Georgia assistant football coach Rodney Garner is still mulling an offer to join Tennessee's staff, while Georgia spent Sunday working on a more attractive financial package to keep their recruiting coordinator in Athens.
Garner, a UT assistant 1996-97, told ESPN.com he hoped to have a decision by Sunday afternoon. A source with knowledge of the situation indicated to the News Sentinel on Sunday afternoon that Garner's decision might not come until Monday.
The Athens Banner-Herald reported that Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt met with Garner on Sunday evening.
"Mark's dealing with Rodney right now and talking to him about some things," Georgia athletic director Damon Evans told the Banner-Herald. "I'll just wait for Mark to report back to me."
UT offered Garner a package that could approach $400,000, according to ESPN.com. He earned $253,301 last season at Georgia, making him the third-highest paid assistant on staff, according to the Banner-Herald.
"We'll do what's appropriate for Georgia," Evans said. "There's always going to be other schools out there - the market changes constantly in this business - and we can make sure that we do what's appropriate. All I'll say is that we want to keep Rodney at this institution because we think he's a good football coach, a good person and means a lot to our program."
UT's plane flew to Athens-Ben Epps Airport on Sunday afternoon and returned to Knoxville shortly after 6 p.m., although it is unclear who made the trip to Athens and if anyone from UT met with Garner on Sunday.
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.
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Comments » 264
dshawn13#224876 writes:
he will be on the next plane
Alumni_06 writes:
we just keeping throwing money around like its nothing
Alumni_06 writes:
why didn't fulmer use this money to get a "top-notch" offensive coordinator?
andy112382#209793 writes:
And the suspense continues.........
Sure hope we get'em! This would big another big boost to a staff that is already shaping up to be something else.
No matter who you are or who you pull for (though, still don't get why so many non-Tennessee fans jump on here) you gotta admit Lane Kiffin has been true to his word to deliver with a solid staff. (by the way, anyone see Marlon Brown and his 71 yd touchdown catch on play #1??? Man, he would be HUGE!)
mpm80#1357758 writes:
this dude is too wishy washy kinda like these big headed hi school players on the under armour game picking caps off peoples head thats about the lamest thing ive seen in awhile
ChuckG writes:
I do not think this thing extending into Monday is good news for Tennessee. Hope I am wrong.
newtonrail writes:
Note to Mike Hamilton: This is not Play Money. These are real dollars that can fund a myriad of things in the AD. But who am I, just a small contributor!
volnutone writes:
THIS YEAR A STAFF NEXT YEAR WE WILL GET THE RECRUITS!!!
andy112382#209793 writes:
That makes no sense to say. Think about it, Tennessee had so many empty seats in the stadium last year. You are losing money if you don't do what it takes to get the people to the games, not to mention you make more when you get to top-notch bowls and championships, plus don't forget the $$$ that the SEC teams are getting for that ESPN deal. Gotta spend money to make money, and it looks to me like that are spending wisely.
hotrodvol writes:
UGA would be stupid to not match UTs offer, lets hope they are very stupid.
HtownVol writes:
Man I hope we get Brown
jsm67vol writes:
Because Fulmer would have only tried to keep the coaches already here. Phil wouldn't hire anybody too good because he feared they might get his job. And actually he did hire a good one in Clawson. It just takes players a couple of years to run that system efficiently, and it just didn't happen quick enough.
cb4vols#206343 writes:
I think Garner is just playing Kiffin along for bigger bucks from GA....
andy112382#209793 writes:
We may not have to wait til next year to get some real nice pickups. We have that top-20 CB, two of the top OLs, and Marlon Brown leaning our way, bet there are some names we haven't caught wind of either. Should be real interesting the next few weeks!
Jeremy7679 writes:
He's just leveraging Georgia. They'll match UT's offer I bet. Coming to Tennessee would mean a step down the ladder for him.
jsm67vol writes:
Agree. Garner may well be using this to up his pay at GA. But at least Kiffin is trying to put together a great staff.
knucklehead_vol writes:
me too...but we'll see how good he is going up against coach o in recruiting.
cainclifton23 writes:
You can afford 100 more dollars.
volnutone writes:
WE GOT COACH O AT THE LAST MINUTE ITS TIME TO REEL IN GARNER ALSO!!
AllVol2008#1353998 writes:
Garner should know Georgia is not going anywhere but down and Tennessee nowhere but up. And wouldn't the fact that Garner is even thinking about leaving Georgia hurt their recruiting?
Brown is a stud. He sure seemed excited when he mentioned CLK's name on television.
DroopyDrawers writes:
because he was making it all himself
knucklehead_vol writes:
the flip side is uga is cheap, and they will have to give an increase to the whole staff, otherwise, expect chaos at uga. you know, we may have been playing them to cause some trouble there. who knoes.
hippie60 writes:
Very true he's a back stabber from the last time he was here. Left during recruiting season to be with A.D. Slug Vince Dooley
VolNBham writes:
I completely agree.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Not coming, I would guess. He is playing Richt into $$$.
