Chris Polizzi

Chris Polizzi is in his fifth year on the Hawkeye football staff and his first as the special teams coordinator. Polizzi, who has two decades of collegiate coaching experience, assisted defensive coordinator Phil Parker as an analyst with the secondary in 2025. He previously served as a graduate assistant with the Hawkeyes from 2012-14.

Iowa’s top five players in the secondary – Zach Lutmer (second), TJ Hall (third), Xavier Nwankpa (third), Koen Entringer (honorable mention) and Deshaun Lee (honorable mention) – garnered All-Big Ten recognition in 2025. Lutmer was also selected as Iowa’s team defensive MVP. The secondary had 11 interceptions, including Lutmer’s 38-yard pick six in the win over Minnesota. The interception extended Iowa’s streak to 18 consecutive seasons with a pick six – the second-longest streak nationally. Iowa was ranked No. 17 in the final AP Poll of 2025, while the defense finished 2025 ranking in the top 20 nationally in defensive metrics. The Hawkeyes were fifth in first down defense (204), eighth in scoring (15.6), ninth in total (280.4), 10th in passing defense (172.7) and 17th in rushing defense (107.7).

A native of Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Polizzi served as the University of Tulsa’s defensive coordinator and safeties coach from 2023-24, coaching three all-conference players.

Prior to Tulsa, Polizzi coached for five seasons at Tennessee-Martin, including his final three years as defensive coordinator. His experience also includes coaching stops at UCLA, Utah, Iowa, Western Carolina and Tennessee Tech.

In 2018, Polizzi began as UT Martin’s linebacker coach, recruiting coordinator and co-special teams coordinator for kickoff and kickoff return. A year later, he served as assistant head coach and secondary coach and kept those responsibilities when he was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2020.

At UT Martin, Polizzi helped lead the Skyhawks to back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference Championships in 2021 and 2022. The UT Martin defense boasted an advantageous defensive attack in leading the FCS for turnovers gained (28) and interceptions (17) through the 2022 regular season.

Polizzi mentored 18 all-conference performers at UT Martin, including the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year and consensus All-American John H. Ford II. He also coached All-Americans Daylan Dotson and Oshae Baker during his tenure.

 

 

In UT Martin’s 10-3 season of 2021, the defense ranked among the nation’s leaders for passes intercepted (17, eighth), defensive touchdowns (three, 11th), blocked kicks (four, 15th), turnovers gained (23, 17th) and blocked punts (1, 25th).

In his first year as UT Martin’s defensive coordinator, Polizzi spearheaded a dynamic unit, which ranked among Ohio Valley Conference leaders in 2020-21 for 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 the UT Martin staff, Polizzi served as an assistant coach at Tennessee Tech for two years (2016-17). While at Tech, he was charged with overseeing the Golden Eagle defensive backs while also serving as the programs recruiting coordinator.

Polizzi spent the 2015 season as cornerback coach at Western Carolina. Before that, he was a defensive graduate assistant at the University of Iowa, where he worked with the secondary and helped coach first-team All-Big Ten safety Micah Hyde. Polizzi was a part of the Outback Bowl team in 2013 and the 2014 Gator Bowl team.

Previously, Polizzi coached tight ends as a graduate assistant at Utah in 2011 and spent two years (2009-10) as a quality control coach at UCLA working with the secondary.

Polizzi began his coaching career at Central Methodist University, where he coached for four seasons (2005-08).

As a player, Polizzi was a four-year letterwinner as a cornerback at Lake Forest (Ill.) College from 2001-04 and was part of a Midwest Conference championship team. Hawkeye Coach Seth Wallace coached Polizzi at Lake Forest in 2003.

Polizzi earned a communications degree from Lake Forest in 2005. He later earned a master’s degree in special education from Central Methodist in 2007 and a second master’s in sport management from Iowa in 2014.

Polizzi and his wife, Kelli, have one daughter, Isabella.