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Derek Mason
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The new kid on the block in the SEC, the former Stanford defensive coordinator and longtime assistant replaced James Franklin in Nashville after the 2013 season and is poised on continuing the groundwork for success established by his predecessor.
A former cornerback at Northern Arizona, Mason’s strong suit is the defense side of the ball, evidenced by the dominance of his unit out west in recent years with consecutive Rose Bowl trips. In 2012, Mason was a finalist for the Broyles Award, given annually to the top assistant in college football, after his Stanford defense broke a school record for single-season sacks and led the PAC 12 in scoring defense and total defense.
Mason’s unit was especially stingy against the rush as Stanford was one of five teams nationally to give up less than 100 yards rushing per contest in 2013. Before latching on to David Shaw’s staff in California, Mason worked with his former coach, Brad Childress, as the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive backs assistant from 2007 to 2009. His career coaching resume includes stops at Weber State, Idaho State, Bucknell, Utah, St. Mary’s, New Mexico State and Ohio since 1995.
With Mason’s hire in Jan. 2014, Vanderbilt became the first school in SEC history to have multiple minority head coaches lead its football program.
