Tennessee seeks to interview Georgia assistant Garner

Tennessee has requested and received permission from Georgia to interview Bulldogs assistant football coach Rodney Garner for a position on the Vols’ staff, Georgia spokesman Claude Felton said Saturday night.

Garner is Georgia’s assistant head coach, defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator.

He interviewed last month for the head coaching job at Auburn, which instead hired Gene Chizik. Now, Garner is talking to Tennessee about a position on new coach Lane Kiffin’s staff.

It is not clear what position on the staff Tennessee is talking to Garner about. Kiffin already has hired his father, longtime NFL defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, as the Vols’ defensive coordinator and has hired Ed Orgeron, formerly defensive line coach for the New Orleans Saints, as associate head coach, defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator.

Garner has been on Georgia’s staff since 1998. He was a Tennessee assistant in 1996-97, coaching offensive tackles and tight ends.