Cowboys vs. Michican? Defensive Coordinator Target Wink Martindale Linked To College Job

The Dallas Cowboys will have some stiff competition if they want to bring in Wink Martindale as defensive coordinator.

A week removed from Dan Quinn leaving to become coach of the Washington Commanders, the Dallas Cowboys' search for a new defensive coordinator is in full gear.

There seems to be a common theme among the candidates for the job, as all of them are veteran NFL coaches. Perhaps no one embodies that theme more than 60-year-old Don "Wink" Martindale, who has recently served as the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants.

If the Cowboys want Martindale as their defensive coordinator, they'll have stiff competition for his services. Not just from other NFL teams, but according to 247Sports' Matt Zenitz, Martindale is "a person of interest" in the Michigan Wolverines' defensive coordinator search.

At first glance, Martindale seems like a strange choice for a college job, even for a team as prestigious as Michigan. After all, the last time he coached in the college ranks came in 2003, when he was the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Western Kentucky.

While that may be true, the Wolverines also run a very similar defense to Martindale's. Both of Michigan's previous defensive coordinators in Mike Macdonald, who is now the Seattle Seahawks' head coach, and Jesse Minter, who followed Jim Harbaugh to become the Los Angeles Chargers' defensive coordinator, were assistants under Martindale in Baltimore. As such, it would be an easy adjustment for Martindale if he decides to take the job.

The Wolverines, who won the national championship last month, are looking to rebuild their coaching staff after Harbaugh's departure. Perhaps the most-important hire for new head coach Sherrone Moore is finding a new leader for the defense, which allowed the fewest points in college football at just 9.5 per game.

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"We’ve got a few names and people in the boat to do that," Moore said on The Pat McAfee Show. "And we’ve got a great staff, we’ve got great people here on the staff that we’re trying to keep, we’re going to try to retain. So the staff is starting to shape out, bit by bit every day, and I think by next week or so we’ll have that in place."