If it seemed there were times during games last season that Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason was not sure what to do -- let's be honest, there definitely were times it seemed that way -- perhaps this is the reason.

Even though the second-year coach has added the role of defensive coordinator to his duties for 2015, Mason said Tuesday he feels better prepared for whatever happens in a game because of a recent discovery he made in his personal football library.

"I had a sheet that I had been looking for for the last 18 months," Mason said. "Lo and behold, about two weeks ago, it popped up. I found it in my library of football books."

What he found was a detailed list of game situations and what he should do in each of them. According to his timeline, he had it when he accepted the job at Vanderbilt last January (or shortly thereafter). He was without it, though, when the Commodores went 3-9 and failed to win an SEC game for the first time in five years.

"I had already gone through that list and really remembered a couple of items on there that needed to be checked off," Mason said. "Now, I feel really good about what we're doing and where we're at."

He noted that the 'gameday checklist' he has produced for this season includes 65 items "and it covers everything I need to know."

"I'm never going to go into a game unprepared for the situation at hand," Mason said. "Some things come up, but with that I've got to be charged with making good decisions and making sure our football team goes forward."

(Photo: Joe Howell/Vanderbilt athletics)