"You see a different flux": Michigan's Wink Martindale leans on NFL experience but cites Steve Sarkisian as a cautionary tale

Wink Martindale joined the Michigan Wolverines as their defensive coordinator in February after over 20 years at the NFL level. Martindale is part of Sherrone Moore's staff and will aim to help the Wolverines defend their national championship with style.

Martindale, who served as defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens, and New York Giants, plans to use his NFL experience to maximize the talents of Michigan's roster's talented defensive prospects.

When asked on Friday's episode of the Pat McAfee Show about whether coaching at the NFL level gives him an advantage at the collegiate level, he said,

"It is all relative. To answer your question personally, I feel pretty good about it. But like Sark (Steve Sarkisian), he was in the NFL, and you see a different flux."

Martindale is alluding to now-Texas coach Steve Sarkisian's last stint in the NFL, during which he served as the offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons. Under Sarkisian's guidance, the Falcons' offense dropped from 33.8 points per fixture in 2016 to 22.1 points per fixture in 2017.

Despite a slight improvement in points per fixture in 2018 (25.9 points), Sarkisian was fired on December 31, 2018. He later redeemed his reputation with an impressive second stint showing as the offensive coordinator of Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide before Texas appointed him as head coach on January 2, 2021.

Wink Martindale once called himself the O.G. of Michigan's defensive scheme, which has helped the Wolverines achieve huge success in recent years. The defensive guru worked with former Wolverines defensive coordinator Jesse Minter while he was the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens.

Minter learned about Martindale's scheme and took it with him to the Wolverines, thus contributing to the program's dominance in the past two seasons. It's now time for Wink Martindale to run Michigan's defense, and he sounds enthusiastic about the opportunity.

What to expect from Wink Martindale and the Michigan Wolverines in 2024?

The Michigan Wolverines are defending national champions heading into the 2024 season. However, the team has lost several important contributors to its championship run, including coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback JJ McCarthy.

The program defeated Fresno State rather handily in Week 1, but it will still face tougher opposition in the 2024 season. Expect Michigan to make a postseason push despite the changes from 2023. Its defense under Wink should remain a major factor in 2024.