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$3.7 million college football head coach named clear candidate for Michigan vacancy

Rowan Fisher Shotton|
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel and Vanderbilt Commodores head coach Clark Lea meet before a game at Neyland Stadium.
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel and Vanderbilt Commodores head coach Clark Lea meet before a game at Neyland Stadium. | Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

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Vanderbilt CommodoresMichigan Wolverines

Michigan’s search for a replacement for fired head coach Sherrone Moore widened this week to include a familiar name from the SEC: Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea.

The mention is part of an evolving list of candidates discussed by analysts and insiders as Michigan moves quickly to stabilize coaching leadership and recruiting.

In a recent episode of his podcast, "The Joel Klatt Show," Joel Klatt named Lea, Kenny Dillingham (Arizona State), and Kalen DeBoer (Alabama) as among the central figures under consideration. 

When discussing Michigan’s potential candidates, Klatt specifically referenced Lea, saying, "Dillingham, I think, is interesting. And Clark Lea is interesting as well… And again, I think that they should not be scared by extensions. A guy signed an extension—great. Go talk to him."

A Vanderbilt alumnus who played fullback for the Commodores and returned to Nashville as head coach in 2021, Lea is credited with rebuilding the program into a regular contender in a competitive SEC conference. 

Through five seasons as Vanderbilt’s head coach, he holds a 26–35 overall record, including back-to-back winning seasons capped by a 10–2 finish in 2025.

He signed a six-year extension on November 28 that boosts his compensation to roughly $3.7 million in 2025, a figure that nonetheless sits well below the salaries available at historically dominant programs. 

Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea.
Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea works with his team during the third quarter against Kentucky at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On the field, Michigan finished 9–3 overall and 7–2 in Big Ten play, ending the regular season ranked No. 18 but outside the playoff picture after a decisive loss to Ohio State.

Michigan announced Moore’s termination ‘for cause’ on December 10, less than two weeks after the loss to the Buckeyes, following an internal investigation that the school said found credible evidence of an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.

Hours later, Moore was arrested and now faces criminal charges related to an alleged home-invasion incident. 

The legal and reputational fallout has forced athletic leadership to move the coaching carousel faster than usual.

Dillingham and DeBoer have both publicly reiterated commitments to their current jobs; Michigan insiders say the school will continue talking to a broad list until a definitive answer is reached. 

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Rowan Fisher
ROWAN FISHER SHOTTON

Rowan Fisher-Shotton is a versatile journalist known for sharp analysis, player-driven storytelling, and quick-turn coverage across CFB, CBB, the NBA, WNBA, and NFL. A Wilfrid Laurier alum and lifelong athlete, he’s written for FanSided, Pro Football Network, Athlon Sports, and Newsweek, tackling every beat with both a reporter’s edge and a player’s eye.

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