Derek Mason may not be a familiar name if you don’t keep up with the PAC 12. The former Stanford defensive coordinator was named the head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores in January after James Franklin left for Penn State.
Mason inherits a Vanderbilt program that is on the rise. Franklin turned around a turmoiled program in his three years, leading the Commodores to three consecutive bowl appearances and back-to-back nine-game winning seasons. Although the program has faced recent success, Mason will have to name a quarterback and fill many shoes of players that left for the 2014 NFL draft.
On Monday at the 2014 SEC Media Days, Mason made it clear to the SEC what his plans are for the Commodores. He has set the bar very high for his team and has no doubts that they will succeed. He names his team the most underrated team in the SEC coming into the 2014 season.
“Our team is a team of probably no-name young men who have a chance to do something great,” Mason said. “It’s talented across the board.”
Although the team faces challenges from players stepping up, new coaches, a switch to a 3-4 defense and other key factors to the program, Mason is a firm believer in their success this season.
“Dream big, you can accomplish big things,” Mason said. “Dream small, you fall short.”
“I think our opportunity to compete for an SEC East title is now,” he added.
The Commodores start their hopeful route to the Georgia Dome on August 28th against the Temple Owls at 8:15 p.m. CT.
