UPDATED: Football assistant Rodney Garner leaving Georgia ‘to get Auburn back on track’
Rodney Garner has served as Georgia's defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator for 15 years. He has been Mark Richt's assistant head coach since 2005. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
ATHENS – In the end, Rodney Garner felt like he could no longer ignore his alma mater’s calls for help.
Garner, Georgia’s assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach for the past 12 years, accepted an offer to handle the same jobs at Auburn, where he played offensive line and started his coaching career. He will also receive a significant salary increase from the $300,000 a year he earned with the Bulldogs.
But as Garner adamantly pointed out in an exclusive interview with the AJC Thursday night, “this is not about the money.”
“It was a very difficult decision,” Garner said. “I’ve been approached many times about this opportunity. But it’s my alma mater. It may be more of a pride thing, just looking at where they are right now and feeling like I really wanted to be a part of getting them back on track. I just felt like God was leading me in this direction. It’s something I prayed about and it was not an easy decision. I would not have left for any other reason than Auburn.”
Garner, 46, has received overtures from Auburn several times over the years, including from Tommy Tuberville and Gene Chizik. Chizik was dismissed after the Tigers went 3-9 this past season. Gus Malzahn, who was Chizik’s offensive coordinator but left to become head coach at Arkansas State, was hired by Auburn on Dec. 4.
Garner has spent the last 12 seasons at Georgia working under head coach Mark Richt. He was hired at UGA by former coach Jim Donnan in 1998. A native of Leeds, Ala., he played for the Tigers under Pat Dye from 1984-88. He also met his wife Kimberly there.
Garner will join the Tigers’ staff immediately.
“It’s just time,” Garner said. “I’ve been at Georgia 15 years. It’s been awesome. Worked for two great head coaches at the University of Georgia. Jim Donnan gave me the opportunity to come here, who I have a tremendous amount of respect and love for. And then Coach Richt who retained me and I worked for him for 12 years. Coach Donnan is already in the Hall of Fame, and I’m sure Coach Richt will be one day. So it was a very difficult decision.”
Garner said he spent a long time Thursday counseling with Georgia’s team chaplain Thomas Settles about his decision, then a long time talking to Richt Thursday night.
“It’s difficult because you’re going to a rival school,” Garner said. “Mark has been very good to me and I want people to know that. People need to recognize the body of work that Mark has done here. Here’s a guy who has been at Georgia 12 years and he’s gone to the (SEC) championship game five times. Prior to him coming there, they’d never been to that game. I look at what he’s done there for 12 years, the way he’s done it, the way he’s won with class and integrity, and he’s just been a great guy to work for. So it’s hard leaving him. I mean it really was. But everything I hear about Coach (Gus) Malzahn is that he’s that same caliber of man, cut from that same cloth, and I think it will be a family-friendly environment, which is important to me, with a wife and six daughters.”
Many preliminary reports about Garner’s interest in joining the Auburn hinted at discord between him and Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. Nothing could be further from the truth.
“The defensive staff we had at Georgia, Coach Grantham, I just think he’s great; he’s awesome,” Garner said. “I think Todd deserves to be a head coach. I was really thinking he’d get some shots at it this year. I think he’s one of the brightest minds I’ve ever been around. Then Scott (Lakatos) and KO (Kirk Olivadotti), we just had a lot of chemistry on that staff.”
Garner would not discuss the financial terms of his contract with Auburn other than to say, “it’s a good deal.” He was on a yearly contract with Bulldogs.
“I’m sure at some point it will all become public record, but that’s not what this was about,” he reiterated.
Regardless, Garner’s departure comes at a complicated time for Georgia. The Bulldogs are in the midst of recruiting their biggest class of the restricted-scholarship era — around 35 in all — and obviously Garner is the hub of that effort. Best known for attracting great defensive linemen to come play for him, Georgia has been considered a leader for junior college all-star Toby Johnson and 5-star defensive tackle Montravius Adams of Dooly County. Both signings could now be in jeopardy.
“I’m kind of surprised, but it helps Auburn,” Adams told 247Sports. “We have a great relationship. He’s a great guy. I know that he’s a guy that will get defensive linemen to the league. I wouldn’t mind him being a guy that coaches me for three or four years. He’s going to be a guy that I’m going to be with most of the time besides the weight-training guy.”
Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs was the first to announce Garner’s hire via Twitter. Auburn later sent out a news release that quoted Malzahn and Garner.
“We’re excited to announce Rodney Garner as our assistant head coach and defensive line coach,” Malzahn said in the statement. “Rodney is one of the top defensive line coaches in college football who has had great success in the Southeastern Conference. We’re excited to welcome an Auburn man back home.”
