Josh Kendall reporting that Mason was interviewed in Columbia today?
Derek Mason
- Thread starter BobtheBuilder6289
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I hope it is true. The man has passion and his teams were well coached defensively even for Vandy. I think he can get them to tackle at least which in itself would be an improvement.
I think the game has passed him by, like it did Muschamp
Taking the most simple metric, pts per game allowed
Under Mason, Vanderbilt ranking:
2014 = 107th out of 128 teams
2015 = 22nd out of 128 teams
2016 = 35th out of 128 teams
2017 = 89th out of 130 teams
2018 = 61 out of 130 teams
2019 = 95th out of 130 teams
2020 = 113 out of 130 teams
That doesn't impress me at all, I hope Coach knows someone else from all his stops.
Do we have to totally ignore Coastal's success? I would prefer to see Chad Staggs over Derek mason, did Staggs and Beamer cross paths in 2007 here?
Taking the most simple metric, pts per game allowed
Under Mason, Vanderbilt ranking:
2014 = 107th out of 128 teams
2015 = 22nd out of 128 teams
2016 = 35th out of 128 teams
2017 = 89th out of 130 teams
2018 = 61 out of 130 teams
2019 = 95th out of 130 teams
2020 = 113 out of 130 teams
That doesn't impress me at all, I hope Coach knows someone else from all his stops.
Do we have to totally ignore Coastal's success? I would prefer to see Chad Staggs over Derek mason, did Staggs and Beamer cross paths in 2007 here?
Passed him by like muschamp? Ain’t Beamer the same age as Muschamp when we hired him
What I was implying was it didn't seem to me like Muschamp could stop the modern offense to well, yes he was a hot shot defensive coordinator in 2009, and like Muschamp, Mason has struggled, sure Mason was a hot shot Defensive Coordinator in 2013, but offenses have evolved, and if you want to argue with Mason its the players, sure that is a reason, but do we really know, that's 100% of the issues he has had while at Vanderbilt?
I was not comparing anyone to Beamer, since he is not going to be our DC, it was a Mason vs Muschamp comparison and not of age, but more of when they last had success as a Coordinator, since both of their defensive units as Head Coaches struggled.
Nobody shuts down the modern offense too well - nobody. The rules and the interpretations thereof don't allow for it. The best you can hope for is a miscue by the offense or for one of your people to make a play. There is definite institutional bias against defense now.
What surprises me is Beamer is only about 5-6 yrs younger than muschamp
True, buts its all relative, so I would like to see someone whose defensive units are trending upward in the rankings, not downward toward # 130 as the trend over the last few years.
Failing as a head coach does NOT have s#*t to do with never being relevant as a coordinator again...wade phillips for example...great coordinator...failed head coach...went back to being a great coordinator again...going back to your roots and what your best at...allows you to refocus your energy where it was best served...NOT over a whole team...but that side of the ball...it puts the ball back in their hands to orchestrate it themselves again...which most were NOT doing as a head coach...muschamp and mason will thrive again as dc’s...your blinded by emotions to believe anything differently
That's what I thought, but the way the talk was going, it made it seem as though Mason was the DC. If not, then I don't feel like he should be held directly accountable for VU's defensive struggles.
Just looking at Wikipedia, they have him as his own DC in 15,16 & 17, so for 2 of their 3 good years, interesting point.
Both of these men were HC's at their respective schools, not coordinators. Hard to do both jobs.
I get what your are saying, but based on what I saw LU do to the CCU defense I think it would be a big mistake to hire Chad Staggs.
If Coach Beamer wants Derek Mason then let's hire him. He is being interviewed by LSU and another school. (Michigan) That means some really good football people think a lot of him.
Frankly, I'd rather have Barry Odom, but that's not possible.
Yes but we know Muschamp was very involved in the defensive game planning here and it was not that impressive as the years went by.
I'm sure Mason was heavily involved as well, But hey at least Mason did do both for 3 seasons and was successful as recently as 2016, that is a positive point for the pro Mason stance, that I was not considering when I laid out some data in my first post.
I appreciate the counterpoints in the discussion by many on here.
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As a wise friend of mine once said, "There are lies, there are damn lies, and then there are statistics." The info you posted is a sterling example of this. It is totally meaningless. First, Vanderbilt has inferior talent playing in best league in all of college football. It also has the least amount of depth of any team in the league and got hit harder this year by Covid to the point they had a girl placekicker from the soccer team at the end of the year. Second, the reason for the points allowed was not the defense, but rather the offense. They could not score and could not stay on the field. They only scored more than 21 points in one game all year. Their defense actually was pretty good. They played most teams very well for a half before they just got worn out. They were down by only 2 points TA&M after 3 quarters ( a highly ranked team that shit stomped us for a whole game). They were down by 14 to LSU at the half, 10 to UK and USC at the half, and 7 to the East Champion, UF at the half. This is due to good coaching and getting the most out of his players possible. I think Mason would be an excellent choice. I think he could recruit well, and given better players and depth, he could stop most teams for more than a half. He also has a lot of experience in the SEC, so he knows what to expect and how to attack. His experience would be valuable to Beamer who does not have any as a HC.
