Vanderbilt DL coach Larry Black set to join Big Ten school, per report
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Larry Black spent 3 seasons as the Vanderbilt defensive line coach. His efforts in Nashville earned him a promotion to co-defensive coordinator earlier this offseason. However, as of Saturday, Clark Lea will now need to search for a replacement.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Black is leaving Vandy and taking the defensive tackles’ coaching job at Michigan.
The Wolverines are the fifth college program Black has worked for since he got into coaching in 2015. He spent time at Carthage College, Notre Dame, and Toledo before joining the Commodores in 2022. Prior to coaching, he played at Indiana (2008-12) and signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent.
At Michigan, Black will work under head coach Kyle Whittingham and defensive coordinator Jay Hill. Whittingham (Utah, 2004-25) and Hill (BYU DC, 2023-25) both became Wolverines this offseason after working in the Beehive State. Now, they’ve added Black to the fold.
Vanderbilt enters the 2026 season coming off the first 10-win season in school history. Quarterback Diego Pavia is out, but Nashville’s own Jared Curtis — the No. 4 player and No. 2 QB in the 2026 recruiting class, according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings — is set to replace him. The Commodores are hoping Curtis will be good enough to keep their momentum going, regardless of Black’s departure.
