‘All of us make mistakes’: NM State’s Diego Pavia breaks media silence after UNM incident

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KTSM) – On Tuesday, New Mexico State football star quarterback Diego Pavia spoke to KTSM for the first time since a video, published by KOB, showed Pavia allegedly urinating on the Lobos’ logo on the practice field at the University of New Mexico’s indoor football facility, surfaced late September.

Pavia has not been allowed to do any media interviews since footage of the incident was made public on Sept. 24. The last time Pavia spoke with KTSM was Sept. 20, a couple of days before NMSU’s game at Hawai’i.

Two months and four days after footage surfaced of the incident, Pavia spoke to KTSM about his actions and what the last few months have been like for him and the team on and off the field.

“I learned to grow as an individual. You know a lot of us make mistakes whether it’s on the field or off the field,” Pavia said on Tuesday. “You just keep the people you really, really know around you that you really love and that you want to be around and just be faithful to them and be faithful to God and he’ll always take care of you.”

Pavia also told KTSM the incident happened before the 2023 season and ended up being a ‘big distraction’ for the team early on once the story broke out. It was a moment Pavia said the team got closer together and is a big reason for the Aggies have had the success they’ve had this season.

“When the thing happened, it was a big distraction to the team, so I apologized to the team” Pavia said on Tuesday. “After that I feel like we got even closer as a group and ever since we’ve been on a roll and playing really good football.”

Pavia does have a valid point. Since the video surfaced, New Mexico State has been unbeaten, putting together an eight-game winning streak, with wins over rival UTEP, a bowl game berth win over Middle Tennessee, a Conference USA title game berth win over WKU, and a win over power five program Auburn.

Pavia’s play from an individual standpoint as been great as well in the stretch of those eight games. Pavia has thrown for 1,654 yards with a completion percentage of 60.0% (137-228), rushed for 538 yards, and has accounted for 18 total touchdowns (13 passing, 5 rushing). Again, all eight games have ended in wins for the Aggies.

“He’s been a good leader, he’s a good teammate, the kids love him, he plays all out, which hurts him sometimes, but he’ll do anything to win,” New Mexico State football head coach Jerry Kill said. “If he has to duck his head to win, he’s going to do it and he’s not going to run out of bounds. Sometimes that’s good and sometimes it’s bad on that body that he has because he’s not that big but he’s a three-time All-State wrestler. You look at him and you don’t think the guy’s a quarterback, but he’s had an outstanding year and has played very well. We wouldn’t be here without him.”

New Mexico State and Pavia are ready to put the off the field incident behind them and have their sights set on continuing their historic season. For the first time in program history, New Mexico State will play for a conference championship. NMSU will take on Liberty, one of the five undefeated teams left in the nation remaining, in the Conference USA Championship game on Friday at Williams Stadium In Lynchburg, Virginia.

KTSM 9 Sports Director Colin Deaver will be on the road for the Aggies’ CUSA title game against Liberty. He’ll have a live report on Thursday night and all day on gameday, Friday, pregame and postgame on KTSM.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.