Clark Lea had to bite back tears as soon as he got to the podium. Vanderbilt’’s coach had a moment to think about the win he and his team had just pulled off against Alabama football in Nashville.
“I’ve haven’t been been emotional to this very point,” Lea said. “Of course right when I get in front of you guys, I’m gonna get emotional. But I think that the emotions are a testament to the level of care, the level of investment form so many people that are cheering for us.”
Things looked grim for Lea and the Commodores after last season. Much of the roster and coaching staff flipped, and it seemed his tenure at his alma mater could be nearing its end.
Fast forward to Saturday, and delirious Vanderbilt fans were rushing the field at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, before dumping a set of goalposts in the Cumberland River following the 40-35 upset of the No. 1 team in the country.
“As we’re kneeling the ball out, just a picture in my mind of what the dream is,” Lea said. “That is the dream. That’s why I came here. It’s what I came here to do. And there are days when you feel like you’re really close, and there are days when you feel like you’re miles away, and to have tha actualized for the moment, that was special and something I’ll never forget.
Lea said his team expected to win the game coming in. He spoke how how well the Commodore game plan to limit Alabama’s possessions worked out.
He also said he wasn’t aware of the Nick Saban clip that was played on the video board while fans were rushing the field, where Saban, speaking on the Pat McAfee Show, said Vanderbilt was the only non-difficult environment in the SEC.
“I don’t have an opinion on that,” Lea said. “I love coach. I’ve got so much respect for him and I don’t take any disrespect that way. What we need to do is fill the stadium with black and gold shirts, and when we do that, it will be a hard place to play.”
Lea said he thought of the win as a beginning for his team, a breakthrough moment in his fourth season running the program. The Commodores travel to Kentucky next week.
“You know how much this means to me,” Lea said. “I love our university. I love our city. I love our program. This is why I came back. It’s meant to be emotional, because I’ve bled a lot into this.”