Team Speed Kills - Vanderbilt Hires Derek Mason After James Franklin Heads to Penn StateSports are just better in the SEChttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52580/tsk_fav.png2014-01-22T09:01:18-05:00http://www.teamspeedkills.com/rss/stream/50617892014-01-22T09:01:18-05:002014-01-22T09:01:18-05:00Derek Mason: A Good Hire. Can He Be a Good Coach?
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<p>The only SEC head coaching vacancy has been filled. It just might take a while to find out if the man who took the job will be successful</p> <p>After a three-day weekend and a little time to think on it, I keep coming back to the same thought on Derek Mason. When it comes to who they used to get and who they could have gotten, Mason is a good hire for Vanderbilt. But as we get into the stretch run of the recruiting season and Mason faces his first season in Nashville, the question of whether he will be a good head coach remains.</p>
<p>It's useful to remember that the two are not always one and the same -- and for a variety of reasons. Mike Price seemed to be a great hire for Alabama when he won 20 games over his last two seasons at lowly Washington State. But a disputed incident in Pensacola meant he didn't even make the field. And <a href="http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/page/BMOC131119/is-ed-orgeron-right-decision-usc">Ed Orgeron was quite the catch for Ole Miss</a> -- until the results on the field told a different story.</p>
<p>The pure optics, though, are great for Vanderbilt. Without the success that Vanderbilt experienced under <span class="sbn-auto-link">James Franklin</span>, it's hard to see a widely-admired coordinator from one of the better teams in a Power 5 conference taking a chance with the Commodores. Derek Mason was likely going to be a head coach someday, and probably with a better gig than Vanderbilt would have been in the wake of the Bobby Johnson-to-Robbie Caldwell fiasco. He didn't have to jump at the Vanderbilt job if he didn't want to.</p>
<p>That's in no small part because of Mason's record as defensive coordinator or co-defensive coordinator at Stanford, a school that faces many of the same issues as Vanderbilt when it comes to dealing with academic standards. Before the deal with Vanderbilt became official, Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News tweeted that Mason leaving Stanford would be the "<a href="https://twitter.com/wilnerhotline/status/424265710622089216">[m]ost significant personnel loss for Cardinal since Luck left 2 yrs ago</a>." That's a pretty significant statement.</p>
<p>Mason was very, very good at Stanford, taking over as co-DC in 2011 and getting the job in full in 2012. There's only one possible dint, and it's a small one, on his resume. Keep in mind as you look at this chart of the Cardinal defense over the last three years that Mason, in the words of his Stanford bio, "<a href="http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=208167804">works closely with the Cardinal secondary personnel</a>."</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3890147/Screen_Shot_2014-01-20_at_11.59.11_PM.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Screen_shot_2014-01-20_at_11" src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3890147/Screen_Shot_2014-01-20_at_11.59.11_PM_medium.png"></a></p>
<p>Overall, Stanford is very good at shutting down opponents -- ranking either first or second in total yardage in the Pac-12 since Mason took over. And the rushing game gets nowhere. But when it comes to passing efficiency defense, Stanford is generally middling. Certainly not terrible, but also not great. In the one area where Mason's influence should be felt more directly, the Cardinal are simply above-average.</p>
<p>Which might not matter that much in the SEC East next year. James Franklin (MO), <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78599/aaron-murray">Aaron Murray</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/116169/connor-shaw">Connor Shaw</a> are all leaving the division's top-tier teams. Even with the backups at those schools getting some meaningful snap, Florida might be the only team with a sure bet at quarterback, depending on what you think about Jeff Driskel. Running backs will be key to the division race in 2014, so shutting down ground games will be the best way for Vanderbilt to make a move.</p>
<p>At least one of the major recruiting services that ranks coaches -- don't ask me how they manage to do that -- <a href="http://247sports.com/Coach/Derek-Mason-726">doesn't indicate that Mason was going gangbusters at Stanford in that department</a>, either. Whether that's a reliable measurement is anyone's guess. And it might not matter; hiring the right assistants could make a great deal of difference in the arms race, and Franklin showed that Vanderbilt can land top-tier athletes with the right approach.</p>
<p>All of which brings me back to where I started: Mason is a great hire for Vanderbilt. We'll have to wait until the fall, though, to find out if he was the right man for the job.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/1/22/5329894/vanderbilt-commodores-derek-mason-gradeBrandon Larrabee2014-01-11T22:08:58-05:002014-01-11T22:08:58-05:00Vanderbilt's Next Coach Might Be a Surprise
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<figcaption>Tyler Smith</figcaption>
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<p>Chad Morris and a few other front-runners might get all the ink right now, but David Williams has shown that he sometimes thinks outside the box</p> <p>If you've heard about <a href="http://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/1/11/5298080/penn-state-hires-james-franklin-vanderbilt">Penn State hiring James Franklin</a>, you've no doubt heard some of the names floating around to replace him at Vanderbilt. And at least one of them seems to echo the leading candidate from when Franklin took the job more than three years ago.</p>
