Wink Martindale, Michigan keeping "pillars" of No. 1 defense in place

The Wolverines have dominated defensively over the past three seasons, and that's not expected to change with new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale calling the shots...

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) runs against Michigan defensive back Makari Paige (7) during the second half of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Much has changed in Schembechler Hall since Michigan won the 2023 college football national championship in January, including an entirely new defensive coaching staff and the loss of several starters on that side of the ball.

Head coach Sherrone Moore was tasked with replacing defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who orchestrated the No. 1 defense in college football a season ago and thrived during his two seasons in Ann Arbor. At Big Ten Media Days last week, Moore said Michigan's players stressed the importance of keeping the "pillars" of the same defensive system, and that led to Moore hiring former Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants D-coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale.

"Yeah, the players were super adamant about keeping that and Wink, he was way on board with it," Moore said. "So they’ve definitely kept those pillars and they’re excited for the defense. They’re excited for what’s going to happen and all the tweaks and all the things that they’re doing but making sure that they’re all in a great position which he’s done a really good job of doing."

Blue Team head coach Wink Martindale watches a play during the second half of the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 20, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Martindale mentored Minter and U-M's 2021 defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald in Baltimore prior to their time in Ann Arbor. Macdonald and Minter are largely credited with helping the Wolverines get over the hump against Ohio State and reach the summit of college football these past three seasons. Martindale will have his own unique approach to calling this defense, but the philosophy remains.

"I think you’ll find out game one what he’s tweaked and added and as we go out through the season we’ll tell a story of what we tweaked or added," Moore said. "But the defense will be fun to watch and we’ll put our players in a position to be successful."

Martindale echoed those sentiments on Tuesday, the day before Michigan opened fall camp.

"I think it’s a different delivery when it’s a different guy doing it and we had those same pillars in Baltimore and New York," Martindale said. "And, I just think that you get what you emphasize. And that’s definitely one of the first things I’m going to talk to them about when we have our philosophy meetings tonight. It’s talking about the pillars and how I see it and make sure we’re all looking at it the same way."

Throughout the Jim Harbaugh era at Michigan, the Wolverines excelled at limiting missed tackles. It was clear the emphasis U-M placed on tackling over the past decade and that will only continue under Martindale.

"It’s all basic football," the defensive coordinator said of the scheme's defensive pillars. "Taking the right angles, tackling, tackling, tackling, pursuit, effort — those type of things, attacking the football. With the spring we had a lot of takeaways, which I thought was a good start. I think we need to cause more fumbles, which you’ll get that when you have more contact, those type of things. But no, the pillars are important."

Michigan opens the 2024 college football season on Aug. 31 when the Wolverines host Fresno State at the Big House in Ann Arbor (7:30 p.m. ET / NBC)

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