Bill Martin is set to join Tennessee’s Athletic Media Relations staff as Assistant Athletic Director for Football Communications. A highly respected fixture on the Southeastern Conference gridiron landscape, Martin will work closely with head coach Jeremy Pruitt to implement and execute communications strategies aimed at promoting and publicizing Volunteers football.
For the last six years, he has overseen the entire Athletic Communications operation at Mississippi State as senior associate AD for communications. In Starkville, Martin served as the athletic department’s spokesperson and chief communications contact for Bulldogs football. He also managed a staff that was responsible for publicity of the department’s 16 varsity sports. Under his leadership, MSU was a two-time recipient of the Football Writers Association of America’s Super 11 Award (2015 and 2018). Martin promoted eight All-Americans, including Dak Prescott, who recorded the highest Heisman Trophy voting finish in program history in 2014.
A native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Martin owns 19 years of communications experience in the SEC. He has provided media and messaging mentorship for 59 NFL Draft picks, including noteworthy names such as Prescott, Jeffery Simmons, Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu.
“Bill represents a big-time hire at an exciting time,” Tennessee Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer said. “He’s an SEC lifer with an outstanding reputation who has built strong relationships throughout our region and all of college football. Our program has a lot of positive momentum right now, and Bill is going to play a key role in maximizing that and showcasing all the wonderful things happening around Tennessee football.”
Martin’s tenure on Rocky Top begins Feb. 24.
“I am thrilled to join the Tennessee Athletic Department and work directly with the Vol football program,” Martin said. “Tennessee Athletics is a powerful and tradition-rich brand that I have always had tremendous respect for. I am grateful to Associate Athletic Director Tom Satkowiak, Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer and coach Jeremy Pruitt for this incredible opportunity. I look forward to building many relationships within the entire community and ensuring we aggressively promote and share the successful stories of Tennessee football.”
Prior to Martin’s tenure on the senior staff at MSU, he spent six years as an associate director of communications at his alma mater, LSU, where he was the top communications assistant for football and the primary contact for women’s basketball. He also oversaw the department’s student intern program and assisted in publicity for the baseball team during NCAA Regional, Super Regional and College World Series play. Martin promoted four football national award winners during his tenure in Baton Rouge, including 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist Mathieu.
Prior to returning to his alma mater, Martin served as a post-graduate communications intern at Florida in 2008, working closely with the Gators’ men’s and women’s golf teams and assisting with men’s basketball publicity.
Martin, 37, got his start in the athletic communications field in 2001 as a student intern at LSU. He served as the primary communications contact for the swimming and diving program, the secondary contact for the baseball team, and he was a student communications assistant with the football program, including the 2003 and 2007 national championship seasons.
A member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and the National Football Foundation (NFF), Martin graduated from LSU in 2007. His wife, Ali, also is an LSU graduate who boasts professional experience in intercollegiate athletics development at multiple SEC schools.
-UT Athletics
