Matt Rhule’s extension at Nebraska may have shut down Penn State’s most obvious Plan A. But it also opened up an intriguing Plan B, and it might just run through Nashville. With James Franklin gone and AD Pat Kraft searching for his next sideline CEO, there’s obvious chatter about the next replacement. And if you believe the latest from Bruce Feldman and Ralph D. Russo, the man at Vanderbilt could be staring down a rags-to-riches narrative. 

According to The Athletic’s October 31 report, Clark Lea may remain where he is right now. Vanderbilt AD Candice Storey Lee believes the Commodores’ rise is only beginning. “It’s a great, fun milestone along the way to a journey that for us we haven’t even scratched the surface yet,” she said after Vanderbilt reached the top 10 and knocked off ranked opponents in back-to-back weeks. “So I say all that to say we need to keep doing what we’re doing, and that’s investing. You always have to make sure that you have the right leader to execute the vision… and I think we have the right leader in Clark Lea.” Is Vanderbilt about to throw the bag?

The AD’s comments came during a productive week. ESPN’s College GameDay rolled into Nashville, Vanderbilt beat Missouri 17-10, and suddenly, one of the SEC’s most overlooked programs looked like a national story. “I’m glad that other people see what we see, that’s flattering,” Candice Lee told The Athletic. “It’s my objective to continue investing and supporting the great leader that we have in Clark Lea so that we can keep building something special here.” And she means business. Vanderbilt’s board of trust met just before GameDay arrived, perfect timing if you’re trying to convince donors that football in Nashville is officially worth the money.

Clark Lea is now in that sweet spot where success becomes both a blessing and a bidding war. When asked by The Tennessean about the HC’s future, Lee didn’t hold back. “It is my desire and goal for him to be our coach for a long, long time,” she said. “It’s really a blessing to have leadership other people want, because it means you’re doing something right.” And she’s going to need a fight because Penn State, still reeling from Franklin’s exit, is reportedly intrigued.

Clark Lea checks every box Pat Kraft tends to like. A defensive background, a program-builder mentality, and yes, a degree from Vanderbilt’s northern cousin, Notre Dame. But for all the attention Vanderbilt’s winning streak is getting, the real shocker might be how little the school’s paying the man behind it.

Clark Lea is the SEC’s lowest-paid coach 

You read that right. Clark Lea is the lowest-paid HC in the entire SEC this season, per USA Today’s 2025 compensation survey. He’s earning around $3.7 million, ranking 57th nationally and 16th out of 16 in the conference. Fourteen SEC coaches are pulling in north of $6.5 million. Only Mississippi State’s Jeff Lebby ($4.4 million) is even close.

That’s a staggering contrast for a coach who just dragged Vanderbilt from SEC punchline to powerhouse. Under Clark Lea, the Commodores have gone 23-34 since 2021, but the last two seasons tell the real story. In 2024, they toppled No. 1 Alabama, won at Auburn for the first time since 1955, posted their first winning season since 2013, and captured their first bowl victory in over a decade. Now, they’re 7-1 and ranked No. 9 in the AP Top 25. And the HC’s doing all this while earning less than most OCs in his own conference.

A Nashville native and former Commodore fullback, Clark Lea’s homegrown loyalty might be the only thing standing between Vanderbilt and another coaching heartbreak. But as The Athletic’s report hints, that loyalty’s about to get tested. If Vanderbilt wants to keep its miracle man, it had better pay him like one.