NASHVILLE – Vanderbilt athletic director Malcolm Turner said Derek Mason has his full support as the Commodores’ football coach and they’ll be working together to give the program the resources and support needed to succeed.
Turner issued a statement Tuesday with Vanderbilt 2-8 overall and 1-6 in Southeastern Conference play in Mason’s sixth season with two games remaining – Saturday against Football Championship Subdivision foe East Tennessee State and Nov. 23 at rival Tennessee.
“I want to make it very clear that Derek Mason will be our head football coach moving forward,” Turner said. “Coach Mason has my full support and I am committed to working with him to ensure our football program has the necessary resources and support to succeed.”
Turner said Vanderbilt is developing a plan to help all of the school’s sports compete on and off the field, with details expected to be announced next year. Vanderbilt last renovated its football stadium in 1981, though Turner oversaw upgrades of the venue’s bathrooms and the addition of a new video board this past offseason.
The university’s most recent major improvement of athletic facilities started in 2008.
“Coach Mason is committed to leading Vanderbilt’s football program the right way, and we will move forward in that spirit together,” Turner said.
Mason is 26-46 overall, 10-37 in the SEC and sixth on Vanderbilt’s all-time wins list for football. He signed a contract extension after last season – it was announced in February – after leading the Commodores to a bowl for the second time in his tenure.
Mason has yet to post a winning record at the SEC’s smallest and only private university, coming closest with a 6-7 finish last season and in 2016, and he thanked Turner for his statement on his job security.
“I definitely appreciate the support of Malcolm Turner and this university,” the 50-year-old coach said during his weekly news conference. “When you look at where we are, that’s not where we want to be. The standard is higher. We understand that. We’re going to continue to work and grind.”
Asked what resources Vanderbilt has lacked to compete in the SEC, Mason said Turner has looked at other programs to see how the Commodores’ facilities stack up. Mason mentioned recruiting and that he met with Turner earlier this season to talk about what Vanderbilt needs.
“He’s tried to be insightful about what he sees,” Mason said, “and for him, our conversations have been short but very, very specific about making sure we try to figure out what’s our best Vanderbilt and moving forward.”