Tag: Wink Martindale

Wink Martindale shares Michigan football defensive strategy vs. Ohio State

Ohio State enters The Game with a formidable offense, as always. Here’s what Wink Martindale is saying about Michigan’s strategy.

Not many are giving Michigan football a chance at Ohio State on Saturday and Wolverines defensive coordinator Wink Martindale can understand why.

As Martindale has shared his concerns about facing the Buckeyes, he also knows there’s a path to victory for the maize and blue. He told Jon Jansen on the Inside Michigan Football radio show that while the important thing for the defense is to go out there and play fast, with full knowledge of what they’re being tasked with, there’s a lot more on the table in terms of plays that can be called.

The way he sees it, just so long as the players execute what’s called, Michigan will be in good shape.

“Somebody asked me this the other day. A pro scout said, ‘How much of your package have you run since you’ve been here?'” Martindale said. “And it’s really about, honestly, about 25% of the package. So we have a big library to pull from. The kids do a fantastic job to adjust into anything different that we do.

“And I think, also, this is one of those games that you just line up and go play, too. So it’s going to be a great challenge for us. We know we’re the underdog going into it, and as long as we don’t play like the underdog, we’ll be all right.”

So, what does the defense have to do? While Martindale’s answer is somewhat all-encompassing, he does accurately assess the challenge that the Wolverines face.

“This is going to sound like a double-edged sword: you need to stop the run and not letting ball get over your head,” Martindale said. “And, to do that, you’re going to have to stop the run sometimes with a lighter box. And we’ve been pretty good at doing that. So that’s going to be the biggest challenge.

“I know Chip. I’ve gone against Chip before. He’s a very talented playcaller, and it’s going to be a great challenge.”

Since 2001, the team that’s run for more yards in The Game has won. Ohio State has become much more balanced in recent years and Chip Kelly has turned the Buckeye offense into a much more viable running team. But, Ryan Day wants to pass the ball, so limiting the deep shots will be paramount for the Michigan defense if it’s to have a chance.

What worries Wink Martindale about Ohio State offense? ‘Everything’

Hope he’s got some things dialed up. #GoBlue

Michigan football has limped around all year, with few signature wins. Yes, beating USC and Michigan State are nice feathers in the cap, and Minnesota has turned out to be a much better team than anticipated in the preseason. And while the Wolverines finally looked like themselves for the first time all year against a middling Northwestern team, this upcoming week at Ohio State is a giant step up in competition.

Ranked No. 2 in the country, there’s nothing more the Buckeyes crave than a win over Michigan. After losing three straight games to their rival up north, OSU has retooled their team, bringing in Kansas State quarterback Will Howard to replace Kyle McCord, Alabama safety Caleb Downs to help out on the backend of the defense, and No. 1 recruit in 2024 in wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who has become a solid replacement for Marvin Harrison Jr.

While the bigger challenge for Michigan is likely the offense vs. the Buckeye defense, it’s nearly just as challenging facing the Ohio State offense. On the Inside Michigan Football radio show, Wolverines defensive coordinator Wink Martindale was discussing the backend in the win over the Wildcats before he quickly turned his focus towards the Buckeye wide receiver trio of Smith, Emeka Egbuka, and Carnell Tate.

“I was really glad to see Aamir (Hall) step up in the Northwestern game,” Martindale said. “But this game we have coming up — so completely different animal. You know it, they got three werewolves out there that we got to try to cover, and it’s going to be a great challenge for us.”

But that’s not all that concerns Martindale when it comes to facing the Buckeye offense. What’s worrying him in advance of The Game?

“Everything. I mean, seriously — they’re just a machine right now offensively,” Martindale said. “And we know that it’s going to be a physical game. To me, that’s advantage us in the physicality area. But we have done a great job of patching together a secondary essentially all season. So it’s going to be a test, because you’ve got to have some premier guys to go against premier guys. And it’s going to be a great, great challenge for us.”