Said Garner: “I owe a lot to Auburn and the men who helped mold me to who I am today both professionally and personally. I’m very appreciative to Coach Malzahn for this opportunity and I feel very strongly that I can be an asset to the program. I have a lot of love for Auburn and I felt this was a great chance to help give back to a place that has given me so much. I look forward to helping get Auburn back to where it belongs.”
Richt finally acknowledged Garner’s departure in a statement released at 11 a.m. Friday:
“I want to thank Rodney for 15 years of loyal service to UGA. He was the first assistant I hired when I came to Georgia and it turned out to be a great decision. He’s a tremendous ball coach, recruiter, and mentor and a great example of what a good father and husband should be. He’s been a blessing to my life as well as to UGA. We wish him and Kim all the best.”
MORE ON GARNER
Here’s a link to a “10 Things You Should Know about Rodney Garner” profile I did this past summer.
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493 comments Add your comment
AltamahaDawg
December 21st, 2012
11:01 am
So you have us winning it all next year, now?
Joey
December 21st, 2012
11:02 am
Exactly who was “barking” about Ray Drew, Finer? By the way he’s doing pretty good – had a scooter wreck last summer which set him back. And, you mighta heard, he had a few decent players ahead of him at LB (’11) and at DE this season.
He may not have a Clowney-like impact next year, but I do think he will be a starter.
OkieDawg
December 21st, 2012
11:03 am
I suppose Garner tried to leverage his offer from AU for a pay increase. I’m glad UGA stood their ground on the money. Garner has 6 kids. He has to need the money. Those kids will go to college and all will have weddings that must be paid for. Coach Garner is looking out for his financial future. This is good for AU, UGA and Coach Garner. AU gets a guy that has performed at a high level and probably needs to be re-energized after becoming complacent in recent years. UGA will get an excellent young D-line coach that wants to learn under CTG. And Coach Garner protects his financial future. Good luck Coach Garner and UGA. AU, you’re on your own.
1eyedJack
December 21st, 2012
11:04 am
Good Luck to ya big guy. I hope you come in second every year!
Slip Bobo in to recruiting coordinator and assistant head coach. Tell Todd to get busy on the phone and find us a DL coach with some cach`e. And it wouldn’t hurt if he knows a little about special teams.
Get on the phone immediately with current recruits and assure them that we will fill this position with a coach as good or better than the one leaving.
AltamahaDawg
December 21st, 2012
11:04 am
It’s the weak fans like you that claim we are going to win it all, rather than fire everybody and start all over, that make me want to puke.
GTville
December 21st, 2012
11:05 am
Wow, he is good. Make a very nice comment about Coach Grantham and his surprise Grantham is not a head coach yet. This was a very subtle way to let all the defensive recruits know that going to UGA to play for Grantham will mean they play for someone else because Grantham will not be there for more than another year.
That was my take anyway.
smlarsen
December 21st, 2012
11:05 am
@GTbob
That’s just sad. You do realize that you have a more recent NC title then we do. Do you hear any of us saying aw man we just cant do it. ” We just won’t ever have the right people”. “Our school is based more on acedemics”. Which I don’t know if you noticed but you have a better chance of getting into GT than UGA with a 4.0 gpa out of high school. Get some balls man. How bad has Notre dame sucked the last 2 decades. You think their fans balled up and said well we are what we are and we can’t be any better. Im pretty sure you have to be smarter to be a student their than at GT. Seriously you must be the worse fan i have ever had the displeasure of blogging with.
coach j
December 21st, 2012
11:05 am
oh no, are we “BULLDOGS” N TROUBLE…?
Nothing Could Be Finer
December 21st, 2012
11:07 am
Joey
December 21st, 2012
11:02 am
Exactly who was “barking” about Ray Drew, Finer? By the way he’s doing pretty good – had a scooter wreck last summer which set him back. And, you mighta heard, he had a few decent players ahead of him at LB (’11) and at DE this season.
He may not have a Clowney-like impact next year, but I do think he will be a starter.
——————————-
Starter by default?
That guy was supposed to own the league according to dogs fans. Of course that was before he stepped foot on campus and was subjected to poor player development by the Ga coaching staff.
ROWDY TIGER
December 21st, 2012
11:12 am
If it wasn’t for AUBURN GRADS where would the DAWGS be ? Not to mention, if it wasn’t for DAWG GRADS where would the TIGERS be ? Chill out guy’s, THE OLDEST RIVALRY IN THE SOUTH JUST GOT BETTER………..FOR AUBURN. WARRRRRRR EAGLE HEY !!!!!!
