Clark Lea Named Finalist For Another Coaching Award: The Anchor
Clark Lea continues to rack up the postseason recognition following the end of Vanderbilt’s 2025 football season. Lea was named a finalist for the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award.
The award is given to the college football coach that contributes the most to making the sport better for both athletes and fans alike while demonstrating grit, integrity and winning approach on and off the field.
Lea is a finalist along with Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti, Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko, James Madison head coach Bob Chesney, Miami FL. head coach Mario Cristobal and Virginia head coach Tony Elliot.
Lea was already awarded the 2025 Eddie Robsinson Coach of the Year Award. If Lea were to win the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award on top of the award he has already won, it would further be a vindication of the change he has brought to Nashville in such a short time. Lea led Vanderbilt to a 10-3 record this past season and a 6-2 record in the SEC. It was the first time in program history that the Commodores won 10 or more games in a season and it was also the first time in which Vanderbilt finished with a record of 6-2 or better in conference play.
To add onto the history, Lea’s team also took down three different AP Top 15 teams and climbed into the top 10 of the AP Top 25 poll for the first time since 1947.
Today's Commodores Schedule
No. 7 Vanderbilt women’s basketball vs. Missouri, 6:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
Yesterday’s Commodores Results Today
No. 11 Vanderbilt men’s basketball beat No. 13 Alabama 96-90.
Did You Notice?
Vanderbilt men’s tennis got its second recruit signing for next season. The Commodores signed Roshan Santhosh out of the class of 2026. He is from Los Angeles California and attended ICL Academy.
Countdown to Vanderbilt’s 2026 Baseball Season Opener
36 days
Commodores Quote of The Day
“I’m a rebel at heart. Give me 5 rules and I’m going to try to break every one of them. I think a lot of us are like that. But if we can develop a system of principles, it then becomes a lifestyle instead of a list of ‘can’t-do’s.’ It makes decisions a lot easier, and I don’t feel like I’m fighting myself so much, as I try to live the right way.”Chantelle Anderson
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Graham Baakko is a writer for Vanderbilt Commodores On SI, primarily covering football, basketball and baseball. Graham is a recent graduate from the University of Alabama, where he wrote for The Crimson White, WVUA-FM, WVUA 23 as he covered a variety of Crimson Tide sports. He also covered South Carolina athletics as a sportswriting intern for GamecockCentral.