Officially named the Aggies’ 34th head football coach on Feb. 1, 2013, Martin boasts nearly 40 years of experience in the profession. The Oak Ridge, Tennessee, native got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant at Kentucky in 1986 and has worked his way up the ranks ever since.
Martin etched his name into Aggie lore during the 2017 season when he guided NM State to its first bowl game in 57 years, snapping the nation's longest bowl drought. The Aggies went on to win the 2017 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl, defeating Utah State, 26-20, in overtime to put the finishing touches on a historic campaign.
Running back Larry Rose III provided the storybook ending with his game-winning rushing touchdown to clinch the victory over Utah State, who NM State had fittingly defeated when it last appeared in a bowl game in 1960. Rose III’s game-winning touchdown tied him with James “Preacher” Pilot for the most rushing touchdowns in program history (37).
The Aggies finished the historic 2017 season with a 7-6 overall record, including a 4-4 against Sun Belt opponents. The seven victories included a sweep of rivals UTEP and New Mexico for the first time since 2002. The win against UNM was also the second triumph over the Lobos in as many years.
Martin, who took over offensive play-calling responsibilities in 2015, helped the Aggies average 453.8 total yards of offense per game, including a Sun Belt-best 352.6 passing yardage, that season. Quarterback Tyler Rogers thrived in Martin's system, throwing for a conference-leading 3,825 yards with 26 touchdown passes. Wide receiver Jaleel Scott also dazzled, leading the team with nine touchdowns catches and 1,079 receiving yards.
Scott, who was the first Aggie to receive an invitation to the Senior Bowl since 1978, was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round (132nd overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft. A 2017 All-Sun Belt First Team selection, Scott became the first Aggie taken in the draft since the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Jeremy Harris in the seventh round (208th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft.
The wideout was the highest Aggie selected in the draft since Davon House was picked up by the Green Bay Pakcers in the fourth round (131st overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft.
Running back Jason Huntley is the most recent Aggie during Martin's tenure as head coach to hear his name called in the NFL Draft. The Arlington, Texas, native was selected by the Detroit Lions with the 27th pick in the fifth round (No. 172 overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Huntley was one of the many Aggie running backs to flourish under Martin's coaching. The tailback finished his NM State career with the seventh-most rushing yards (2,182) in program history, and his 18 career rushing scores rank as 11th most in school history.
Martin oversaw Huntley's development into one of the nation's most versatile athletes, as he departed NM State with the school record in kickoff return touchdowns (five), including a nation-best three in his junior year. Huntley finished two shy of tying the FBS record of seven career kickoff return touchdowns held by Clemson's C.J. Spiller (2006-09), Houston's Tyron Carrier (2008-11), San Diego State's Rashaad Penny (2014-17) and Memphis' Tony Pollard (2016-18).
Martin also guided Rose III, who broke the NM State single-season rushing record in just 10 games as a sophomore in 2015. Rose III logged 1,651 rushing yards, earned Associated Press All-America Third Team honors and was named the Sun Belt’s Offensive Player of the Year.
Before arriving at NM State in 2013, Martin was the offensive coordinator at Boston College for one season under head coach Frank Spaziani. The Eagles ranked 47th in the nation in passing offense during the 2012 campaign, as Martin guided wide receiver Alex Amidon and offensive tackle Emmett Cleary to All-ACC honors.
Martin introduction to Las Cruces initially came in 2011, when he spent the season as the Aggies' offensive coordinator. He helped NM State rank 47th in the country in total offense and 26th in passing offense, and his offensive play calling guided the Aggies to a win over Minnesota - the program’s first win against a team from the Big Ten.
With seven seasons under his belt as the head coach at Kent State University and eight as the offensive coordinator, Martin was instrumental in building a true football program at the university. A total of 20 Golden Flashes earned All-Mid-American Conference accolades from 2007-10, including Eugene Jarvis, who was atop the active FBS running backs list with 3,722 career yards on the ground, and Brian Lainhart, whose 17 career interceptions was also tops among active FBS players.
In 2010, Roosevelt Nix was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year under Martin’s watch. With Martin’s guidance, four student-athletes were selected in the NFL draft including Jameson Konz (2010 - 7th round, Seattle Seahawks), Julian Edelman (2009 - 7th round, New England Patriots), Jack Williams (2008 - 4th round, Denver Broncos) and Usama Young (2007 - 3rd round, New Orleans Saints).
Martin is widely regarded as one of the nation’s premier quarterback mentors. His list of protégés includes three-time All-Conference USA selection and former NFL passer David Garrard, record-setting CFL quarterback Marcus Crandell and Richard Alston and Joshua Cribbs, who each played quarterback in college under Martin before switching positions in the NFL.
In Martin’s first season, the Golden Flashes posted a 5-6 overall record, winning their final four games for the program’s longest winning streak since 1976. The team also finished in fourth place in the MAC East Division with a 4-4 mark while producing three All-MAC players and two honorable mention All-Americans.
Martin was named the school’s 19th head coach on March 1, 2004, replacing Dean Pees. Martin joined the Kent State staff in January 2003 as offensive coordinator. After just one year on the staff, Martin made an instant impact on the Golden Flashes’ offense. In its first season under Martin’s system, Kent State averaged 26.8 points per game - the second-highest total in the previous 30 years for the program.
Martin arrived at Kent State following 11 seasons at East Carolina, the last seven of which he was in charge of the team’s offense. He was at ECU for all of Steve Logan’s tenure there, serving as the tight ends coach and special teams coordinator for two seasons (1992-93) and as the wide receivers coach for another two years (1994-95) before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 1996.
Prior to joining the staff at East Carolina, Martin was a graduate assistant at the University of Kentucky, his alma mater, from 1986-87 before spending the 1988-91 seasons at East Tennessee State University.
Martin was a four-year letterwinner at Kentucky from 1981-84. A native of Oak Ridge, Tenn., Martin earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Kentucky in 1985.
Martin and his wife, Vicki, have a daughter, Molly, and two sons, Cory and Bobby. Cory works on the Aggie staff as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator.
After nine seasons, Martin's contract was not renewed following the 2021 season. Under Martin's watch, the Aggies posted a 25-74 record, making Martin the fourth-winningest coach in NM State history.
