While his future as Tennessee interim coach remains up in the air depending on whether or not the Volunteers hire a new head coach before next season, former Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele is not stopping from putting together as good as a staff as possible.
One name being mentioned for his staff, per FootballScoop.com, is Rodney Garner who served as assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach for Auburn on Gus Malzahn’s staff.
Sources informed FootballScoop that Steele, officially the Vols’ interim coach following the program’s Monday firing of Jeremy Pruitt amidst both an internal and external investigation, is moving to reunite with veteran defensive assistant Rodney Garner.
Garner is expected to return to Rocky Top as the Vols’ defensive line coach, if Tennessee can finalize the deal. He also in that scenario reunites with Steele, with whom he has just finished working alongside at Auburn – Garner’s alma mater.
Among the most acclaimed defensive line coaches in college football, Garner through his work at Georgia and Auburn for nearly a quarter century. With those stops and his first tour at Tennessee, Garner is responsible for double-digit NFL Draft picks along the defensive line and also is consistently ranked as one of the SEC’s and college football’s top recruiting specialists.
Garner is one of the top recruiters in the nation, helping bring players such as Derrick Brown, Montravius Adams and Carl Lawson among others to the Plains during his tenure.