NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt E. Bronson Ingram Chair in Football Clark Lea is a finalist for the George Munger College Coach of the Year it was announced Monday by the Maxwell Football Club, making the Commodore head coach a candidate for multiple national honors. He is also up for the Walter Camp Football Bowl Subdivision and American Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year Awards.
The winner of the George Munger Award—other finalists are Curt Cignetti of Indiana, Mike Elko of Texas A&M and Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire—will be revealed on Dec. 30, with the formal presentation of the award set for March 14, 2026, in Atlanta.
Lea has already been named the AFCA Region 2 Coach of the Year, and he is also a candidate for the Paul “Bear” Bryant and Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Awards.
The recognition comes after Lea guided the Dores to their first-ever 10-win season and a 6-2 finish in SEC action, the most conference victories Vandy has posted in program history. The Commodores earned three victories over top-15 opposition, defeating four nationally-ranked schools in all, this fall and have been included in the Associated Press poll each of the last 12 weeks. That included helping the Dores to their first appearance in the AP top 10 since 1947.
With the Commodores set to play Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec. 31, Lea has guided Vandy to consecutive postseason bowl berths for just the second time ever.
