NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt is negotiating a deal with Notre Dame defensive coordinator Clark Lea to make the former Commodores player its new head coach.Two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press details of a contract were still being worked out but Lea was the school's top choice.Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the school was not yet prepared to make an announcement.The 38-year-old Lea is a Nashville native who played baseball at Birmingham-Southern and Belmont before walking on as a fullback at Vanderbilt, where he played from 2002-04.
He started coaching at UCLA and also has coached at South Dakota State, Bowling Green, Syracuse and Wake Forest.Lea has been Notre Dame's defensive.