The Michigan Wolverines not only have to replace championship-winning head coach Jim Harbaugh, but they also have to find someone to take over for defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
After leading the nation’s top scoring defense a season ago, Minter followed Harbaugh to the Los Angeles Chargers. It creates a big void for new head coach Sherrone Moore and the defending champions.
One name that has popped up recently is former New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. Matt Zenitz of 247 Sports reports that Martindale is drawing interest from the Wolverines as well as NFL teams.
Martindale, 60, is widely respected around the football world. He is coming off a two-year stint as the Giants’ offensive coordinator. Martindale and the organization mutually agreed to part ways after the 2023 season due to perceived issues between him and head coach Brian Daboll.
In addition to working with the Giants, Martindale served as the defensive coordinator with the Denver Broncos (2010) and Baltimore Ravens (2018-21). He’s led three top-10 defenses throughout his career.
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It seems as if Michigan is looking at the professional ranks to find a replacement for Minter at the all-important defensive coordinator position. As for Martindale, he hasn’t coached at the college level since coordinating the Western Kentucky defense all the way back in 2003.