Michigan and OSU kick off at noon EST at The Shoe.

Wink Martindale shares why the Michigan football defense has gotten better the past few weeks

The defense has rounded into form at the right time. #GoBlue

Consternation within the Michigan football fanbase surrounding defensive coordinator Wink Martindale started quickly and built throughout the season as he struggled to match his predecessors’ success. However, the past few games, the Wolverines have been much better defensively.

Though there have still been some uneven performances — the first halves against Oregon and Indiana both saw each team have early success before the Michigan defense clamped down in the second half — the Wolverines haven’t allowed a touchdown since the first half of the Indiana game.

So, what’s now suddenly going right? It seems counter-intuitive, given that star cornerback Will Johnson hasn’t been in the lineup since the first half of the Week 8 game at Illinois. Martindale shared with Jon Jansen on the Inside Michigan Football program why the defense appears to be turning the corner now.

“Well, I think that the different adjustments with guys playing more snaps and things of that nature — and just the growth of the unit together,” Martindale said. “We had a lot of guys that have — for example, like Zeke Berry. I don’t even think he traveled until this year. And those guys are getting used to having game-time reps and playing together. And we’ve had a lot of injuries. We’ve had a lot of guys moving in and out of the lineup, but the communication — especially the last three games — have been great. The Oregon game, that was a tough start. I think from halftime of Oregon to now, we’ve been playing really well defensively.”

With Ohio State coming up, it’s not a moment too soon. But it’s not just players like Zeke Berry and Aamir Hall coming on late. It also speaks to the success of the front line.

Michigan features the nation’s No. 1 pass rush, according to PFF, and if the Wolverines are going to stand a chance, the front is going to have to dominate the patchwork OSU offensive line that’s played admirably, despite injuries suffered there.

Martindale feels like Michigan always has a defensive advantage in the trenches, so he’s excited to see how his group performs against the Buckeyes.

“I think that we have to have an advantage there going into every game,” Martindale said. “They’ve done a nice job. (Josaiah Stewart) has had a tremendous year. I think he’s 8.5 sacks now. Mason, he’s going to be a first-round draft choice. And K.G., I think the same, I think the same way of K.G. is I do (Mason), and they’ve played a lot of reps this year compared to what they’ve done in the past. And I just — it’s going to be a fun game. And we’ll see where it happens.”

Wink Martindale doesn’t think tackling has been an issue, but Michigan has been working on it lately

It’s gotta be better, that’s for sure. #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football isn’t the worst tackling defense in the Big Ten, but it’s far from the best. However, defensive coordinator Wink Martindale doesn’t believe that’s the issue the Wolverines are facing on that side of the ball. At least not the only issue.

According to PFF, the Wolverines are the seventh-worst tackling unit in the Big Ten, with an OK ranking of 72.8. But compare that to 2023, when Michigan football had a 91.2 rating — the best in the conference and second-best in the country.

WolverinesWire asked Martindale on Wednesday about the team taking a step back in that arena, and while he demurred that it’s been a consistent issue, he noted that it is something that the defense is working on.

“I don’t think that it’s been an issue throughout the year. I don’t want to lead that off with saying that,” Martindale said. “I think that we’ve had some missed tackles. We’ve had some games where individuals missed some tackles, and I see them working, better with their angles and eyes.”

So what are the Wolverines doing to address the waning ability to get opposing ball carriers on the ground?

“We’ve done tackling circuits the last, really, last three weeks, last four weeks,” Martindale said. “Get some more focused on their angles and everything else. But I also think there’s a part to the game where there’s a lot of space out there. That guy’s on scholarship too, and sometimes he makes people miss, but I don’t see the missed tackles as some other people see it. I think that we’ve done a nice job of playing hard, and that’s been a trademark forever, and it’ll continue to be a trademark. But, just keep running the football and having good eyes and good angles, and you’ll tackle better.”

