Vanderbilt’s Derek Mason is making changes to his coaching staff for 2016
By Nick Cole
Published:
Derek Mason is tinkering with his coaching staff again.
Following a 3-9 debut season in 2014, Mason fired both his offensive and defensive coordinators.
And while the Commodores did improve to 4-8 in his second season, Mason still decided that there were changes that needed to be made following the 2015 season.
According to The Tennessean’s Adam Sparks, the contracts of RB/ST coach Charles Bankins, OL coach Keven Lightner and director of player development Al Smith will not be renewed.
He quoted Mason as saying it was a difficult decision:
“These coaches are great men that have done a great job at Vanderbilt in my eyes.”
Bankins was the lone holdover coach from the James Frankin regime, so this move complete washes the staff of any ties to the Penn State coach.
Though Ralph Webb arguably had one of Vanderbilt’s better seasons from his position of responsibility, Bankins’ special teams units were especially poor for much of the season.
Lightner had been the offensive line coach for Vanderbilt during both of Mason’s seasons.
As Sparks points out, this change will leave the Commodores with just one of Derek Mason’s original assistant coaching hires on staff after just two seasons.
Nick Cole is a former print journalist with several years of experience covering the SEC. Born and raised in SEC country, he has taken in the game-day experience at all 14 stadiums.
