How coach Clark Lea is adjusting to calling defense in Vanderbilt football spring practice

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Clark Lea is not unfamiliar with being a defensive coordinator. It is, after all, the position he held for three years at Notre Dame before taking the head job with Vanderbilt football.

But what he has done this year — taking over the defensive playcalling while remaining the head coach — is a new gig that brings with it its own challenges and rewards. That’s even more so with two new position coaches in the fold: cornerbacks coach Jamaal Richardson and safeties coach Melvin Rice.

During spring practice, which began March 19, Lea and the new defensive staff have been working on installing the new playbook, which he said consists of “bits and pieces” from what was already in place, in addition to elements of what he has done in the past.

“I’m investing more time, which I love it, and I’m having so much fun,” Lea said after Tuesday’s practice. “So it hasn’t been any kind of burdensome . . . before the start of the day and after the finish, I’m doing something in one of my roles, and especially as we get this package built and we get it installed, that’s taken a ton of my attention, but like I said, I’m having a blast with it. enjoying my time with the players.”

For Lea’s first three seasons with the Commodores, he had a separate defensive coordinator. Jesse Minter served in that role in 2021 before leaving for Michigan, then Nick Howell took over in 2022 and 2023. Howell was demoted to a position coach after Vanderbilt’s 2-10 season in 2023, and he left to become the defensive coordinator at New Mexico. That prompted Lea to take more control over the defense.

“It’s simplified a lot of things between the head coach and linebacker coach communication,” linebacker Nick Rinaldi said. “So that’s been good, and we’re putting in a lot of new stuff. So it’s been hard trying to transition to the new playbook, but it’s been…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/coach-clark-lea-adjusting-calling-212244708.html

Author : The Tennessean

Publish date : 2024-03-26 21:22:44

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