DEFENSIVE COACHING STAFF |
Jason Martinez
Defensive Coordinator
Jason Martinez joined the Simpson football coaching staff in January 2023. Martinez will serve as the defensive coordinator under first-year head coach Reed Hoskins.
Martinez spent the last 12 years as the defensive coordinator and strength coach for Grinnell College. The Pioneers ranked 21st in Division III in turnovers gained in 2013 and boasted the nation's leading tackler, Ryan Slager, in 2016 and 2017.
Prior to his time at Grinnell, Martinez spent two seasons as the defensive line coach and special teams coordinator at Illinois College. He also coached the defensive line at Bemidji State University as a graduate assistant from 2006-08. The Beavers, who ranked top-five in the nation in run defense both seasons Martinez was on the coaching staff, won a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championship and earned a berth in the 2006 Mineral Water Bowl. He began his coaching career at his alma mater, Albion College, as an assistant defensive line and special teams coach.
A two-sport athlete competing in football and track, Martinez graduated from Albion College with a bachelor's degree in psychology. He later earned a master's degree in sports management from California University of Pennsylvania and holds a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Martinez and His wife, Jessica, have three children: Jocelyn, Jaelyn and Jameson.
Anfernee Roberts
Special Teams Coordinator
Anfernee Roberts joined the Simpson football coaching staff on Jan. 5, 2023. Roberts will serve as the Special Team’s Coordinator under first-year head coach Reed Hoskins.
Anfernee Roberts, comes from Illinois Wesleyan where he coached the running backs and was the special teams coordinator the past three seasons.
Prior to IWU, Roberts coached at Olympia High School (Stanford, Ill.) from 2018-2020. There, he spent two years working as the Assistant Varsity Offensive Coordinator and Head Junior Varsity Offensive Coordinator. Roberts worked with the running backs and defensive backs, as the staff turned around a program that had not won a game in three years.
Upon graduating from IWU, Roberts began coaching for Tri-Valley High School (Downs, Ill.) from 2016-2018. At Tri-Valley, he spent time as a Varsity Assistant for both football and baseball, as well as the JV Offensive Coordinator for football. During his time at Tri-Valley he coached two consecutive years of 2000+ yard rushers, as the team won two Heart of Illinois Conference Championships and compiled a 19-1 record.
A native of Flossmoor, Ill., Roberts earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics.
Tom Mihalovich
Defensive Line
Tom Mihalovich enters his fifth season with Simpson football. Mihalovich will oversee the defensive line.
Mihalovich brings decades of experience coaching in the Des Moines Metro area to Simpson. Mihalovich coached for the Des Moines Blaze semi-professional team, was the head coach of Des Moines Lincoln High School for 11 years after serving as an assistant for four and was on staff at Dowling Catholic for 20 seasons as an assistant.
While at Lincoln, Mihalovich led the team to four Metro Conference Championships, six state playoffs and won the program's only player contest. During that time, he became the winningest coach in program history.
Mihalovich has coached three players that reached the National Football League: Ross Verba, Jordan Bernstine and Trevon Young.
Mihalovich racked up four Metro Conference Football Coach of the Year awards at the helm of the program for Lincoln in 2003, 2005-06 and 2011.
A native of Des Moines, Mihalovich is a graduate of Dowling Catholic. He currently owns Recycling, Inc.
Mihalovich resides in Des Moines with his wife Lauri and the couple has three daughters, Amber, Aricka and Antonia.