Jeff LePak

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Jeff LePak was promoted to his current role as special teams coordinator and tight ends coach in 2024. He joined the Vanderbilt coaching staff in February of 2021 and served as a quality control assistant, working primarily with the special teams, before being named special teams analyst prior to the 2022 season.

Vanderblit’s special teams have ascended throughout LePak’s time in Nashville and that continued in his first year as coordinator in 2024. Three players earned All-SEC honors for special teams–punter Jesse Mirco (second team), return specialist Martel Hight (second team) and kicker Brock Taylor (third team). Taylor was also the SEC All-Freshman team kicker and a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award. Long snapper Julian Ashby was named an Academic All-American.

The Dores’ special teams efficiency (per ESPN FPI) was 69.7, fifth among FBS programs and tops in the SEC. Hight was fifth nationally in punt return average, Mirco was second in FBS and tops in the SEC in punting average and Taylor made five field goals of at least 50 yards while scoring the second-most points in school history.

Vandy also had a kickoff return for a touchdown when Junior Sherrill took the opening kick 100 yards for a score against Tennessee and a punt return for a touchdown when Hight went 57 yards to paydirt against Alcorn State. Vandy was one of six Power 4 programs to have both a punt return for a touchdown and a kickoff return for a touchdown on the season (BYU, Iowa, North Carolina, Oregon, Wake Forest). In addition, it marked the first time since 1971 and just the fourth time on record the Commodores had a return of both varieties for a touchdown in the same season.

Coupled with LePak’s prior seasons before assuming coordinator responsibilities, the Commodores have ranked among the top 45 in ESPN’s Special Teams Efficiency for three straight years. Vanderbilt ranked outside the top 100 in the category prior to LePak’s arrival.

Tight ends had a successful season, as well. Eli Stowers was named third-team All-American (Phil Steele) and first-team All-SEC. He was the first Commodore player on offense to earn first-team all-conference honors since 2013. Stowers led Vandy in receptions (49), receiving yards (639) and touchdown receptions (five) and was a semifinalist for the Mackey Award.

In 2023, Vanderbilt had two All-SEC specialists for the first time in school history in 2023, as Matthew Hayball was selected first-team punter and Wesley Schelling was voted second-team long snapper. It was the second straight season Schelling was named All-SEC, becoming the first two-time All-SEC honoree at any position for the Commodores since 2016. Hayball, a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, was Vandy’s first All-SEC punter since 1996.

Hayball went on to sign with the New Orleans Saints, becoming their punter in 2024. He registered a 44.0 yards per punt average as a rookie, pinning opponents inside their own 20 on 54.67% of his kicks. He also picked up a first down on an 11-yard run against the Panthers.

Before Vanderbilt, LePak was with the Syracuse staff for the 2020 season as an offensive analyst. In his role as analyst, LePak supported the offensive coaching staff in implementing game plans and practice preparation. He was responsible for reviewing game film and providing analytical assessments of opponents, as well as self-scouting reports of Syracuse’s personnel, schemes and tendencies.

LePak was also a member of the Syracuse staff from 2016-18 and spent the 2019 season as the inside receivers coach at McNeese State.

LePak held multiple positions during his first stint with the Orange. He was hired as Syracuse’s operations and recruiting assistant in February 2016. Later that year, LePak became the program’s special teams quality control coach, a position he held through the end of the 2018 season. The Orange fielded some of college football’s best coverage units and led the ACC in net punting in each of LePak’s two full seasons working with Syracuse’s special teams.

At McNeese State, LePak was a member of an offensive staff that helped the Cowboys improve dramatically in nearly every statistical category from the previous year. In 2019, McNeese State saw an increase in total yards per game (+92 yards from 2018), passing yards per game (+40), rushing yards per game (+54), points per game (+6) and touchdown passes (+12). Additionally, LePak pupil Cyron Sutton set the McNeese State single-season record with 67 receptions.

A star tight end at Eastern Illinois, LePak started his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Dino Babers in 2015 at Bowling Green. LePak worked with the team’s tight ends and was part of a staff that led the Falcons to the Mid-American Conference title and a berth in the GoDaddy Bowl.

A Belton, Texas native, LePak was a wide receiver at Baylor from 2010-12 before transferring to Eastern Illinois. LePak caught 81 passes for more than 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns in two seasons with the Panthers, including 51 catches and eight touchdowns in 2013. A team captain as a senior, LePak was a two-time All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team selection. He earned All-America honors in 2013 after helping the Panthers reach the FCS quarterfinals.

LePak graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Eastern Illinois in 2014.