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Inside The Huskies

Fisch Adds Former Arizona Player to Husky Coaching Staff

Martell Irby brings can-do attitude to the UW after challenging playing career.
Dan Raley|
Former Arizona defensive back Martell Irby has joined Jedd Fisch's Washington coaching staff.
Former Arizona defensive back Martell Irby has joined Jedd Fisch's Washington coaching staff. | Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The stories keep coming about Martell Irby, hired by the University of Washington on Monday as a team culture and secondary assistant coach. Uplifting, against-all-odds stories.

Slept in his car in California and worked in a gym so he could stay in shape -- and take showers.

Initially was a UCLA running back who gave up the game after suffering a serious knee injury in an auto accident.

Joined the Arizona football team as a walk-on, or non-scholarship player, and, according to the Arizona Daily Star, worked as a security guard and a freelance photographer to make ends meet.

Resurrected his career with the Wildcats to become a co-captain and start 6 of 12 games while playing as a defensive back and a linebacker.

Not only that, Irby made his last Arizona football game his best one by coming up with 7 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble in a stirring 38-24 victory over Oklahoma in the 2023 Alamo Bowl.

No wonder UW coach Jedd Fisch wanted to reunite with this guy -- Irby just gives off good vibes wherever he goes.

"One of the best people and culture champions I have ever been around," Fisch posted on social media after Irby's hiring.

The 5-foot-9, 200-pound Irby grew up in San Diego and attended Morse High School, a place rich in accomplished athletes, including Lincoln Kennedy, who joined the Husky football team and became a first-team All-America selection and a first-round NFL draft choice, and outfielder Adam Jones and utility player Mark McLemore, who played for the Seattle Mariners among others.

Irby originally committed to Arizona, but flipped to UCLA once Rich Rodriguez was fired as the Wildcats coach in 2018.

Fisch brought him back to Arizona after Irby's career stalled out with his injuries and a position change and shared in his success. They'll do it again in Montlake.

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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