Willie Martinez (American football)
Willie Martinez is an American football coach who is currently the Cornerbacks coach for the University of Tennessee. Previously served as the assistant head coach and secondary coach for the University of Central Florida (UCF).
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Cornerbacks coach |
| Team | Tennessee |
| Conference | SEC |
| Biographical details | |
| Alma mater | Miami (FL) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1985–1986 | Miami (FL) (GA) |
| 1988 | Bethune-Cookman (WR) |
| 1992–1993 | Grand Valley State (DC/secondary) |
| 1994 | Central Michigan (secondary) |
| 1995–1996 | UCF (DC/secondary) |
| 1997 | Eastern Michigan (secondary) |
| 1998–1999 | Central Michigan (secondary) |
| 2000 | Central Michigan (AHC/secondary) |
| 2001–2004 | Georgia (secondary) |
| 2005–2009 | Georgia (DC/secondary) |
| 2010–2011 | Oklahoma (secondary) |
| 2012 | Auburn (secondary) |
| 2013–2016 | Tennessee (AHC/secondary) |
| 2017 | Cincinnati (secondary) |
| 2018–2020 | UCF (AHC/secondary) |
| 2021–present | Tennessee (Cornerbacks) |
Coaching career
Martinez served as the defensive backs coach for the Oklahoma Sooners football team from 2010 to January 2012, when he resigned.[1] On February 13, 2012, Martinez was hired to coach defensive backs for Auburn University. The move reunited him with Auburn's Defensive Coordinator Brian VanGorder. The two had coached together for several years at Central Florida, Central Michigan, and the University of Georgia. In December 2012, Martinez joined Butch Jones's staff at Tennessee until January 2017, then in 2020 when Tennessee fired their Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee hired Josh Heupel and Heupel then hired Martinez to his staff.