Vanderbilt is heading for its sixth consecutive losing season under Derek Mason, but the head coach is not in danger of losing his job despite the disappointing results.
On Tuesday, Vanderbilt athletic director Malcolm Turner issued a statement confirming that Mason will remain the head coach of the Commodores going forward.
I want to make it very clear that Derek Mason will be our head football coach moving forward. Coach Mason has my full support and I am committed to working with him to ensure our football program has the necessary resources and support to succeed.
— Malcolm Turner (@VandyAD) November 19, 2019
We are in the midst of developing a new and robust athletic strategic plan with the vision to put the football program and all of our varsity sports in a position to win on and off the field of play.
— Malcolm Turner (@VandyAD) November 19, 2019
Coach Mason is committed to leading Vanderbilt’s football program the right way and we will move forward in that spirit together.
— Malcolm Turner (@VandyAD) November 19, 2019
Mason has been the head coach at Vanderbilt since James Franklin left for Penn State following the 2013 season. His overall record is 26-38, and the Commodores are 2-8 this year. If they finish with two wins, that would be Mason’s worst season with the program. The decision to keep him may not be a popular one, but Vanderbilt obviously believes in the direction the program is headed.
We had heard rumblings of a former NFL coach potentially drawing interest as a replacement for Mason, but that is not going to happen this year.
