Vanderbilt hires Clark Lea as next head coach

Vanderbilt has officially hired Notre Dame defensive coordinator Clark Lea as its head football coach.

Lea is currently in his third season at Notre Dame, his second as defensive coordinator. The Fighting Irish 10-0 on the season and will play Clemson in the ACC Championship game on December 19th.

Notre Dame currently ranks 13th in total defense, allowing just 314.5 yards per game.

In 2018, his first season as defensive coordinator for the Fighting Irish, Lea's defense finished 21st in the country in total defense, allowing 331.5 yards per game.

Lea was a finalist for the Boston College head coaching vacancy in December before former Ohio State co-defensive coordinator and secondaries coach Jeff Hafley won the job.

Lea is a Nashville, Tennessee native who played his high school football at Montgomery Bell Academy. He began his collegiate career in baseball at Birmingham-Southern (2001) and Belmont (2002) before walking-on at Vanderbilt, where he played fullback for the Commodores from 2002-04.

Before his stint as defensive coordinator, Lea was a linebackers coach for Notre Dame during the 2017 season. He has served as linebackers coach at Wake Forest (2016), Syracuse (2013-15), Bowling Green (2012), UCLA (2009-11), and South Dakota State (2007-08).

This will be Lea's first head coaching position.

He replaces Derek Mason, who was fired after VU's 41-0 loss to Missouri. Mason was 27-55 and 0-8 this season.