Tennessee Vols Gives Contract Extension to Two Key Football Coaches

Sep 17, 2022; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers secondary coach Willie Martinez coaches during the first half against the Akron Zips at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-Imagn Images | Bryan Lynn-Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers have extended two coaches on their coaching staff. Here are the latest details on Willie Martinez and Kurt Schmidt.

It has been a busy week for the Volunteer coaching staff. Aside from the two internal promotions earlier in the week, the university offered extensions to tenured cornerback coach Willie Martinez and strength coach Kurt Schmidt. 

This is Martinez’s second stint at Tennessee. Before returning in 2021, he served as the assistant head coach and secondary coach from 2013-2016. Martinez is no stranger to the SEC, as he spent many years at Georgia prior to his arrival in Knoxville as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach. After ranking in the top 30 of passing yards allowed, it seems as if Coach Heupel and company are excited about the trajectory of the team’s back end. 

Schmidt is also a veteran of the SEC, with prior employment with Arkansas and Missouri. He also spent four years in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers in a similar role.

 With the extensions, Coach Martinez will be raking in $540,000 per season for the next two years. Coach Schmidt will make $475,000 with a one-year extension.