Tennessee promotes ‘Coach Chop’ to replace Mike Ekeler as OLB coach
Tennessee has tabbed Levorn Harbin to replace Mike Ekeler as the Vols outside linebackers coach. The man known as ‘Coach Chop’ to many Vol fans has been instrumental in Tennessee’s success on the recruiting trail.
He has played a key role in helping land several key defensive stars the last few seasons. This past cycle, he was the key to landing 4-star Mariyon Dye.
“He keeps it real with you, he is like a father figure for sure,” Dye said of what stood out about Coach Chop. “He isn’t always going to tell you everything is right. He is going to tell you what you are doing wrong, and that shows he cares. That is what really stood out to me. He really checks up on me and my family. It is not just about football. That was another big part for me too. It shows that he cares.”
Before coming to Knoxville, Harbin was an off the field coach at Auburn on two different occasions with a stop at Louisiana to coach defensive line sandwiched in between.
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Before his first tenure at Auburn, Harbin spent seven seasons at Tuskegee University where he served as defensive line coach, special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator from 2006-12. He helped the Golden Tigers to a pair of conference championships, beginning with a 10-2 record in 2006 before a perfect 12-0 mark in 2007.
He coached two seasons at Georgia Southern, working as the defensive ends coach and special teams coordinator for the Eagles. Harbin was part of a GSU staff that claimed the 2002 Southern Conference championship after posting an 11-3 record before finishing 8-3 in 2003.
A native of Butler, Ala., Harbin earned his first full-time coaching position in 2001 after serving as defensive line coach at Valdosta State. Serving as defensive line coach, Harbin was part of a staff that produced a 12-1 record and the Gulf South Conference championship.
Harbin also spent one season in the NFL as a scout for the Atlanta Falcons.
As for the special teams, Evan Crabtree has played a key role in helping Ekeler and will become the special teams coordinator. Tennessee also added NFL coaching veteran John Bonamego.
