Well, you can officially start “Clark Lea Watch 2020” is it came a few weeks earlier than we even expected it to officially come this football season.
Vanderbilt, fresh off another awful showing on Saturday, losing to Missouri 41-0 and falling to 0-8, fired head coach Derek Mason on Sunday.
What does that happen to do with anything in regards to Notre Dame defensive coordinator Clark Lea, you ask?
Lea is going to be one of the hottest coaching candidates for perhaps a Power Five job at a middle to lower term program traditionally this off-season.
Lea is also a graduate of Vanderbilt where he was a fullback on the football team from 2002-2004.
Naturally, the easy link to draw is that Lea would be interested in being the coach to save his alma mater from the depths of football hell they’re currently in.
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However, some basic logic tells you it’s hard to imagine this would be a two-foot putt for Lea to take if he were to be eventually offered the Vanderbilt opening.
One key reason why is not only the disaster that Vanderbilt football currently is but simply being in the SEC and the problems that bring.
God bless and stay safe. 🙏🏿👊🏿#AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/zrvpTPaGyb
— Derek Mason (@CoachDerekMason) November 29, 2020
That’s not to say it can’t be done as James Franklin had success at Vanderbilt before taking the Penn State job but it’d be an incredible undertaking at this point with cards stacked against you in terms of recruiting in your own conference.
Having gone there I’m certain Lea is aware of such matters.
I’ve said for a while that if Lea wants to be a head coach then he’s going to get that opportunity before much longer.
Now what can Notre Dame do to try and sway his decision?
You can back up the Brinks truck and offer an incredible pay raise but if his dream is to be a head coach, you’re not going to change that, not that Brian Kelly and Notre Dame’s staff would want to.
The link between Lea and Vanderbilt makes plenty of sense but the fit for Lea seems far-fetched for someone taking on their first potential head coaching job right now.
I fully expect Lea to be offered a head job this off-season but I have trouble thinking of some of the potential openings, that he’ll see this one as a destination job, even if he did go to college there.