10 Former Notre Dame Coaches Key in Vanderbilt's Epic Upset Over Alabama

Clark Lea learned a lot and brought a lot of successful staff members with him when he left Notre Dame for Vanderbilt

Oct 5, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores head coach Clark Lea talks during an interview after upsetting the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half at FirstBank Stadium. / Butch Dill-Imagn Images

Vanderbilt's 40-35 victory over No. 1 Alabama, one week after the Crimson Tide had one of the biggest wins of the year over Georgia, will go down as an all-time upset.

Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea returned to his alma mater in 2021 after spending the previous three seasons as Notre Dame's defensive coordinator under Brian Kelly. In two of those three seasons Notre Dame reached the College Football Playoff. It's clear that Lea learned a lot about coaching while under Kelly at Notre Dame, but also learned about hiring a quality staff.

When Vanderbilt beat Alabama on Saturday, Lea was one of 10 Vanderbilt football staff members with a Notre Dame connection. Here are all of them.

Clark Lea, Vanderbilt Head Coach

This moment ... pic.twitter.com/dXbkerlzUA

— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) October 6, 2024

Clark Lea has been Vanderbilt's head football coach since the 2021 season, before that serving as Notre Dame's defensive coordinator from 2018-2020. Notre Dame made the College Football Playoff in two of those three seasons.

Nick Lezynski, Vanderbilt Defensive Run Game Coordinator

Lezynski previously spent four years on Notre Dame's defensive coaching staff. Three of those were with Lea before working under defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman in 2021.

Larry Black, Vanderbilt Defensive Line Coach

Black spent 2018 as a graduate assistant on Notre Dame's staff under Lea.

Jimmy Thompson, Vanderbilt Coach of the Stars

Star is what Vanderbilt's scheme calls its hyprid of safety-linebacker position and is coached by Thompson who is a former Notre Dame player and served as an intern on the Fighting Irish coaching staff.

Josh Adams, Vanderbilt Offensive Quality Control Coach

Sep 30, 2017; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Josh Adams (33) runs the ball in the first quarter of the game against the Miami (Oh) Redhawks at Notre Dame Stadium. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Josh Adams is in his second year as the offensive quality control assistant for Vanderbilt. Adams was a star running back at Notre Dame as he was the fastest Fighting Irish back to ever reach 1,000 career rushing yards before making a Heisman Trophy run for the first two-thirds of the 2017 season.

Arion Shinaver, Vanderbilt Assistant Safeties Coach

Shinaver played football at Notre Dame from 2016-2019, appearing in seven career games.

Robert Stiner, Vanderbilt Director of Football Sports Performance

From 2018-2020, Stiner was Notre Dame's assistant director of football strength of conditioning under Matt Balis.

Ian Bures, Vanderbilt Assistant Director of Football Sports Performance

Bures was a member of Notre Dame's strength and conditioning staff under Robert Stiner during Clark Lea's time as defensive coordinator.

Molly Hart, Vanderbilt Executive Assistant to Head Coach, Operations Coordinator

Seeing the tears as Clark Lea hugs Molly Hart, who came over with him from Notre Dame when Vanderbilt was 0-9, and as the Commodores knock off No. 1 Alabama … how can you not love college football??

— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) October 5, 2024

Hart is a former Notre Dame football student equipment manager and St. Mary's College student.

Nik Valdiserri, Vanderbilt Director of Player Personnel

Valdiserri spent three seasons at Notre Dame from 2017-2019 as he was involved in recruiting, football operations, and player personnel.

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