UTM head football coach Jason Simpson has announced the promotion of Chris Polizzi as the Skyhawks new defensive coordinator. Polizzi has been a member of the UTM coaching staff for two seasons, including serving the past season as the program’s assistant head coach along with other positional duties.
Polizzi takes over defensive duties for the Skyhawks after former defensive coordinator Jordon Hankins resigned to take a position at Conference USA member Marshall.
Along with serving as the Skyhawks assistant head coach for one season, Polizzi recently served as the team’s safeties coach and co-special teams coordinator for kickoff and kickoff return along with recruiting coordinator duties.
In his second year at UTM, the Skyhawk defense ranked as one top defensive units on both the conference and national stage. The Skyhawks boasted the Ohio Valley Conference’s (OVC) top scoring defense in 2019, allowing an average of 19.5 points per game and just 20 touchdowns in league play. UTM also paced the league in pass defense efficiency (111.0), redzone defense (73.0 percent), defensive touchdowns (three), sacks (25) and turnover margin (+5) while sitting second in kickoff coverage (39.9). On the national level, the Skyhawks ranked in the top-25 in blocked kicks (9th), punt return defense (10th), blocked punts (11th), defensive touchdowns (11th), fewest penalties per game (15th), fewest penalties (19th), pass defense efficiency (20th) and interceptions (25th).
In addition to team accolades, Polizzi oversaw the development of a pair of All-OVC defensive backs in first team honoree JaQuez Akins and second team selection DaVonte Maura. Akins burst onto the scene in his first season to rank second on the team and sixth in the OVC with 92 tackles while tallying 5.5 tackles for loss, two fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception. Maura wrapped up his two-year stint with the Skyhawks by ranking fifth on the squad with 73 tackles while tallying 11 pass breakups to rank third in the OVC. For his career he notched 20 pass breakups to rank second in program history.
In 2018 the Skyhawk kickoff team ranked second in all of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and first in the OVC allowing 13.79 ypg. In addition to special teams, the defense finished the year second in the OVC in both total defense and passing defense. Meanwhile through the his first cycle as recruiting coordinator, the Skyhawks 2019 recruiting class ranked second in all of FCS and first in the OVC for the early December period.
Before UTM, Polizzi served as an assistant at OVC foe Tennessee Tech for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. While at Tech, he was charged with overseeing the Golden Eagle defensive backs while also serving as the programs recruiting coordinator.
Prior to joining the Tennessee Tech staff, Polizzi spent the 2015 season as the corners coach at Western Carolina. In just one season with the Catamounts he mentored a second team All-SoCon performer in Trey Morgan.
He joined the Catamounts after serving as a defensive graduate assistant at the University of Iowa. During his time on staff at Iowa, Polizzi worked with Defensive Coordinator Phil Parker coaching the secondary. He worked with current NFL safety Micah Hyde, who was named a first-team All-Big Ten selection and also won the Tatum-Woodson Award. The Hawkeyes went to the Outback Bowl & Gator Bowl in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
Prior to Iowa, Polizzi served as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Utah in 2011 where he coached the tight ends. The Utes entered their first season in the Pac-12 Conference that year, finishing the season with an 8-5 record and a win over Georgia Tech in the Sun Bowl.
Polizzi spent two years as a quality control coach at UCLA working with the secondary there from 2009 to 2010. The Bruins capped the 2009 season with a win over Temple in the Eagle Bank Bowl. Prior to that he was an assistant for four years on the staff at Central Methodist University in Fayette, MO from 2005 to 2008.
As a player, Polizzi was a four-year letter winner at Lake Forest College (Illinois) from 2001-04 and was part of a Midwest Conference championship team. The Foresters won the conference outright in 2002 and played in the NCAA Playoffs. Polizzi, a cornerback, started 24 games in his career finishing his freshmen season tied for the team lead in interceptions.
Polizzi earned a communications degree from Lake Forest in 2005. He later earned a master’s degree in special education from Central Methodist in 2007. He earned a second master’s in Sport Management from the University of Iowa in 2014.
A Great Barrington, Massachusetts native, Polizzi is married to the former Kelli Ritter who is the head athletic trainer at UTM.
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