Derek Mason has reached out to a football program closer to his former home at Stanford to fill the lone vacancy on his first Vanderbilt coaching staff.
Frank Maile, the school announced Tuesday, has been hired as Mason’s new defensive line coach. Maile replaces Vavae Tata, who was fired earlier this month following a mid-February arrest for drunk driving. Tata was initially suspended indefinitely before being dismissed.
Maile actually took part in a Commodores practice for the first time Tuesday, prior to the announcement.
The past three seasons, Maile has served as the defensive line coach at his alma mater Utah State. The Aggies, in fact, are the only program at which Maile has served as an assistant since his playing days at USU ended in 2007.
(Photo credit: Vanderbilt athletics)