Look at how he did under Franklin. He is a great coach. Vanderbilt is not interested in winning the amenities arms race so it really hurt his recruiting efforts after Franklin left. He is a great Defensive coach. Hiring him would be huge.
Mason would be the best coach on this staff. Home run.
So true. Even Saban has admitted this, and as great coaches do- he ADAPTED. They still play great defense at Bama, but he knows there will be games where they cannot stop the other team so he built a squad who can outscore most anyone when they need to... Damn Saban is a good coach!! Muschamp never “got it”... He was making the same mistakes over and over again... Hiring random OCs and putting them into a staff where the OC did bot pick their assistants? That usually does not work out and it was part his downfall here and at UF. He was also clearly forcing the offense to be more conservative at times- kicking FGs when we should have gone for it, preferring an experienced QB over a younger guy with more talent... I am glad WM is gone and we get to see if a more modern thought process at HC will improve things.
The most recent game Saban won, it finally came down to outscoring the opponent. His defense was being shredded.
It would be the best hire to this point. Mason ran a clean program and was having to operate under Vanderbilt’s admission standards. Recruiting to Vanderbilt is unlike recruiting anywhere else since they do not do special admissions. Anyone who can find any level of success there is a better coach than a lot of guys winning other places.
I focused on Vandy because that was his most recent body of work.
I would not say agenda but discussion, if agenda, then why would I volunteer/post in answering a question he was a DC for 2 of the impressive years at Vandy, that is a great point for Mason, that is not well publicized in the media.
I can be swayed with facts and perspective and logical points and that certainly was a great interesting point.
I'm not out bashing Beamer hires in a bunch of posts, I like the Kimrey hire alot, and I like the ST coach hire, I can understand the retains.
There absolutely is a bias against defense right now (rules)...and our answer to getting on the train toward victories and fun is......go play action run game.
The bank has opened it's doors, and welcoming us in to take our fair share and our admin. says "we think we will wait til tomorrow....just to make sure all these people coming out of the bank leaking $100 bills from their bags aren't pretenders".
He might be a damn good recruiter here as well.
I personally would love to have him on staff.... His passion and if he can recruit at VANDY, he can recruit for sure!!
I also think Mason would be a home run...when is the last time we took "average to below average ranked" players and made them look competent on the field....It appears Mason does that very well and is what we are probably going to need for the next few years at least
I would love to have Derek Mason, I think you would see our fundamentals improve immediately with him as our DC.
Bring on Mason! He would be the most impressive hire so far.
He is mine as far as who's actually been hired. If Mason is hired, he'll ascend to the top.
Mason never coached under Franklin I don't believe, as someone suggested. He coached after Franklin. No mention here of Stanford, where he was a Broyles award candidate and had terrific defensive stats. He had the same recruiting challenges there in some ways as Vandy, but a bigger base and better history.
The better question alludes to Wards point. Defense is getting destroyed these days. Good defense now is making a stop when you really, really need it, or slowing your opponent. Muschamp played into scoring teams' advantage by not scoring quick enough. The game is now truly a game of outscoring your opponent.
In this scenario, Mason is as good, or maybe better, than other options since he's seen it all. You could even argue he will be better with better talent.
The better question alludes to Wards point. Defense is getting destroyed these days. Good defense now is making a stop when you really, really need it, or slowing your opponent. Muschamp played into scoring teams' advantage by not scoring quick enough. The game is now truly a game of outscoring your opponent.
In this scenario, Mason is as good, or maybe better, than other options since he's seen it all. You could even argue he will be better with better talent.
Ok. I am wrong. thought he was. He was the DC at Stanford during the Franklin Era.
With 2013 marking his fourth season on the Stanford staff, Derek Mason is Stanford’s Willie Shaw Director of Defense.
Stanford announced in April of 2013 that its defensive coordinator position had been endowed by a generous gift from an anonymous donor, named in honor of Willie Shaw, the former Cardinal defensive coordinator and father of head coach David Shaw.
The program’s associate head coach and defensive coordinator since 2011, Mason works closely with the Cardinal secondary personnel.
Mason led the Cardinal to consecutive top-15 national standings in defensive efficiency with steadfast efforts in 2011 and 2012.
Mason, a 2012 Broyles Award finalist, guided a 2012 Stanford defense that was not only one of the finest in the nation, but also one of the best in school history.
Mason’s leadership paved the way to a historic defensive output in 2012, breaking Stanford’s single-season sacks record (57) and pacing the Pac-12 in scoring defense (17.21), total defense (336.21), rushing defense (97.0), sacks (4.07) and tackles for loss (9.00).
