MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — Middle Tennessee State University wasted little time in finding their new head football coach, naming Derek Mason as the program's 15th head coach on Wednesday.
Mason — the former head coach at Vanderbilt University — signed a five-year contract to join the Blue Raiders. Mason coached for seven seasons at Vanderbilt (2104-2020), compiling a 27-55 record and leading the Commodores to two bowl appearances in 2016 and 2018, respectively. The 54-year-old Mason replaces Rick Stockstill who had spent the previous 18 seasons as head coach.
"We are ecstatic to welcome Coach Derek Mason to Middle Tennessee and the Blue Raider football program," said MTSU Athletic Director Chris Massaro. "Coach Mason's vision for MTSU football fits exactly what we were looking for during our interview process. Coach Mason is no stranger to the mid-state community and we expect his connections to allow him and his staff to hit the ground running as our 15th head football coach."
After parting ways with Vanderbilt in 2020, Mason served as the Defensive Coordinator at Auburn University. One year later, he held the same position at Oklahoma State University. Mason spent the 2023 season working as a color analyst for the SEC Network.
"This is an emotional moment for me," said Mason. "This is the house that Rick Stockstill built and he left good bones and a strong foundation. He did a lot to raise and encourage these young men and help them take the journey. Now, that responsibility has been passed down to me. It's about winning and making sure we can do everything we can to resource our student athletes in a way to make them successful both on and off the field."
