Edward Aschoff, ESPN Staff Writer 10y

Vandy hires Frank Maile as DL coach

Vanderbilt has hired former Utah State defensive line coach Frank Maile to the same position.

Maile was hired after former defensive line coach Vavae Tata pleaded guilty to a drunken driving charge on March 5 and was dismissed from new Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason's staff.

Maile was with Utah State for six seasons and coached the Aggies' defensive line in his last three. Last season, Maile's line was a part of a defense that ranked first in the Mountain West Conference in total defense, rush defense and scoring defense and second in the league in pass defense and sacks. Utah State also ranked within the top 10 nationally in scoring defense and rush defense last season.

While a member of the Western Athletic Conference in 2012, Utah State's defense was ranked first in the league in total defense, scoring defense, pass-efficiency defense and pass defense. The Aggies were also second in the conference in sacks per game that season.

After being promoted from graduate assistant in 2011, Maile had pretty good success with the Aggies, as Utah State recorded 101 sacks during Maile's three seasons as defensive line coach.

He doesn't bring a lot of experience to Mason's staff, but he brings a good track record for such a short coaching career. He also brings youth -- he graduated from Utah State in 2007 -- that could be attractive to recruits.

Mason couldn't have been happy with what happened with Tata, but he rebounded with what appears to be a solid hire on paper. Now Maile has a chance to get his feet wet in a conference that hangs its hat on play in the trenches.

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