On Friday, Jeremy Garrett left the Auburn Tigers to join the NFL.

An assistant coach was needed to complete Hugh Freeze’s newly assembled staff at Auburn after Garrett accepted a position with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The following three candidates seem like good fits to be Auburn’s next defensive line coach.

Kyle Pope – Georgia Tech defensive line coach

As soon as word leaked out of Garrett’s leaving, Pope’s name appeared. He served as Liberty’s inside linebackers coach under Freeze.

In 2017, Pope worked as a graduate assistant at Alabama as well. Before accepting the defensive line position at Georgia Tech, he also served as the defensive run game coordinator and defensive line coach for two terms at Memphis.

 

Freeze has expressed his desire to be with individuals he can trust and who fit his culture. Pope fulfills both requirements and is aware of what is expected of him in terms of recruiting. It can’t hurt to be from Sylacauga, Alabama, either.

Rodney Garner – Tennessee defensive line coach

Garner’s prolonged tenure on the Plains has made him a fan favorite at Auburn. As a former player and Auburn alumnus, he had two separate spells as an Auburn coach. From 1990 until 1995, he served as Auburn’s tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator during his first coaching tenure. From 2013 until 2020, he also served as Auburn’s defensive line coach.

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

Vontrell King-Williams – Auburn Defensive Line Analyst

It appears like Freeze will choose an outside hire in this instance, although King-Williams would likely be the candidate for internal promotion. It might make sense for Freeze to take a chance and take a flyer here because the guys in the room respect and like the defensive line analyst.

Recruiting is one area where taking a risk makes no sense. Auburn has committed a number of important defensive linemen to the 2025 class; therefore, for Freeze’s team to succeed in the upcoming years, this position group must continue to be strong.