Tee Martin's decision to leave Wednesday for Southern California was a surprise blow to the Kentucky football program considering Martin had interviewed for the job only Monday and seemed more than content to be at Kentucky with Joker Phillips.
In an attempt to keep Martin, Kentucky had promoted him to passing game coordinator prior to the 2011 season and raised his salary from $160,000 when he arrived at UK to $205,000 last summer with a contact that ran through Dec. 31, 2014. He had another raise on the table this week.
But when USC gave him a chance to join a program capable of winning a national title this season, he could not say no to coach Lane Kiffin even though he had just helped sign several key players in UK’s 2012 recruiting class.
Martin had turned down overtures from Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee the last two years. He was a high school offensive coordinator in Atlanta in 2008 and quarterbacks coach at the University of New Mexico in 2009 before being hired at Kentucky by Phillips, a long-time friend.
Phillips wanted to keep Martin. Everyone at UK did. Make no mistake about that. And Martin mildly criticized UK fans who had wondered about the direction of the program and Phillips’ future after UK’s season-ending victory over Tennessee.
“The expectations are starting to change around here. When I played, I couldn’t say that it was that way. I was on the other side and fans wouldn’t be unhappy (at UK with losing). Now we can hopefully continue to get good players in here and win. It takes players to turn a program around,” Martin said.
“We need everyone to be on a positive note and stick together so that we don’t get beat up with that in recruiting. If people want to help, then support who you have. When you get somebody else, support that person. But you have what you have right now. Support it or you are hurting it. The kids are doing their jobs. Coach Phillips is doing his job and I feel like we will get this turned the right way.”
Except now he’s going to work at USC, leaving Phillips to try and put the pieces back together after last year’s 5-7 finish.
“Tee has done a good job for us and we appreciate the efforts and contributions that he and (his wife) Toya have made to our team and to the community the last two years. We wish the best for Tee and his family,” Phillips said.
Everyone should. Martin is a dynamic recruiter, especially in his native Alabama and Georgia, and now he’ll be able to expand his recruiting resume at USC. Martin recruited three of the top prospects who signed in February — offensive lineman Jordan Watson and receiver DeMarcus Sweat of Georgia, and quarterback Jalen Whitlow of Alabama. The previous year he helped UK sign four receivers, including Daryl Collins, who switched from Alabama on signing day in 2011. Martin also recruited four-star defensive back Glenn Faulkner from Illinois in 2011.
However, UK’s top four returning receivers had a combined 64 catches for 789 yards and nine scores last season. At USC, Martin will have Heisman Trophy candidate Matt Barkley throwing to Robert Woods and Marqise Lee, who combined for 184 catches for 26 scores and 2,435 yards last year as well as a loaded freshman recruiting class. Martin is making a career move that he likely would have made if UK¿had been 8-4 last year and loaded with returning talent.
Will Martin be missed? Absolutely. Should this be the end for Phillips? No, or at least it shouldn’t.
Kentucky is coming off a disappointing 5-7 campaign. Martin was a valuable recruiter, rising coaching star. But if a Southeastern Conference football program can’t survive the loss of a position coach or coordinator, then it has serious problems.
A school like Kentucky needs to find assistant coaches that are so good they are wanted by other programs. The key is to find another Tee Martin waiting for a chance to make a name. Phillips made a great hire with Martin. Now he just needs to do the same thing again.
In an attempt to keep Martin, Kentucky had promoted him to passing game coordinator prior to the 2011 season and raised his salary from $160,000 when he arrived at UK to $205,000 last summer with a contact that ran through Dec. 31, 2014. He had another raise on the table this week.
But when USC gave him a chance to join a program capable of winning a national title this season, he could not say no to coach Lane Kiffin even though he had just helped sign several key players in UK’s 2012 recruiting class.
Martin had turned down overtures from Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee the last two years. He was a high school offensive coordinator in Atlanta in 2008 and quarterbacks coach at the University of New Mexico in 2009 before being hired at Kentucky by Phillips, a long-time friend.
Phillips wanted to keep Martin. Everyone at UK did. Make no mistake about that. And Martin mildly criticized UK fans who had wondered about the direction of the program and Phillips’ future after UK’s season-ending victory over Tennessee.
“The expectations are starting to change around here. When I played, I couldn’t say that it was that way. I was on the other side and fans wouldn’t be unhappy (at UK with losing). Now we can hopefully continue to get good players in here and win. It takes players to turn a program around,” Martin said.
“We need everyone to be on a positive note and stick together so that we don’t get beat up with that in recruiting. If people want to help, then support who you have. When you get somebody else, support that person. But you have what you have right now. Support it or you are hurting it. The kids are doing their jobs. Coach Phillips is doing his job and I feel like we will get this turned the right way.”
Except now he’s going to work at USC, leaving Phillips to try and put the pieces back together after last year’s 5-7 finish.
“Tee has done a good job for us and we appreciate the efforts and contributions that he and (his wife) Toya have made to our team and to the community the last two years. We wish the best for Tee and his family,” Phillips said.
Everyone should. Martin is a dynamic recruiter, especially in his native Alabama and Georgia, and now he’ll be able to expand his recruiting resume at USC. Martin recruited three of the top prospects who signed in February — offensive lineman Jordan Watson and receiver DeMarcus Sweat of Georgia, and quarterback Jalen Whitlow of Alabama. The previous year he helped UK sign four receivers, including Daryl Collins, who switched from Alabama on signing day in 2011. Martin also recruited four-star defensive back Glenn Faulkner from Illinois in 2011.
However, UK’s top four returning receivers had a combined 64 catches for 789 yards and nine scores last season. At USC, Martin will have Heisman Trophy candidate Matt Barkley throwing to Robert Woods and Marqise Lee, who combined for 184 catches for 26 scores and 2,435 yards last year as well as a loaded freshman recruiting class. Martin is making a career move that he likely would have made if UK¿had been 8-4 last year and loaded with returning talent.
Will Martin be missed? Absolutely. Should this be the end for Phillips? No, or at least it shouldn’t.
Kentucky is coming off a disappointing 5-7 campaign. Martin was a valuable recruiter, rising coaching star. But if a Southeastern Conference football program can’t survive the loss of a position coach or coordinator, then it has serious problems.
A school like Kentucky needs to find assistant coaches that are so good they are wanted by other programs. The key is to find another Tee Martin waiting for a chance to make a name. Phillips made a great hire with Martin. Now he just needs to do the same thing again.
