Vanderbilt QB coach to get OC job at Arkansas State, per report
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Vanderbilt quarterback coach Garrett Altman helped groom Diego Pavia into one of the top quarterbacks in the country. Now, it appears that Altman is being rewarded for his supreme efforts.
According to a CBS Sports report on Friday afternoon, Altman is being hired away from Vanderbilt by Arkansas State, which will make Altman its new offensive coordinator.
Altman worked wonders at Vandy and specifically with Pavia, who nearly won the Heisman Trophy, finishing as the runner-up to Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza earlier this month. Pavia did capture the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award for his performance during the 2025 season, which Altman had a lot to do with.
Pavia threw for an astounding 3,192 yards this season, with 27 touchdown passes and just 8 interceptions. But Pavia was equally dangerous with his legs, rushing for 826 yards and 9 touchdowns, so Altman was able to get the absolute most out of his prized quarterback in Nashville this past fall and during the 2024 season.
And now it appears Altman will be running the entire Arkansas State offense in 2026 after coaching up Pavia during the past 2 seasons.
Altman’s value to Vandy wasn’t just on the sidelines with Pavia’s development. It was also felt in recruiting, with Altman helping the Commodores land 5-star quarterback stud Jared Curtis, the top recruit in program history, who flipped his commitment from Georgia to Vanderbilt earlier this month.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