AltamahaDawg
December 21st, 2012
11:12 am
Move Grantham to DL coach, go get Warren Belin back.
Hall of Fame
December 21st, 2012
11:14 am
AltamahaDawg,
I get your point–my facts are off on some of the players I listed; but, I think you get mine as well. RG has been an incredible recruiter and assett for UGA football. His loss is not a good thing for our squad. He has been second to very few assistant coaches in the nation when it comes to recruiting talent. The guy is a stud. This will hurt immediately and long term…
Boom! AU Swipes UGA Recruiting Coordinator Garner Less Than 2 Months Before Signing Day – Georgia – Dawg News
December 21st, 2012
11:17 am
[...] Garner told The Atlanta Journal Constitution late last night that his decision was not about the significant raise he’ll receive: [...]
Macon Jacket
December 21st, 2012
11:18 am
HUGE loss for UGA; and as a Jacket fan, can’t say I’m not happy.
It was when Garner left Tennessee that they were no longer able to get top caliber talent to compete, and the program tanked.
I just don’t see Richt and Bozo being able to sign top caliber talent the way Garner did.
AltamahaDawg
December 21st, 2012
11:20 am
This is just Malzahn’s way of setting up Arkansas State’s new HC.
Malzahn hires Georgia’s ace recruiter Rodney Garner | Saturday Down South
December 21st, 2012
11:20 am
[...] was a tough decision for Garner to leave Georgia, too. “It was a very difficult decision. I’ve been approached [...]
Nothing Could Be Finer
December 21st, 2012
11:21 am
Oh, by the way, here’s the blueprint for beating Nebraska:
Stop the run
Good luck with that.
Joey
December 21st, 2012
11:28 am
Why the insults, Finer? Like I said, Drew didn’t practice in his first fall, getting behind, and playing behind the best OLB in the country. He was deemed to be better with a hand down, so was moved to DE this season.
He will be a force next season.
Clowney is already an All American.
It is what it is . . .
MC
December 21st, 2012
11:31 am
Good luck coach. Hate to see you go.
Nothing Could Be Finer
December 21st, 2012
11:33 am
Thats my point Joey.
Dogs coaches can’t figure out where to play guys and lose valuable time to “coach-em-up”.
See Malcombe Mitchell for another example. Talk about a confused dog.
UGA Grad'71
December 21st, 2012
11:34 am
Rodney is a great recruiter no doubt. He reminds me of the ball player that spends his entire career at AAA but never getting to the major leagues. He could sign great players, but did they develop?
AltamahaDawg
December 21st, 2012
11:37 am
Good grief, macon jacket,. are you a grown man? bozo? how clever are you.
And do you not understand that Garner was the Co-ordinator. HE personally did not do the one-on-one recruiting for the most part. He was highly profession. Likable. Great guy. But he is ONE guy. Other SEC schools have outrecruited Georgia plenty, so obviously he is not the only guy capable of doing the job.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 21st, 2012
11:39 am
So maybe AUBURN can get a DREAM TEAM like Garner got UGa.
AltamahaDawg
December 21st, 2012
11:40 am
I cannot think of a player in the SEC was used any better to help his team win, than M.Mitchell. I suppose you think that RS him last year would have been the best coaching decision?
Joey
December 21st, 2012
11:43 am
So you are telling me if Clowney had come to UGA, and Drew to SC, Drew would be the All-American now because of the coaching?
If so, congrats on your superior coaches, man!
Whew – we never beat y’all again . . .
MC
December 21st, 2012
11:48 am
GTBob CPJ’s winning percentage won’t hold up much longer. What’s his record the last 2 years? 6-7 and probably 6-8 this year?
MC
December 21st, 2012
11:49 am
Chan Gailey’s players are the reason CPJ’s record is not sub .500
suwanee dawg
December 21st, 2012
11:53 am
GT Bob – I actually agree with you with one qualification – Tech could recruit a little better if they had a different head coach. CPJ is not very likable and it impacts recruiting. He won more early with Gailey’s recruits. I actually hope the GT program does not continue to decline which in turn hurts the rivalry.
OC
December 21st, 2012
11:54 am
Your search – University of Georgia football – did not match any documents.
Suggestions:
Make sure all words are spelled correctly.
Try different keywords.
Try more general keywords.
Aubie
December 21st, 2012
12:03 pm
Have any of you haters actually stepped foot on the AU campus? It’s a cool place to be, steeped in rich traditions. Great school with a small town feel. Unlike Athens the townies of Auburn actually welcome having college students. Athens is a dump all you have is a crappy arch….so do McD’s!!
