The University of Tennessee-Martin Football

UT Martin Coaching History / Year-by-Year Notes and Achievements 20th season (2006-2025) Career Record: 130-98 Conference Record: 99-52 FCS Playoff Qualifier (2006, 2021, 2024) Conference Championships (2006, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) OVC Roy Kidd Coach of the Year (2006, 2021) Sgt. York Trophy (2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) Eddie Robinson FCS Coach of the Year Award Finalist (2006, 2012, 2016, 2021) AFCA Region 3 Coach of the Year (2006) In 20 years, Simpson has led UT Martin to a 130-98 record (.570 winning percentage) and a 99-52 mark against conference opponents (.656 winning percentage). That comes after the program had won 20 OVC games in its first 14 seasons in the league. He also has presided over 187 all-conference players after the program tallied 33 such players in its first 15 seasons in the OVC. Simpson's 130 career victories rank third in OVC history while his 99 conference wins also sit in third place – with both totals only trailing Roy Kidd (Eastern Kentucky) and Boots Donnelly (Austin Peay/Middle Tennessee). Included in those victories are two wins over Football Bowl Subdivision programs with upset victories against Memphis (2012, 20-17) and Kennesaw State (2024, 24-13). Six of the program's 10 8-win seasons have come under Simpson, including all six at the Football Championship Subdivision level. He is responsible for the program's only OVC championship teams in 2006, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2004. The 2006 team ended the seaso

Antonio Clifton enters his seventh season as a member of the coaching staff and serves as the program’s cornerbacks coach at UT Martin, his alma mater, in 2025. Throughout his coaching career, he has served as the team's running back coach (2024), cornerback coach (2022-23, and 2025) and defensive graduate assistant (2019-21). Moving over to offense prior to the 2024 season, Clifton mentored a group which set school records for total offense (5,249 yards), first downs (255) and rushing touchdowns (28). The Skyhawks also boasted the Big South-OVC's top scoring offense at 31.4 points per outing and best red zone offense at an 87.8 percent conversion rate. Highlighting the rushing attack was Patrick Smith who earned all-conference first team honors after leading the Association with 1,226 yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 87.6 rushing yards per game. His second season leading the cornerbacks saw the Skyhawks boast a pair of all-conference honorees in 2023. Defensive back Oshae Baker earned Big South-OVC Football Association first team honors while JaMichael McGoy, Jr. was tabbed to the second team. Along with individual success, the Skyhawks won their third consecutive league championship. In his first full season as cornerbacks coach in 2022, the Skyhawks won its second consecutive Ohio Valley Conference championship. UT Martin led FCS in turnovers gained (28) and interceptions (17) through the regular season while also ranking among the nation's leaders in defensive touc

FootballSkip AdFrase, BrandonBannon, KevinBradley, KevinCarlton, BryseCastleberry, JordanClifton, AntonioCochran, NickFrase, BrandonGlass, WillGriffin, RudyHunter, Jr., ChrisJefferson, TJKendall, HunterModelski, DannyPiercy, EthanSimpson, JasonSteele, GeorgeStout, Nate

FootballSkip AdCarlton, BryseBannon, KevinBradley, KevinCarlton, BryseCastleberry, JordanClifton, AntonioCochran, NickFrase, BrandonGlass, WillGriffin, RudyHunter, Jr., ChrisJefferson, TJKendall, HunterModelski, DannyPiercy, EthanSimpson, JasonSteele, GeorgeStout, Nate

FootballSkip AdHunter, Jr., ChrisBannon, KevinBradley, KevinCarlton, BryseCastleberry, JordanClifton, AntonioCochran, NickFrase, BrandonGlass, WillGriffin, RudyHunter, Jr., ChrisJefferson, TJKendall, HunterModelski, DannyPiercy, EthanSimpson, JasonSteele, GeorgeStout, Nate

Danny Modelski enters his second season as an assistant at UT Martin, serving as the program’s quarterbacks coach for the 2025 season. In his first season with the Skyhawks, Modelski mentored quarterback Kinkead Dent and an offense which set school records for total offense (5,249 yards) and first downs (255). UT Martin also boasted the Big South-OVC's top scoring offense at 31.4 points per outing and best red zone offense at an 87.8 percent conversion rate. Prior to joining the Skyhawks, Modelski served as an offensive graduate assistant - working primarily with quarterbacks and running backs - at Mississippi State during the 2023 campaign. In his 10 months with the Bulldogs, he worked with offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay while coaching quarterbacks and serving as an offensive signal caller. He helped mentor quarterback Will Rogers who set the SEC career completions record. Before his stint at Mississippi State, he held a similar quarterback graduate assistant position at Central Michigan during the 2021 and 22 campaigns. He worked with offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay and Paul Petrino while winning the Sun Bowl in 2021. Previous career stops feature roles at Northwestern (defensive quality control assistant) in 2020-21 and Brown (defensive quality control assistant) in 2019-20. He also got his coaching start at Northwestern in 2018-19 as a scouting assistant and assistant to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mick McCall, During his prep career he was a two-y

