Tarleton Assistant Football Coach Marc Martinez Dies at 30 in Car accident

According to an announcement made by the university on Friday afternoon, Tarleton State assistant football coach and Midway graduate Marc Martinez died in a car accident in the Stephenville area early on Friday morning. He was 30.

“It’s difficult to find the right words when we lose a cherished member of the Tarleton athletics family, and this morning’s news that we lost Coach Martinez was devastating,” said Lonn Reisman, vice president of athletics at Tarleton. Coach Martinez was a cherished member of the Tarleton athletics community.

“Not only was he highly valued as a member of the Tarleton football coaching staff, but he has also been highly valued for the past 12 years as a member of the Tarleton athletics department. Marc will be remembered for his exemplary commitment to service and remarkable accomplishments as a native Tarleton Texan.

Marc will be greatly missed, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.” Martinez started all four of his years as a linebacker for Midway before transferring to Tarleton State and becoming an outstanding player.

He spent his entire 35-game career with the Texans and finished with 235 tackles, 17 tackles for losses, and seven pass deflections. He was named to the all-conference squad twice. He was a member of the Tarleton coaching staff for a total of eight years, the last six of which he served as linebackers coach. Lacie, Martinez’s wife, and their two young children, Estella and Camilla, are the only surviving members of his family.