Report: Internal candidate expected to receive consideration for Vanderbilt defensive coordinator

Vanderbilt defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who spent just one season with the Commodores under head coach Clark Lea, was hired away by Michigan on Tuesday, and defensive backs coach Nick Howell has emerged as a candidate to fill the void, according to Pete Thamel.

Thamel broke the news of Minter’s hiring on Tuesday, and shortly thereafter, he pointed out that Howell — a former coordinator — is a legitimate candidate to replace Minter, given his background as a defensive coordinator at Virginia.

Vanderbilt’s defense was poor in the 2021 season, but the season was largely a developmental year for the program, given that it was Lea’s first at the helm. The defense allowed opposing offenses to amass 458 yards of total offense per game, including 263.8 yards through the air and 194.5 yards on the ground, and it allowed an average of 4.2 touchdowns per game. Vanderbilt struggled, but Minter and the rest of the coaching staff helped put together a strong recruiting class, giving the Commodores some momentum heading into 2022.

Vanderbilt’s 2022 recruiting class was highlighted by All-American Daniel Martin, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound linebacker from Marietta, GA that ranked as a four-star recruit, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. Martin joins a recruiting class with several other high-potential defensive players like Darren Agu, a defensive end from Rabun Gap, GA, Clemson transfer Kane Patterson and UConn transfer Jeremy Lucien, to name a few. Now, it could be up to Howell to develop that group.

Howell arrived in Nashville from Virginia, and he was hired by Lea this offseason following a few changes in Vanderbilt’s coaching staff. Howell served as UVA’s defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach from 2016 until 2021, helping lead the Cavaliers to the 2019 ACC Championship game, the Orange Bowl and a top-25 College Football Playoff ranking.

Howell worked under former Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall, who stepped down following the 2021 season.

“Nick brings a wealth of experience on the defensive side of the ball,” Lea said after Howell’s hiring. “Throughout his career, he has proven his ability to develop players and strengthen culture, and he certainly will help move us forward in both areas. I am thrilled to have him as a part of the Vanderbilt football family and looking forward to the positive impact he will have in our program.”

Vanderbilt has not confirmed the report that Howell will be promoted to defensive coordinator in Minter’s absence. However, if the Commodores were to hire internally, there is no other defensive coach with coordinator experience like Howell.

The Commodores will now head into the 2022 season with a new coordinator on each side of the ball. Former offensive coordinator David Raih, who was relieved of playcalling duties earlier this season, was replaced by passing game coordinator Joey Lynch; now, Howell could be next in line to replace Minter.