Tulsa hires new defensive coordinator

Tulsa is set to hire UT Martin defensive coordinator Chris Polizzi as defensive coordinator and safeties coach, a source tells On3.

Aided by Polizzi, UT Martin posted a combined record of 17-7 in 2021 and ‘22. He coached three FCS All-Americans, including 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year John Ford.

Polizzi had been at UT Martin since 2018 and had been the Skyhawks’ defensive coordinator since 2020. Before UT Martin, he was an assistant coach at Tennessee Tech and Western Carolina.

At Tulsa, he will be the replacement for Matt Guerrieri, who left the Golden Hurricane to become the defensive coordinator at Indiana.

Tulsa is entering its first season with Kevin Wilson as its head coach. Wilson, who was previously a head coach at Indiana from 2011-16, was Ohio State’s offensive coordinator from 2017 through last season.

The Golden Hurricane finished last season 5-7 under Philip Montgomery, who had been the team’s head coach since 2015.