Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The Michigan Wolverines coaching staff from the 2023 season was raided with Jim Harbaugh bringing many of his top assistants with him to the NFL. Now, first-year Michigan coach Sherrone Moore is adopting the same formula that made Harbaugh successful by poaching talent from the NFL.
Moore, promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach following Harbaugh’s departure, has made the first major addition to his new coaching staff. While the Wolverines are losing a significant amount of talent and excellent coaching to the NFL, Moore has found a way to do the same by landing one of the best defensive-minded coaches in football.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Michigan is planning to hire Wink Martindale as its new defensive coordinator. Don “Wink” Martindale will be returning to college football for the first time since 2003.
Martindale, 61 in May, began his coaching career as a defensive coordinator with Defiance College (1986-’87). He worked his way up the coaching ladder, becoming an assistant at Notre Dame (1994-’95( followed by stints at Cincinnati (1996-’98), Western Illinois (1999) and Western Kentucky (2000-’03).
Heisman Watch 2024: Evaluating Heisman Trophy candidates, 2023 Heisman Trophy results
However, Martindale hasn’t coached college football since he left Western Kentucky in 2004 to become the Oakland Raiders linebackers coach. He first became an NFL defensive coordinator in 2010 with the Denver Broncos and has held that title since 2018 with the Baltimore Ravens (2018-’21) and New York Giants (2022-’23). Now, he’ll be on a coaching staff just outside his native Ohio.
Wink Martindale’s blitz-heavy defenses
Martindale was beloved by defensive players during his stints as a defensive coordinator in Baltimore and New York. He is an aggressively-minded coach who will rely heavily on putting his cornerbacks in man coverage and dialing up heavy pressures on opposing quarterbacks via the blitz.
Considering the success Harbaugh had in the past by hiring two NFL coaches to become his defensive coordinator (Mike Macdonald and Jesse Minter), Moore’s decision to use that same plan could pay off nicely for the Wolverines. Martindale’s blitz-heavy defenses should fare particularly well against inexperienced college quarterbacks.
Power 5 schools reportedly paying more than $140 million in buyouts to fired college football coaches since 2022
More must-reads:
-
Russian court extends detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Gershkovich until end of January
-
Russian court extends detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, arrested on espionage charges
-
Israel's economy recovered from previous wars with Hamas, but this one might go longer, hit harder
-
Stock market today: Asian shares mixed ahead of US consumer confidence and price data
-
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Sister Wives' star Christine Brown says her kids' happy marriages inspired her leave Kody Brown
-
NBA fans roast Clippers for losing to Nuggets without Jokic, Murray, Gordon
-
Panthers-Senators brawl ends in 10-minute penalty for all players on ice
-
CNBC Daily Open: Is record Black Friday sales spike a false dawn?
-
Freed Israeli hostage describes deteriorating conditions while being held by Hamas
-
High stakes and glitz mark the vote in Paris for the 2030 World Expo host
-
Biden’s unworkable nursing rule will harm seniors
-
Jalen Hurts: We did what we needed to do when it mattered the most
-
LeBron James takes NBA all-time minutes lead in career-worst loss
-
Vikings' Kevin O'Connell to evaluate Josh Dobbs, path forward at QB