Harsin tabs Mason for DC

AUBURN | Bryan Harsin has made his second major hire of the day and it’s a coach with deep ties to the west coast and the SEC.

Former Vanderbilt head coach and Stanford assistant Derek Mason has agreed to become Auburn’s defensive coordinator, a source confirmed to AuburnSports.com.

An official announcement is expected later today.

As defensive coordinator with the Cardinal, his defense was 11th in the nation allowing 19.0 points per game and 16th allowing 343.5 yards in 2013, and 10th allowing 17.2 points and 20th allowing 336.2 yards in 2012.

The 2012 Stanford team beat UCLA in the Pac-12 championship game and Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl while the 13 team won the Pac-12 championship for a second consecutive season before losing to Michigan State in the Rose Bowl.

Mason was 27-55 in seven seasons as the Commodores head coach, being let go after an 0-8 finish last season. He led Vandy to bowl games in 2016 and 18, two of the nine bowl appearances in school history.

A 27-year coaching veteran, Mason has also coached two years in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings, and had stints with Ohio, New Mexico State, Utah and Idaho State.

Mason was a cornerback at Northern Arizona but coaches mainly running backs and wide receivers for 13 seasons before joining the Vikings in 2007 as a defensive back coach.

He coached defensive backs at Stanford in 2010, was named co-defensive coordinator in 2011 and moved up to defensive coordinator for the 2012-13 seasons.

Mason, 51, and his wife, LeighAnne, have two daughters.