Who’s got two thumbs and is back in the SEC?!?!

Guess who’s back?

Back again?

Willie’s back!

Tell a friend!

Multiple reports have your friend and mine Willie “Two Thumbs” Martinez joining Josh Heupel’s staff as Tennessee’s new defensive backs coach. Martinez served as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach for Heupel at Central Florida, his second stint in Orlando.

This will of course be Martinez’s second tour of duty in Knoxville, as he served on Butch Jones’ staff from 2013 to 2016.

Am I excited about this hire? You bet I am. UCF was ranked 121st out of 127 schools in FBS in pass defense in 2020. I have no reason to believe he’s gotten better at coaching defensive backs in the interim.

This is also another reminder that college head coaches and athletic directors will literally hire a wombat with a coke habit as long as they’ve worked with the wombat before rather than taking a chance on someone new. They perceive that there’s career risk in hiring someone unproven. In truth the real risk is in hiring someone who’s proven unqualified.

As a fan of a rival team, I give this hire two thumbs up.

Go ‘Dawgs!!!