One of the worst kept secrets around the Michigan football program is finally official.
Don “Wink” Martindale has been named the team’s next defensive coordinator, the program officially announced in a release on Friday. Martindale, 60, was first reported to be set join U-M’s staff back on Feb. 9, and was seen in the crowd along with new head football coach Sherrone Moore at the men’s basketball game against Michigan State at Crisler Center; the announcement was merely a formality.
“I am excited to have Coach Martindale join our staff as defensive coordinator,” Moore said said via the release. “He has coached hall of fame players, coordinated some of the best defenses in football and his expertise and knowledge will help our players excel on the field. We are so excited to have the mentor to so many great defensive players and coaches join our staff at Michigan.”
U-M also announced the official hirings of defensive line coach Greg Scruggs, linebackers coach/run game coordinator Brian Jean-May and defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator LaMar Morgan. U-M also added former defensive back Brad Hawkins (2017-21) as a graduate student.
Martindale has spent the past 20 years in the NFL and comes directly after two seasons as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants (2022-23), however his ties to U-M more directly come through his prior stop with the Baltimore Ravens.
Martindale spent a decade in Baltimore (2012-21) under John Harbaugh, brother of former U-M coach of Jim Harbaugh, where his first six seasons he served as linebackers coach before he called the defensive shots as coordinator in his final four years.
Though things fell apart in his final season with the Ravens (No. 25 total defense, No. 19 scoring defense), they were elite much of his time there, ranked between No. 1 and No. 7 in total defense and top-three in the NFL in scoring defense each of his first three seasons.
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Though the hire was seen as somewhat out-of-the-box, it shouldn’t be all that surprising, given who was working underneath him during much of his successful run.
Mike MacDonald, former Michigan defensive coordinator who’s now the youngest head coach in the NFL after he was tabbed to lead Seattle earlier this offseason, served every role imaginable underneath Martindale, from coaching intern (2014) and defensive assistant (2015-16), to coaching defensive backs (2017) and linebackers (2018-20).
Also on that staff, Michigan’s other most recent defensive coordinator Jesse Minter − who left to follow Jim Harbaugh with the Los Angeles Chargers, where he will take over the same role after a two-year run that may go down as one of the most dominant among any Big Ten defensive mind − who was a defensive assistant (2017-18) and defensive backs coach (2019-20).
The Wolverines’ defense has been among the nation’s best under their tutelage the past three seasons, going 40-3 in that span, but it was of course topped off in 2023 when the unit was without question the best in the nation, ranked No. 1 in both scoring (10.4 points per game) and total defense (247.0 yards per game) as it finished the season as undefeated national champions.
Though somewhat different variations of the same idea − Martindale is more prone to classic blitzes while there was a bit more pressure by commotion in Minter’s front − he was the progenitor of the scheme that’s allowed U-M to reach heights not seen in decades, so the hope is any transition in terminology or concept is minimal.
“I am excited about the quality of the coaches that we have assembled on the defensive side of the football,” Moore said in the release. “Men of great character who love the game of football and are tremendous teachers. They will put our defensive players in a great position to succeed on and off the field. I am excited to work with this outstanding group of assistant coaches as we pursue championships for the University of Michigan.”
Scruggs named defensive line coach
Walking alongside Martindale and Moore shortly during the first half of the aforementioned hoops game, Greg Scruggs, the former Wisconsin defensive line coach who was announced as the coach of the same position in Ann Arbor on Friday.
He takes over for Mike Elston who left the staff to join Harbaugh in L.A.
“I have known Greg since our time together at Louisville and have always appreciated his drive and passion for the game,” Moore said in the release. “We have stayed in contact through the years, and I always knew that Greg would be a great leader and teacher for a program that I was fortunate enough to assemble. Greg is a great football coach and an even better person. He will be an outstanding mentor for our players, especially the guys on the defensive line, and will help them achieve their football goals.”
Scruggs leaves after one year in Madison, where the Badgers defense ranked No. 7 in the nation against the run (3.84 yards per attempt), the year prior he was an assistant defensive line coach with the New York Jets.
Scruggs’ only other collegiate coaching experience came at his hometown Cincinnati − though he played for Louisville, he went to St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati − where he was first director of player development (2018-19), before he spent two seasons as defensive line coach (2020-21).
The Bearcats went 22-2 during those years, and in 2021 they ranked No. 5 nationally in scoring defense (16.5) and No. 10 in total defense (318.4).
“xxxxx,” Moore said of Scruggs. “xxxxx.”
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football hires Don ‘Wink’ Martindale defensive coordinator