AltamahaDawg
December 21st, 2012
12:03 pm
Good ol Finer. Still trying to pass that casual knowledge off as expertise.
Joey
December 21st, 2012
12:07 pm
Auburn makes me and Moist Dawg want to puke.
AltamahaDawg
December 21st, 2012
12:08 pm
Got to love Auburn fans…damn It, it really a nice place, why does every keep saying it’s not!
AltamahaDawg
December 21st, 2012
12:11 pm
Don’t puke, or I’ll ………..bwha.wwha uuungghhh….
AltamahaDawg
December 21st, 2012
12:12 pm
Taliban.
The Commissioner
December 21st, 2012
12:19 pm
Everytime I see GTBob on here, I feel like I’ve stepped in something and it smells bad. Just let people say what they want to say and be done with it. You don’t have to argue about everything. Do you want us to bring up some things that you may think we don’t know about you? Give it a rest, dude. I guess I’d feel slighted too if I constantly wanted to be included in Georgia blogs. Are you under duress of some sort? Your comments only confirm what common sense defines: you’re on here Georgia bashing all the time because you made the wrong decision and didn’t have a good time at Tech (that is, if you went there). Psychology 101 proves that you just want to get everyone involved in your unhappy existence.
GT53
December 21st, 2012
12:23 pm
I would bet that any one of you dawgs would jump on a new job if the money and benefits were an increase. Loyalty to any organization unless it is the church only goes as far as the next payday. Quit crying and belittling Rodney because he wants to help his family.
oh brother!
December 21st, 2012
12:26 pm
Who was the last UGA coach who went to AU…oh yeah…Van Gorder. Pretty much another similar scenario.
AltamahaDawg
December 21st, 2012
12:27 pm
GT53. you are lecturing one guy. That the rest of us are making fun of.
That was your big statement?
GTBob
December 21st, 2012
12:27 pm
@ The Commissioner – yeah, you’re right…thanks for the lecture. I’ll try to do better next time.
Malzahn hires Georgia’s ace recruiter Rodney Garner | ARKANSAUCE
December 21st, 2012
12:28 pm
[...] was a tough decision for Garner to leave Georgia, too. “It was a very difficult decision. I’ve been approached [...]
Pitbull
December 21st, 2012
12:31 pm
Well, Auburn bought Cam Newton and Nick Fairly to get them a NC.
Now they have bought Rodney Garner to try and buy themselves UGA’s recruiting class.
Auburn is the call girl of the SEC and it never ends, does it?
Joey
December 21st, 2012
12:32 pm
Just shut up GT53 (12:23) most of the whining is from you dorks posing as Dawg fans.
AltamahaDawg
December 21st, 2012
12:33 pm
Like the guy said, they have a lot of tradition.
AltamahaDawg
December 21st, 2012
12:35 pm
“rich” tradition.
Joey
December 21st, 2012
12:36 pm
Damn that’s good, Pitbull – “call girl of the SEC.”
Wish I’d wrote it. lol.
The Commissioner
December 21st, 2012
12:38 pm
@ GTBob – you need help…seriously.
flo-ri-duh
December 21st, 2012
12:39 pm
Garner is a good man but not DC material. He saw the writing on the wall when Grantham was brought in as DC – a position Garner interviewed with Richt for. Garner’s DL has not gotten it done the last two years when big games were on the line. Due to a lack of quality depth the DL wore down in the 2nd half. Garner wiffed on big time DL talent from the state of Georgia this year.: DE’s #1 Nkemdiche #2 Carl Lawson #7 Isaac Rochelle and so far #1 DT Montravius Adams are all from Georgia so far all three DEs are committed out of state and Adams is uncommitted. Garner saw the writing on the wall and got out before the screen door hit him in the behind. At the same time he got a raise. Now Grantham can bring in who h really wants as DL coach – someone with high achivement in both the NFL and on the college level. Auburn is in turmoil and their 2012 class is self destructing. I doubt if Montravius Adams wants to step in to that situation. Whoever Grantham chooses will be a quality teacher and recruiter and he will get a raise – as will Bobo. Toby will stick with UGA and will redshirt this coming year to rehab his injury. I would liketo thank Garner for his service to UGA but it was time for him to move on.
Joey
December 21st, 2012
12:44 pm
AD – on fire today – funny funny . . .
Pitbull
December 21st, 2012
12:45 pm
So if a man and a woman get married and then divorced in Alabama are they still brother and sister.