Vanderbilt reportedly committed to Clark Lea as coaching searches ramp up

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Vanderbilt reportedly committed to Clark Lea as coaching searches ramp up

Vanderbilt reportedly committed to Clark Lea as coaching searches ramp up originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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No. 9 Vanderbilt enters a pivotal Week 10 matchup with No. 20 Texas. With all the success around Nashville, Clark Lea's name has been in the center of it all.  

The Commodores are 7-1 for the first time in 88 years with back-to-back wins over ranked teams. Once a bottom feeder in the SEC being transformed into a legitimate College Football Playoff contender. 

Vanderbilt is firmly in the spotlight with Lea being mentioned around the country as a possible replacement at many programs, including three in the SEC. This is an unprecedented time in college football with Florida, LSU, Penn State, and seven other programs needing to make a hire. 

Despite the success, Vanderbilt won't Lea walk without trying to keep him. 

“We have the resources and the commitment to make sure that we sustain excellence in this program,” Vanderbilt athletic director Candice Storey Lee told On3. 

“One of the things that’s great is that Clark and I are very clear on what we’ve had to do to get to this point and what we need to do to actually fulfill our potential and fulfill the mission. That’s very clear. And I don’t have to believe, I know, that Vanderbilt is ready, willing and able to ensure that we have that moving forward.”

Lea is currently making $3.7 million this season, which is 57th overall in the country and dead-last in the SEC, according to USA TODAY Sports. He's under contract until 2029, but if Vandy wants to keep him some things will have to change.  

Vanderbilt heads to Austin to face Texas (Noon ET, ABC). 

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