Kirk Martin, a highly successful 25-year coaching veteran, has been named the quarterbacks coach at Syracuse University, Orange head coach Dino Babers announced today.
Martin comes to Syracuse after starting the football program at Houston’s Manvel High School and turning the Mavericks into a state powerhouse. In 10 seasons at Manvel, Martin posted a 108-25 (.812) record. Overall, he owns a career coaching mark of 115-39 (.747), which includes a two-year stint as the head coach at Alpine (Texas) High School.
“First and foremost, Coach Martin is a family man. His values align with what we teach our players every day about being better fathers, better sons, and better husbands,” Babers said. “The type of person he is and his success training elite-level players makes him an excellent fit for our program.”
Martin’s track record
Manvel won at least 11 games eight times under Martin. He led the Mavericks to six district titles, eight consecutive playoff appearances (2010-17), and state championship game berths in 2011 and 2017. This past fall, Martin was named the 2017 Texan Live Coach of the Year after guiding the Mavericks to a 14-1 record. Their only loss was a 53-49 decision to Highland Park in the Class 5A Division I state title game.
During Martin’s tenure, Manvel produced dozens of players who went on to play college football at the FBS level, including quarterbacks D’Eriq King (Houston), Kyle Trask (Florida), Travaughn Colwell (New Mexico State), Dexter Foreman (Minnesota/Maryland) and 2018 North Texas signee Kason Martin.
“I’m excited to join the Syracuse family,” Martin said. “Coaching in college has been a goal of mine for a long time and when Coach Babers called I knew this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. To work at a place with such storied football tradition and with a group of coaches I have so much respect for is a dream come true. I can’t wait to get started.”
Background
A native of Quitaque, Texas, Martin began his coaching career in 1992 as an assistant coach at Cathedral High School in El Paso. His résumé also includes high school stops as an assistant at Riverside, Alvin, Odessa Permian and Giddings.
In 2004, Martin was named athletic director and head football coach at Alpine. He coached two seasons there before being hired in January 2006 to build the Manvel program from scratch. He then spent two years preparing the Mavericks for their first season of competition in 2008.
A tight end and four-year letterwinner for the University of Texas at El Paso, Martin holds a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from the school and a master’s degree in school administration from Sul Ross State University.
He and his wife, Caren, have four children – Koda Martin, Cory Jo Martin, London Harris and Kason Martin. Koda Martin, London Harris and Kason Martin all played for their father at Manvel and are continuing their football careers in college. Koda Martin is a rising senior offensive lineman at Texas A&M and is married to Babers’ daughter, Jazzmin.
THE MARTIN FILE
Hometown: Quitaque, Texas
Alma Mater: UTEP ’93
Family: wife, Caren; children, Koda Martin, Cory Jo Martin, London Harris, Kason Martin
Coaching Experience
1992: Cathedral HS (Texas): Assistant Coach
1993-95: Riverside HS (Texas), Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator
1996-99: Alvin HS (Texas), Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator
2000-02: Odessa Permian HS (Texas), Passing Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers
2003: Giddings HS (Texas), Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2004-05: Alpine HS (Texas), Head Coach
2006-17: Manvel HS (Texas), Head Coach