Kendrick High School hires Atlanta native, former Morehouse player as head football coach

Kendrick High school has a new football coach: a former college football player and defense specialist.

Robert Martin Jr., an Atlanta native, will be introduced to students and fans this evening during a meet-and-greet at 5 p.m. in the high school cafeteria.

According to a release from the school, Martin graduated from Frederick Douglass High School in Atlanta and played college football at Morehouse College before entering the coaching ranks. Often a linebackers coach and defensive coordinator, he has coached at Banneker, Grady, South Atlanta, the B.E.S.T. academy and, most recently, as co-defensive coordinator at Griffin High School.

He and his wife, Lovetta, have three sons: Amani, Robert and Jacob. Martin will take over a football program that used to be a powerhouse in AAA football — the 1991 state co-champions — but have struggled mightily in recent seasons.