers was Wednesday

When Diego Pavia was driven into the turf for the fourth time with 46 seconds remaining in the first half, the scene felt unfamiliar for Vanderbilt fans. Through 12 games this season, sacks had rarely defined the Commodores’ offense.

In the first half on Saturday, they did.

Pavia, usually an escape artist capable of turning broken plays into explosive gains, rarely found room to maneuver against Iowa. And while some of that can be attributed to inconsistent offensive line play or perhaps center Jordan White’s first-half injury, sacks are about more than just protection up front.

Part of the reason Pavia was sacked just 18 times entering the ReliaQuest Bowl — despite his tendency to run around the pocket — is because he typically had a safety valve to get the ball to when his internal clock ran out. Someone he trusted to get open quickly and come down with the ball, even in tight coverage.

That guy is Eli Stowers, and, on Saturday, his absence was felt.

Stowers, a potential Day 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft, won the 2025 John Mackey Award — given to the nation’s most outstanding tight end — after hauling in 62 passes for 769 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2025. The consensus first-team All-American native was on the sidelines against Iowa after he elected to opt out of the bowl game to begin preparations for the 2025 NFL draft.

"Eli’s success is our success," Clark Lea said. "We want to make sure that he's best positioned to have a great draft day."

Stowers is an excellent blocker and frequently lined up inline this season, chipping edge rushers before sneaking out for a route. Still, backup tight end Cole Spence is a strong blocker in his own right, and Stowers was most noticeably missed in the short-pass game.

Pavia and Stowers share a connection few quarterback-tight end duos do. The pair transferred over from New Mexico State in 2024 alongside offensive coordinator and play caller Tim Beck. And while Tre Richardson and Junior Sherrill both had big games Saturday, their impact largely came as downfield, big-play threats rather than consistent options in the short passing game. Stowers provides both, but within Beck’s scheme, he’s perhaps most valuable to Pavia as a reliable target underneath

Consider two of Vanderbilt’s most signature pass-plays during the Pavia-Beck era. The first is the shovel pass — a play best remembered for its success in Vanderbilt's stunning upset against then-No. 1 Alabama in 2024. The fake option action pulls the defense laterally before Stowers cuts across the formation and bursts through the middle.

Big catch and run from Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers (No. 9) vs Alabama.

Role is primarily designed "easy" touches after switching from QB to TE (as well as changing schools 2x). As a fan of a team throwing to Stone Smartt, I'm curious what Stowers could do with more years at TE. pic.twitter.com/pQrskNMxDU
— Tyler Schoon (@tylerjschoon) January 4, 2025

https://x.com/tylerjschoon/status/1875370872976110045?s=20

The other staple is the speed out, where Pavia rolls out and fires a quick strike to a receiver breaking toward the sideline — usually Stowers. Beck dialed up a variation of that concept on fourth down in the third quarter against Iowa, but Pavia’s throw to Sedrick Alexander sailed off the mark and fell incomplete.

Without Stowers, Vanderbilt’s intermediate pass game was in disarray — especially in the first half. There were very few designed short concepts, putting pressure on the offensive line as Pavia dropped back close to ten yards and waited for his receivers to break open deep down the field. This offense worked in the second half when Pavia was hitting on his throws and the offensive line held up. It didn’t in the first, when it could’ve used a reliable outlet like Stowers.

This isn’t to say Stowers’ absence — or even the offense as a whole — was Vanderbilt’s fatal flaw on Saturday. The Commodores ultimately lost the game on the defensive side of the ball, surrendering 34 points and failing to get a critical stop against an Iowa team that entered the game as just the 57th best scoring offense in the country.

Still, the Commodores scored just three points before halftime, digging them into a hole that demanded near perfection in the second half. In those early moments where drives stalled and rhythm was off, Vanderbilt especially missed its most reliable release valve. Not because Stowers was unavailable by fault, but because his skill set is uniquely difficult to replace.

Stowers’ decision to opt-out was probably the right one, and one fully supported by the program. But in a game decided by the margins, his absence was felt, leaving fans to question what the result might have been if Stowers was out there.