Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Football
Mason, Derek
Derek Mason
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator
First Year at OSU | 29th Year Overall
Northern Arizona, 1993
• With nearly 30 years of college coaching experience, Derek Mason came to Stillwater in January of 2022 after most recently serving as the defensive coordinator at Auburn in 2021, the head coach at Vanderbilt from 2014-20 and the defensive coordinator at Stanford during a stay from 2010-13.
• The Mason-led Tigers improved by 14.5% in third down defense from 2020 to move up 84 places in the final FBS rankings. Auburn also improved from the previous season in tackles for loss by 1.4 per game (up 65 places), rushing defense by 35 yards per game (up 33 places), first downs allowed by three per game (up 32 places), fourth down defense by 10% (up 21 places), sacks by .33 per game (up 13 places), scoring defense by three points per game (up 11 places) and total defense by 32 yards per game (up two places).
• The 2021 Auburn defense finished among the FBS leaders in blocked kicks (No. 10), fourth down defense (No. 13), defensive touchdowns (No. 13), tackles for loss (No. 17), scoring defense (No. 27) and rushing defense (No. 29), all while playing with an offense that finished 91st in the FBS in time of possession.
• Auburn’s 2021 defense did not allow a fourth quarter score in five of its six wins, held consecutive SEC opponents (Ole Miss and Texas A&M) without a passing touchdown for the first time since 2006, surrendered the fewest points in a two-game span (10 in the first two games) since 2007 and held six opponents under 100 yards rushing for the first time since 2010.
• Prior to his season at Auburn, Mason spent seven seasons at Vanderbilt where he became the second head coach in program history to lead the school to multiple bowl appearances. His 2018 team won six games and capped the regular season with a third straight win over rival Tennessee, marking the Commodores’ fifth win over the Vols in seven years. That season finished with Vanderbilt’s second bowl appearance in three years under Mason.
• Mason guided Vanderbilt to its eighth postseason appearance in 2016 and finished the regular season 6-6, including four wins over the final six games. The season featured marquee SEC victories over Georgia, Ole Miss and No. 24 Tennessee. Inside linebacker Zach Cunningham became Vanderbilt’s first consensus All-American in more than three decades.
• Mason spent four seasons with the Cardinal and was elevated to defensive coordinator in 2011 after helping lead the program to a pair of Rose Bowl appearances and consecutive Pac-12 titles. Mason’s elite defensive units at Stanford ranked among the NCAA’s best in defensive efficiency for three consecutive seasons.
• While facing seven ranked opponents in 2013, Stanford ranked third nationally in rushing defense (89.4 ypg), 10th in scoring defense (19.0 ppg) and 16th in total offense (343.1 ypg). Stanford was also one of only five teams to allow less than 100 rushing yards per game in 2013 and ranked fifth nationally with 44 sacks and seventh with 109 tackles for loss.
• In 2012, Mason was a finalist for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach, after directing a Stanford defense widely considered the program’s best ever.
• Mason’s leadership paved the way to a historic defensive output in 2012, breaking Stanford’s single-season record with 57 sacks – a season mark that has only been equaled this millennium by Oklahoma State’s and Alabama’s defensive units in 2021. Stanford also paced the Pac-12 in scoring defense, total defense and rushing defense, and helped the Cardinal to an 11-2 season capped off with a Rose Bowl title. In 11 of 14 games, Stanford held its opponent to 20 or fewer points, including a 14-point effort in an overtime win at top-ranked Oregon, who led the FBS with a 54.8 scoring average. The 2012 Stanford defense held eight of 13 opponents under 100 yards rushing.
• In 2011, Mason’s first year as co-defensive coordinator, his unit ranked either first or second in the Pac-12 in six defensive categories, including rushing defense, third down conversion defense, scoring defense, total defense, sacks and opponent first downs.
• Mason also helped develop several Stanford defensive standouts, including all-pro cornerback Richard Sherman, All-America defensive end Trent Murphy, All-America linebacker Shayne Skov and All-Pac-12 safety Ed Reynolds.
• Prior to his arrival in Palo Alto, Mason served as an assistant defensive backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings from 2007-09. He played a vital role in the team ranking sixth in total defense in 2008 and 2009 as the Vikings won NFC North titles each season. Mason was introduced to the NFL coaching circles through the Minority Fellowship program.
