What Loss of Demetrice Martin Means for MSU Football
Michigan State football was dealt a devastating blow on Monday afternoon, as news broke about Cornerbacks Coach Demetrice Martin accepting a job at UCLA.
SpartanMag’s Jim Comparoni initially reported that Martin was taking the job. Martin, who played cornerback and wide receiver for the Spartans in the 90s, joined the Spartans' coaching staff in January after spending the previous two seasons as Oregon's cornerbacks coach and passing game coordinator.
Martin is expected to oversee the entire secondary for the Bruins. He only coached the cornerbacks for MSU, while Blue Adams managed the safeties.
Losing Martin is a major blow for the Spartans’ secondary. He has a track record of developing NFL defensive backs, including Christian Gonzalez of the New England Patriots, Desmond Trufant, who spent multiple years in the NFL, and former Defensive Rookie of the Year Marcus Peters.
Martin was also the Spartans’ top recruiter, identifying and developing elite talent. One of MSU’s top high school commits, four-star cornerback LaRue Zamorano decommitted from the Spartans after news of Martin’s departure broke.
Three-star cornerback Aydan West is still locked in with MSU, but schools like Virginia Tech and Ohio State have pursued him heavily. It will be interesting to see if West still signs with the Spartans on Wednesday or if Martin's leaving plays a role in his decision.
Martin was instrumental in developing MSU’s secondary in 2024. Upon his arrival, the Spartans went from ranking 88th in the country in pass defense in 2023 (237.8 yards allowed per game) to 47th in 2024 (206.9). The Spartans’ secondary struggled before Martin arrived, and things improved significantly under his tutelage.
One of the biggest recipients of Martin’s coaching development was Charles Brantley. A player who struggled when he was healthy enough to play, Brantley looked like one of the best cornerbacks in the country for most of the 2024 season.
This does not mean that Brantley will regress now that Coach Meat is gone, but Brantley was a much better player learning under him. The same can go for the young defensive backs who earned more playing time towards the end of the season, like Jaylen Thompson and Andrew Brinson IV.
Losing Martin is tough for MSU. It could result in a drop-off in high school recruiting and the development of in-house talent.
Smith must quickly find a replacement for Martin, although finding one of equal value may be difficult.
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