Can someone answer this for me?

#1
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FollowTheLeader

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#1
Everyone keeps throwing Derek Mason's name around for our DC job if Banks leaves. What are his accomplishments or accolades?
 
#6
#6
CAVPUT said:
He did have Vandy somewhat competitive for a period of time.
Mason history
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I've seen his bio, but he hasn't had a decent defense in years. When he took over at Vandy, James Franklin won 9 games there and 2 years in a row I believe had a top 25 defense at Vandy and then Franklin went on to be pretty successful at Penn State.
 
#7
#7
There's really not a whole lot there.

After jumping from place to place as a position coach (mostly WRs or DBs) for the first twelve years of his career, he landed an NFL gig with the Vikings from 2007 to 2009. Get this, as the assistant DB coach. I didn't even know there were assistant position coaches, heh.

But then his claim to fame arrived: was hired by Jim Harbaugh at Stanford, and stayed on through the Harbaugh to David Shaw transition. While working for Shaw, rose from DB coach to Assistant DC, and then to Defensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach.

These were the years when Stanford was really good, including PAC conference champs a couple of times. And one of those years, Mason was picked as a finalist for the Broyles Award (best assistant coach in college football). He didn't win it, but was a finalist.

So folks thought well of him. Well enough for Vandy to give him a shot at head coach. Where the Peter Principle kicked in, and he finally got kicked out. I mean, he became the first and only coach in Vandy history to go winless throughout a season. You'd think it would have been done prior, but nope, he was the first. Ouch.

Since then, he has had a couple of one-year tries at DC again: Auburn in 2021, and Oklahoma State in 2022. Neither panned out.

So yeah, I'm not sure why everyone thinks he would be such a ****-hot DC. I guess they're enamored of his Stanford years.

Go Vols!
 
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#8
#8
FollowTheLeader said:
Everyone keeps throwing Derek Mason's name around for our DC job if Banks leaves. What are his accomplishments or accolades?
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DC at Stanford and a couple of years coaching DBs in the NFL. He's been at two other places since Vandy and is now trying to be a color analyst. I don't think he's a hot name. He's just someone that people recognize because we've played a couple of crappy games lately that he's been in the booth for.
 
#10
#10
Volador said:
What are his accomplishments or accolades?

Not nearly enough
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Decent defensive coach when he has enough talent to make it work. That is fairly obvious. I think the simple fact of the matter is, Tim Banks is too soft in the defensive backfield, and they are not talented enough. Talent changes a lot of things.
 
#15
#15
GAVol said:
DC and Stanford and a couple of years coaching DBs in the NFL. He's been at two other places since Vandy and is now trying to be a color analyst. I don't think he's a hot name. He's just someone that people recognize because we've played a couple of crappy games lately that he's been in the booth for.
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I remember a few people mentioning he was calling the game and dying to be our play caller because he didn't like what Banks was doing. And that he was schooling Banks.
This was actually pretty funny because what on earth could he tell somebody that's had way better defenses than him for years. He could learn a few things from Banks. Football has changed alot since he was at Stanford. Offenses have changed and the rules favor offenses, so being a DC isn't easy.
 
#18
#18
He had Stanford and Vanderbilt playing the best defense they've ever played. But it doesn't matter... Banks isn't going anywhere and we should be glad. He improves our defense every. single. year.
 
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#19
#19
volfan_28 said:
He had Stanford and Vanderbilt playing the best defense they've ever played. But it doesn't matter... Banks isn't going anywhere and we should be glad. He improves our defense every. single. year.
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Stanford maybe, Vanderbilt not so much. When he took over Vandy, they had been in the Top 25 defensively for 2 or 3 years. He took over and defense was terrible for all but 1 year at Vandy.
 
#25
#25
EastTNVol423 said:
yeah, looks like he is an analyst there. I think i would take a chance with him over Mason...
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Banks is sticking around so it doesn’t matter.

I think a lot of the time you get more bang for your buck with a younger DC. Strong is 63. Idk that he has as much fire to hit the recruiting trail as he used to. Also if you don’t stay ahead of the curve with offenses evolving you get left behind.

If we were forced to get someone else I would look at someone like Arnette. He’s younger, has experience in current SEC, has experience being opposite to up tempo offense as well. Glad Banks is sticking around though.
 
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