JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – After a four-decade career in college football, including the last nine on the banks of Mossy Creek, Carson-Newman defensive coordinator Larry Slade is retiring.
Slade has been the defensive coordinator for C-N's last four head coaches, joining Ken Sparks for his last season on the banks of Mossy Creek in 2016 before serving with Mike Turner and Mike Clowney for the duration of their tenures. There was little doubt in Ashley Ingram's mind that he would retain Slade as he took over the program in December 2023.
"I am so grateful that Larry decided to stay on this past season," Ingram said. "He was the glue that held our team together. His resume speaks for itself. Larry is a national championship coach, but more importantly, he's a world class person. I feel blessed that I got to coach with a football legend, Larry Slade."
Slade's time at Carson-Newman was defined by aggressive, blitz-heavy packages. He coached four All-Americans directly in C-N's secondary in safeties Jerry Miclisse, Darius Williams and Major Williams, as well as corner Desmond Fairell. He was also responsible for the development of linebacker Rondrow Peebles into an All-American linebacker, giving him five All-Americans coached on the defense in an eight-year span.
"Carson-Newman is an amazing place," Slade said. "It has been an honor for me to coach at C-N and I'm really excited about the direction of the football program under Coach Ingram. I'm proud to say I'm an Eagle forever."
He has tutored two of the last three SAC Defensive Freshmen of the Year in Mekhi Brown and Frank Lee.
In 2019, Slade tutored corner Desmond Fairell and linebacker Rondrow Peebles to All-America honors. That year, Slade's defense turned in an all-time great performance in the first round of the NCAA playoffs at Bowie State. Bowie State cracked the redzone five times and didn't score a single point off those five trips. The Bulldogs had been averaging 43 points per game, but were held to nine in the Eagles' 17-9 victory. The 2019 team picked off 22 passes – the fifth most in a season in school history.
Slade had more than 25 years of Division I experience under his belt as a defensive coach. He spent a decade on Phillip Fulmer's staff as a secondary coach from 1999-2008 before heading to Louisville where he coached corners in 2009 and the secondary until 2012.
Other stops for Slade include Texas A&M (1994-98), Maryland (1992-93) and Washington (1986-91).
Slade, is a native of Pelham, N.C., who twice was named All-WVIAC while playing guard at Shepherd in the early 1970s. He was named Little All-America honorable mention in 1971 and later inducted into the Shepherd College Hall of Fame.
Slade's coaching career began at his alma mater with a nine-year stay before subsequent stops at Richmond, Howard, Southern Illinois, Washington and Maryland.
His six-year tenure as secondary coach at Washington was highlighted by a national championship season in 1991, during which the Huskies ranked first in NCAA statistics for pass efficiency defense.
His 1997 Aggies secondary allowed only three passing touchdowns, fewest in the nation. Slade's first unit at Tennessee also sparkled by allowing 214.9 yards per game through the air and making 21 interceptions against only 15 touchdown passes.
Over the course of his final five seasons at Tennessee, Tennessee's defensive backfield produced such NFL signees as Super Bowl champion Gibril Wilson, Super Bowl participant Deon Grant, Rashad Baker, Jabari Greer, Jonathan Wade and Jason Allen, who was selected in the 2006 first round by the Miami Dolphins.
Slade's 2000 and 2001 secondary units, aided and abetted by the rest of the defense, established school season records with 64 and 72 passes broken up, respectively.
