“When people come on our campus, not only do they see it, but I’m an example of knowing him since 2005 and just how every time I called, he picked up the phone. “How many d-linemen have great relationships with receivers’ coaches? It’s bigger than just football with him,” Garrett said. Freeze never coached the defensive line, but he still formed a great relationship with Garrett – a relationship that carried on even after the two went their separate ways. The two first crossed paths in 2006 when Garrett was a defensive lineman at Ole Miss and Freeze was a position coach working with the tight ends. “Throughout my entire career, he’s always been like a mentor,” Garrett said. Before he went to the NFL, he called Freeze. Before he took a job at Vanderbilt, he called Freeze. Before he took a job at Ensworth Academy, he called Freeze. I want to see that success in my players.”Īt every stop along the way, Garrett has reached out to the same person for advice. I believe in developing these guys so that 10 years from now, I can see their success – whether it’s in the NFL, whether it’s with a family, whether it’s on their job – whatever it may be. I think it’s critical because if you have distractions outside of football, you’re not going to be your best football self. “I want to be a great teacher and a developer for these guys and really develop them on and off the field. So, now it’s developing a plan for them to achieve their goals and walking them through this thing called life and football. “I love the journey that I took because I think I know where these guys are coming from and I know where they’re trying to go. At the same time, he also knows where his players are trying to go. When a freshman arrives on campus, he knows where they’re coming from and the environment they just left. Since 2018, he’s coached at the high school level, the college level and in the NFL – spending two seasons with the Cleveland Browns in 20. Garrett brings a unique perspective with him to Auburn. To go out and set that standard in how we play and how we perform.” “That mentality is what we want to instill in these guys, and we’re constantly talking to them about history and how it is our responsibility to uphold that. You look at the history of those guys, it’s here. Guys come here and reset the line of scrimmage, rush the passer, good edge-rushers. You just look at how those guys played and the history of draft picks in those positions. You can even look at the guys from last year’s team – Colby Wooden. “You can go all the way back and look at Tracy Rocker. This is one of the top five jobs in the country to have as a defensive line coach. “That’s attractive to me because I believe we can build a really good front here at Auburn. “Auburn has a great tradition of really good defensive lines,” Garrett said. Since 2008, Auburn has had 16 defensive linemen drafted. But he also knew the history and the names associated with Auburn on the defensive line: Tracy Rocker, Nick Fairley, Derrick Brown. Obviously, the fans had shown Garrett how special a place Auburn can be – both when he played there as a defensive lineman at Ole Miss and when he watched that game on TV last fall. Less than a month later, Hugh Freeze called and asked Garrett, his defensive line coach at Liberty last season, to follow him to Auburn and serve in the same role. You turn the TV on and see the excitement and see what Auburn is – the family atmosphere, the fans rallying the troops and supporting the program. “You would have thought they were playing for the SEC Championship with how into it they were,” Garrett said. And yet, the Auburn fans packed the stadium to support Williams, one of their own, who was making his home debut as the interim head coach. But last November, when he flipped on the Auburn-Texas A&M game to watch Carnell Williams, there was a new level of appreciation.īoth teams were 3-6. He’s been on the visiting sideline as a player. He knows what it’s like to come in as an opponent and play at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
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