The COVID-19 outbreak could shorten, or even cancel, college sports seasons in the 2020-21 school year. How would that impact coaches of Vanderbilt’s most visible sports?
Football coach Derek Mason will be the first to face such an obstacle. Vanderbilt preseason practice is scheduled to begin Aug. 6 or 7. But that’s merely a possibility until SEC presidents and chancellors reportedly meet this week to discuss the league’s football approach to the pandemic.
Basketball season will arrive in November, when players, coaches and fans potentially would gather indoors for games. And who knows the status of the pandemic when baseball season rolls around in February?
Which Vanderbilt coaches are best equipped to handle a shortened season? And how would it impact their future with the Commodores? Here’s a quick look at each coach’s situation:
Derek Mason’s team must adjust quickly to a lot of changes
Mason may have the hardest job if the season is shorter than normal. He has six new assistant coaches, including offensive coordinator Todd Fitch and defensive coordinator Ted Roof. That means a new system on both sides of the ball for a team that barely started spring practice.
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Plus, Mason must name a new starting quarterback among four options. Freshman Ken Seals got a head start by arriving on campus in January. Junior college transfer Jeremy Moussa did the same, but he was injured in the spring. Junior college transfer Danny Clark and freshman Mike Wright will get a look in preseason practice.
All that change would be difficult to handle in a 12-game season. An abbreviated schedule would make the adjustments even harder.
The pandemic could help or hurt Mason’s future. Fewer non-conference games probably means fewer wins, which could increase the heat on his seat. But if Vanderbilt takes a financial hit from a shortened season, paying a buyout may not be a high priority.
In six seasons, Mason has a 27-47 overall record, including a 10-38 SEC mark. His contract is not made public because Vanderbilt is a private university. But he has at least three years left on his deal. In 2017, Mason’s contract was extended to five years. And he received another contract extension in February 2019, though the terms were not released.
In 2018, Mason was paid $3.1 million in base salary and credited with $3.5 million in total compensation, according to university tax returns obtained by The Tennessean. His current salary is not known.
Jerry Stackhouse has job security, revamped roster
Stackhouse, the men’s basketball coach, has no worries about his job security. He was praised — and even garnered SEC Coach of the Year consideration — in his debut season. He posted an 11-21 overall record and 3-15 SEC mark.
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But the Commodores lost SEC scoring leader Aaron Nesmith to an injury, and they showed notable improvement late in the season. Nesmith and All-SEC guard Saben Lee left for the NBA Draft, so as many as seven newcomers will be in the lineup this season.
Stackhouse’s best newcomers — Notre Dame transfer D.J. Harvey and Rice transfer Quentin Millora-Brown — practiced with the team last season, so their adjustment should be manageable. And Scotty Pippen Jr. and Dylan Disu showed promise as freshmen.
The key for the Commodores will be how the pandemic affects the schedule. Non-conference games would add confidence and wins. If the season is delayed or shortened, an SEC-heavy schedule would add a degree of difficulty for a revamped roster.
Stephanie White’s future could be on line
White, the women’s basketball coach, was retained after showing moderate improvement in her fourth season. But she still has a 42-79 overall record and 13-51 SEC mark with four straight losing seasons.
Vanderbilt declined to provide the terms of White’s contract. If she is in the fifth year of her initial contract, she is likely coaching for her job this season. If she signed a small extension after last season, she may have slightly more slack.
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Either way, White needs to win, and she has a roster to do it. Jordyn Cambridge, Chelsie Hall, Brinae Alexander and Koi Love have each played at an All-SEC level during their careers, but injuries have limited their consistency. Add Missouri transfer Akira Levy, and the Commodores should be competitive in the SEC.
Again, the schedule could dictate success. White has a 29-28 non-conference record, including 10-4 last season. Her teams usually play well early and then hit a lull amid the SEC slate as injuries pile up. A shorter season that still includes some non-conference contests may work in the Commodores’ favor.
Tim Corbin still has talent, so no worries
Corbin should have no concerns about job security. He has two national championships and perhaps the highest salary among college baseball coaches.
While Corbin’s base salary dropped to $949,643 in 2018, according to the most recently available tax returns, he was still credited with nearly $1.4 million in total compensation. During last season’s national title run, Corbin was paid more than at least 11 MLB managers and more than every other coach at the College World Series.
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The pandemic could look very different when baseball season arrives. But if the season is delayed or shortened, the Commodores still would be well-equipped to compete because of their elite talent, especially on the mound.
Right-handers Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter will be among the best pitchers in college baseball, and much of last season’s freshman-laden lineup will return. That talent will mean Vanderbilt should be in good shape, regardless of the structure of the season.
Reach Adam Sparks at asparks@tennessean.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.
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