It took just two seasons for Vanderbilt football head coach Clark Lea to get some public backing from Vanderbilt's administration.

On Monday afternoon, Lea received a contract extension that will run through the 2029 season. Here are three quick takes on Vanderbilt's decision to add three years to Lea's contract.

Vanderbilt very obviously believes in Lea's vision.

It took just two years and seven wins for Vanderbilt's administration to pull the trigger on an extension for Lea.

In his two-year tenure, Vanderbilt's head coach is still without a bowl appearance but has inspired optimism surrounding his program that hadn't previously been present. Vanderbilt's administration clearly believes in that optimism.

Lea has turned things positively but hasn't hit his goal yet, that didn't stop Vanderbilt from declaring its support just before the first day of SEC Media week. This isn't an extension that Vanderbilt tried to hide, it feels like one that is proclaimed.

It's very obvious that Vanderbilt's higher ups are buying what Lea is selling.

It says something about Vanderbilt's athletic department that it has given out two extensions in the past year.

In the last 12 months, Vanderbilt has pulled the trigger on extensions for both Lea and basketball coach Jerry Stackhouse. That isn't something its been able to say much throughout recent memory.

That makes for two of the three major sports coaches receiving extensions in one calendar year. The one who didn't is Tim Corbin, who is likely the most safe.

That tells you that Vanderbilt believes in the visions of directions of its basketball and football programs as well as the potential that Lea and Stackhouse can provide them with long-term stability. Those declarations have been made without a bowl game or NCAA Tournament appearance.

That opens up criticism regarding the standards for this athletic department and how it has been quick to the trigger before seeing results. It has invested early, which could help it or put it in a hole long term.

The answer to which point of view is correct is probably somewhere in the middle. Vanderbilt probably isn't playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers, but it'd also be silly to ignore the signs that are giving Vanderbilt belief that those programs are going in the right direction.

It's hard to think that this thing isn't going in the right direction

Lea has turned a program that was winless before his first season into one that won five, including two against formidable SEC opponents, in 2022. This goes beyond record, though.

This program now has expectation, buzz and standards that it feels like it didn't when Lea was hired.

Vanderbilt seems to have as strong of a culture as its had in recent memory, an uptick in recruiting, perception and on-field results.

Regardless of whether this extension was too early or right on time, Lea seems to have this thing going in an encouraging direction.