Earlier today Vanderbilt fired head football coach Derek Mason. The Commodores are currently 0-8 on the 2020 season. Head coach Mason has been at Vanderbilt since the 2014 season. Here is a look at the Vanderbilt Commodores football team since 2008 (the year in which the data I use to model FBS production starts). The figure covers the last two seasons under Bobby Johnson, one season under Robbie Caldwell, the three season with James Franklin and the nearly seven seasons under Derek Mason. As you will notice, Vanderbilt's football program has been below average in terms of relative production during Mason's tenure.
Derek Mason [2014 - 2020*]
2014
Vanderbilt finished the regular season at 3-9 (and bowl ineligible). The Commodores played against an
“average” strength
of schedule (SOS), meaning the Commodores' SOS was plus or minus one standard deviation of the "league" SOS. Vanderbilt's best regular
season victory
was against #78 ranked Old Dominion by a score of (42-28) and their
worst
loss was to #86 ranked Kentucky by a score of (7-17). Vanderbilt was the #124 ranked team overall, with the #125 ranked
offense and the #97 ranked defense using the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from www.cfbstats.com.
2015
Vanderbilt finished the regular season at 4-8 (and again bowl ineligible). The Commodores' played against a
“tougher” strength
of schedule (SOS), meaning the Commodores' SOS was between one and two standard deviations lower than the "leagues" SOS. Vanderbilt's best regular
season victory
was against #56 ranked Middle Tennessee State by a score of (17-13) and their
worst
loss was to #85 ranked South Carolina by a score of (10-19). Vanderbilt was the #89 ranked team overall, with the #123 ranked
offense and the #16 ranked defense using the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from www.cfbstats.com.
2016
Vanderbilt finished the regular season at 6-6 (and bowl eligible),
and were defeated by #27 ranked North Carolina State by a score of (17-41) to
finish at 6-7 overall. The Commodores' played against a
“tougher” strength
of schedule (SOS). Vanderbilt's best regular
season victory
was against #10 ranked Western Kentucky by a score of (31-30) and their
worst
loss was to #91 ranked South Carolina by a score of (10-13). Vanderbilt was the #76 ranked team overall, with the #75 ranked
offense and the #68 ranked defense using the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from www.cfbstats.com. Mason received a contract extension in the off-season.
2017
Vanderbilt finished the regular season at 5-7, while
playing against an
“average” strength
of schedule. Vanderbilt's best
regular
season victory
was against #59 ranked Kansas State by a score of (14-7) and their worst
loss was again to #99 ranked Kentucky by a score of (21-44). Vanderbilt was the #91 ranked team overall, with the #81 ranked
offense and the #80 ranked defense using the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from www.cfbstats.com.
2018
Vanderbilt finished the regular season at 6-6, and were bowl
eligible, where they were defeated by #95 ranked Baylor (38-45). The Commodores' played against an
“average” strength
of schedule. Vanderbilt's best regular
season victory
was again against #52 ranked Nevada by a score of (41-10) and their worst
loss was to #79 ranked South Carolina by a score of (14-37). Vanderbilt was the #71 ranked team overall, with the #65 ranked
offense and the #81 ranked defense using the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from www.cfbstats.com. Mason received a contract extension in the off-season.
2020
Vanderbilt is currently 0-8 with their worst loss of the season
was to currently ranked #117 South Carolina by a score of (7-41). The Commodores' are currently the
#125 ranked offense, the #80 ranked defense and
the #117 ranked team in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
2020 NCAA FBS Head Coaching Changes