Vanderbilt hired Derek Mason away from Stanford to build a program in that mold east of the Mississippi. The idea was solid, as they’re both schools with high academic standards.
There were two problems with the theory. One, Stanford actually has some postwar football success to sell, making the recruiting part somewhat easier. Two, line-up-and-mash-them offense doesn’t work for lesser-talented teams in the SEC because everyone has size on the lines. See also: Bret Bielema at Arkansas.
Mason has the blessing and curse of low program expectations that allowed him to change directions in this, his seventh year.