FootballSkip AdPiercy, EthanBannon, KevinBradley, KevinCarlton, BryseCastleberry, JordanClifton, AntonioCochran, NickFrase, BrandonGlass, WillGriffin, RudyHunter, Jr., ChrisJefferson, TJKendall, HunterModelski, DannyPiercy, EthanSimpson, JasonSteele, GeorgeStout, Nate

FootballSkip AdSteele, GeorgeBannon, KevinBradley, KevinCarlton, BryseCastleberry, JordanClifton, AntonioCochran, NickFrase, BrandonGlass, WillGriffin, RudyHunter, Jr., ChrisJefferson, TJKendall, HunterModelski, DannyPiercy, EthanSimpson, JasonSteele, GeorgeStout, Nate

Hunter Kendall joins the Skyhawks as an assistant coach for his first season, serving as the team’s running back coach in 2025. Kendall previously worked for the Skyhawks, serving as an offensive student assistant and video coordinator since 2022. Prior to joining the coaching staff, Kendall served as a running back and tight end for his alma mater during the 2021 season. He played in one game for the Skyhawks, helping the team to an Ohio Valley Conference championship and second round berth in NCAA Division I playoffs. Kendall graduated from UT Martin in 2023.

FootballSkip AdCastleberry, JordanBannon, KevinBradley, KevinCarlton, BryseCastleberry, JordanClifton, AntonioCochran, NickFrase, BrandonGlass, WillGriffin, RudyHunter, Jr., ChrisJefferson, TJKendall, HunterModelski, DannyPiercy, EthanSimpson, JasonSteele, GeorgeStout, Nate

Kevin Bannon enters his 13th season as an assistant coach at his alma mater UT Martin since joining the staff in 2013. Bannon was elevated to the title of offensive coordinator prior to the 2015 season while retaining his position as offensive line coach - ranking as the longest tenured offensive line coach in the Ohio Valley Conference. He was also given the title of associate head coach prior to the 2024 campaign. During his tenure at UT Martin, Bannon has overseen the progression and development of All-OVC linemen Robert Burleigh, Drake Carroll, Kenneth Crenshaw, Aries Davis, Matthan Hatchie, Chris Jackson, Lamar Morgan, Gavin Olson, Jackson Roberts, Jarod Russell, Michael Shanahan, Charles Sweeton, Josiah Tingley, Vance Van Every and D'Marius Warren. He has also mentored offensive playmakers Ben Axline, John Bachus III, Colton Dowell, Max Dowling, Sam Franklin, LaDarius Galloway, Keon Howard, Londell Lee, Peyton Logan, Jarod Neal, DJ Nelson, Trevonte Rucker Patrick Smith, DeVonte Tanksley, Zak Wallace, Donnell Williams, Rodney Williams II, Terry Williams, Dresser Winn and Rod Wright. Bannon has played a key role in all five conference championships in program history with the first coming as a player in 2006 while winning four consecutive league titles as Offensive Coordinator in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. UT Martin’s historic conference run reached four consecutive championships after the Skyhawks wrapped up the 2024 campaign with a 9-5 overall record after a 6-2 mark in

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Nate Stout enters his second season as an assistant coach for UT Martin, serving as offensive line coach in 2025. In his first season with the Skyhawks, the program won its fourth consecutive conference championship while setting school records for total offense (5,249 yards), first downs (255) and rushing touchdowns (28). The Skyhawks also boasted the Big South-OVC's top scoring offense at 31.4 points per outing and best red zone offense at an 87.8 percent conversion rate. Individually, Stout has mentored three players who have earned All-Conference honors with the Skyhawks. Drake Carroll, Josiah Tingley and Vance Van Every each earned all-conference honors in 2024 while the tandem of Carroll and Van Every ultimately reached All-American status. Prior to joining the Skyhawks, Stout served as an offensive quality control and assistant offensive line coach at East Tennessee State during the 2023. Prior to that, he held the run game coordinator and offensive line coach position at Hopkinsville High School for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Stout also spent a stint as the offensive line coach at Centennial High School during the 2019-20 campaigns after holding a similar role at MacMurray College during the 2018 season. He got his start in the coaching profession as an equipment manager at his alma mater Tennessee Tech from 2014-17. He later transitioned in an assistant offensive line coach for the 2017 season. Stout graduated from Ohio Valley Conference rival Tennessee Tech with a b

