Florida native helped lead Naples High to 2001 state title as player;
Worked with defenses at Alabama & Georgia
TAMPA, Jan. 4, 2020 – USF head football coach Jeff Scott announced Saturday the addition of Jules Montinar to the Bulls’ staff as cornerbacks coach. Scott has one full-time coaching position left to fill on his first Bulls staff.
A Florida native, Montinar comes to USF after spending the 2019 season as a defensive quality control assistant at Georgia. The Bulldogs completed a 12-2 season and secured a top five national ranking with a 26-14 Sugar Bowl victory over Baylor. Prior to his time at Georgia, Montinar spent three seasons as cornerbacks coach at Texas State.
“We are excited to welcome Jules and his family to the Bulls family,” Scott said. “He is a Florida native with a great track record of recruiting the state and has worked with and learned from some of the best defenses in college football over his career. He will do a fantastic job leading our cornerbacks.”
Montinar spent three seasons at Texas State (2016-18), adding special teams coordinator duties in 2018 while serving as cornerbacks coach during his tenure. The Bobcats’ kick return defense jumped from 108th to 14th in the national rankings while their kick return offense leapt from 125th to 52nd and their punt return average went from 68th to 32nd in his one season leading the special teams. Texas State ranked among the nation’s top 40 teams in rushing defense in 2017 after allowing 141.7 yards per game and was 43rd in third-down defense, allowing a 36.1 conversion percentage.
Montinar established himself as an elite recruiter while in San Marcos, earning 247Sports’ 2017 Sun Belt Recruiter of the Year honors, serving as the primary recruiter for eight recruits in the class and spending considerable time recruiting the state of Florida.
Montinar’s previous stops include James Madison (2014-15), Alabama (2012-13), Purdue (2011) and Eastern Kentucky (2008-09), his alma mater.
Montinar’s JMU cornerbacks broke up 59 passes, collected 14 interceptions (returning six of them for touchdowns) and forced and recovered eight fumbles in 2015, collecting 22 turnovers and scoring seven touchdowns in all. The Dukes corners led the FCS with four pick-sixes in 2014. Montinar helped produce all-conference cornerback Taylor Reynolds, who earned first-team honors in 2015 and second team in 2014.
Montinar spent two years working as a graduate assistant at Alabama (2012-13), working alongside Nick Saban and Kirby Smart coaching the defense. In his first year, the Crimson Tide won the 2013 BCS National Championship Game after beating Notre Dame, 42-14, in Miami. The 2012 Tide defense posted four shutouts and held six opponents to 10 points or less while leading the nation in rush defense, total defense and scoring defense. He also helped Alabama finish the 2013 season with an 11-2 record and earn a berth to the 2014 Sugar Bowl.
Montinar also served as a graduate assistant at Purdue (2011) and prior to that was a defensive backs coach and assistant special teams coach at Lake Erie College (2010). He began his coaching career working with linebackers and defensive ends at his alma mater, Eastern Kentucky (2008-09). While there, he took part in the NFL’s summer coaching internship program with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2007 and 2008.
Montinar began his playing career at West Virginia before transferring to Eastern Kentucky. He played in two Gator Bowls while at West Virginia before going on to EKU, where as a starting defensive back and special teams captain he won an Ohio Valley Conference championship as a senior (2007) before winning another as a coach (2008) the following season.
A native of Naples, Fla., Montinar graduated from Eastern Kentucky in 2009, earning both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in sports management. He was an all-state safety at Naples High School, where as a senior (2002) he was named the Naples Daily News and Southwest Florida Defensive Player of the Year. He helped lead Naples to the Florida Class 5A state championship as a junior (2001).
He and his wife, Brittany, have a son, Madden, and daughter, Maya.
2020 USF FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF (updated as announced)
Jeff Scott Head Coach
Glenn Spencer Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach
Charlie Weis Jr. Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
Da’Quan Bowers Defensive Line Coach
Daniel Da Prato Special Teams Coordinator
Xavier Dye Wide Receivers Coach
Joey King Tight Ends Coach
Allen Mogridge Offensive Line Coach
Jules Montinar Cornerbacks Coach
Pat White Running Backs Coach
Trumain Carroll Head Strength & Conditioning Coach
About USF Football
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and completed its 23rd season (20th at the FBS level) in 2019. The Bulls have posted 15 winning seasons, earned 14 All-America selections and 29 first-team all-conference selections and has seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft. USF has made 10 bowl games appearances (going 6-4 in those games) and posted a program record six straight appearances from 2005-2010. The Bulls most recently made four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18 and posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016 while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25. USF spent a program record 20 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings during the 2007 season.
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