Independence, KS – Independence Community College (ICC) announced today that Defensive Coordinator Jason Martin is named the new head football coach of the Pirates. Martin replaces Kiyoshi Harris, who is leaving the college to work for the Boise State University football program. Martin continues the tradition of the Indy Pirates after serving as defensive coordinator and secondary coach for the last four and a half years.
“I’m excited to continue the tradition of graduating and developing young men,” Martin said. “Our culture wouldn’t be possible without this community, administration, and faculty.”
“Coach Martin was the natural choice to step into the head role after years of success at Indy both on the recruiting trail and on the field,” said ICC Interim President Cordell Jordan. “He has been a vital part of the program, and a key to the culture of success for student athletes in the classroom and the community as well.”
A veteran of the Jayhawk Conference, Martin made the move to Independence in 2016 and has since helped 65 Pirate defensive players earn Division-1 scholarships. His players have matriculated to compete at Georgia, Tennessee, Washington State, Cal, and Colorado, among countless other Division-1 programs.
“This started at the top,” said ICC Athletic Director Eric Figurski. “President [Cordell] Jordan and the executive cabinet have always understood the importance of football to this college and community. We had a plan in place, and we were able to execute it immediately. Coach Martin has long been the best recruiter on Coach Harris’s staff and his fast, aggressive, ‘multiple’ defense has been the cornerstone of the Indy brand for many years. We will have immediate success here with him leading the program. Just watch.”
At the helm of the Pirates’ defense, Martin’s corps has been the foundation of two Jayhawk Conference Championships in both 2017 and 2019. During the 2019 campaign, his defense held opponents to an average 18.8 points per game, helping the Pirates to 8 wins and a second KJCCC title in three years.
Prior to his current run in the Jayhawk, Martin coached at the Division-1 level as the quality control defensive backs coach at UCLA. Now as the head coach at Indy, Martin plans to continue building upon the great success of the #DreamU Pirates which he has helped create through years of hard work as a loyal coordinator and assistant.
Indy Linebackers Coach and Special Teams Coordinator Steve McCollom will become the new assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for the Pirates.
Independence Community College (ICC) is a two-year educational institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. First established in 1925 as grades 13 and 14 of the Independence public school system, Independence Community College legally separated from the school district as its own entity which began offering college courses in the fall of 1970. Currently, ICC’s educational and support programming includes 35 programs of study for Associate of Arts and/or Science degrees, 11 programs of study for Certificate completion, Student Support Services, Upward Bound, men's and women's athletic programs and a variety of campus organizations and activities.
Written by Rob Beckmann @Coach_Beckmann