The first step to fixing a problem is admitting that you have one, or so they say.

And in Derek Mason’s case, there was a big problem with the Vanderbilt football team in 2014.

The Commodores went 0-8 in SEC play and limped to a 3-9 finish overall with nail-biting wins against UMass and Charleston Southern to get there.

But to the second-year coach’s credit, he has admitted that things went awry and is taking measures to correct the issues.

Here is a look at some of the problems he experienced in his first year in Nashville and the steps he has taken to create solutions:

Year 1 problem: A stagnant offense ranked 122nd in the FBS with 288.4 yards per game and 116th in points scored (17.2), both good for last in the SEC.

Year 2 solution: Shortly after the season ended, Mason fired close friend Karl Dorrell and hired former Wisconsin assistant Andy Ludwig as his new offensive coordinator. He has given complete control of the offense to Ludwig, who has spent the last 18 years as an offensive coordinator at schools such as Fresno State, Oregon, Utah, Cal, San Diego State, and was most recently calling plays for RB Melvin Gordon at Wisconsin.

Year 1 problem: The Commodores defense regressed from back-to-back Top 25 seasons, allowing an SEC-worst 33.3 points per game.

Year 2 solution: Mason relieved former defensive coordinator David Kotulski from his duties, naming himself the defensive coordinator instead. Mason earned his first crack as a head coach based upon his performance as a defensive coordinator at Stanford under David Shaw, and he decided after a season of watching his Commodores defense sputter that it was time for a more hands-on approach. By resume alone, Mason becomes one of the best defensive coordinators in the SEC. But will he be able to juggle both jobs? He will be the only head coach in the SEC that also calls defensive plays.

Year 1 problem: Trying to solve his team’s offensive woes, Mason rotated quarterbacks in and out of the lineup, starting four different players at the position at various points in the season.

Year 2 solution: Determined to find some consistency and stability at the position that gave him the most trouble, Mason vowed to be a one-quarterback type of coach at SEC Media Days last month. Losing projected starter Patton Robinette to medical school after spring practice was a big blow, which opened a competition between Johnny McCrary, Wade Freebeck and Kyle Shurmur in fall camp. Mason and Ludwig are expected to settle on a quarterback soon, and if Mason is true to his word, stick with him at the start of the season.

Year 1 problem: Mason admitted at SEC Media Days last month that his 2014 team struggled to find an identity.

Year 2 solution: He has put his vision for the program into a simple message that he has tried to relate throughout the offseason. “Relentless, Tough, Intelligent” is his new mantra, and the “RTI” branding is easy to spot on his social media, and even his clothing.

By his own admission, Mason spent his first year as a head coach making too many assumptions about a team that had won 18 games during its last two seasons.

“I think me as a head coach, I made some assumptions a year ago about this football team,” Mason said. “I assumed that, just because we were in the SEC, that we play like an SEC team, and we didn’t. Again, that starts with me. So I bring it back to me.

“For me, I’ve got to be more persistent, more consistent with my personality, and that personality really layers down to our football team. I control every facet of what we do top to bottom. With that being the case, this football team has done a great job day in and day out of not disappointing. So I don’t want to disappoint them. They don’t want to disappoint me. So growth is key in this game, and I feel like I’ve grown a lot.”

That sounds like a man with a new plan.

Will it work?