Can't blame him. We are about to get crowded.
Would rather see an unusual move and name a special teams full-time coach.
Kiffin has impressed thus far.
cainclifton23 writes:
I pray we get Marlon Brown.
and we may get alshon jeffrey to decomitt to USC. he has a visit with us
bls8617#370509 writes:
I think the longer he takes to make the decision the more likely he is taking our offer seriously. I think there is a little more to it than just money given his history at UT.
hotrodvol writes:
I don't know if it means anything but the LB Jenkins didn't have us in his top five.
Caspian writes:
Money follows value. And that is a very appropriate and efficient thing for it to do. That's what is happening within the UT Athletic Department. The only place money gets "thrown" at things is the US government.
rabidvol1998 writes:
Kiffin said he would have a special teams coach.
I'm trying to get what he can offer Garner? We are stacked in the D and CLh is going to call the plays.
TommyJack writes:
Sounds like we're being played like a fine tuned violin. Hope I'm worng.
HtownVol writes:
I missed it. Did Marlon alk about UT?
HtownVol writes:
talk...
cainclifton23 writes:
Is it THAT important we get this garner guy?
Im more concered with a special teams coach, and Marlon Brown
bls8617#370509 writes:
Yeah he was talking about how CLK mention him in his press conference. He seemed pretty excited about it. I wouldn't be surprised at all if we landed him. Happy, but not surprised
volsfansc writes:
anyone here that the other WR Jeffery was scheduled to make a visit to UT. he is committed to USC but have heard that he is not sure if he wants to make trip cross country
HtownVol writes:
That needs to be our #1 goal. We need a play maker so bad, and he would sure fit that role.
Couchdummy writes:
Agree. It would be better to now focus on hiring the position coaches that call the X and O's and do the hands on work. Too many chiefs can be problematic.
bluetick writes:
Dang. Seems he's Ga bound. I think we get Brown though. I wonder how much room they have to play with as far as Garner is concerned ? What is the cut off line for Ga on this guy? Oh well, just get Brown. :)
cainclifton23 writes:
Yes he is more than likely decomitting.
And they alread have 4 other top WR's commited.
He has a visit wit hus on the 12th i believe
stinky_pinky writes:
wishy washy?? nah, hes been at uga for 10yrs and delivered in recruiting every year. he's interviwed two other times (once w lsu and for hc at his alma mater) he may just be giving mark richt some respect. i don't think you jump on a jet to take a job w/ a bitter rival after 10yrs w/out giving someone the oppty to counter. afterall, it would be a lateral move. rodney deserves to be a coordinantor somewhere...i hope we get him but if not,i wish him the best....seems to do his job well wherever he is
andy112382#209793 writes:
Yes, he mentioned Lane Kiffin a couple of times, once during a live interview after his touchdown catch and then during a pretaped promo where he mentioned watching the press conference when Lane said he was headed to memphis to see the top WR in the nation and he said Lane had to be talking about him (with a grin).
TxFatBoy writes:
I don't know what he can offer Garner, but I hope he gets him. He was a great recruiter when he was here and our recruiting certainly dropped off after he left.
I don't understand all the complaining about the money being spent on the staff. Everyone here says they WANT the best coaches, do you think Coach K can get them just by asking them to come here? The important thing is whether or not they are the RIGHT coaches! I'd hate to see them spend all this cash and wind up worse off than we were before, not that I expect that to happen.
volsfansc writes:
i live in sc and havent heard to many shamecock fans talk about this guy so hopefully UT will have a shot it would be nice to have brown size and quickness on one side and jeffery on the other wow!
HtownVol writes:
Brown and Jerrery would be every Vol fans dream come true. If we get them both I guess we can say we have some top notch recruiters.
knucklehead_vol writes:
think about this, we can use the possibility of him coming to ut as where is his loyalties are, when it comes to recruiting against ga. we'll get brown.
yeavols#228407 writes:
I am not clear on the comments about being played. Garner talking to Tennessee means there is an offer on the plate. If Mark wants to keep Garner then Pay up. If Tennessee wants garner and can beat UGA's offer..then great. I don't believe Garner is going to stay at Georgia if Mark doesn't match what UT is offering.
orangevolz writes:
Nothing wrong with that. If I were able to do the same, I would too.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
"UT's plane flew to Athens-Ben Epps Airport on Sunday afternoon and returned to Knoxville shortly after 6 p.m., although it is unclear who made the trip to Athens and if anyone from UT met with Garner on Sunday."
Actually, I have the low-down on this.
Coach Kiffin got a hankerin for some Ginger Ale from "The Dawg Pound" near Athens. After knocking down a frosty brew, he wrote 6 numbers on a piece of paper and had some guy named Earl E. Pearly slip it into Garner's hand. He promptly returned home to UT and had a glass of sweet tea.
southernson writes:
I hope he comes but wouldnt trade him for Orgeron. Check out the comments on Atlant Journal Constition web. Georgia fans are freeking out. LOL Ive left a few comments to...
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