NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt fired coach Derek Mason on Sunday after losing the first eight games of his seventh season, and offensive coordinator Todd Fitch will serve as the interim coach. “While this was a difficult decision, but I know this change is necessary," athletic director Candice Lee said in a statement. "We wish Derek and his entire family the best.”Mason was hired in 2014 as Vanderbilt's 28th coach, replacing James Franklin when he left for Penn State.
Mason came to Vanderbilt after being associate head coach and defensive coordinator at Stanford. He became the first Vanderbilt coach since the 1920s to beat in-state rival Tennessee three straight seasons.