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Willie Martinez was promoted to Defensive Coordinator in 2005 after serving four years as part of Mark Richt's original staff as secondary coach at UGA. He had previously served three years as the secondary coach at Central Michigan University and the assistant head coach in 2000 before joining Richt at Georgia. 
Coaching Experience:
1985-86, Miami (Grad. Asst.); 1988, Bethune-Cookman (Quarterbacks / Wide Rec.); 1989-90, Boca Raton H.S. (Def. Backs) 1991, Olympic Heights H.S.- Boca Raton, Fla. (Def. Coord. / Def. Backs); 1992-93, Grand Valley State (Def. Coord. / Def. Backs); 1994, Central Michigan (Def. Backs); 1995-96, Central Florida (Def. Coord. / Def. Backs); 1997, Eastern Michigan (Def. Backs); 1998-99, Central Michigan (Def. Backs); 2000, Central Michigan (Asst. Head Coach / Def.); 2001-04, Georgia (Secondary); 2005-09, Georgia (Defensive Coordinator / Secondary). Playing Experience:
Miami (1981-84) Def. back... Member of the 1983 National Championship team.
Hollywood Hills H.S. (1977-81) Quarterback and defensive back...team captain. |
During his seven years at UGA, he has been part of a staff that has led Georgia to 72 victories, two championships, three SEC Eastern Division titles, five bowl victories, and five top ten finishes in the final national polls including No. 2 in 2007. Martinez' 2006 Georgia defense ranked 8th nationally in total defense, 5th in pass defense and 1st in the SEC in third down efficiency.
His 2005 defense finished 8th in the country in scoring defense (16.4 ppg). He was also an integral part of the 2003 SEC Eastern Division Champion Bulldog defense that finished 2nd nationally in Scoring Defense (14.5 ppg), 4th in Total Defense (276.86 ypg), 6th in Passing Defense (174.50 ypg, 1st in the SEC), 14th nationally in Turnover Margin (+.79), and 4th in number of scoreless quarters (25) among the AP's final Top Ten teams. He was also part of the 2002 Bulldog defense that finished first in the SEC and fourth nationally in scoring defense (15.1 ppg), first in the SEC in Red Zone Defense (58.8%), second in the SEC in Rushing Defense (114.0 ypg), and allowed only 31 second half points in the final seven games of the season. He has a history of producing NFL defensive backs. Over the past five
years, nine of his players have been selected in the NFL draft
including all three senior starters in 2005 -- All-SEC CB Tim Jennings
(2nd, Indianapolis), All-America FS Greg Blue (5th, Minnesota), and
All-SEC CB DeMario Minter (5th, Cleveland). Previous Bulldog defensive
backs chosen include All-America safety Thomas Davis (1st, Carolina,
'05), All-America safety Sean Jones (2nd, Cleveland, '04), CB Bruce
Thornton (4th, Dallas, '04), S Terreal Bierria (4th, Seattle, '02), S
Jermaine Phillips (5th, Tampa Bay, '02), and CB Tim Wansley (7th, Tampa
Bay, '02).
In 2000, Central Michigan led the nation in pass defense (149.7 yds/g) and senior safety Brian Leigeb led the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in tackles and was 3rd nationally with 13.36 per game. Prior to joining the Central Michigan staff in 1998, he served as defensive backs coach at Eastern Michigan (1997) and as defensive coordinator at Central Florida in 1995-96. He also coached at Central Michigan in 1994 when the Chippewas won the MAC championship. Martinez was a defensive back on Miami's 1983 national championship team and played in the 1985 Fiesta Bowl and the 1984 Orange Bowl. He also was a graduate assistant at Miami from 1985-86, coaching in the Sugar and Fiesta bowls. He then served as an assistant for the 1988 season at Bethune-Cookman and was a high school coach at Boca Raton (1989-90) and Olympic Heights (1991). Martinez then joined the Grand Valley State University coaching staff as the defensive coordinator for the 1992-93 seasons. Martinez and his wife, Kim have three children; Christina, 22, Ashley, 20, and William, 14.
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Courtesy: Georgia Sports Communications
