2008 Woodie Awards
Chippewa runs deep in Georgia coaches
JASON BUTT
Issue date: 9/5/08 Section: First & Goal
Defensive coordinator Willie Martinez and linebackers coach John Jancek are no strangers to Central Michigan.
Both coaches were a part of Chippewa teams before making the move to Athens. Martinez was defensive backs coach at Central Michigan in 1994, coached defensive backs there again in 1998 and became assistant head coach and defensive coordinator in 2000. A year later, Martinez took a job coaching the secondary at Georgia.
Jancek coached the defensive line at Central Michigan in 2003 and became the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2004. In 2005, Jancek came to Georgia to coach the linebackers.
Martinez said he's stayed in contact with some of the Central Michigan coaches who he worked with at his time in Mount Pleasant, including Butch Jones, who was named Central Michigan's head coach last year and won a MAC championship in his first season. Jones has filled a number of positions for the Chippewas since joining the staff in 1998.
"It was an exciting time for him, he won the championship again and it's pretty exciting to get the chance to become a head coach," Martinez said.
Among the staff members Martinez and Jancek say they still know are offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian, running backs coach Jeff Beckles, who was a graduate assistant coaching receivers at Georgia in 2002, 2003 and 2004, offensive line coach Don Mahoney and defensive coordinator Tim Banks.
Banks was a defensive back under Martinez at Central Michigan in 1994.
While there will be familiar faces across the field, Jancek says that will all be put aside as the game gets going.
"We'll talk after the game," Jancek said. "For about three hours we're going to do battle and that's how we look at it. It's a professional situation and we both know that. This is our livelihood and what we do. It's nothing personal. It's competition on a professional level."
Both coaches were a part of Chippewa teams before making the move to Athens. Martinez was defensive backs coach at Central Michigan in 1994, coached defensive backs there again in 1998 and became assistant head coach and defensive coordinator in 2000. A year later, Martinez took a job coaching the secondary at Georgia.
Jancek coached the defensive line at Central Michigan in 2003 and became the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2004. In 2005, Jancek came to Georgia to coach the linebackers.
Martinez said he's stayed in contact with some of the Central Michigan coaches who he worked with at his time in Mount Pleasant, including Butch Jones, who was named Central Michigan's head coach last year and won a MAC championship in his first season. Jones has filled a number of positions for the Chippewas since joining the staff in 1998.
"It was an exciting time for him, he won the championship again and it's pretty exciting to get the chance to become a head coach," Martinez said.
Among the staff members Martinez and Jancek say they still know are offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian, running backs coach Jeff Beckles, who was a graduate assistant coaching receivers at Georgia in 2002, 2003 and 2004, offensive line coach Don Mahoney and defensive coordinator Tim Banks.
Banks was a defensive back under Martinez at Central Michigan in 1994.
While there will be familiar faces across the field, Jancek says that will all be put aside as the game gets going.
"We'll talk after the game," Jancek said. "For about three hours we're going to do battle and that's how we look at it. It's a professional situation and we both know that. This is our livelihood and what we do. It's nothing personal. It's competition on a professional level."
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