Vanderbilt Head Coach Clark Lea Named 2026 AFCA President
January 13, 2026
Vanderbilt University head coach Clark Lea will lead the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) in 2026 as president of the organization. Lea succeeds outgoing president Bobby Hauck of the University of Montana. Lea was elected president by members attending the Association’s 2026 Convention today.
In addition to Lea, the 2026 AFCA officers include first vice-president Jim Catanzaro of Lake Forest College; second vice-president Steve Ryan of Morningside University and third vice-president Jason Simpson of the University of Tennessee at Martin.
Also serving on the Board in 2026: Alvin Parker, Virginia Union University; Bret Bielema, University of Illinois; Tony Elliott, University of Virginia; Brent Venables, University of Oklahoma; Jerheme Urban, Trinity University; Jas Bains, Western Colorado University; Jamey Chadwell, Liberty University; Jeff Monken, Army West Point; Lance Taylor, Western Michigan University; Kalani Sitake, BYU; Rhett Lashlee, SMU; Joe Price III, University of Kentucky, ex officio member and chairman of the Assistant Coaches Committee; Van Malone, Hampton University, ex officio member and chairman of the Minority Advancement Committee; Michael Christensen, Carson (Calif.) High School, ex officio member and chairman of the High School Committee; and Scott Strohmeier, Iowa Western Community College, ex officio member and Junior College representative. AFCA Executive Director Craig Bohl serves as secretary-treasurer of the organization.
Clark Lea completed his fifth season as head coach at Vanderbilt. A former Commodore fullback, Lea earned AFCA Regional Coach of the Year and SEC Coach of the Year honors for a second straight season in 2025 by guiding Vanderbilt to a 10-3 record and an appearance in the ReliaQuest Bowl. It was the program’s first 10-win season, and they won six SEC games for the first time in program history. Lea earned SEC Coach of the Year and AFCA Regional Coach of the Year honors in 2024 after leading the Commodores to a 7-6 record, the program’s first win over the nation’s No. 1 team and their first bowl victory and winning season since 2013.
Prior to returning to his alma mater, Lea was the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. His defenses helped the Fighting Irish to a No. 2 ranking in 2020 and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2018. Lea began his coaching career at UCLA in 2006 as a graduate assistant on defense. He left for two seasons to be the linebackers coach at South Dakota State before returning to UCLA in 2009. Lea was the UCLA linebackers coach for 2010 and 2011, then he moved on to Bowling Green in 2012, again as linebackers coach. He spent three years at Syracuse as linebackers coach, then one season at Wake Forest in 2016 before heading to Notre Dame in 2017 as linebackers coach.
Lea was named to the AFCA Board of Trustees in 2024. He is the second head coach from Vanderbilt to serve as president. D.E. McGugin served as president of the association in 1933.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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Vanderbilt University head coach Clark Lea will lead the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) in 2026 as president of the organization. Lea succeeds outgoing president Bobby Hauck of the University of Montana. Lea was elected president by members attending the Association’s 2026 Convention today.
In addition to Lea, the 2026 AFCA officers include first vice-president Jim Catanzaro of Lake Forest College; second vice-president Steve Ryan of Morningside University and third vice-president Jason Simpson of the University of Tennessee at Martin.
Also serving on the Board in 2026: Alvin Parker, Virginia Union University; Bret Bielema, University of Illinois; Tony Elliott, University of Virginia; Brent Venables, University of Oklahoma; Jerheme Urban, Trinity University; Jas Bains, Western Colorado University; Jamey Chadwell, Liberty University; Jeff Monken, Army West Point; Lance Taylor, Western Michigan University; Kalani Sitake, BYU; Rhett Lashlee, SMU; Joe Price III, University of Kentucky, ex officio member and chairman of the Assistant Coaches Committee; Van Malone, Hampton University, ex officio member and chairman of the Minority Advancement Committee; Michael Christensen, Carson (Calif.) High School, ex officio member and chairman of the High School Committee; and Scott Strohmeier, Iowa Western Community College, ex officio member and Junior College representative. AFCA Executive Director Craig Bohl serves as secretary-treasurer of the organization.
Clark Lea completed his fifth season as head coach at Vanderbilt. A former Commodore fullback, Lea earned AFCA Regional Coach of the Year and SEC Coach of the Year honors for a second straight season in 2025 by guiding Vanderbilt to a 10-3 record and an appearance in the ReliaQuest Bowl. It was the program’s first 10-win season, and they won six SEC games for the first time in program history. Lea earned SEC Coach of the Year and AFCA Regional Coach of the Year honors in 2024 after leading the Commodores to a 7-6 record, the program’s first win over the nation’s No. 1 team and their first bowl victory and winning season since 2013.
Prior to returning to his alma mater, Lea was the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. His defenses helped the Fighting Irish to a No. 2 ranking in 2020 and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2018. Lea began his coaching career at UCLA in 2006 as a graduate assistant on defense. He left for two seasons to be the linebackers coach at South Dakota State before returning to UCLA in 2009. Lea was the UCLA linebackers coach for 2010 and 2011, then he moved on to Bowling Green in 2012, again as linebackers coach. He spent three years at Syracuse as linebackers coach, then one season at Wake Forest in 2016 before heading to Notre Dame in 2017 as linebackers coach.
Lea was named to the AFCA Board of Trustees in 2024. He is the second head coach from Vanderbilt to serve as president. D.E. McGugin served as president of the association in 1933.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
