COACHING STAFF
Rodney Garner
Asst. Head Coach/Def. Line/ Recruiting Coordinator
Birthdate: 6-30-66 Birthplace: Leeds, Ala. High School: Leeds College: Auburn '90 Coaching Experience: 1990-95, Auburn (Recruiting Coord., Tight Ends, Asst. Strength and Conditioning); 1996-97, Tennessee (Offensive Tackles,Tight Ends); 1998-04, Georgia (Defensive Line, Recruiting Coordinator); 2005-010, Georgia (Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Line, Recruiting Coordinator). Playing Experience: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1989), Pittsburgh Gladiators (1989), Auburn (1984- 1988) All-SEC and honorable mention All-America his senior season... Captain of 1988 SEC Championship Team Leeds H.S. (1981-83) A first team All-America and All-State; Birmingham News "Super 12," Birmingham Post-Herald "Ten Most Wanted," Blue Chip Illustrated first team All-South, voted team captain as a senior.
"Coach G. is the best coach I've had because it's not about football for him. He wants you to be successful in all aspects of life and to become great men and fathers." ---- Brandon Wood
Rodney Garner added the title of Assistant Head Coach in 2005 after serving as defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Georgia since January, 1998. During his nine years at UGA, he has been part of a staff that has led Georgia to 90 victories, two SEC championships, three SEC Eastern Division titles, seven bowl victories, and six top ten finishes in the final national polls including No. 2 in 2007 and No. 3 in 2002. Garner was part of the 2005 Georgia team that finished 8th nationally in scoring defense (16.4 ppg). He also was part of the 2003 SEC Eastern Division Champion Bulldog defense that finished 2nd nationally in scoring defense (14.5 ppg), 4th in total defense (276.86 ypg), 6th in passing defense (174.50 ypg, 1st in the SEC),14th nationally in turnover margin (+.79), and 4th in number of scoreless quarters (25) among the AP's final Top Ten teams. He was also part of the 2002 Bulldog defense that finished first in the SEC and fourth nationally in scoring defense (15.1 ppg), first in the SEC in red zone defense (58.8%), second in the SEC in rushing defense (114.0 ypg), and allowed only 31 second half points in the final seven games of the season. The 2002 Bulldogs finished 13-1, won the SEC and Nokia Sugar Bowl Championships, and were ranked third in the final national polls. Garner participated in the inaugural Minority Coaches Forum in Scottsdale, Ariz., in May, 2006. He was also selected one of 10 coaches from throughout the country to participate in the 2004 NCAA Expert Coaching Academy in Indianapolis and one of only 20 chosen for the NCAA's 2004 Advanced Coaching Academy in Orlando. In the past nine seasons, he has coached four NFL first round draft choices -- Richard Seymour (Patriots) and Marcus Stroud (Jaguars), both Pro Bowl starters; Charles Grant (Saints); and Johnathan Sullivan (Saints). He has also coached Corvey Irvin (3rd, Panthers, '09), Kedric Golston (6th, Redskins, '06), Emarlos Leroy (6th, Jaguars, '99), and free agent linemen Ken Veal (Chargers, '04), Paul Snellings (Colts, 2000), and Brandon Miller (Colts, 2000). Originally from Leeds, Ala., Garner coached tight ends and offensive tackles at Tennessee in 1997 after coaching tight ends for the Volunteers in 1996. Prior to his tenure at Tennessee, Garner served in several capacities on the Auburn staff from 1990-95 including recruiting coordinator, tight ends coach, and assistant strength and conditioning coach. The personable Garner was named All-SEC and honorable mention AllAmerica as a senior at Auburn in 1988. He captained his team that captured the 1988 SEC Championship. Garner had a free agent tryout with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and played with the Pittsburgh Gladiators arena football team in1989. Garner was an outstanding high school player at Leeds High School receiving many national, state, and local honors. He is married to Kimberly Lawson Garner and they have six children, Bridgett (24), Brielle (13), Jaiden (8), Kai (7), and Sydney and Milan (6 years).
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