How Does Derek Mason Still Have a Job?
C'mon Vandy, its well past time.
Derek Mason is currently in his 7th season as the Commodores head coach, compiling a record of 27-50 including 2 bowl bids (both losses). The Dores had two mildly successful seasons in 2016 and 2018 where they ended both campaigns at 6-7 following bowl losses. Mason hasn't come near the success James Franklin had from 2011-2013, which culminated in two 9 win seasons and consecutive top 25 finishes for the first time in school history.
Why the heck has Vandy held on to Mason for this long then? No one can doubt his defensive credentials. He has proven his worth as a DC at Stanford and even at Vandy despite obvious lesser talent than his SEC peers. But James Franklin made it work, offensively and defensively. Maybe it's because Mason beat Tennessee three years in a row? The Vols were garbage then though and are currently trending in the right direction while Vandy does the opposite.
Vanderbilt needs a change, ASAP. It's pitiful watching this team get mollywopped every week knowing they could do so much better. Vandy is an elite school much like Duke; however, Nashville is a much more desirable destination for a young recruit than Durham, NC. If you're going to go to an elite school, why wouldn't you want to go play in the SEC against the best teams in the country? This should be the pitch being given to kids debating between Duke, Northwestern, Stanford, Harvard/Yale, etc. Heck, dive into the transfer portal and find some hidden gems if you can't recruit. Lovie Smith is making an entire career of it up in Illinois, surely Mason can find some difference makers there.
Mason isn't cutting it. If Fitzgerald at Northwestern, Shaw at Stanford, Cutcliffe at Duke, and even Franklin at Vanderbilt prior could do it, then there are no excuses worthy of retaining Derek Mason. He will make an excellent DC somewhere else. No more complacency and mediocrity in Nashville, if the Commodores don't act soon then Tennessee will return to prominence and leave them in the dust for good. If you can't turn a program around in 7 seasons, ya ain't going to turn it around in your 8th.