Vandy coaches fired

Vanderbilt Coach Derek Mason is making his promised changes, starting with firing offensive coordinator Karl Dorrell and two other assistants. The Commodores announced Wednesday they will not retain Dorrell, wide receivers coach Marc Lubick and conditioning coach Bill Hughan. Dorrell also coached quarterbacks during Mason’s first season as head coach. Vanderbilt wound up starting four different quarterbacks and went 3-9, losing all eight SEC games for the first time since Bobby Johnson’s final season in 2009. It was a big drop-off from last season when the Commodores went 9-4 and finished in the final Top 25 rankings.

Athletic Director Jeremy Foley is back in Florida. Colorado State’s Jim McElwain remains at home. According to a person with knowledge of the situation, negotiations to hire McElwain at Florida hit a snag Wednesday over McElwain’s $7.5 million buyout. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday on the condition of anonymity because the parties have declined to discuss details about the talks. The person said Florida traveled to Colorado with the belief that the hefty buyout could be whittled down. But Colorado State President Tony Frank stood firm on $7.5 million. The financial roadblock prompted the Florida contingent to leave without an agreement.

Texas A&M is in the market for a defensive coordinator following the firing of Mark Snyder on Sunday, and the most talked about coordinator in the country is now being linked to the vacant job in Aggieland. Former Florida head coach Will Muschamp reportedly has offers on the table from both Texas A&M and Auburn, who are in search of a new hire going into the postseason and further into the offseason. According to sources of Jay G. Tate, publisher of AuburnSports. com, Muschamp “has been offered the job and is considering the opportunity” at Auburn. But he also states that there is a “lucrative” offer on the table from Texas A&M, with Auburn being ready to match any offer.