Warmath played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers under legendary coach Robert Neyland. After graduation from college, Warmath was the line coach for one season and end coach for three seasons at Tennessee before entering military service during World War II. After the service, he was named head line coach at Tennessee, and then served in the same capacity at the United States Military Academy under Red Blaik; Vince Lombardi was the backfield coach at Army during those years. Warmath then spent two seasons (1952–1953) as head coach at Mississippi State University before resigning at the end of the 1953 season to take the Minnesota job.