Derek Mason
Encyclopedia
Derek Mason is an American football
coach and former player who is the associate head coach
, co-defensive coordinator
, and defensive backs coach
for the Stanford Cardinal football
team.
in Phoenix, Arizona
. After graduating from high school, he attended Northern Arizona University
from 1989 to 1992, where he was a four-year letterman and two-year starter at cornerback.
, Weber State
, Bucknell
, Utah
, St. Mary's
, New Mexico State
, and Ohio
. From 2007 to 2009, he coached defensive backs for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings
under Brad Childress
, who had been one of his coaches at Northern Arizona. In 2010, Mason was hired as a defensive back coach on Jim Harbaugh
's staff at Stanford. In 2011, Mason was promoted to associate head coach
and co-defensive coordinator
at Stanford under new head coach David Shaw
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and former player who is the associate head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
, co-defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
, and defensive backs coach
Defensive backs coach
A defensive backs coach or secondary coach is a coach in charge of the safeties and cornerbacks in gridiron football. This position is very common in the CFL, NFL and college football programs. Some common titles are: safeties coach, cornerbacks coach, secondary coach, secondary/safeties coach,...
for the Stanford Cardinal football
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
team.
Early life and playing career
Mason attended Camelback High SchoolCamelback High School
Camelback High School is part of the Phoenix Union High School District. The campus is located at 4612 North 28th Street, northeast of downtown Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Camelback’s enrollment is 2,000 students, over 75 percent of whom are Hispanic...
in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
. After graduating from high school, he attended Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University is a public university located in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and has 39 satellite campuses in the state of Arizona. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees.As of...
from 1989 to 1992, where he was a four-year letterman and two-year starter at cornerback.
Coaching career
After his playing career ended, Mason coached college football at Mesa Community CollegeMesa Community College
Mesa Community College in Mesa, Arizona, is the largest of the 10 community colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District and is the largest in the United States. MCC began in 1963 as a branch of Phoenix College and later granted independent status in 1965.MCC offers more than 200...
, Weber State
Weber State University
Weber State University is a public university located in the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, USA. It was founded in 1889 and is a coeducational, publicly supported university offering professional, liberal arts and technical certificates, as well as associate, bachelor's and master's degrees...
, Bucknell
Bucknell University
Bucknell University is a private liberal arts university located alongside the West Branch Susquehanna River in the rolling countryside of Central Pennsylvania in the town of Lewisburg, 30 miles southeast of Williamsport and 60 miles north of Harrisburg. The university consists of the College of...
, Utah
Utah Utes football
The Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles...
, St. Mary's
Saint Mary's College Gaels
The Saint Mary's Gaels are the athletic teams that compete at Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga, California. The nickname applies to the college's intercollegiate NCAA Division-I teams and club sports. The nickname was given to the school's football team in 1926 by a writer for the now...
, New Mexico State
New Mexico State Aggies football
The New Mexico State Aggies football team represents New Mexico State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Western Athletic Conference ....
, and Ohio
Ohio Bobcats football
The Ohio Bobcats football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Ohio University. The team represents the university as a member of the Mid-American Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision level...
. From 2007 to 2009, he coached defensive backs for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
under Brad Childress
Brad Childress
Brad "Chilly" Childress is the former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. He attended high school at the Marmion Academy in Aurora, Illinois...
, who had been one of his coaches at Northern Arizona. In 2010, Mason was hired as a defensive back coach on Jim Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh
James Joseph "Jim" Harbaugh is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Harbaugh agreed to a five-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on January 7, 2011. Previously, he was the head coach at...
's staff at Stanford. In 2011, Mason was promoted to associate head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
and co-defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Stanford under new head coach David Shaw
David Shaw (American football)
-References:...
.