Former Vols Assistant Willie Martinez Reportedly Hired By Cincinnati
By Zach Ragan
It didn’t take long for Willie Martinez to find a new gig after being fired from Tennessee in January.
The Cincinnati Bearcats, according to several reports, are adding former Vols defensive backs coach Willie Martinez to their coaching staff.
University of Cincinnati source: Cincinnati intends to hire Willie Martinez as cornerbacks coach pending completion of the HR process.
— Jimmy Hyams (@JimmyHyams) February 10, 2017
Martinez came to Tennessee in 2013, after spending the 2012 season as Auburn’s defensive backs coach.
The Bearcats’ new defensive backs coach also spent time at Oklahoma as a secondary coach and at Georgia as defensive coordinator.
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Ironically, Martinez joined Butch Jones at Tennessee after Jones left Cincinnati to come to Knoxville.
Also ironically, Cincinnati’s interim president Beverly Davenport is set to become the new chancellor at Tennessee on March 1.
Perhaps one of those two helped Martinez land the new gig.
As far as coaching goes, Martinez started strong at Tennessee, coaching up guys like Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley.
But the Volunteers’ secondary was a disaster this past season, which led to Martinez’s inevitable firing.
Martinez is joining new Bearcats coach Luke Fickell at Cincinnati.
Fickell has spent almost his entire coaching career at Ohio State. He most recently served as the Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator/linebackers coach.
Hopefully for Martinez, a fresh start will rejuvenate his career.