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Vanderbilt football: 5 candidates to replace Derek Mason

By Brad Berreman

Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason walks the sideline during the second quarter of their game against South Carolina at Vanderbilt Stadium Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020 in Nashville, Tenn.Nas Vandy Carolina Gamer 001
Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason walks the sideline during the second quarter of their game against South Carolina at Vanderbilt Stadium Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020 in Nashville, Tenn.Nas Vandy Carolina Gamer 001 /
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Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Lance Leipold, Buffalo Head Coach

After winning six Division III national titles in eight seasons at Wisconsin-Whitewater with a title game loss once and a 109-6 overall record with five undefeated seasons, Leipold is 35-32 now into his sixth season as the head coach at Buffalo. The Bulls are 4-0 this season, spurred by record-setting running back Jaret Patterson.

Buffalo went 5-7 then 2-10 in Leipold’s first two seasons. But the build has been on since that low-water mark in 2016, from 6-6 in 2017 to 10-4 and a MAC East title in 2018 to 8-5 with a bowl game win last year. Over the last three seasons, the Bulls are 16-4 in conference play. With scheduled games left against Ohio and Akron, a 6-0 record in this shortened, conference-only season and another MAC Championship Game berth is in the cards.

Bigger schools will come calling on Leipold after the season. Elsewhere in the SEC, South Carolina would do well to consider him strongly as they search for Will Muschamp’s replacement. The question is if any openings he’ll be in contention for will get his attention enough to get him to leave Buffalo. He belongs on the list of candidates for Vanderbilt, if not atop the list internally as he is for me here.

Next. 5 candidates to replace Tom Herman at Texas. dark

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