• Before joining the Vikings, Mason coached wide receivers at Ohio under Frank Solich, helping the Bobcats improve from 4-7 in 2005 to a 9-5 campaign and GMAC Bowl appearance the following year. Mason spent the 2004 season as wide receivers coach at New Mexico State, where the Aggies led the conference in passing.
• During the 2002 campaign, Mason mentored receivers and assisted with special teams at Utah. The Utes featured the NFL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick in quarterback Alex Smith.
• Mason’s move to Utah came after a three-year stint at Bucknell (1999-2001) in which he gained his first experience as a defensive assistant coach. At Bucknell, Mason coached defensive backs for three straight winning teams. Mason’s first three collegiate positions came as an offensive assistant at Mesa (Ariz.) Community College in 1994, Weber State in 1995-96 and Idaho State in 1997-98.
• As a player, Mason was a two-year starter and four-year letter winner at Northern Arizona. Mason earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Northern Arizona in 1993 after playing from 1989-92.
Personal
• A native of Phoenix, Mason was a standout football player at Camelback High School. He and his wife, LeighAnne, have two daughters, Makenzie and Sydney.
Year By Year
Bowl Games
2007 GMAC Bowl
2011 Orange Bowl
2012 Fiesta Bowl
2013 Rose Bowl
2014 Rose Bowl
2016 Independence Bowl
2018 Texas Bowl
2021 Birmingham Bowl
Prominent Pupils
Richard Sherman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Trent Murphy, Buffalo Bills
Shayne Skov, San Francisco 49ers
Ed Reynolds, Cleveland Browns
Zach Cunningham, Tennessee Titans
Roger McCreary, Auburn
Derick Hall, Auburn
Zakoby McClain, Auburn
Northern Arizona, 1993
• With nearly 30 years of college coaching experience, Derek Mason came to Stillwater in January of 2022 after most recently serving as the defensive coordinator at Auburn in 2021, the head coach at Vanderbilt from 2014-20 and the defensive coordinator at Stanford during a stay from 2010-13.
• The Mason-led Tigers improved by 14.5% in third down defense from 2020 to move up 84 places in the final FBS rankings. Auburn also improved from the previous season in tackles for loss by 1.4 per game (up 65 places), rushing defense by 35 yards per game (up 33 places), first downs allowed by three per game (up 32 places), fourth down defense by 10% (up 21 places), sacks by .33 per game (up 13 places), scoring defense by three points per game (up 11 places) and total defense by 32 yards per game (up two places).
• The 2021 Auburn defense finished among the FBS leaders in blocked kicks (No. 10), fourth down defense (No. 13), defensive touchdowns (No. 13), tackles for loss (No. 17), scoring defense (No. 27) and rushing defense (No. 29), all while playing with an offense that finished 91st in the FBS in time of possession.
• Auburn’s 2021 defense did not allow a fourth quarter score in five of its six wins, held consecutive SEC opponents (Ole Miss and Texas A&M) without a passing touchdown for the first time since 2006, surrendered the fewest points in a two-game span (10 in the first two games) since 2007 and held six opponents under 100 yards rushing for the first time since 2010.
• Prior to his season at Auburn, Mason spent seven seasons at Vanderbilt where he became the second head coach in program history to lead the school to multiple bowl appearances. His 2018 team won six games and capped the regular season with a third straight win over rival Tennessee, marking the Commodores’ fifth win over the Vols in seven years. That season finished with Vanderbilt’s second bowl appearance in three years under Mason.
• Mason guided Vanderbilt to its eighth postseason appearance in 2016 and finished the regular season 6-6, including four wins over the final six games. The season featured marquee SEC victories over Georgia, Ole Miss and No. 24 Tennessee. Inside linebacker Zach Cunningham became Vanderbilt’s first consensus All-American in more than three decades.
• Mason spent four seasons with the Cardinal and was elevated to defensive coordinator in 2011 after helping lead the program to a pair of Rose Bowl appearances and consecutive Pac-12 titles. Mason’s elite defensive units at Stanford ranked among the NCAA’s best in defensive efficiency for three consecutive seasons.
