VIDEO: Thank You Dan Redding

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For nearly 30 years, Carson-Newman defensive line coach Dan Redding has prowled the sidelines at Mossy Creek during practices wearing a grey sweat suit no matter the weather. 

After a near three-decade career as an assistant coach for C-N, Redding is putting that sweat suit back in closet and retiring. 

"When you go back and look at Carson-Newman football for the last three decades," Carson-Newman head football coach Mike Clowney said, "You can't mention a Mike Turner, a Jim Deaton, Mike Whitley, Bill Mitchell without also mentioning Dan Redding.  He has been instrumental to this program's success over the last 30 years. His record with his players speaks for itself. Just look at the quality of person he has coached on the field and off. He has coached numerous guys to NFL careers, they've all been Dan Redding disciples. Outside of football, his spiritual influence is evident. He carried that over to his coaching."

During his tenures with the Eagles, Redding has coached lines that helped Carson-Newman win 13 South Atlantic Conference Championships and make 17 trips to the NCAA Division II or NAIA Playoffs as well as three national championship game berths.

Linemen mentored under Redding include former San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Cedric Killings, Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Torrie Griffin and Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins defensive end Junior Glymph. Nose guard Steve Mellon was a two-time NCAA Division II All-American and Glymph was named to multiple All-American teams in 2003.

Redding designed the Carson-Newman Athletic weight room in the Ken Sparks Athletic Complex.

All told, he coached nine All-Americans on the defensive line and 48 all-conference players.

A Catawba graduate, Redding began his coaching career at Randleman (N.C.) High School. In 1977 he joined the staff at Liberty University as an assistant coach, before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 1984.

Redding was named head coach of North Florida Christian School in 1988. In 1989 he began a two-year stint as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for Greenville (Ill.) College.

Redding and his wife, Christine, have three children; Dan, Jr., David and Becky as well as three grandchildren; Coleman, Aubrey and Kylie Ann.