Clark Lea
Updated: 12/10/2025, 10:49:15 AM Wikipedia source
Clark Lea (born November 11, 1981) is an American football coach who has been the head football coach at Vanderbilt University since 2021. He previously served as the defensive coordinator at the University of Notre Dame from 2018 to 2020. Lea began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2006 and went on to serve as an assistant coach at South Dakota State University, Bowling Green State University, Syracuse University, and Wake Forest University.
Infobox
2001
Birmingham–Southern
2002
Belmont
2005
Harvard-Westlake School (assistant)
2006
UCLA (GA)
2007
South Dakota State (LB)
2008
South Dakota State (RC/LB)
2009
UCLA (GA)
2012
Bowling Green (LB)
2016
Wake Forest (LB)
2017
Notre Dame (LB)
Title
Head coach
Team
Vanderbilt
Conference
SEC
Record
26–35
Born
(1981-11-11) November 11, 1981 (age 44)Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Alma mater
Vanderbilt University (2004, 2007)
2002–2004
Vanderbilt
Position
Fullback
2010–2011
UCLA (LB)
2013–2015
Syracuse (LB)
2018–2020
Notre Dame (DC)
2021–present
Vanderbilt
Overall
26–35
Bowls
1–0
Tables
· Head coaching record
Vanderbilt Commodores (Southeastern Conference) (2021–present)
Vanderbilt Commodores (Southeastern Conference) (2021–present)
Year
Vanderbilt Commodores (Southeastern Conference) (2021–present)
2021
2021
Year
2021
Team
Vanderbilt
Overall
2–10
Conference
0–8
Standing
7th (Eastern)
2022
2022
Year
2022
Team
Vanderbilt
Overall
5–7
Conference
2–6
Standing
7th (Eastern)
2023
2023
Year
2023
Team
Vanderbilt
Overall
2–10
Conference
0–8
Standing
7th (Eastern)
2024
2024
Year
2024
Team
Vanderbilt
Overall
7–6
Conference
3–5
Standing
T–11th
Bowl/playoffs
W Birmingham
2025
2025
Year
2025
Team
Vanderbilt
Overall
10–2
Conference
6–2
Standing
T–5th
Bowl/playoffs
ReliaQuest
Vanderbilt:
Vanderbilt:
Year
Vanderbilt:
Team
26–35
Overall
11–29
Total:
Total:
Year
Total:
Team
26–35
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
| Vanderbilt Commodores (Southeastern Conference) (2021–present) | |||||||||
| 2021 | Vanderbilt | 2–10 | 0–8 | 7th (Eastern) | |||||
| 2022 | Vanderbilt | 5–7 | 2–6 | 7th (Eastern) | |||||
| 2023 | Vanderbilt | 2–10 | 0–8 | 7th (Eastern) | |||||
| 2024 | Vanderbilt | 7–6 | 3–5 | T–11th | W Birmingham | ||||
| 2025 | Vanderbilt | 10–2 | 6–2 | T–5th | ReliaQuest | ||||
| Vanderbilt: | 26–35 | 11–29 | |||||||
| Total: | 26–35 | ||||||||
References
- Belmont Bruins Athleticshttps://web.archive.org/web/20211009212310/https://www.belmontbruins.com/sports/m-basebl/2001-02/2002stats.pdf
- The Tennesseanhttps://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2017/01/19/vanderbilt-football-notre-dame/96793568/
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Websitehttps://und.com/clark-lea-things-i-know/
- South Dakota State University Athleticshttps://gojacks.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/clark-lea/363
- Notre Dame Insiderhttps://www.ndinsider.com/story/sports/football/2018/01/11/how-defensive-coordinator-clark-leas-past-prepared-him-for-notre-dame/45838745/
- syracuse.comhttps://www.syracuse.com/orangefootball/2013/06/getting_to_know_syracuse_lineb.html
- Orange County Registerhttps://www.ocregister.com/2010/02/24/ucla-football-bruins-tab-lea-as-lb-coach/
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/sports/ncaafootball/ncaa-football-roundup.html
- Bowling Green State University Athleticshttps://bgsufalcons.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/clark-lea/331
- NBC Sportshttps://www.nbcsports.com/college-football/news/clark-lea-formally-named-linebackers-coach
- Syracuse University Athleticshttps://cuse.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/clark-lea/737
- The Daily Orangehttp://www.juniper.dailyorange.com/2020/12/syracuse-linebacker-coach-clark-lea-path-to-vanderbilt-head-coach/
- Wake Forest University Athleticshttps://godeacs.com/news/2016/2/17/wake_forest_adds_clark_lea_as_linebacker_coach
- CBSSports.comhttps://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/lea-to-join-nd-staff/amp/
- NBC Sports Chicagohttps://www.nbcsportschicago.com/ncaa/notre-dame-fighting-irish/notre-dame-ad-jack-swarbrick-tells-espn-brian-kelly-will-be-back-in-2017/314009/
- OneFootDown.comhttps://www.onefootdown.com/2018/1/9/16872330/notre-dame-hires-clark-lea-as-the-new-defensive-coordinator-what-does-it-mean-mike-elston-irish
- "Vanderbilt Taps Lea to Lead Commodores"https://vucommodores.com/vanderbilt-taps-lea-to-lead-commodores/
- Sports Referencehttps://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/vanderbilt/2021-schedule.html
- Sports Referencehttps://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/vanderbilt/2022-schedule.html
- Sports Referencehttps://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2022-11-12-kentucky.html
- Sports Referencehttps://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2022-11-19-vanderbilt.html
- ESPN.comhttps://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38024635/vanderbilt-rewards-coach-clark-lea-contract-extension
- The Vanderbilt Hustlerhttps://vanderbilthustler.com/2023/11/25/vanderbilt-trounced-by-no-21-tennessee-48-24-limps-to-2-10-finish/
- AP Newshttps://apnews.com/article/alabama-vanderbilt-football-score-upset-ap-poll-a468641fca71fb58f7fc5ed235d48d82
- Sports Referencehttps://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/vanderbilt/2024-schedule.html
- AP Newshttps://apnews.com/article/vanderbilt-georgia-tech-birmingham-bowl-score-df1a26e835427eddbd7fcef0516bb8be