• While facing seven ranked opponents in 2013, Stanford ranked third nationally in rushing defense (89.4 ypg), 10th in scoring defense (19.0 ppg) and 16th in total offense (343.1 ypg). Stanford was also one of only five teams to allow less than 100 rushing yards per game in 2013 and ranked fifth nationally with 44 sacks and seventh with 109 tackles for loss.
• In 2012, Mason was a finalist for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach, after directing a Stanford defense widely considered the program’s best ever.
• Mason’s leadership paved the way to a historic defensive output in 2012, breaking Stanford’s single-season record with 57 sacks – a season mark that has only been equaled this millennium by Oklahoma State’s and Alabama’s defensive units in 2021. Stanford also paced the Pac-12 in scoring defense, total defense and rushing defense, and helped the Cardinal to an 11-2 season capped off with a Rose Bowl title. In 11 of 14 games, Stanford held its opponent to 20 or fewer points, including a 14-point effort in an overtime win at top-ranked Oregon, who led the FBS with a 54.8 scoring average. The 2012 Stanford defense held eight of 13 opponents under 100 yards rushing.
• In 2011, Mason’s first year as co-defensive coordinator, his unit ranked either first or second in the Pac-12 in six defensive categories, including rushing defense, third down conversion defense, scoring defense, total defense, sacks and opponent first downs.
• Mason also helped develop several Stanford defensive standouts, including all-pro cornerback Richard Sherman, All-America defensive end Trent Murphy, All-America linebacker Shayne Skov and All-Pac-12 safety Ed Reynolds.
• Prior to his arrival in Palo Alto, Mason served as an assistant defensive backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings from 2007-09. He played a vital role in the team ranking sixth in total defense in 2008 and 2009 as the Vikings won NFC North titles each season. Mason was introduced to the NFL coaching circles through the Minority Fellowship program.
• Before joining the Vikings, Mason coached wide receivers at Ohio under Frank Solich, helping the Bobcats improve from 4-7 in 2005 to a 9-5 campaign and GMAC Bowl appearance the following year. Mason spent the 2004 season as wide receivers coach at New Mexico State, where the Aggies led the conference in passing.
• During the 2002 campaign, Mason mentored receivers and assisted with special teams at Utah. The Utes featured the NFL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick in quarterback Alex Smith.
• Mason’s move to Utah came after a three-year stint at Bucknell (1999-2001) in which he gained his first experience as a defensive assistant coach. At Bucknell, Mason coached defensive backs for three straight winning teams. Mason’s first three collegiate positions came as an offensive assistant at Mesa (Ariz.) Community College in 1994, Weber State in 1995-96 and Idaho State in 1997-98.
• As a player, Mason was a two-year starter and four-year letter winner at Northern Arizona. Mason earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Northern Arizona in 1993 after playing from 1989-92.
Personal
• A native of Phoenix, Mason was a standout football player at Camelback High School. He and his wife, LeighAnne, have two daughters, Makenzie and Sydney.
Year By Year
| Year | School | Position |
| 1994 | Mesa C.C. (Ariz.) | Wide Receivers |
| 1995-96 | Weber State | Wide Receivers |
| 1997-98 | Idaho State | Running Backs |
| 1999-01 | Bucknell | Defensive Backs |
| 2002 | Utah | Wide Receivers/Special Teams Assistant |
| 2003 | Saint Mary's (Calif.) | Co-Defensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach |
| 2004 | New Mexico State | Wide Receivers |
| 2005-06 | Ohio | Wide Receivers |
| 2007-09 | Minnesota Vikings | Assistant Defensive Backs |
| 2010-13 | Stanford | Defensive Backs in 2010; Assoc. HC/Def. Coord. from 2011-13 |
| 2014-20 | Vanderbilt | Head Coach |
| 2021 | Auburn | Defensive Coordinator |
| 2022-present | Oklahoma State | Defensive Coordinator |
Bowl Games
2007 GMAC Bowl
2011 Orange Bowl
2012 Fiesta Bowl
2013 Rose Bowl
2014 Rose Bowl
2016 Independence Bowl
2018 Texas Bowl
2021 Birmingham Bowl
Prominent Pupils
Richard Sherman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Trent Murphy, Buffalo Bills
Shayne Skov, San Francisco 49ers
Ed Reynolds, Cleveland Browns
Zach Cunningham, Tennessee Titans
Roger McCreary, Auburn
Derick Hall, Auburn
Zakoby McClain, Auburn
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