Vanderbilt Commodores Coach Nick Lezynski Invited to AFCA 35 Under 35 Program

Vanderbilt Commodores football coach Nick Lezynski has been invited to participate in the prestigious AFCA 35 Under 35 Program.

Oct 22, 2022; Columbia, Missouri, USA; A detail view of a Vanderbilt Commodores helmet against the Missouri Tigers during the second half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The 2024 college football season was an exciting one for the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Not much was expected from the program that has not had a winning campaign since 2013, James Franklin’s last year on campus. But, they shocked a lot of people, including having an incredible upset over the Alabama Crimson Tide.

They clinched bowl eligibility with their sixth victory over the Auburn Tigers on Nov. 2, but unfortunately, that was the last time they won, as they lost their final three SEC games to the South Carolina Gamecocks, LSU Tigers and Tennessee Volunteers.

They are now 6-6 heading into the Birmingham Bowl against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets of the ACC. 

Even if they fall short, this season was a success.

They had three wins in the SEC, which is as many as they had the previous five campaigns combined.

the Commodores are going to be a program people pay more attention to if they can keep up this level of success. Players could look to transfer into Nashville, wanting to elevate the team to that next tier.

Also, their coaches could become more popular during the hiring cycles for promotions.

One person to keep an eye on in that regard is Nick Lezynski, the defensive run game coordinator and linebackers coach on Clark Lea’s staff.

He is lucky enough to have been selected to take part in the AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute. The 2025 class had over 200 applicants and he was one of the special few that will be taking part.

All of the participants will be taking part in the one-day event, listening to lectures that will provide them with the necessary tools to not only grow as leaders and become better coaches, but also find the right balance between life and their jobs.

The goal of the program is to find and develop the next batch of potential leaders across all levels of football, helping them become better leaders and have the opportunity to move up the ranks.

One of the perks of being part of the event is the network of like-minded individuals the coaches will be joining. They will also be featured in some of the AFCA’s media, such as the magazine and email blasts, which will help with exposure.

On the website, they shared rules and regulations for applying and what is needed for eligibility.

“To be eligible, applicants had to be born on or after January 1, 1989, and must be currently serving as a high school head coach, two-year college full-time assistant or head coach, or NAIA/NCAA (all divisions) full-time assistant or head coach. Applicants were required to submit a resume, five references, and a 1,600-word article or ten-minute live instructional video on an offensive, defensive, special teams, or position-specific topic of the applicant’s choosing back in the summer.”

The window to apply for the 2026 class will open on July 1, 2025, and remain opt through July 31, 2025.

Lezynski had an impact on his players in 2024, as the linebackers were the leaders of the defensive unit. The top three tacklers on the team, Bryan Longwell, Langston Patterson and Randon Fontenette, were all under his watch.