Vanderbilt is close to hiring Stanford defensive coordinator Derek Mason to be the Commodores next head football coach, "highly-placed sources" told 247Sports.com.

David Williams, athletic director at Vanderbilt, did not confirm whether or not Mason interviewed for the job, saying he was "still going to talk to a number of people." Mason is widely seen as the favorite among candidates including Brian Schottenheimer, Pep Hamilton and Herb Hand.

According to CBS Sports, Mason already interviewed with Vanderbilt and even had a follow-up meeting Friday morning. The Commodores are a football team on its way up in a highly competitive SEC thanks to three quality years with James Franklin at the helm.

In Franklin's first season, he led the team to a bowl game, but lost, followed by two straight nine-win seasons and bowl game wins each year. He recently left Vanderbilt to become the head football coach at Penn State, a job vacated by Bill O'Brien.

Mason has spent four years at Stanford, serving under Jim Harbaugh and David Shaw. He began as a defensive backs coach then rose to assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator. According to ESPN, he was known around the Pac-12 for his defensive success against the spread offense (like beating Oregon and holding them to 20 points).

His defense also allowed an average of 19 points this season, good for 10th best in the nation. Also among Mason's strengths are a good recruiting track record and a likeable personality. Transitioning to Vanderbilt would not likely be a challenge, as Stanford is also a private school regarded highly in academics that plays in a competitive football conference.

The San Jose Mercury News previously reported Connecticut, Army and Washington targeted Mason for their football coaching vacancies. He said he wanted to wait for the right opportunity.

"It's got to be the right job," he told the SJMN before the Rose Bowl. "David [Shaw] had his one right job, and it was Stanford. And I have mine. That's between me and my wife, and it's a ways away."