KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) New Tennessee coach Josh Heupel has brought back veteran assistants Rodney Garner and Willie Martinez for return stints with the Volunteers' defensive staff.

Garner guided Tennessee's tight ends and offensive tackles from 1996-97 and will coach the defensive line this time around. The Vols won the 1997 Southeastern Conference championship among 21 victories during his previous stay. Garner had spent the past eight seasons as Auburn's associate head coach and D-line coach.

Martinez, who oversaw the secondary and was Heupel's assistant head coach the past three seasons at UCF, will guide the Vols' defensive backs. He held similar roles at Tennessee from 2014-16 - grooming All-Americans Evan Berry and Cameron Sutton in 2015 - and worked in 2017 season at Cincinnati. Martinez has also coached at Oklahoma.