April 12, 2016
By Larry Leathers | Subscribe to Commodore Nation
In the 18 months, Derek Mason has reorganized the Vanderbilt coaching staff into the youngest in the Southeastern Conference.
Cameron Norcross quickly noticed the youth movement. Hired by Mason in January as the team’s offensive line coach, the 38-year-old Norcross realized he was far from the youngest at his initial football staff meeting in McGugin Athletics Center. Seated around the large U-shaped table were four coaches his junior.
They included position coaches Cortez Hankton, 35, wide receivers; C.J. Ah You, 33, defensive line; Marc Mattioli, 28, secondary; and Chris Marve, 26, linebackers.
Entering his third season at the helm of Vanderbilt’s football program, Mason has made selecting coaches that fit the Vanderbilt program under his leadership a top hiring priority. Also around that table are coaches with decades of experience at winning programs. Among them are highly regarded offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig, 51, hired prior to the 2015 season, and special teams coordinator Jeff Genyk, 56, who joined the leadership team in January.
“With each opening, I looked for the very best person for this team,” Mason said. “These guys checked all the boxes… they were passionate about coaching, they were excellent teachers of the game, and they could recruit. When it all said and done, I thought these men could get our players where they needed to be.”
Mason says he sees “youthful exuberance” in the recent hires. “These men have a true passion for coaching and they have a passion for Vanderbilt.”
While Mason, 46, believes the balance of youth and experience benefits the Commodore staff, he sees the young coaches’ energy level impacting everyone with the program.
“Chris, Cortez, A.J. and Marc bring it to everything they do. Our student-athletes see it, feel it and feed off it,” Mason said.
The average age of the 2016 staff assembled by Mason is 39.3, the youngest in the SEC.
Here’s a closer look at Vanderbilt’s coaching youth movement:
Cortez Hankton
Age: 35
Duties: Wide receivers coach
Prior Position: Dartmouth, wide receivers coach
The relationship between Mason and Hankton dates to 2007-08 when both were with the Minnesota Vikings –Mason as the Vikings’ assistant defensive backs coach; Hankton as a wide receiver. Hankton’s commitment to the team concept and mentorship of young players drew the attention of noted Minnesota receiver coach George Stewart, who was among those encouraging Hankton to consider coaching as a profession.
A year after leaving the NFL playing ranks, Hankton accepted a position mentoring receivers at Dartmouth University. In three years at Dartmouth, Hankton helped the Big Green to an 8-2 in 2014 and a 20-10 overall record. He also developed All-Ivy League receiver Ryan McManus, who finished the 2014 season with 68 catches for 879 yards and eight touchdowns.
Impact at Vanderbilt: In his first year, Hankton helped sophomores Trent Sheffield (51 receptions, 659 yards, three touchdowns) and Caleb Scott (23 catches, 339 yards, two touchdowns) post single-season career highs.
Mason on Hankton: “Cortez has the ability to get guys to play above their means. He takes time to invest in his guys and build relationships. Relationships foster confidence and confidence fosters performance. The young guys under Cortez have grown tremendously since his arrival.”
C.J. Ah You
Age: 33
Duties: Defensive line coach
Prior Position: Oklahoma, quality control-defense
A former All-Big 12 defensive lineman at the University of Oklahoma, Ah You played five years in the NFL with St. Louis before injuries ended his career. For the last two years, Ah You was back at Oklahoma, serving as a quality control assistant for defense and special teams under Bob Stoops. In 2015, the Sooners finished 11-2, captured the Big 12 Conference title, and played for a chance to advance to the College Football Playoff national championship. The Sooners’ season was highlighted by regular season victories over Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma State and Tennessee.
Impact as a Vanderbilt coach: This is Ah You’s first spring practice as a staffer. In his first weeks on the job, Ah You proved a vital and effective recruiter, helping secure letter-of-intent signatures from Hawaiian offensive lineman Sean Auwae and Southern California defensive lineman Joseph Sa’o.
Mason on Ah You: “C.J. has been a tremendous asset in a very short time on campus. C.J. had worked with coaches that I know well, both with the (St. Louis) Rams and at the University of Oklahoma. He knows and understands the defensive structure I’m teaching here. I knew him as a player, but his willingness to sacrifice as a coach, go back and work in quality control for two years, led me to believe he was ready for this opportunity.”
Marc Mattioli
Age: 28
Duties: Defensive secondary coach
Prior Position: Stanford, quality control-secondary
A native Southerner who played at Rhodes College in Memphis, Mattioli worked directly under Mason for two years on Stanford’s defensive coaching staff. In 2012-13, Mattioli served as defensive graduate assistant at Stanford, helping Mason with Cardinal safeties and cornerbacks. In 2013, the Cardinal ranked 10th nationally in scoring defense during a run to the Rose Bowl. In 2012, Stanford led the Pac-12 in scoring defense and total defense during a campaign that included another Rose Bowl appearance and conference title.
In 2014, Mattioli stayed at Stanford as a defensive quality control, helping guide a unit that finished the year second nationally in scoring defense, third in total defense and eighth in pass defense. He joined the Commodore staff prior to the 2015 season.
Impact as a Vanderbilt coach: As safeties coach, Mattioli saw senior Andrew Williamson and sophomore Oren Burks garner All-Southeastern Conference consideration. Burks led the Commodores with three interceptions and ranked third with 59 total tackles. Williamson posted 41 tackles, provided veteran leadership and capped the season by making an appearance in the 2016 East-West Shrine Game. Two other pupils, Arnold Tarpley and Ryan White, produced their best seasons in a Commodore uniform.
Mason on Mattioli: “Marc and I know each other well. He’s an intelligent guy who does a great job studying the game. We worked together at Stanford before I came to Vanderbilt. Marc knows how I think, how the defense should function, and exactly what my expectations are for this defense.”
Chris Marve
Age: 26
Duties: Linebackers coach
Prior Position: Vanderbilt, graduate assistant-defense
Marve is Vanderbilt through and through. The first former Commodore student-athlete to coach at Vanderbilt since the 2001 season, Marve was a four-time All-Southeastern Conference linebacker and two-time captain from 2008-11. He ranks eighth all-time among Commodores with 397 career tackles. After considering law school and teaching for two years after graduation, Marve was enticed back to Vanderbilt and football by Mason. He served as a defensive quality control in 2014, and defensive graduate assistant in 2015.
Impact as a Vanderbilt coach: Marve focused much of his work last year with Commodore inside linebackers. One of his top pupils, sophomore Zach Cunningham, became a consensus first team All-SEC selection after ranking among the league leaders in total tackles, tackles for loss, and forced fumbles.
Mason on Marve: “Chris is a focused, detailed, passionate person who cares about everything he does. He’s an excellent teacher. He also understands what the Vanderbilt brand is – and he pushes that to its limits every day, both athletically and academically.”