Diego Pavia recently shared a revealing story about Hugh Freeze that could frustrate Auburn Tigers fans. During the January 2024 transfer portal period, Freeze chose not to pursue Pavia, opting instead to stick with Payton Thorne as Auburn’s starting quarterback while evaluating other backup options.
According to Pavia, the decision went further than a simple pass. After leading New Mexico State Aggies to a decisive 31–10 upset over Auburn in 2023, he personally encouraged Freeze to recruit him. However, Freeze reportedly dismissed the idea and even laughed off the suggestion.
Pavia explained that he played in that game despite a hamstring injury, believing a strong performance against Auburn could boost his chances of landing a bigger opportunity. Instead, Auburn stayed the course with Thorne, a decision that ultimately led to inconsistency at the position and back-to-back 5–7 seasons.
Pavia later transferred to Vanderbilt Commodores, where he continued to find success including another win over Auburn. His performances have since reinforced the idea that he could have been a significant upgrade at quarterback for the Tigers had Freeze made a different choice.
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