Jeff Fisher Rumors: Ex-Titans, Rams HC a 'Potential Target' for Vanderbilt
Former NFL head coach Jeff Fisher is reportedly among the candidates who could replace Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason if he's let go by the school.
Adam Rittenberg of ESPN reported the news, highlighting Fisher's continued popularity in Tennessee after his tenure with the Titans.
Fisher is 173-165-1 as an NFL head coach and has been out of coaching since his dismissal in Los Angeles during the 2016 season.
Mason is in the midst of his sixth consecutive losing season at Vanderbilt. The Commodores have reached just two bowl games since he took over for James Franklin, who had led Vanderbilt to consecutive top-25 finishes before taking the Penn State job.
Vanderbilt is currently 2-5, though the school is coming off a marquee win over Missouri. Athletic director Malcolm Turner has been noncommittal to keeping Mason on the job.
“As with any situation in any program, I'm constantly evaluating our programs. (Mason) has been a great partner already, and like I said, he is the right leader for our program, and I know he's very focused on what we need to fix and how we get this turned around," Turner said on WNSR-560 when asked if Mason would return next season, per Gentry Estes of the Tennessean.
It's unclear if Fisher would be interested in leaving his post-coaching life to take over a Vanderbilt program that presents its share of issues. Vanderbilt has a difficult time competing in the SEC due to its budgetary constraints and high academic standards. The program has perennially ranked near the bottom of the SEC for decades save an occasional strong season or two.
It's also unclear if Fisher's name has enough national cache to make him a worthy hire. At this point in his career, Fisher's best-known coaching trait is his ability to perennially coach 7-9 or 8-8 teams.