Capped off by a Pac-12 title game victory and Rose Bowl crown, the 2012 Cardinal ranked first nationally in sacks, second in tackles for loss, fifth in rushing defense and 11th in scoring defense.
Over the last six games of 2012, Stanford held opponents scoreless in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Stanford held eight of 13 opponents under 100 yards rushing in 2012, and in a string of three consecutive games, the Cardinal recorded three of its top-10 single-game rushing defense performances in school history: No. 3 at Colorado (minus-21 yards), No. 4 vs. Washington State (minus-18) and t-No.9 at California (three). The Cardinal set a school record by allowing only 76 offensive yards at Colorado.
In 11 of its 14 games, Stanford held its opponent to 20 or fewer points. That included a 14-point effort in the overtime win at top-ranked Oregon, who led the FBS with a 54.8 scoring average.
Mason’s defensive backs were pivotal to the historic defense’s efforts, including All-America Ed Reynolds and Rose Bowl Defensive MVP Usua Amanam. Reynolds ranked first nationally with 301 interception return yards, one yard short of the NCAA single-season record.
In his first season as associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator, Mason’s 2011 defense ranked third nationally in rushing defense (84.38), sixth in third-down defense efficiency (31.10) and 11th in sacks (3.00).
Mason teamed with Jason Tarver to mold Stanford into one of the top defensive units in the Pac-12. The Cardinal ranked either first or second in the conference in six defensive categories, including rushing defense (1st - 84.4), third-down conversion defense (1st - 31.1), scoring defense (2nd - 21.9), total defense (2nd - 337.6), sacks-per-game (2nd - 3.00) and opponent first downs (2nd - 17.5). Stanford finished third nationally in rushing defense.
Mason’s 2010 secondary was one of the great turnaround stories in college football, leading Stanford to the 19th-best interceptions total (18) in the nation and 35th-ranked pass defense (202.0). Three players from that defensive backfield went on to play in the NFL.
With 2013 marking his fourth season on the Stanford staff, Derek Mason is Stanford’s Willie Shaw Director of Defense.
Stanford announced in April of 2013 that its defensive coordinator position had been endowed by a generous gift from an anonymous donor, named in honor of Willie Shaw, the former Cardinal defensive coordinator and father of head coach David Shaw.
The program’s associate head coach and defensive coordinator since 2011, Mason works closely with the Cardinal secondary personnel.
Mason led the Cardinal to consecutive top-15 national standings in defensive efficiency with steadfast efforts in 2011 and 2012.
Mason, a 2012 Broyles Award finalist, guided a 2012 Stanford defense that was not only one of the finest in the nation, but also one of the best in school history.
Mason’s leadership paved the way to a historic defensive output in 2012, breaking Stanford’s single-season sacks record (57) and pacing the Pac-12 in scoring defense (17.21), total defense (336.21), rushing defense (97.0), sacks (4.07) and tackles for loss (9.00).
Capped off by a Pac-12 title game victory and Rose Bowl crown, the 2012 Cardinal ranked first nationally in sacks, second in tackles for loss, fifth in rushing defense and 11th in scoring defense.
Over the last six games of 2012, Stanford held opponents scoreless in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Stanford held eight of 13 opponents under 100 yards rushing in 2012, and in a string of three consecutive games, the Cardinal recorded three of its top-10 single-game rushing defense performances in school history: No. 3 at Colorado (minus-21 yards), No. 4 vs. Washington State (minus-18) and t-No.9 at California (three). The Cardinal set a school record by allowing only 76 offensive yards at Colorado.
In 11 of its 14 games, Stanford held its opponent to 20 or fewer points. That included a 14-point effort in the overtime win at top-ranked Oregon, who led the FBS with a 54.8 scoring average.
Mason’s defensive backs were pivotal to the historic defense’s efforts, including All-America Ed Reynolds and Rose Bowl Defensive MVP Usua Amanam. Reynolds ranked first nationally with 301 interception return yards, one yard short of the NCAA single-season record.
In his first season as associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator, Mason’s 2011 defense ranked third nationally in rushing defense (84.38), sixth in third-down defense efficiency (31.10) and 11th in sacks (3.00).
Mason teamed with Jason Tarver to mold Stanford into one of the top defensive units in the Pac-12. The Cardinal ranked either first or second in the conference in six defensive categories, including rushing defense (1st - 84.4), third-down conversion defense (1st - 31.1), scoring defense (2nd - 21.9), total defense (2nd - 337.6), sacks-per-game (2nd - 3.00) and opponent first downs (2nd - 17.5). Stanford finished third nationally in rushing defense.
Mason’s 2010 secondary was one of the great turnaround stories in college football, leading Stanford to the 19th-best interceptions total (18) in the nation and 35th-ranked pass defense (202.0). Three players from that defensive backfield went on to play in the NFL.
