For the first time in decades, Vanderbilt has a head coach the rest of the SEC wants. LSU, Auburn, Penn State, and Florida have all taken swings behind the scenes. But unlike Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, Lea isn’t feeding mystery to the media. Coming off Vanderbilt’s best season since 1958, Lea’s name is everywhere, but he has been firm, blunt, and public about where he stands.

“Look, it’s what makes our game so special—so many people are invested in it. They care so much about it,” Vandy’s head coach, Clark Lea, said on the Paul Finebaum show. “The head coaches become figureheads, and they become thumbpieces to judge when it’s not going well and kind of crowns when it is going well. I appreciate the interest and the intrigue, I think, in general. I love being a part of something that will move people to a point of emotion that way. The carousel’s not something you buy a ticket to. So, you’re thrust on that thing whether you want to or not.”

Clark Lea has put Vanderbilt in the national spotlight, which has a history of 26 years of two or fewer wins, and also had their worst season with a 0-9 finish in 2020. Now, they are sitting at an 8-2 record, ranking 14th in the CFP, which is their highest since two back-to-back 9-4 seasons in 2009 and 2010 under Franklin. Vanderbilt’s last breakout run propelled James Franklin to Penn State. That possibility is exactly why athletic directors are circling. It’s also why Lea’s stance is so loud.

“When your program is having success, there’s going to be outside interest in you,” Clark Lea said. “This has always been about building a championship program here. How do you build something sustainable? I think we’re in a great moment right now.”

That doesn’t sound like a coach waiting for someone else’s offer. But does money complicate things? Maybe. Lea is locked into an extension through 2029 at $3.7M per year, well below market for what he’s delivering. And the Big Ten and SEC both have programs capable of tripling that number without flinching.

But Vanderbilt isn’t giving up so easily, as they have taken major steps to support the team’s growth. Like their “Vandy United” initiative, which is a part of the school’s $3.2 billion “Dare to Grow” campaign, they used it for facilities like renovations and premium amenities.

Well, Clark Lea’s rise is no fluke; he made sure his team won even without an elite recruiting class. Vanderbilt has zero five-star recruits and just 13 four-stars, only five of whom originally committed to the school. He relied on the transfer portal; for example, his move to bring Diego Pavia was an instant hit. This shows his ability to achieve success in adversity, too.

Can Clark Lea’s team go to the playoffs?

Vanderbilt sits at No. 14 in the college football playoff rankings. This means they still have a chance to make it to the playoffs with an 8-2 record, and good wins against Missouri and LSU make their case strong. But their two road losses to Texas and Alabama didn’t look good on their resume.

Now, to stay in the playoff race, Vanderbilt must win against Kentucky and Tennessee. But their run also relies on other teams like Ole Miss, Alabama, Oregon, Oklahoma, BYU, and Texas Tech, as even they could win the rest of their games.

For them to get in, BYU and Utah should lose, then Auburn must beat Alabama, Pitt must beat Miami, and Ohio State must beat Michigan. So if everything happens in the same way, things might turn in Clark Lea’s team’s favor.