Rodney Garner leaving Georgia for same position at Auburn

Rodney Garner is leaving Georgia for Auburn. Image: 247 Sports

Georgia Bulldogs defensive line coach Rodney Garner has decided to accept a position at Auburn, UGA has confirmed.

Garner, a 1990 graduate of Auburn, was also the assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator at Georgia. He spent three years under former UGA head coach Jim Donnan and 12 years under Mark Richt.

“Auburn has always been a very special place for me and my wife, Kimberly, who is also an Auburn graduate,” Garner said. “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.”

“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,” Georgia head coach Mark Richt said. “He’s a tremendous ball coach, recruiter, and mentor and 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.”

Todd Grantham, Georgia’s defensive coordinator, told UGASports.com that he will hire a new defensive line coach and coaches from “all levels” will be considered.

“It will be a good hire, just like Kirk (Olivadotti) and Scott (Lakatos),” Grantham said.