NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After leading a vastly improved Vanderbilt offense during his first season in Nashville, Commodore offensive coordinator Tim Beck has been named a semifinalist for the Broyles Award.
Given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach by the Broyles Foundation, Beck will now wait for finalists to be announced on Dec. 9. The award is named for Missouri and Arkansas head coach and longtime Arkansas athletics director Frank Broyles.
Beck has engineered an impressive turnaround of the Commodore offense, helping Vanderbilt earn bowl eligibility for the first time since 2018. From last season, Vandy saw its FBS ranks improve from 76th to 32nd in offensive efficiency (ESPN FPI), 116th to 32nd in third down conversion percentage, 84th to second in fewest interceptions thrown and 110th to 10th in red zone scoring percentage.
Vanderbilt’s four interceptions thrown were the fewest ever by a Commodore team (records available to 1946) and the fewest among Power 4 teams this season. The previous low interception total by the Dores was five, a mark hit in 2012 and 2004. It is just the 13th time since 1946 Vanderbilt threw less than 10 interceptions in a season.
Along the way, Beck’s offense helped secure key victories over then-No.1 Alabama and on the road at Kentucky in consecutive weeks. In the 40-35 win over the Crimson Tide, Vandy held the ball for 42:08, went 12-of-18 on third downs and registered 26 first downs. Those were all the best mark of any Alabama opponent this season.
The following week in Lexington, Vanderbilt’s 20 points were the second-most scored against Kentucky over the first half of the season after the Wildcats had held Georgia to 13 points and Ole Miss to 17 points.
The Commodores did not trail in either game, marking the first time since at least 1960 that Vanderbilt played consecutive SEC games without trailing at any point. It was also the first time since at least 2002 that Vandy played consecutive SEC games without recording a three-and-out on offense.
Individually, Diego Pavia was sensational in both wins. He was 16-for-20 with 252 passing yards and two touchdowns against Alabama, the best completion percentage against the Tide since 2010. When he followed with a 15-of-18, two touchdown performance at Kentucky, Pavia became the first quarterback in SEC history to record an 80 percent completion rate with at least two touchdown passes and 50 rushing yards in consecutive wins.
On the season, Pavia set…