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Michigan has hired Don “Wink” Martindale as its new offensive coordinator following the exit of Jesse Minter. The veteran coach joins the Wolverines after mutually terminating his contract with the New York Giants, where he spent the last two seasons as defensive coordinator.
It marks a return to the college football world for the coach after a long time, last serving with Western Kentucky in 2023. Martindale played a key role in building the Baltimore Ravens defensive scheme, which Michigan has effectively adopted over the years.
The hiring of Don Martindale comes as brilliant news to Michigan fans who have been wary of what unfolds following the recent changes in coaches. However, getting someone who had orchestrated a system that produces Jesse Minter brings some relief to fans, as it will help retain players in the program. One wrote on Reddit:
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"Big time should be able to keep the roster intact now"
Let's take a look at some of the top reactions:
Don Martindale's coaching career so far
Don Martindale started his coaching career in the NJCAA with Defiance in 1986 as a defensive coordinator. He transitioned to the NCAA in 1994 after taking an assistant role at Notre Dame. He went on to become special teams and linebacker coach at Cincinnati in 1996.
Martindale became the defensive coordinator of Western Illinois in 1999 and took the same role at Western Kentucky in 2000. He subsequently transitioned to the NFL as a linebacker coach for the Oakland Raiders in 2004 before moving to the Denver Broncos in 2009.
Martindale became the Baltimore Ravens linebacker coach in 2012 under John Harbaugh and was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2018. His last stop before joining Michigan was with the New York Giants, where he was named the defensive coordinator in 2021.
A sense of continuity at Michigan with Martindale
Something Michigan has tried to ensure in action since the departure of Jim Harbaugh is creating a sense of continuity. The Wolverines hired Sherrone Moore, who was previously the team's offensive coordinator, to replace the departed Harbaugh as the head coach.
Bringing in Don Martindale denotes that the program is not intending to fix what's not broken. The Wolverines have dominated the Big Ten in the last three seasons, making regular playoff appearances, and are poised to continue with the same system.
The arrival of Martindale should help retain players on the defensive side. Getting to continue on the system that has been predominant in the program keeps the air at ease.
Talent-wise, the Wolverines are in a good position ahead of next season, and, now, they have someone capable of handling the unit.
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