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Tennessee football: Ranking all SEC coaches for 2020

By Caleb Calhoun

GAINESVILLE, FL- SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on during the first half of the game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FL- SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on during the first half of the game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images /

Vanderbilt. 7th year. Derek Mason. 887. Scouting Report. 13. player. Pick Analysis

Record at Vanderbilt: 27-47 (10-38)

If any head coach were going to be below Sam Pittman on this list, Derek Mason is that head coach. Were it not for two wins over Tennessee football, one against a horrendously coached Vols team and another against a Vols team massively depleted in talent, he would still be searching for his first bowl game with the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Somehow, though, Mason still has his job after a 3-9 campaign. Don’t forget he inherited a program that had made three straight bowl games and saw two straight top 25 finishes under James Franklin, so it’s possible to win at a program like Vanderbilt. Mason just hasn’t done it that much yet, and it’s hard to see him doing it this year.

Now, to be fair to Mason, the East is much tougher than it was when Franklin was there. In general, Mason has drawn tougher schedules, and it’s still hard to recruit at Vanderbilt. That’s probably why he still has the job. Well, it also helps that he’s the first coach since the mid-1920s to beat UT three straight times.

Either way, the pressure is still on Mason this year. He’s definitely on the hot seat even more, but the last two times he’s been on it, he’s made a bowl game. Can he do it this year with a 10-game SEC-only schedule? Or will he get another mulligan because of this year’s situation? If he does, he still likely won’t do much to move up this list.

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