Michigan is going to have a big challenge with a potent Indiana offense on the docket. The worst-graded tackler of the primary contributors is nickelback Zeke Berry, who has a 29.4% missed tackle rate, according to PFF. Brandyn Hillman has a 25% missed tackle rate and currently injured star cornerback Will Johnson actually has a 20.8% missed tackle rate. Maligned safety Makari Paige’s missed tackle rate is 20.5%.

Wink Martindale throws unprovoked shade at Giants

Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale appeared to throw unprovoked shade at the New York Giants and Brian Daboll on Wednesday.

There’s no love lost between New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll and former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who currently coaches at Michigan.

The two had an ugly offseason blowup that led to Martindale’s “resignation,” but little has been said since then. Daboll has routinely brushed off questions about his former coordinator while Martindale has also remained mum.

Until Wednesday, that is.

Asked if sees himself coaching for the “long haul,” Martindale responded with a not-so-subtle and entirely unprovoked jab at the Giants.

“I’m glad I’m here,” Martindale said. “I love the players that we have. Obviously, it’s a different game (in college), but it’s a lot better than being in some places that are 2-7.”

That feels like sour grapes but it’s not as if Martindale is incorrect. The Giants are 2-7 and things are not going particularly well in East Rutherford, especially after the defense folded like a lawn chair in a Week 9 loss to the Washington Commanders. But Martindale shouldn’t exactly be throwing stones from his glass house.

The Wolverines are defending National Champions but are just 5-4 this season and unranked at the moment. They took it on the chin against three ranked teams (Texas, USC, Illinois) and were also upset by Minnesota. Meanwhile, Martindale’s defense is ranked No. 57 in the country in points per game (23.3).

Asked about Martindale’s comment, linebacker Bobby Okereke implied they may not have been Giants-specific.

“I don’t necessarily see it as a shot. There are a lot of 2-7 teams,” Okereke said, via the New York Post. “Everyone knows I loved playing for him. I still love him. He’s one of the best coaches I’ve had.”

Uh-huh.

[lawrence-related id=735644,735655,735653]

Did Wink Martindale just have a dig at the New York Giants?

This is hilarious. #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It’s been something of a mixed bag for Michigan football defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.

Both of his predecessors in Ann Arbor were his proteges with the Baltimore Ravens and their defenses were much more elite than Martindale’s edition in 2024. Being a longtime defensive coordinator in the NFL, expectations were sky high for Martindale and his tenure with the Wolverines, but given some of the personnel losses and the offense often giving the defense short fields to work with, it’s been a bit of a struggle, at times — especially compared to much of his time in the professional ranks.

On Wednesday, Martindale was asked if he’s enjoying the college experience and if he’s thought about staying long term. And in doing so, he didn’t have a strong answer, but one thing he alluded to seemed to call out his time in Rutherford when he was the DC of the New York Giants.

“I haven’t sat down and thought about the long haul,” Martindale said. “When you’re 61 you just try to think about tomorrow. But, yeah, I mean, I’m glad that I’m here. I love the players that we have. I think that it’s obviously a different game.

“But, it’s a lot better than being in some places that are 2-7.”

The Giants, who are struggling in the NFC East, are currently 2-7, so that number that Martindale used is likely referring to his most recent team in the NFL.

Martindale was not fired from New York but was essentially pushed out when the Giants fired some of his most trusted assistants. Clearly, there’s still some bad blood there, and given that he ended up back in the college ranks — no matter which league you’re a fan of — you can understand that he may have some lingering frustration for the way his NFL career ended.

Michigan football coaches confident in Alex Orji’s passing ability

You may doubt, but they were beyond vehement. #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — We’ve been through this same rigamarole each of the last three years. Michigan football has a limited offensive outing in one way or another and fans get up on their pulpit and scream, ‘You’re not going to beat Ohio State like that!’

True, but Michigan didn’t play Ohio State last week. It played USC — and won with only 32 yards passing and 290 yards rushing.

