College Football: 10 coaches who could be on hot seat in 2020

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COLUMBIA, SC – NOVEMBER 02: Head coach Derek Mason of the Vanderbilt Commodores prior to their game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium on November 2, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) /

5. Derek Mason, Vanderbilt

Derek Mason is in trouble. The Commodores are 27-47 in his six seasons in Nashville. They hit a low point this season going 3-9 and winning one game in the SEC.

The Commodores were 125th in the country in scoring offense and 95th in the country in scoring defense. Ke’Shawn Vaughn was the only bright spot on the team, and his numbers were down from last season. The Commodores were undermanned against every team they played last season.

Part of the issue is Vanderbilt’s clear lack of monetary investment in the football program.

The Vanderbilt administration is investing in the infrastructure of the athletic department, so Malcolm Turner the athletic director kept Mason for the 2020 football season. This is very much a test to see what comes first, the chicken or the egg.

Is Derek Mason a good coach given the necessary resources? Do the resources matter and Mason simply is not the guy? Is there anyone who wants the Vanderbilt job? Is the Vanderbilt job a good test case for the Cutcliffe formula?

There is one question we know the answer to: Will Mason survive another 3-9 season? No, he won’t.

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