Three Options For Auburn To Hire As The Next Defensive Line Coach

Here are three directions the Auburn Tigers could go with the next defensive line coach.

The Auburn Tigers saw Jeremy Garrett leave for the NFL on Friday.

After Garrett took the job with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Hugh Freeze's newly completed staff needed another assistant coach to fill out the staff at Auburn.

Here are three names that could make sense to be Auburn's next defensive line coach.

Kyle Pope - Georgia Tech defensive line coach

Pope's name popped up as soon as the news of Garrett's departure was reported. He coached for Freeze at Liberty as the inside linebackers coach.

Pope also was at Alabama as a graduate assistant in 2017. he also had two stints at Memphis as a defensive line coach as well as the defensive run game coordinator before landing the defensive line job at Georgia Tech.

Freeze has made it clear that he's looking for a culture fit and guys he can trust. Pope checks both of those boxes and knows what will be asked of him on the recruiting front. Being from Sylacauga, Alabama can't hurt either. 

Rodney Garner - Tennessee defensive line coach

Garner is a fan-favorite at Auburn due to his extended time on the Plains. He coached two different stints at Auburn as a former player and Auburn graduate. His first stint as a coach at Auburn was from 1990-1995 as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. He also was Auburn's defensive line coach from 2013 to 2020.

If Freeze goes in this direction, it will make a splash on the recruiting trail. 

Vontrell King-Williams - Auburn Defensive Line Analyst

It seems like Freeze will go with an external hire in this situation but in the case that he wanted to promote from within, it would probably be King-Williams. The defensive line analyst is liked by the players in the room and has their respect already so it could make sense for Freeze to take a flyer and take a risk here. 

Where the risk doesn't make sense is recruiting. Auburn has several key defensive line commits pledged to the 2025 class and this position group needs to remain a strength on the trail for Freeze's program to get where it possibly could in the coming years.