martinj

James Martin

Coach James Martin has served as the CSU defensive coordinator since 2014.

Martin landed his first full-time coaching job in 1993 when he joined Willie Jeffries' staff at South Carolina State as the linebackers coach.  He served in that capacity until 1998, when he took over the defensive line duties.  Martin returned to coaching the linebackers for the 2000 season.  While at SCSU, he helped lead the Bulldogs to the 1994 Black College National Championship.
 
After seven seasons with SCSU, and coaching three all-MEAC linebackers that eventually went on to professional ranks, Martin joined the Bulldogs staff in 2001 as the linebackers coach. His Bulldog linebackers include Johnny Baldwin, who was a fifth-round draft choice of the Detroit Lions and played for the Kansas City Chiefs but left the NFL due to nagging injuries.
 
He served the summer of 2006 as a defensive intern for former NFL coach Bill Cowher of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
 
In 2007, Martin accepted the head baseball coaching position at Alabama A&M to go along with his football coaching duties.  In his first three games as head coach, the Bulldogs completed a 3-0 sweep through the HBCU Invitational with wins over Norfolk State, Savannah State, and Florida A&M.  The 2009 baseball team, Martin’s last as head coach, qualified for the SWAC Tournament for the first time in nearly a decade.  The teams also made landmark strides with the schools’ first-ever win over UAH, a series sweep past Alcorn State, and a doubleheader sweep of Jackson State.
 
At the conclusion of the 2009 baseball season, Martin resigned to focus fully on his football coaching duties.
 
He is a 1991 graduate of Tuskegee, where he also earned a master's degree in 1993.
 
Martin is a member of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, and First Baptist Church. He has a daughter, Jaylin Caroline.