Willie Martinez Reflects on Previous Experience at Tennessee

From 2013-2016, Willie Martinez served as the secondary coach at Tennessee. During that span, he also held the title of assistant head coach. Since his first time at Tennessee, Martinez made stops at Cincinatti (2017) and Central Florida (2018-2020) before returning to Knoxville as a member of Josh Heupel's first on-field staff. 

As a recruiter during his first stop at Tennessee, Martinez helped the Vols land seven top-250 prospects, including Jauan Jennings and Nigel Warrior. 

His previous experience as a Volunteer assistant coach will prove invaluable on the recruiting trail for Josh Heupel's staff, and it is something that has stuck with Martinez over the years. 

"This is a tremendous place. The first day that I came here back in 2013—it's the same excitement that I had when I came back," Martinez said during a media availability earlier this week. " It's a place that has so much tradition, so much success, and a passionate fan base that wants nothing but success. It is important to them. When I was recruiting here in the past, you walk around and wear that Power T—it doesn't matter what state—you know exactly what school it is. It's an unbelievable tradition. There's never been a recruit that I've been a part of that when we brought him here, he didn't really enjoy himself. That's what I remember and what I feel like now, and there's so many great players that have played here. It's not just football. We're talking about all sports."

Martinez had an opportunity to stay at Central Florida, but he opted to follow Heupel back to Knoxville. Something he also reflected on during the media session. 

"When Coach Heupel took the job, we really didn't know what was going to happen.," he said. "I was at a great place where we won a lot of games. I had an opportunity to come back to a special place like Tennessee and work for Coach Heupel, who I think is a great leader, and then I got a chance to possibly stay. I'm excited to be here, and I'm looking forward to my round two here at Rocky Top."

Martinez was one of Tennessee's better recruiters under Butch Jones, as evidenced above, but his track record as a developer showed during his previous stint in Knoxville. He coached several NFL defensive backs, including Emmanuel Moseley, Rashaan Gaulden and Justin Coleman. 

Martinez inherits a secondary featuring guys he previously recruited like Alontae Taylor, Theo Jackson, and Cheyenne Labruzza and former highly rated recruits Jaylen McCollough, Doneiko Slaughter, and Warren Burrell. 

"I've been excited. There are some guys in the room that I was a part of recruiting, and that's kind of neat to see and watch them through the years here and develop to be the people they've become and the people they are. I think it's a locked-in group. It's a group that really wants to get better each and every day. It's really been an awesome experience for me and Coach Banks obviously on the back end. We've got some new leadership—guys that know how to lead, guys that have the respect of their teammates. And you need that in the back end, especially at the last line of defense."

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