Nick Cochran enters his second season as an assistant coach at UT Martin, serving as the team’s wide receivers coach for the 2025 season. In his first season with the Skyhawks, Cochran mentored a receiving group which boasted the Big South-OVC's top scoring offense at 31.4 points per outing and best red zone offense at an 87.8 percent conversion rate. The tandem of Trevonte Rucker (857 yards, eight touchdowns) and DeVonte Tanksley (714 yards, three touchdowns) both ranked in the top-10 in the Association in receiving yards Cochran joins the Skyhawks after stints at Alabama as an offensive analyst and a graduate assistant at Maryland. Most recently, Cochran worked as an offensive analyst at Alabama, primarily focusing on wide receivers from 2021-23. Sandwiched between his stints at Alabama, he worked as an offensive graduate assistant at Maryland under head coach and former Alabama offensive coordinator Mike Locksley from 2019-21. His coaching career began as a student manager at Alabama before transitioning into an offensive student assistant role from 2017-18. Cochran graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and sales from Alabama in 2017. He later received his master’s degree in real estate development in 2021.

Rudy Griffin enters his second season as an assistant coach at UT Martin in 2025, serving as the team’s defensive line coach. Griffin helped make an immediate impact for the Skyhawks in his first season, helping the Skyhawks earn the program’s fourth consecutive conference championship and a pair of All-American performers on the defensive line. The Skyhawks ranked sixth nationally in rushing defense (93.2 ypg) while finishing the season with 82 tackles for loss and 30 sacks. Nose guard Christian Dowell and defensive end Charles Perkins each earned Big South-OVC All-Conference first team honors while Dowell signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Denver Broncos. Prior to joining the Skyhawks, Griffin spent the past few seasons at the FCS level with stops at West Georgia and Northern Arizona on the defensive line. Griffin joined West Georgia for the spring portion of the 2024 schedule as defensive line coach before joining the Skyhawks during fall camp in lead-up to the season. Prior to his brief stop with the Wolves, he served in the same role at Northern Arizona for two seasons in 2022 and 2023. During his tenure, he mentored a pair of Big Sky All-Conference honorees in two-time all-conference selection Eloi Kwete and honorable mention pick Mark Ho Ching. Kwete earned first team honors in 2023 after racking up 9.5 sacks to go along with 46 total tackles, five quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles. Other coaching stops include a stint at fellow Big Sky Confere

TJ Jefferson enters his fourth season overall as a member of the coaching staff at UT Martin, his alma mater. He enters the 2025 season as the team's special teams coordinator and inside linebackers coach. Serving as the team’s special teams coordinator and corners coach in 2024, Jefferson and the Skyhawks helped the program to their four consecutive conference championship. UT Martin ranked among the nation's leaders in passes intercepted (19, third), defensive touchdowns (four, fifth), rushing defense (93.2, sixth), third down conversion percentage defense (30.6 percent, ninth), turnovers gained (24, 14th), punt returns (13.14, 14th) and team passing efficiency defense (119.26, 22nd). During the 2023 season, he served as the team's outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator - primarily with the kickoff return and punt units. Under his direction, the Skyhawks boasted the nation's top punter in Aidan Laros who went on to earn concensus All-American honors and was named FCS Punter of the Year by the Augusta Sports Council. Defensively, the Skyhawks ranked sixth nationally in rushing defense 96.3 yard per game and team tackles for loss (7.5). Before returning to his alma mater prior to the 2023 season, Jefferson spent the 2022 campaign at Memphis where he served as a defensive graduate assistant under defensive coordinator Matt Barnes. Prior to working on the staff at Memphis, Jefferson spent two seasons as a defensive assistant, working with the outside linebacker

FootballSkip AdGlass, WillBannon, KevinBradley, KevinCarlton, BryseCastleberry, JordanClifton, AntonioCochran, NickFrase, BrandonGlass, WillGriffin, RudyHunter, Jr., ChrisJefferson, TJKendall, HunterModelski, DannyPiercy, EthanSimpson, JasonSteele, GeorgeStout, Nate