<p>It might be a bit extreme to say that Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris is the front-runner for the job, in part because it's not at all clear that Vanderbilt has a favorite right now. Morris is also <a href="http://www.burntorangenation.com/2014/1/9/5293780/teas-longhorns-offensive-coordinator-search-tom-herman-chad-morris">thought to be in the mix for Texas' OC job</a>, and he has a pretty good gig right now. But if Vanderbilt can make the money work and the position attractive enough, the thinking goes, Morris has a great shot.</p>
<p>That was also what a lot of people thought in late 2010, as well. In that case, Vanderbilt's top choice was another offensive coordinator from a BCS team: Auburn's Gus Malzahn. There were even <a href="http://www.teamspeedkills.com/2010/12/12/1872070/gus-malzahn-accepts-vanderbilt-head-coaching-offer-we-think">reports that Malzahn had accepted the job</a>, though those reports were <a href="http://www.teamspeedkills.com/2010/12/13/1873638/mahlzahn-says-no">shot down as soon as the next day</a>. Attention then pivoted to James Franklin, who was then head-coach-in-waiting at Maryland.</p>
<p>Franklin seemed to be an odd target for Vanderbilt at first. He was, after all, slated to become the head coach of Maryland, which had seen more recent success than Vanderbilt, even if that success was somewhat sporadic. Franklin had no ties to Vanderbilt or the SEC, and probably wouldn't have been on the list of anyone other than Vanderbilt Athletics Director David Williams on the day after <a href="http://www.teamspeedkills.com/2010/11/27/1838898/robbie-caldwell-resigns-as-vanderbilt-head-coach">Robbie Caldwell resigned in 2010</a>.</p>
<p>And while it's harder than ever to have a true surprise candidate for a head-coaching position -- Athlon has posted <a href="http://athlonsports.com/college-football/10-coaching-candidates-replace-james-franklin-vanderbilt">a list of no fewer than 16 men</a> who could be next in Nashville -- it's worth remembering over the next few days that Williams might not go with the name that everyone is thinking of, at least if he has to move beyond his first choice. It would be hard to argue with the results of that approach the last time the job was open.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/1/11/5299906/vanderbilt-coaching-search-candidates-chad-morrisBrandon Larrabee2014-01-11T09:29:50-05:002014-01-11T09:29:50-05:00Penn State Hires James Franklin
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<p>It's official now.</p> <p>Vanderbilt's James Franklin has left to become the head football coach at Penn State. PSU <a target="_blank" href="http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/011114aab.html">announced</a> it this morning with a press release, and it will introduce Franklin at 4:15 pm this afternoon. Franklin is favored to win the press conference by 50.5 points in the latest line from Vegas.</p>
<p>There's not much to be said about Franklin at this point that we haven't yet said. He guided Vandy in 2012 to its first nine-win season since 1915, and this year he made it two nine-win seasons in a row for the first time ever. He brought energy and excitement to a program that lacked it for a long, long time, and he leaves it in the best shape its ever been in.</p>
<p>Franklin is from Pennsylvania, went to college at a small school in Pennsylvania, and spent eight total years in two stints as an assistant at Maryland before taking over in Nashville. He makes a lot of sense for Penn State from that alone. PSU seems to have made the best of things, with Bill O'Brien being a steady hand for a couple years to give the real long-term guy some distance from the old legend. The program still has a way to go to get through the massive NCAA sanctions, but it's <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/writer/bruce-feldman/24405646/franklin-getting-a-robust-six-year-deal-at-penn-state-">reportedly</a> paying him $4.5 million per year for his troubles.</p>
<p>As for replacements at Vanderbilt, there should be a number of choices. Franklin showed that you can, in fact, win there, and he's showing today that you can turn that job into something big if you do. Vandy very nearly hired Gus Malzahn, who had a last-minute change of heart, when it hired Franklin, so it wouldn't surprise me to see it go after the Malzahn-like Chad Morris from Clemson. Football Scoop is <a href="https://twitter.com/footballscoop/status/422015445231611905" target="_blank">saying</a> that Vandy will target <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Mason" target="_blank">Derek Mason</a>, the assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator at Stanford.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/1/11/5298080/penn-state-hires-james-franklin-vanderbiltDavid Wunderlich2014-01-11T02:21:06-05:002014-01-11T02:21:06-05:00James Franklin All But Gone
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<figcaption>Kevin C. Cox</figcaption>
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<p>All signs are that James Franklin is going to leave Vanderbilt for the B1G. At this point, the only thing surprising about the move would be if it doesn't happen</p> <p>Barring an almost unforeseeable change of circumstances, Vanderbilt's <span class="sbn-auto-link">James Franklin</span> will be named the head coach at Penn State on Saturday afternoon. Word of the change will likely become official sometime before that.</p>
<p>The evidence right now overwhelmingly points in favor of Franklin moving to State College on Saturday. What we know or at least reportedly know:</p>
