Denares Waites enters his second season this spring as a graduate assistant with the Eagles.

Waites, a former starter in the Eagle secondary and 2009 graduate of Carson-Newman, will be working with the safeties.

Prior to joining the C-N coaching staff, Waites played five seasons for head coach Ken Sparks and the Eagle defense. He was a first team All-South Atlantic Conference performer at safety as a junior in 2007 and helped lead C-N to a 10-1 record.

During his last two seasons at Mossy Creek, Waites garnered preseason All-SAC honors but missed the majority of 2008 with a wrist injury and was sidelined last season after tearing his ACL in the fourth game of the year.

A native of Alma, Ga., Waites played for Bacon County in high school and was named Region Defensive Player of the Year and earned first team All-Region honors at both running back and defensive back.

Waites is married to the former Maddie Moore. The couple resides in Jefferson City.