After a rough 3-9 first season at Vanderbilt, Derek Mason has decided to shake up his coaching staff.
In a release, the Vandy head coach announced that three coaches, including offensive coordinator Karl Dorrell, will not be retained and won’t return next season. Dorrell also served as the Commodores’ quarterbacks coach.
In addition to Dorrell, Mason fired wide receivers coach Marc Lubick and strength & conditioning coach Bill Hughan.
“I have great respect for Karl, Marc and Bill and appreciate their contributions to our program,” Mason said in a statement. “They are men of character and excellent coaches. I wish each of them nothing but success in the future.”
Prior to Dorrell joining Mason with the Commodores, he had been an assistant at the NFL level for the past decade and a half, the lone exception being a five-year stint as UCLA’s head coach from 2003-07. He was hired in January of this year, but the Commodores’ offense struggled mightily under his direction.
This season, the Commodores ranked dead last in the SEC in rushing offense (112th nationally), total offense (122nd), scoring offense (T-117th), first downs (119th), third-down conversion percentage (T-120) and turnovers (122nd). They were 13th in the SEC, ahead of only LSU, in passing offense (106th), and were ahead of only Ole Miss in red zone offense (110th).
So, at least statistically, a change was in the offing. And likely warranted.
Incidentally, Dorrell’s son, wide receiver Chandler Dorrell, transferred to Vandy this past summer. It’s unclear what the future holds for the redshirt freshman holds.