Brandon Butcher - Football Coach

Brandon Butcher

Title:
Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers
Email:
bbutche3@utm.edu

Brandon Butcher enters his fifth season as an assistance coach and second as defensive coordinator at UT Martin in 2024.

Since joining the Skyhawk staff prior to the 2020-21 season, Butcher has held several different titles before being elevated to defensive coordinator prior to the 2023 season. Along with retaining the role of linebackers coach, he has also held roles as the team's defensive run-game coordinator while adding special teams responsibilities.

During his tenure at UT Martin, Butcher has been a part of three consecutive conference regular season championships (2021, 2022 and 2023) and the program's first Division I playoff victory (2021).

Individually, Butcher has mentored eight all-conference honorees, including 2022 OVC Defensive Player of the Year and consensus All-American John H. Ford II - the program's first OVC Defensive Player of the Year during its Division I Era and fellow consensus All-American defensive end Daylan Dotson. Joining Dotson and Ford with all-conference first team honors were standout linebackers TJ Neal and Rob Hicks along with defensive back Oshae Baker.

At the helms of the unit as defensive coordinator, the Skyhawk defense produced a strong 2023 campaign en route to another league championship. UT Martin ranked among FCS leaders in third down conversion defense (739%, fourth), rushing defense (96.3 ypg, sixth) and team tackles for loss (7.5 per game, sixth).

In 2022, UT Martin led FCS in turnovers gained (28) and interceptions (17) through the regular season while also ranking among the nation's leaders in defensive touchdowns (four, 3rd), turnover margin (+9, 5th) and fumbles recovered (11, 8th). The Skyhawks also paced the league in defensive touchdowns, first downs defense, fumbles recovered, interceptions, team sacks, team tackles for loss, rushing defense, opponent first downs and opponent third down conversions while ranking second in scoring defense.

During the 2021 Ohio Valley Conference championship campaign, the Skyhawks ranked among OVC leaders in sacks (21, first), scoring defense (25.0 ppg, second), rushing defense (148.5, second) and interceptions (17, second). His mentorship included John H. Ford II garnering All-OVC first team honors.

In an abbreviated 2020 campaign, the defense proved to be a dynamic unit which ranked among Ohio Valley Conference leaders in third down conversion defense (29.3 percent, first), blocked kicks (6, first), scoring defense (22.0, second), red zone defense (72.7 percent, second), fourth down conversion defense (37.5 percent, third), first down defense (116, second), team tackles for loss (7.7, second), total defense (330.9 ypg, third) and rushing defense (128.9, third).

Before joining UT Martin, Butcher served as an assistant coach at Southern Miss working with the nickels following a stint as a defensive analyst and defensive graduate assistant with the Golden Eagles from 2019-20.

Prior to his time in Hattiesburg, he spent three years at his alma mater Coastal Carolina where he served as a defensive graduate assistant and defensive analyst where he worked with safeties and linebackers from 2016-19.

His first collegiate job came as a defensive graduate assistant and student assistant at East Carolina from 2014-16 where he coordinated the offensive scout team and worked with defensive linemen and outside linebackers.

Prior to his work in the college ranks, he spent one year as defensive coordinator with the Palmetto Havoc – a semi-professional football team in Myrtle Beach, SC from 2013-14.

Butcher graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sports management from Coastal Carolina in 2014 while earning master’s degrees in exercise science and sports science from East Carolina (2016) and education from Coastal Carolina (2018).

The Wooster, Ohio native is married to Rebecca Butcher. The couple has one son, Cal.