REPORT: Dan Lanning Expected to Hire Demetrice Martin as Defensive Backs Coach

Martin has major ties to the Pac-12 with stops at Colorado, Washington, UCLA, USC and Arizona

Author:
Nick Battey
Publish date:
Dec 22, 2021 8:38 PM EST

New Oregon Head Coach Dan Lanning continues to add to his coaching staff and Colorado Cornerbacks Coach Demetrice Martin looks like he's in line to be the next hire, according to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic. Martin has spent the last two seasons in Boulder under Karl Dorrell.

Martin has had major ties to the Pac-12 conference for the last decade, with a stop at USC as a graduate assistant from 2007-2009, and then for the last 12 seasons, he's been a defensive backs or cornerbacks coach for four different Pac-12 schools including Washington, UCLA, Arizona and now Colorado.

Martin is on the more veteran side compared to other coaches that have been added to Lanning’s staff so far at 48 years old. Martin was born in Los Angeles, Calif. and went to Muir High school in Pasadena. He played his college football at Michigan State in the mid-1990s, where he started as a wide receiver before switching to cornerback en route to all-conference honors in 1994.

Martin is the fifth hire to be reported on Dan Lanning’s staff. He'll join numerous other coaches in Eugene, including new Offensive Coordinator Kenny Dillingham, who's been officially announced along with Co-Defensive Coordinator Matt Powledge.

Adrian Klemm will reportedly be the offensive line coach, coming from the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers. Finally, Nebraska's Tony Tuioti rounds out the other reported hires in line for Lanning.

A theme for all of these hires so far is their ability to recruit at a high level. Martin continues that theme as not only is he known as a strong recruiter, but with strong west coast ties, he can help navigate waters that Lanning and others don’t know as well yet out in Eugene.

This is a hire I believe will prove beneficial as time goes on, and it could be just what Oregon needs to bring elite back cornerback and former commit Jahlil Florence back on board in the 2022 recruiting class.

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