Vanderbilt officially announces Notre Dame DC Clark Lea as its new head coach
By Adam Spencer
Published:
The Vanderbilt Commodores have found their man, and have hired Notre Dame DC Clark Lea to be their new head coach.
Lea, who has been with the Fighting Irish since 2017, is a former Vanderbilt fullback and Nashville native, so he has close ties to the program.
Vanderbilt officially announced Lea as the replacement for Derek Mason on Monday night with the following tweet:
He's back on West End.
⚓️ @Coach_Lea#VandyUnited | #AnchorDown
— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) December 15, 2020
Vanderbilt AD Candice Storey Lee issued a statement in a press release:
“Clark Lea is the leader we trust to continue the challenging but exciting work that will elevate the Vanderbilt football program to unprecedented heights,” Lee said. “He embodies the demonstrated commitment to success, the integrity and the strategic thinking that it takes to build a winning football program, and help our student-athletes reach their full potential. He understands the important role that athletics plays in the life of a vibrant university, and that outstanding scholarly pursuits and top-notch athletics are integral parts of the Vanderbilt experience.
“It was clear that the college football world is aware of the tremendous value proposition Vanderbilt holds, and that was reflected by the deep pool of talent that showed an interest in this position. We are so excited to be introducing him as our head football coach because we are confident that he can build upon our successes on and off the field. Coach Lea will be an incredible asset to our university and community.
“I want to extend Vanderbilt’s deepest thanks and appreciation to Notre Dame president Rev. John Jenkins, athletics director Jack Swarbrick and head coach Brian Kelly for their cooperation during this process. It is very important to all of us, and especially Clark, that he be able to fulfill his obligations with the Notre Dame program and its student-athletes as they prepare to face Clemson in the ACC title game for a berth in the College Football Playoff. The dedication and loyalty demonstrated by Clark exemplify his character, and what he will be for the Vanderbilt program.”
How will Lea fare in Nashville? He’ll have to hit the ground running with the Early Signing Period starting Wednesday.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
