Clark Lea - Defensive Coordinator

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

Have any of Saban's assistants moved on in this manner during the playoffs? Or Meyer's? Serious question as I don't know. Any playoff team lost an assistant prior to the playoffs and then had that coach do this?

This just seems awfully ridiculous of Lea. I'm sure Vandy played hardball and told him if he wanted the job, this is what he had to do, so he did it. But, I just don't remember this being the case with other coaches. Though I could have this completely wrong.

Yes. Kirby Smart.

 

[ND88]

I can’t fault him for wanting the opportunity to be a head coach, especially in economic times like this. But can’t ND put a clause in their contracts, no press conferences until after the season is over? It’s always bad optics. With that said, Lea has earned the opportunity to coach these guys to the bitter end.

 

[PANDFAN]

I've been thinking and this season was kind of an ultimate "Ha Ha" to Elko. You made lateral move, Lea turned it into a P5 HC job, then we make Playoff and they come up short.

Grass aint always greener even if the money is.

Other random note - ND defense forced TL into his first ever INT against a Blitz and first ever in the ACC-CCG.

to make things EVEN BETTER....elko tweeted he was never watching or listening to espn talking heads again( don't remember exactly) anyways jalen elliot retweeted it with the caption GO IRISH which then some other former players like it

 

[irish4ever]

Lea knows how to call a game, which athletes perform in which situations, and how to make half time adjustments. By this time next year his replacement may be ready, but until then, I am grateful Lea will stick around and see this team through the NC.

Unfortunately, we didn't see much of that this past Saturday.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Unfortunately, we didn't see much of that this past Saturday.

2nd half was much better than first half.
(although Dabo went more vanilla)

 

[IrishLax]

Unfortunately, we didn't see much of that this past Saturday.

Clemson's lowest scoring output of the season was this past weekend against Notre Dame.

 

[Irish#1]

Him, Napier, Venables and Elliott are their top candidates reportedly.

Would love to see Venables get it and I may be wrong, but he strikes me as a Bud Foster type.

 

[dublinirish]

https://247sports.com/college/vande...res-head-coach-Syracuse-Orange-SEC-158138990/

Just over two weeks after being hired, Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea reportedly has made his first choice for his new coaching staff. Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports is reporting that Lea will hire Syracuse special teams coach Justin Lustig to the same position at Vanderbilt.

 

[Dale]

Taking Louisville’s RB coach to join him at Vandy in the same role. Teammates at Vandy reportedly. Amazing how such small worlds can exist.

 

[Blazers46]

Taking Louisville’s RB coach to join him at Vandy in the same role. Teammates at Vandy reportedly. Amazing how such small worlds can exist.

Most jobs are given to people you know.

 

[Dale]

Most jobs are given to people you know.

Thanks boss. Hiring him wasn’t a surprise, the fact that two early 2000s Vanderbilt football players coach at this level already is.

 

[Rogue219]

Most jobs are given to people you know.

Especially in this industry. It's as good ol' boy networking as they come. Hence the same dudes keep turning up at different jobs. It's how Terry Fucking Bowden is an unpaid intern at Clemson.

A lot of younger guys just starting out go to clinics and conferences. Some great stories and relationships come from those. I don't know how that works currently with the pandemic, but it can't be helping some of these younger GAs who are just starting out.

Being a young guy and a first time HC, Lea is going to need familiarity and trust on this first staff. Over time you need to expand your reach and get better, brighter guys around you. Some guys learn this lesson and other's don't. The ones who don't usually fizzle out.

Kelly did a fantastic job after that 4-8 season of expanding his reach and hired better coaches who were not from his previous stops in Michigan or Cincinnati. All Lea can do now is find guys he knows and plug them in if they want to come.

 

[dublinirish]

Taking Louisville’s RB coach to join him at Vandy in the same role. Teammates at Vandy reportedly. Amazing how such small worlds can exist.

Taking Wisconsin's DL coach now to same role @ Vandy

 

[ThePiombino]

Taking Wisconsin's DL coach now to same role @ Vandy

Anyone know the connection there?

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

[NewBrunswickIrish]

Taking Wisconsin's DL coach now to same role @ Vandy

Was he going to be fired from Wisconsin? Because unless he’s getting a promotion then that seems like a bad career move.

 

[Dale]

UCLA DL coach when Lea was LB coach. Plus a little extra dough and living in Nashville over Madison? Sold.

 

[Dale]

Whoa. Reportedly hiring Barton Simmons (247 Sports) as his Player Ops.

 

[Dale]

I have no idea how that translates to Player Ops role but I have listened to a lot of talking heads and I have never listened to someone in CFB media with quite as good of insight as Barton. Selfishly will miss reading and hearing his opinion

 

[Luckylucci]

Lea already playing on a different level than those that have come before him.

 

[Huntr]

Whoa. Reportedly hiring Barton Simmons (247 Sports) as his Player Ops.

Absolutely love this move

 

[SouthSideChiDomer]

Whoa. Reportedly hiring Barton Simmons (247 Sports) as his Player Ops.

Makes sense. He was also Lea's high school teammate.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

Lea’s early staff hires certainly indicate he is well respected by his peers. Getting lateral moves from Louisville and Wisconsin to Vanderbilt is an eyebrow raiser.

 

[IrishLax]

That is so unbelievably smart hiring someone like Simmons into that kind of role.

 

[Rogue219]

That is so unbelievably smart hiring someone like Simmons into that kind of role.

I don't recall anyone doing something of this sort before.

Then again, who the hell would hire Mike Frank? LOL.

 

[ThePiombino]

I don't recall anyone doing something of this sort before.



Then again, who the hell would hire Mike Frank? LOL.

I'd hire Mile Frank as long as he agreed to pull the string out...

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Sea Turtle]

Lea’s early staff hires certainly indicate he is well respected by his peers. Getting lateral moves from Louisville and Wisconsin to Vanderbilt is an eyebrow raiser.

Yes it is. Hopefully Vanderbilt works with Lea to make them more competitive.

 

[Ndaccountant]

I don't recall anyone doing something of this sort before.

Then again, who the hell would hire Mike Frank? LOL.

Someone did it before, but I am drawing a blank on the name. It was a few years ago, 2015 or so maybe?

 

[Irishize]

That is so unbelievably smart hiring someone like Simmons into that kind of role.

He’s using analytics to hopefully even the playing field enough to make Vandy competitive. Didn’t realize Simmons was open to this but he could be a modern version of Vinny Cerrato. Also didn’t know they went to HS together but makes sense as Simmons really had an understanding of what makes Lea tick. Count me as a Vandy fan as long as Lea is there.

 

[Irishize]

I'd hire Mile Frank as long as he agreed to pull the string out...

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

And he wouldn’t be allow to sigh.

 

[IrishRazor82]

Has anyone ever noticed he looks like mini me on Austin' Powers? Im going to miss him even more now.