Ensworth football coach Jeremy Garrett resigns after one season to join Vanderbilt's staff

Jeremy Garrett has traded in his orange and black for black and gold.

Garrett resigned as Ensworth football coach after one season to accept a defensive quality control position at Vanderbilt.

"Vanderbilt is a unique opportunity," Garrett said. "I don't have to move my family. I get to learn from one of the best defensive minds in Derek Mason. 

"My kids get to still attend Ensworth. And my wife is a nurse practitioner at Vanderbilt."

Garrett said his quality control duties will include working with defensive coordinator Jason Tarver and defensive line coach Jovan Haye. Garrett is filling the spot vacated by Haye when he was promoted to his current position.

To hire Garrett, Vanderbilt had to follow the Individuals Associated With a Prospect (IAWP) rule adopted in 2017. The rule places restrictions on programs hiring high school coaches and other individuals associated with a recruit to an off-the-field position. Those athletes can't sign with the hiring school for two years before and after the coach's hiring date. Vanderbilt football has no Ensworth signees from 2017 and 2018 and cannot sign any football players from the school in 2019 and 2020.

That would include Ensworth 2020 four-star prospect Keshawn Lawrence and former standout Tyler Baron, who transferred to Knoxville Catholic in the offseason.

Garrett, a former Ole Miss football player, spent the past eight seasons at Ensworth, where he also was the associate director of admissions. He is a former All-SEC Academic Team member and recipient of the Chucky Mullins Courage Award.

Ensworth finished 7-5 in 2018, falling to McCallie 27-14 in the second round of the Division II-AAA playoffs in Garrett's lone season.

Prior to coming to Ensworth he was an assistant football coach at Southaven High School in Mississippi.

Garrett replaced Tennessee Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame coach Ricky Bowers, the school's athletic director who chose to coach just boys basketball. Bowers won four straight DII-AA football state titles from 2010-13 after starting the school's program in 2004. 

Bowers also won three straight DII-AA titles during his tenure at MBA. Bowers did not return an email or text message seeking comment on Ensworth's opening.

"It's hard to replace a legend," Garrett said. "It's going to be easier for them than me replacing Ricky.

"Ensworth is a great opportunity. It's a great place. You just have to be yourself and who you are because the kids can see through you if you are faking it. Just be who you are — and win some games."

Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 or tkreager@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Kreager.