How Wink Martindale tweaks Michigan football's defense, if at all, will matter

When Wink Martindale recently called himself the “OG” of the defensive system that sparked Michigan football’s recent renaissance, he must have known the braggadocios comment would boomerang back to him.

So, when a reporter playfully referred Friday to his self-proclaimed title as she geared up to ask a question, the cheeky 60-year-old coordinator seemed prepared.

“Old grandpa,” he interjected with a wry smile.

Martindale’s quip was a not-so-subtle acknowledgment of his age, which has come to define the conversation surrounding him. At a time when college coaches fed up with NIL and the transfer portal are making the migration to the NFL, the AARP-eligible Martindale chose to leave the pro ranks and go back down to a level where he last worked 20 years ago.

The move, which materialized in February, was surprising and raised a lot of questions. Why now? Can he succeed in this new environment? Will he be able to relate to teenagers and adults too young to buy a drink? Does he have the energy, dedication, patience and networking chops needed to recruit?

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Most of those answers will come in due time. But the uber-confident Martindale seemed mildly irked that there would be any doubt he could hack it in the college game.

Besides, he harrumphed: “I don’t know where in this country experience all of a sudden doesn’t count anymore.”

If not for the fact Martindale was standing inside the Al Glick Field House at that moment, it would have been easy to picture him yelling at the clouds. But he had a point. His new boss, Sherrone Moore, clearly bought it. Moore, a 38-year-old rookie head coach, saw Martindale’s extensive work history and wealth of football wisdom as some of his greatest attributes.

“His expertise and knowledge will help our players excel on the field,” Moore said in a recent statement.

At the very least, Martindale will preserve the philosophical continuity of the country’s top defense this past season. On the way to winning the national title this past January, the Wolverines allowed the fewest yards and points per game while also cobbling together an eye-popping plus-19 turnover margin that ranked No. 1.

The results showed proof of concept with the Baltimore Ravens system that former Michigan coordinator Mike Macdonald introduced in 2021 and his successor, Jesse Minter, enhanced the past two seasons. Both Macdonald and Minter worked under Martindale in Baltimore when this scheme was hatched circa 2018, which is the real reason why the Wolverines’ new defensive mastermind sees himself as the OG of the whole enterprise.

“It’s proven that it works,” he said. “And I think Mike and Jesse did a tremendous job here at Michigan and it’s fun to watch the tape, because you do become a proud parent.”

But the patriarch of the system and his disciples have taken different approaches. Whereas Macdonald and Minter employed more zone coverages and generally refrained from blitzing at a high rate, Martindale has largely leaned on man principles and sent extra rushers at a high frequency. As Martindale’s counterpart on offense, Kirk Campbell, said, “We know what he’s about. ... He’s gonna bring a lot of pressure.”

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Macdonald and Minter did, too. But they devised simulated ambushes, creating the effect of a blitz by overloading the front on one side while using only four defenders to chase the quarterback. It was a brilliant strategy that ensured the two-safety shell on the back end was maintained. Whether Martindale adjusts and conforms to his predecessors’ approach is uncertain.

On one hand, his age would suggest he’s resistant to change and that it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks. To that point, he mentioned Friday he can be “stuck in his ways.”

But there is another side to Martindale that indicates he’s open-minded and willing to listen to others. Like Minter and Macdonald, he hopes to create a collaborative atmosphere where the players provide input and have some measure of ownership. That kind of democratic leadership style appeals to a younger generation demanding to be heard. Martindale not only recognizes that; he embraces it.

“Everybody has a voice,” he insisted. “Everybody’s an individual stockholder, if you will.”

Moore is counting on Michigan’s defense continuing to offer huge dividends under Martindale’s supervision. That’s where the strength of this Wolverines team lies, after all. Michigan welcomes back several key contributors that will give Martindale a sturdy base. They include defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, safeties Makari Paige and Rod Moore, star cornerback Will Johnson and budding edge rusher Derrick Moore.

Collectively, they must carry a team in the process of rebuilding the offense following the departures of quarterback J.J. McCarthy, prolific running back Blake Corum, top receiver Roman Wilson and its entire starting line. Campbell noted that it could take a while for Michigan to formulate its identity on that side of the ball as it sorts through its personnel.

With a smile, he said, “It’s a constant evaluation.”

Campbell seems comfortable operating in a dynamic environment where adjustments are the name of the game. At 37, he’s flexible. Martindale is more dogmatic. He has his way of doing things and a set of core principles developed decades ago, when he became enamored with Buddy Ryan and his in-your-face, super-aggressive tactics that made the '85 Chicago Bears into a force.

A source who worked with Martindale went as far as to compare him to former Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown, describing both as “older guys with firm beliefs that what got them to this stage is being themselves.”

Brown, of course, was famously stubborn, which led to his 2020 downfall and Michigan's transition to the Ravens’ system.

That sequence of events ultimately created the opportunity for the 60-year-old Martindale to leave the NFL and go back to college.

“It’s funny how life works out,” he said. “I believe that wherever you’re at, you’re supposed to be. I’m supposed to be here.”

How long he stays in Ann Arbor may depend on this self-proclaimed OG’s willingness to adapt to his new surroundings.

Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him @RainerSabin.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Wink Martindale's approach might determine Michigan football success