Then-Tulsa assistant Corey Dennis’s social media post of one of his young son’s first forays onto the football field drew a quick response from one of his close friends from college.
His old pal couldn’t believe the kid was already old enough to be playing tackle football and said he had to come see it for himself.
The friend flew in from Las Vegas for one of his next games and was with the family for the 90-minute drive to be on the sideline to cheer him on.
That’s the kind of friendship Dennis has with former Raiders star Darren Waller.
“The first word I always say about Darren is loyal,” Dennis said. “He’s one of my closest friends.”
Now they are neighbors.
Dennis is the new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at UNLV, one of the first people Dan Mullen added to his staff.
A few days later, Waller was visiting his pal at the Fertitta Football Complex.
“It’s awesome to see him do his thing and now be right down the street from where I live,” Waller said.
Georgia Tech connection
Theirs is a friendship that was formed at a football camp in Alabama when they were seniors in high school. Waller and Dennis met on the field and then ended up at the same restaurant with their fathers for dinner that evening.
They got along well, but the bond wasn’t truly formed until they ended up as part of Georgia Tech’s recruiting class the next season and arrived on campus together.
They have been friends ever since.
“From day one, we were rolling together doing everything,” Waller said.
The bond continued despite their divergent paths after college.
While Waller was going through his well-documented struggles with addiction that almost cost him his career, Dennis was just getting his coaching career started. Then as Waller became a Pro Bowler, Dennis was mentoring stars like Justin Fields and C.J. Stroud as the quarterbacks coach at Ohio State.
“He’s always been such a good friend to me,” said Waller, who retired from the NFL last offseason. “He’d always hit me up. Even when I wasn’t staying in touch with people, he would hit me up all the time. Things like that go a long way.”
Waller had visited Dennis in Columbus and then got to see him coach in Tulsa last season on the same trip when he attended the youth football game.
Dennis helped guide an offense that scored 39 points in the second half to rally for a 46-45 win over UTSA in a game Tulsa trailed 35-7 at the half. Waller came away impressed.
“He knows ball, man,” Waller said.
But he didn’t need that validation. Waller knew early in their friendship that Dennis was going to be a great coach, and he believes UNLV and its players will be the beneficiaries of his presence.
“I think the greatest coaches are the ones that have a great knowledge of the game but are even better at forming relationships with players and letting them know they really care about them as human beings and are truly invested in their development instead of just trying to worry about their own career or that next promotion,” Waller said. “That’s what they’re getting with Corey.”
‘I’m just happy’
What UNLV probably won’t be getting is a certain former Raiders star as a tight ends coach. Waller said he’s never seen himself as a full-time coach, though he has enjoying dabbling in the game here and there while he travels, works on his music and adjusts to retirement.
“I’m always open to being around if anybody wants me around or wants me to just hang out and talk or whatever,” he said.
Waller had a blast helping out with drills for the 7-year-old flag football team coached by his sponsor, and he enjoys speaking to teams and groups about his journey. He was also quite comfortable being at the UNLV facility with Dennis and getting an inside look at the game again, nearly a year since he walked away from a big contract and retired from the Giants.
“It doesn’t make me miss it, it just helps me celebrate that chapter of my life more and be more appreciative of it,” Waller said. “It helps me form a much more positive relationship with my time in football.”
For now, the 32-year-old Waller said he’s found contentment.
“I’m grateful every day I wake up,” he said. “I feel like I’m a lot less stressed and anxious. It took a lot for me to go out there and perform with all that pressure. I’m somebody that has never really wanted the spotlight, so I think that took a toll. I’ve noticed now I have a lot less stress and anxiety now. I’m definitely happy with where I’m at and happy with my decision. I’m just happy.”
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