Alex Orji was in his first start at quarterback and he didn’t exactly get a wealth of attempts passing downfield — the coaches called a conservative passing game, especially with tight end Colston Loveland out with an injury.

On Wednesday, Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale — who may be on the other side of the ball, but had some strong feelings about the state of the offense — bristled at the notion that Orji and the offense can’t pass the ball if necessary. He pointed to the NFL and noted that not every team wins games by throwing it all over the place.

“There we go again with that narrative,” Martindale said. “Do you realize what happened this past weekend in the NFL? The Baltimore Ravens ran the ball 45 times, I think they threw it 12. And they beat the Cowboys pretty bad, right til the end of the game, right? The Saints (and) Derek Carr threw for what? 12 passes in his first game, I think 16 in the second. Don’t quote me on that. I’m not sure, but I know it was a low amount of passes they were chewing up, right? Look what Washington just did to Cincinnati. So the pendulum’s swinging either way you want to look at it.

“And I think that with our offense, and with our offense it can do, and our defense and our special teams, we have the flexibility in our scheme to do whatever we need to do to win that game, that week when we prepare for it. And I think that sometimes the narrative about Alex — OK, one thing about being old, I do have experience, and I’ve seen quarterbacks take over an offense and run with the offense. And I think that’s what’s going to happen with this guy. I love the kid. So I’m not evaluating anything or anything else offensively, because got my hands full where we’re at, but I think that there shouldn’t be any limitations put on because it’s one of those things. Same thing I was talking about the defense every day. Just try to get better, try to get better, and you build it as you go. And what happens is, there’s overreactions when you have a different schedule than what we’ve had here in the past, the past few years, right? And there’s a you stub your toe, which is Texas, right? But there’s an overreaction to it. The bottom line is, just come in every week and be 1-0. So whatever it takes.”

Martindale isn’t wrong. If Michigan passed for 400 yards but ran for 50, fans wouldn’t have much to say, nor would the media. Being able to pass has tended to cover up a lot of issues teams might have running the football, and usually fans and media give those teams a pass.

That said, Michigan does still need to prove that it can throw the football to win games, especially with Orji at the helm. But it’s not like it plays the toughest teams on the schedule just yet. OSU comes at the end of the season, Oregon is a few weeks before that. Orji is coming off of his first start, and as Martindale noted, he can grow in that role.

As far as the offensive perspective, offensive line coach Grant Newsome says that the team is focused on whatever it takes to win, not winning a popularity contest. Given how Michigan has won in the past three years across multiple big games, he notes that the team should be given the benefit of the doubt.

“That’s, I guess, to be determined. But I know I trust all of our guys. I trust our coaches,” Newsome said. “I think we’re going to do what the game calls for, like I said. And I guess the only evidence I can give you is that there were people saying this last year after Penn State — ‘You won’t be able to beat Ohio State doing this. You won’t be able to win the Big Ten championship. It’s not going to work for us against Alabama.’ And we did what the game called for. Coach Moore called the game as it needed to be called. Coach Campbell’s going to call the game as it needs to be called.

“So I’m not trying to be smart in my response, but it’s the reality. I don’t think anyone in this building cares about how sexy something looks, cares about if it works or not. If it doesn’t work, then as coaches we’ve got to reevaluate it and make sure it does. But if we win every game throwing for 500 yards and have two yards rushing, I’ll be happy we won the game. If we rush for 300 yards again and have 32 yards, because that’s what the game called for, I think we’ll be pretty happy, too, because we’re winning games.”

Stats tell part of the story, and it tells how a game went. Just like the loss to Texas showed a potentially improving offense, the turnovers were what killed the Wolverines in that game. If Michigan can beat USC the way it did how it did, who’s to say it can’t some of the other big teams on the schedule?

We’ll find out in short order if the Wolverines can change the narrative.