<p><b>Vanderbilt has called <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennessean.com%2Farticle%2F20140110%2FSPORTS0602%2F301100061%2FPenn-State-announces-Saturday-press-conference-James-Franklin-meet-Vanderbilt-today&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.teamspeedkills.com%2F2014%2F1%2F11%2F5297764%2Fjames-franklin-head-coach-penn-st-vanderbilt" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">a team meeting tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. ET</a>.</b> This is not, by itself, an indication that a deal is done. Coaches do call a team meeting to do away with speculation every once in a while. But it's rare; generally, if the coach wants to meet with the players, it's because he's moving on.</p>
<p><b>Franklin is reportedly being <a href="http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/10274964/james-franklin-earn-45m-year-penn-state-nittany-lions">offered a very generous contract</a> at Penn State.</b> Details like this usually only leak when the deal is done or near done; after all, if there's little or no interest in a coaching vacancy, numbers never really get discussed. Being the second highest-paid coach in the B1G is not a bad payday, given the caliber of coaches in the Up North Conference. Another bit of information that suggests a deal is done: Board of trustees committees don't meet on Saturdays unless it's important.</p>
<p><b>Penn State has scheduled a <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fncaaf%2F2014%2F01%2F10%2Fpenn-state-coach-james-franklin-vanderbilt%2F4414403%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.teamspeedkills.com%2F2014%2F1%2F11%2F5297764%2Fjames-franklin-head-coach-penn-st-vanderbilt" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">"major announcement"</a> at 4:15 p.m. ET.</b> Barring gross incompetence, which is always possible when discussing Penn State, this will be where Franklin is introduced as the next head coach. They're not calling a hastily scheduled press conference to announce adding a new opponent to the 2017 schedule. The chances that an announcement would be scheduled without Franklin telling Penn State he will take the job aren't worth mentioning.</p>
<p>The fact that Vanderbilt-centric media folks like <a href="http://www.anchorofgold.com/2014/1/10/5295714/vandysportss-chris-lee-franklin-to-psu-is-a-done-deal-recent">Chris Lee are already lining up to bash Franklin</a> -- justifiably or not -- also indicates that this is all but done. Or perhaps just done. A reporter doesn't do that unless he or she is pretty sure that the guy they're taking shots at is headed out the door.</p>
<p>So, unless something truly bizarre happens, Saturday will be the end of the James Franklin Era for Vanderbilt. David Williams' next hire will decide whether that era is the beginning of a new period for Vanderbilt football or a blip in a string of mediocre seasons. No pressure.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/1/11/5297764/james-franklin-head-coach-penn-st-vanderbiltBrandon Larrabee2014-01-09T12:31:23-05:002014-01-09T12:31:23-05:00Report: James Franklin Close to Joining Penn State
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<p>One of the more interesting coaches in the SEC appears to be leaving Vanderbilt and heading to the B1G</p> <p>The thing that Vanderbilt fans (and SEC bloggers looking to go one offseason without a coaching search) feared is apparently happening, according to CBS's Bruce Feldman. One of the conference's hottest head coaches is expected to <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/writer/bruce-feldman/24403383/franklin-to-become-next-head-coach-at-penn-state">move on</a>.</p>
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<p>BREAKING <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Vandy&src=hash">#Vandy</a> coach James Franklin is expected to be the next head coach at <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23PennState&src=hash">#PennState</a>, per source</p>— Bruce Feldman (@BFeldmanCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/BFeldmanCBS/statuses/421320933018578944">January 9, 2014</a>
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<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>[Update: Vanderbilt's athletics director says that, as of Thursday afternoon, Franklin is <a href="http://www.gogamecocks.com/2014/01/09/515378/vanderbilt-ad-franklin-remains.html">still the head coach</a>. This post has been updated to reflect that.]</p>
<p>If Franklin leaves, it's not too much of a surprise; for all the success James Franklin has had at Vanderbilt, Penn State is a tradition-rich program with a better chance of quickly winning the B1G (once the sanctions are gone) than Vanderbilt has of winning the SEC. For all the good Franklin has done at Vanderbilt, he still seems to be a ways away from being able to consistently contend for the East. (It took Steve Spurrier until his sixth season to win the division in South Carolina, which started out slightly ahead of where Vanderbilt was when Franklin took over.)</p>
<p>At the same time, the sanctions would help keep expectations in check for the first couple of years. Franklin has some time to build his program without having to worry about the postseason for a while.</p>
<p>Where does Vanderbilt go? That's a question that doesn't have a clear answer right now. Expect a lot of coordinators to have their names thrown out. There are joking mentions of Houston Nutt of Ed Orgeron floating around, but there might be a semi-retired coach out there whose name gets into the mix. A mix we almost avoided this season.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/1/9/5291992/james-franklin-penn-state-coach-vanderbilt-reportBrandon Larrabee