Tennessee football promotes Levorn ‘Chop’ Harbin to OLB coach

Tennessee football did not just lose its special teams coordinator when Mike Ekeler took the job at Nebraska. He also held the position of outside linebackers coach with the Vols.

To fill the role, Tennessee has promoted Levorn ‘Chop’ Harbin to the role.

He was previously serving as a Senior Defensive Analyst. VolQuest was first to report.

Harbin has been with the Vols since March of 2021 after the hiring of Josh Heupel as head coach. He has been instrumental in Tennessee’s recruiting efforts. While position coaches typically get primary credit for landing recruits, Harbin was instrumental in landing plenty of high-caliber prospects.

While serving as an analyst, his role primarily featured helping Rodney Garner coach defensive linemen and Ekeler coach outside linebackers.

Prior to his time in Knoxville, Harbin was the Director of Recruiting at Auburn beginning in 2019. He was on the staff alongside Garner during that period.

Harbin got on-the-field action as defensive line coach and assistant head coach with Miles College during the 2018 season.

Before that, he served as defensive line coach for Louisiana from 2015-2017, defensive assistant and recruiting coordinator for defense for Auburn from 2013-14, defensive line coach for Tuskagee College from 2006-2012, the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons’ pro scout and special teams quality control in 2004, defensive line coach and special teams coordinator with Georgia Southern from 2002-2003, defensive line coach for Valdosta State in 2001 and his initial start with Auburn as defensive quality control from 1999-2000.

Harbin went to college at Northern Alabama from 1995-1999. He earned a degree in Business Administration and Management.

He now joins a defensive staff that features Tim Banks as defensive coordinator, Garner as defensive line coach, William Inge as linebacker coach and Willie Martinez as secondary coach.