Vanderbilt Hires Their New Head Coach And It's Derek Mason

Derek Mason, thanks AP-Damian Dovarganes

[HT: The Tennessean]

And those of us in the OSG HQ think Vanderbilt made a great choice.

Derek Mason is the new head coach at Vanderbilt.  The Tennessean cites Vanderbilt donor and search committee member John Ingram who confirmed the hire.

Vanderbilt is expected to make the formal announcement Saturday morning at a press conference.

For the past three seasons Mason has been the defensive coordinator at Stanford.  Mason led the Cardinal defense to a top 20 finish nationally in total defense and third in the NCAA against the run giving up less than 100 yards per game.

The first order of business for Mason will be to save Vanderbilt's recruiting class which has been gutted following former head coach James Franklin's departure to Penn State.

Here's early returns out of Nashville...
((HT: WTVF-TV))
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"Derek Mason is the leader we trust to continue the challenging but exciting work that has elevated the Vanderbilt football program to unprecedented heights," said Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos. "He embodies integrity, strategic thinking and a demonstrated commitment to success. He understands the important role that athletics plays in the life of a vibrant university, and that outstanding scholarly pursuits and top-notch sports are integral parts of the Vanderbilt experience. We are thrilled to welcome him to the Vanderbilt community."
"I am so excited to be at Vanderbilt," Mason said in a release. "This university combines the best of what's good about college athletics and academics. We expect to be competitive and look forward to competing for an SEC East crown."