The Penn State Nittany Lions can cross one major coaching candidate off their list.
Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea agreed to a contract extension on Friday, the school announced. Reports suggest Lea’s new deal is for six years.
Lea is a Vanderbilt graduate, so it is not a huge shock that he is staying put. However, he had previously been linked to the Penn State job, and there were also rumors that Auburn might try to lure him.
There are plenty of reasons Lea was viewed as an attractive candidate. He has successfully turned Vanderbilt into a formidable team despite the school not being a traditional power within the SEC. After a 7-6 campaign last season, the Commodores are an impressive 9-2 this season, and were ranked in the top 10 at one point earlier in the year.
Penn State is still looking to replace James Franklin, who was fired earlier in the season. Interim coach Terry Smith is expected to receive consideration for the job, but there are bigger names the Nittany Lions might be tempted to pursue.