Michigan football nickel position has a favorite as a starter, but ‘it’s fluid’

There are a couple of options for #Michigan here. #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Taking over for Mike Sainristil, Michigan football’s standout nickelback the past two seasons, is easier said than done, but there are multiple players up for the challenge.

Though Ja’Den McBurrows had some time on task last year (particularly when Sainristil split out wide with star corner Will Johnson injured) the offseason has pointed to another player likely vying for that starting role: junior safety Zeke Berry.

Berry was impressive in the spring game but also showed prowess in Week 1 last year as a starting safety filling in for an injured Makari Paige. But he really flashed this offseason and has had many assuming that No. 10 will be called when the Wolverines take the field against Fresno State in Week 1 of the new season.

His defensive coordinator, Wink Martindale, also feels like Berry is in the running to start, but he’s not so fast to write that in pen. As Martindale sees it, fall camp will go much further than spring ball did to determining Sainristil’s replacement, and certainly the battle will open up to more than just Berry and McBurrows.

“I think that Zeke, come out of the spring was slotted with the first group but I think it’s fluid,” Martindale said. “As Sherrone always says with the depth chart, we’ll see as we go, as we progress. (McBurrows) and you get some other guys that we’ll look at there and we’re just a long way away from talking about any of those things of exactly where it’s at.”

One of the best ways to determine who will win the job is to understand what the people making the decisions are looking for.

Martindale isn’t just looking for leadership, but execution. The way he sees it, a nickel has to be able to work with the other position groups, but just as importantly, he has to finish plays.

“Well, I look, first of all, at someone who can communicate because when you’re the nickel, you do a lot of communicating with the safeties, the corners, the linebackers,” Martindale said. “Someone that knows the system. But the No. 1 trait is how well do you tackle? The coverages and everything else we’ll work through, with what they do and who you have there.

“And, I think an example, like when I was at Baltimore when Marlon Humphrey was coming to play nickel — and I’ll tell you right now, I think he was the best nickel in football, because he could tackle and he communicate. So it all depends on who comes out on top from training camp, so it’s still is a competition, which they all are.”

Berry was injured on the opening kickoff of Week 2 last year, so McBurrows (with 11 games played) has a much bigger sample size. Looking at last year’s PFF grades, the two weren’t particularly far apart when it came to tackling. McBurrows had an 83.9 grade while Berry rated 80.5. However, when it comes to coverage, McBurrows outshined Berry with a grade of 73.9 compared to 62.3. But players tend to ebb and flow, and Berry showed a lot of instinctual play in the spring game this past April.

Regardless, Michigan isn’t likely to name a starter before the season opener, so we’ll have to wait and see who will be working as the slot defensive back on August 31.

Why Wink Martindale prefers man coverage and blitzing, but isn’t married to it

This defense is going to be insane. #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football kicks off fall camp on Wednesday and fans are curious to see the differences between new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale and his predecessors.

Of course, Mike Macdonald and Jesse Minter were both Martindale’s proteges with the Baltimore Ravens, and the system installed in Ann Arbor is based on Martindale’s scheme. But there are certainly some differences.

One of the main narratives is that Martindale is more aggressive than Minter or Macdonald, going for broke more often, which can cause some breakdowns. But Martindale insists that it’s all about creativity, finding ways to break the spirit of any given play, but it’s about doing it in a smart fashion.

“We’ll control the narrative of it. Am I an aggressive playcaller? Yes. I’m an aggressive playcaller,” Martindale said. “We’ve won a lot of football games calling games aggressively. OK? When it doesn’t work, that’s when everybody comes down to he’s always blitzing too much. Don’t hear that at all when you win, you hear but how creative you are. Right? So you just don’t listen to any of that. We’ll find that right mix of pressure simulated, all the other stuff. We’ll find the right mix and that’s what training camp’s for.”

