NEWMAN – Austin Martins has gained a lot of football knowledge in the last decade.
Now he is ready to utilize the information he has gathered at his alma mater.
Martins, a 2016 Orestimba High graduate, is the school’s next football head coach. He takes over for Aaron Souza, who resigned in early June to become an assistant principal at the campus.
“It’s a huge blessing,” Martins said. “I didn’t think it was going to happen this soon. I’m definitely blessed and honored.”
Martins, who is a special education teacher at Orestimba, has been an assistant coach under Souza since the 2022 season. Martins has coached the defensive line and special teams in recent seasons. He is also the program’s strength and conditioning coach.
Martins said he will be the team’s defensive coordinator. The Warriors plan to run a 4-2-5 base defense.
“There will be things that will be the same, but there are going to be a lot of different (changes) and somethings changing as well,” Martins said.
The offense, Martins stated, will be more run-oriented this season. Mike Mendoza, who has been coaching in the Warrior football program in recent years and at rival Gustine prior, will be the offensive coordinator. The team is planning to display different formations when it has the ball.
“That’s where you’re going to see more changes on the offensive side,” Martins said. “Mike has been doing a really good job piecing everything together. We’re changing the scheme up a little bit.”
Monday was the first day of practice for Martins and the Warriors.
Orestimba will start its season with four non-league games. The Warriors host Gustine on Friday, Aug. 22.
“We get to have our seniors play (Gustine) at home this year and I am excited for it,” Martins said.
Then Orestimba will play at Grace Davis of Modesto and at LeGrand and wrap up the preseason by entertaining Freedom of Oakley on Friday, Sept. 19.
Orestimba will start Trans-Valley League action at home against Sonora (13-2 in 2024).
“I’m excited for our boys as we head into this preseason schedule,” Martins said. “I believe it will get us ready for what is ahead in the TVL.”
Martins is thankful to have worked under his former head coach in Souza as an assistant coach in recent years and dating back to the mid-2010s. Souza has been working with Martins transitioning as an assistant to head coach.
“Coach Souza has been a mentor to me,” said Martins of Souza. “He’s been helping me out big time.”
Orestimba has lost many key players from the 2024 team that posted a 7-5 record. That included a win over Delhi in the first round of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI playoffs, then Linden eliminated the Warriors in the second round.
However, the Warriors have experience returning where it counts – in the trenches.
“We’ll be experienced on the (offensive) and (defensive) line,” Martins said.
Martins was a running back and middle linebacker on the 2015 Orestimba football team that posted an 11-1 record, which included winning the Southern Athletic League title. He led the Warriors’ ground game, rushing for 2,081 yards on 259 carries and 23 touchdowns.
“He was our catalyst,” said Souza of Martins regarding that season.
Martins and Orestimba beat Hughson in the first round of the section D-V playoffs before losing to eventual section champion Sonora in the second round.
After he graduated from Orestimba, Martins went to Linfield University in McMinnville, Ore. for the 2016-17 school year. Then he returned to the Central Valley and attended Modesto Junior College where he was on the Pirates football team for the 2017 season.
MJC associate head coach Eddie Abbasi spoke of Martins and football players who have played in the Pirates’ program.
“It takes a special kind of football player to be truly indispensable – the kind who embodies the ‘hard hat, lunch pail’ mentality every single day,” Abbasi said. “These are the players who consistently show up, always accountable for their role and actions, whether it's practice or game day.”
Martins transferred to Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Ind. He played in the Beacons football program, including receiving an extra season due to the pandemic. He earned his bachelor’s degree in communications.
Martins is ready to utilize his football knowledge, in which he credits the Valparaiso University football coaching staff, plus the MJC coaching staff and Souza, into the Warrior program with his coaching staff.
“We have a really good staff together,” Martins said. “I’m excited to bring what I have taken from Modesto (and) Valparaiso. I’ve been very fortunate. Seeing different ways how you can get the job done.”
Mike Bush is a multimedia journalist who was born and raised in the Stanislaus and Merced County areas. Follow him on X/Twitter @MikeBMultimedia and Instagram @mikebushmedia
