Reports: Vanderbilt to hire new defensive line coach

Vanderbilt reportedly has its sights set on a new defensive line coach — and he’s no stranger to working with Clark Lea.

The Commodores are preparing to hire Toledo defensive line coach Larry Black, according to multiple reports. The Athletic and FOX Sports’ Bruce Feldman was the first to report the news.

SOURCE: Vandy is targeting Toledo DL coach Larry Black to become the Commodores new defensive line coach. Black was ranked as the No. 2 recruiter in the MAC for the 2021 recruiting class. He spent the 2018 at Notre Dame as a GA and worked with Clark Lea.

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 29, 2021

Black played college ball at Indiana from 2008-12 before a brief career with the Cincinnati Bengals. After the Bengals waived him in 2014, he dove into college coaching as the defensive line coach at Carthage College in 2015.

From there, he went to Notre Dame as a graduate assistant from 2016-18. That’s where he met Lea, who was the Fighting Irish’s linebackers coach in 2017 and defensive coordinator from 2018-20.

In 2019, Toledo hired Black as its defensive line coach and he’s been there ever since. Now, he’s getting ready to reunite with Lea at Vanderbilt.

The Commodores had a rough go in 2021 — Lea’s first season in Nashville. They went just 2-10 and 0-8 in SEC action.

Kalen DeBoer add Vanderbilt assistant to Washington coaching staff

Kalen DeBoer’s staff is coming together at Washington. The Huskies announced four coaching additions on Friday, including a Vanderbilt assistant.

Inoke Breckterfield, who served as Vanderbilt’s defensive tackles coach this season, is set to join Washington’s staff, the program announced Friday. Prior to his time in Nashville, Breckterfield spent the last six seasons with Wisconsin as the Badgers’ defensive line coach.

“I’m thrilled that Inoke and his family joining our program,” DeBoer said in a statement. “He has consistently recruited and developed defensive linemen at a high level during his coaching career. I am confident that Inoke will continue to be a difference maker as we build our defense.”

Breckterfield previously coached in the Pac-12 with UCLA when he was the Bruins’ defensive line coach in 2011. He also played defensive end at Oregon State from 1995-99 and got his coaching start with the Beavers in 2006 after playing in the Canadian Football League.

After working at Oregon State as a volunteer assistant and graduate assistant from 2006-08, Breckterfield bounced around from Weber State, Montana and UCLA from 2009-11 before landing at Pitt from 2012-14 and Wisconsin from 2015-20. This year was his first — and only — year at Vanderbilt.

Washington also announced it’s retaining Junior Adams as wide receivers coach and Scott Huff as offensive line coach. They’ll be part of DeBoer’s his first coaching staff with the Huskies after two years at Fresno State. He’s replacing Jimmy Lake, who was fired in November.