Knights hire former Auburn RB, assistant as a position coach

One week after UCF running backs coach Tim Harris Jr. left for the same role at the University of Miami, Knights coach Gus Malzahn has hired his replacement.

Texas State running backs coach Kam Martin, a former Auburn running back who played for Malzahn in the Southeastern Conference, is returning to UCF to serve in the same role, a person with knowledge of the move told the Sentinel on Tuesday night.

247Sports national college football reporter Brandon Marcello first reported the hire.

Martin also worked for Malzahn in 2021 as a recruiting and offensive assistant for running backs.

After one year with the Knights Martin followed former UCF co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach G.J. Kinne to Incarnate Word to serve under Kinne as running backs coach at the FCS program. In December the Sun Belt’s Texas State hired Kinne as head coach and Martin joined him there too.

The two had massive success at Incarnate Word. In one season there Martin helped the team set a program record for single-season rushing yards with 3,022.

Incarnate Word was one of only seven FCS teams to surpass 3,000 yards on the ground last season.

Martin played running back at Auburn under Malzahn and finished his career (2016-19) with 1,564 rushing yards and nine total touchdowns.

Harris became the third coach to leave UCF since December, joining defensive coordinator Travis Williams (Arkansas) and offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey (UNC).

Martin becomes the fifth position coach Malzahn has had to hire since his original UCF staff was created.

Sping practice is set to begin in less than three weeks. Malzahn had to move quickly to make a hire and it’s someone already familiar with the Knights.