Vanderbilt’s new defensive coordinator is living above Derek Mason’s garage
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Derek Mason and Jason Tarver appear to have a unique relationship.
How close are they? Well, apparently, Vanderbilt’s new defensive coordinator lives in the spare bedroom above Mason’s garage. Before reuniting in Nashville to co-lead the Vanderbilt defense this offseason, the two coaches worked as assistants in Stanford — they were both co-defensive coordinators with the program in 2011.
With Tarver still awaiting his family’s arrival to Nashville from San Francisco, where Tarver served as a senior defensive assistant the previous three seasons, the new Commodore assistant decided to shake up with Mason while he waits for his family to move.
According to Adam Sparks of the Tennessean, the relationship between the two coaches goes well beyond working together:
“Over the last six years, Derek and I have spoken more than, well, maybe second only to talking to our own wives,” Tarver said. “There were some negotiations in my contract, and part of that was I get to spend some time with (Mason) because I really wanted to learn everything about Vanderbilt, from off the field to on the field.”
Nashville can be an expensive town, Tarver at least gets credit for saving some money this spring.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
