Vanderbilt won nine games in each of James Franklin’s final two seasons as the football coach of the Commodores, but they struggled to a 3-9 record in Derek Mason’s 2014 debut season.
The regrouping Commodores already have held seven practices leading up to their March 21 spring game, and Mason was a guest this week on Chattanooga’s “Press Row” on ESPN 105.1.
Q: What did you learn most from last year?
A: “I knew this was a tough conference from top to bottom, but the most compelling thing for me was that in building this thing, I worked as a CEO and needed to be more of a bricklayer. I’ve learned a lot about what you have to do in terms of putting your stamp on your team and being resolute in what you believe, and our football team is a better football team right now.
“I feel really good about the changes that have been made.”