On a podcast last month, Martindale bristled at the idea that he was another version of Don Brown, married to the blitz as well as man coverage. Brown’s scheme was exemplary until it wasn’t, and his stodginess led to the defense going from being the best in the nation in 2016 to one of the worst in 2020. Hence the move from Brown to Martindale’s system under Mike Macdonald.

Martindale points to his track record. And though his final year with the Giants didn’t go as planned, he has a resume that suggests he’s a much different defensive coordinator.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s ridiculous, as I see it,” Martindale said. “It’s ridiculous. You have defenses that have ranked No. 1 in the NFL and in the top five three years in a row and then you come into a new system in New York and you go into the playoffs, but what do they want to talk about? They want to talk about last year, the last year, and it’s just the way life is, where we’re at today’s society. And that’s fine with me. I know where I stand. And I stand where I’m excited about starting training camp, and finding out who we’re going to be, because it’s up to all of us.”

Of course, with blitzing, often comes man coverage. Martindale isn’t concerned about players struggling to adjust to man after years of zone and match coverage, because, as he sees it, that’s foundational to good defense.

“There’s no truth to any of that. I mean, that’s all speculation,” Martindale said. “And, to me, understand this: and I’ll say this wherever I’m at, and I’ll say it when I’m retired, OK? Man teams, when you start out teaching the principle of man, which will do on the first practice, can play zone to win games. Zone teams who play nothing but zone can never play man to win the game. Teams that don’t pressure, when they have to pressure, it doesn’t usually look right because they don’t practice it enough. So if you just want a four-man rush and coverage the entire game, when it comes time where you need to win a situational play, if they know that you’re just going to be a four-man rush coverage team, you don’t have a very high success rate.

“Now if they don’t — I’m not saying you can’t play four-man rush and coverage in situations. But I think just building it off of the man principle, one-on-one coverage principle which these kids have been playing ever since they played football with all the 7-on-7s and everything else they’re doing seventh grade on sixth grade on younger than that, they all grow up playing cat coverage. You know what cat coverage is? I got that cat.

“So I think that there’s a lot more things that go into it than just playing man, man, man.”

He continued to say what he likes about running man when possible, is having players who are adept to it — like Will Johnson. As he notes, the goal is partially the defense ruling the day, but also, ‘I like the guys that get drafted.’ And he’s confident that he has a mix between players and scheme that will cause that to be the case.

Giants’ Bobby Okereke: Shane Bowen-led defense will dominate in 2024

New York Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke believes the defense will “dominate” in 2024 under coordinator Shane Bowen.

One of the biggest storylines in the early part of the New York Giants offseason was the confusing and ugly departure of defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.

The Giants would eventually replace him with Shane Bowen, who worked as the Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator the previous three seasons.

Linebacker Bobby Okereke, who had arguably his best season in his first season in a Giants’ uniform under Martindale, seems to be excited about the defense under Shane Bowen.

Okereke previously spoke highly of his expectations about the Giants’ defense heading into 2024. Now he’s at it again, praising Bowen during an appearance on Up & Adams with Kay Adams.

“It’s almost about as 180 of a flip as it can be,” Okereke said. “Going from Wink — I loved that system, attacking, blitzing all the time — to Shane, very methodical, probably one of the most cerebral defensive coordinators I’ve ever been around. Just the way he sees the game, the way he’s gonna call it, the way he coaches it, the attention to detail. Yeah, I think we’re gonna dominate this year, and it’s gonna be led by him.”

Martindale brought out the best in a few players like Okereke, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Dexter Lawrence. It will be interesting to see how the strengths of the Giants’ defense shift to Bowen’s system.

Of course, the addition of elite pass rusher Brian Burns is only going to help the Giants’ strong front seven.

Okereke played every defensive snap for the Giants last season and arguably should have been a Pro Bowler. With the change to Bowen, the Giants’ defensive approach is going to look a lot different in 2024.

However, clearly Okereke has confident in what his new defensive coordinator brings to the table.

[lawrence-related id=729223,729225,729220]