Clark Lea finalizes deal to become next Vanderbilt head coach

Vanderbilt has found a new head football coach as they try to rebound from a winless season.

The Commodores are hiring Clark Lea to be their next coach. Lea is the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame.

Lea, 38, played fullback for Vanderbilt from 2002-2004. He began his coaching career in 2006 as a graduate assistant at UCLA before quickly rising up the ranks. He had stops at South Dakota State, UCLA again, Bowling Green, Syracuse, Wake Forest, and then he joined Notre Dame in 2017 as their linebackers coach. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2018.

Under Lea, Notre Dame’s defense ranked 12th in the country last year as they allowed 17.9 points per game in an 11-2 season. The team is 10-0 this year and ranked 12th again at 17.1 points allowed per game.

Vanderbilt has not enjoyed a winning season since James Franklin left for Penn State after the 2013 season. Derek Mason made two bowl appearances but was fired amid a winless season this year, his seventh on the job.