Vol Club Confidential: Rodney Garner

Tennessee defensive line coach Rodney Garner heads into the office every day with a little bit softer heart than he used to during his early days as a head coach. One of Garner’s six daughters, Brie works in the football office, while his youngest two, Sydney and Milan are on the Tennessee rowing team. That makes it a family affair each and every day.

“It’s unreal,” Garner said. “It’s phenomenal and just so surreal. Seems like everything has come full circle. For her to be born here and for us to go through what we did with her coming into this earth and for her to have the opportunity to come back here and work and for my babies, my twin girls starting their sophomore years here living in Stokely. I get to see them all the time they are in my office hanging out. It’s just great to have them experience this with me or me with them. I truly do think it’s bigger than me. It’s about my family and everyone is so happy. They love UT. My twins couldn’t be happier. It’s a perfect fit for them. Even though they are identical twins, they have different personalities. Sydney is a country western girl, country music, boots, hats, hunting all that she is involved with some hunting clubs. Milan thinks she is a city girl and Knoxville has a city flare so neither had to sacrifice their identity to go to school together.”

Garner loves Rocky Top

This is Garner’s second trip through Rocky Top. He was on Phillip Fulmer’s staff in 1996 and 1997. While he may have coached against the Vols at Georgia and his alma mater, Auburn before his return in 2021, he always loved Tennessee.

“Tennessee recruited me out of high school,” Garner said. “Coach Cutcliffe was at one of earlier games this season and he was laughing that I should have came here in the first place. Cut did great job of recruiting me. One thing you always knew was how passionate The fanbase was and just how passionate everyone is about Tennessee football. One of the things I remember from my first time is Kim and I got married when I came to Tennessee. We went up to Pigeon Forge and got married at one of the chapels up there and my second oldest daughter Brie was born at Fort Sanders so it’s always been a special place. She was born with a congenital heart defect and they had to take her to Nashville. We always sit back and how we were embraced during that trying time. We spent two weeks in neonatal intensive care at Vandy. We didn’t know if she was going to live or die but the encouragement from the Tennessee fans with the notes and people sending flowers, checking on us was phenomenal.”

Garner has been in the SEC for almost 30 years as a coach. It’s been a phenomenal run that he is very proud of on all fronts.

“That’s why I do it,” Garner said. “The reason why I never went to the NFL is because it’s so much more rewarding in having the opportunity to invest in these men and have an impact on their lives. Watching them grow and change chapters. Come out of young men and be men and watching them grow into being good husbands, fathers and citizens. It’s just so rewarding.”

And some of that growth has transpired right in front of him since he has been back.

“I think back to my room when I got here two and a half years ago to now and just seeing the maturity in some of these guys, it’s so rewarding to see these guys grow up.”

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