Vanderbilt has been without an offensive coordinator for a few weeks as Andy Ludwig left the program to take the same position with Utah following the conclusion of the season. Now, however, Commodore fans know who the program’s next coordinator will be heading into 2019.

Derek Mason has promoted quarterbacks coach Gerry Gdowski to the open offensive coordinator role. Gdowski will also keep his QB coaching duties in 2019. Gdowski has served in Nashville for five seasons, beginning back in 2014 when he was hired away from the University of Ohio.

During his Vanderbilt tenure, Gdowski has worked his way up as a recruiting coordinator/tight ends coach, which he served for two seasons, before working with the team’s quarterbacks for three seasons. He has previous experience as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Ohio, New Mexico State and South Dakota State.

Gdowski’s promotion isn’t the only change Mason has made to his offensive staff recently, as former Auburn running backs coach Tim Horton has been named to the same position in Nashville and former Detroit Lions assistant coach Devin Fitzsimmons has been hired as the team’s new tight ends coach.

Horton has coached multiple SEC Offensive Players of the Year at Auburn as Tre Mason (2013) and Kamryn Pettway (2016) both won that honor during his time with the Tigers. He also coordinated special teams for the Tigers in 2017, a season in which kicker Daniel Carlson won SEC Special Teams Player of the Year.

In addition to that move, Vanderbilt has hired former Tennessee Titans defensive line coach, Nick Eason. The Titans finished fourth against the run last season and Jurrell Casey developed into an All-Pro player in Nashville under Eason.