Michigan DC Wink Martindale draws inspiration from coaches and players

Ohio State vs. Michigan – Impact on the College Football Playoffs

Michigan Wolverines Football Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale took a 20-year break from college football while coaching in the NFL, including seven seasons as a coordinator, but had a great time in Ann Arbor during the offseason before heading into his freshman year with the Wolverines.

Martindale spent time not only with the head coach Sherron Moore But during his trip to Ann Arbor before officially accepting the job, he noticed some of the defensive players and the passion that emanated from the athletes.

“These guys want to win – that’s the first thing that attracted me to this job,” Martindale said at the Champions Circle Leaders Series with Jake Butt“What surprised me – because it had been 20 years and I didn’t know what I was getting myself into – is that these guys love football.

“And I said this the other day, I talked about (junior cornerback) Will Johnsona very humble kid who has so much to offer that he doesn’t even know it yet – and that’s a good thing because he works so hard. So many things that we do in the program with football, I see Will during a timeout with 10 or 12 teammates just working on their own.

“And I don’t care what anybody says, I don’t think you see that anywhere. I really don’t. No, no, no – especially not in the NFL. Maybe they do it somewhere other than the facility. I’m just talking about the facility, these guys work. And Sherrone spent time here this spring at the end pushing them back because they just go for it. They love football.”

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Martindale worked with the former Michigan coordinator Jesse Minter with the Baltimore Ravens, and the two discussed the UM program. Minter told him that “every day is Tuesday,” This is a sign that the Wolverines work hard and play a physical brand of football every day.

“It’s Monday through Sunday. It’s a nice thing, but you better be focused on work as soon as you walk into the building,” Martindale said. “If you’re a football purist and you really love football, you’re going to love Michigan football. I’ve enjoyed every day I’ve been there because I don’t want to disappoint them for their love of the game.”

Martindale also wants to do justice to his team. Defensive line coach Lou EspositoLinebacker coach Brian Jean-Mary and Defensive Backs Coach LaMar Morgan work with him on his side of the ball and Martindale is impressed with the trio and the entire coaching group.

“The same goes for the assistants,” the coach continued. “Lou Esposito, LaMar Morgan and BJ, Brian Jean-Mary — I say it right, he tells me I always say it right — the way they work in recruiting and also coach their kids, I’m inspired. And the older you get, the harder it is to be inspired. The way they work with these kids and the way they go about recruiting has been a lot of fun.”

“It’s been a lot of work. You see the commitments we get and the amount of work they put in. They work as hard as I told my wife. I want to play my card and say, ‘No, I’m not doing that.’ I could never say that because I don’t want to disappoint them. It’s been great, I’m ready to go on vacation too. And so are they.”

Martindale was impressed with Moore from the start, from the two hour-long phone conversations to the two-hour-plus meeting in Ann Arbor. Moore led Michigan to four wins last season as the incumbent head coach, so he has playing experience, and Martindale feels the transition has been smooth now that he has daily control of the program.

“His passion, not for Michigan, but for the kids, I thought, ‘That’s my guy.’ He wants to do everything right for the players and asks himself how can we best do that for the players,” Martindale explained.

“If you love football, you love Michigan football because it stands for what’s right.”

Wink Martindale: “The national championship is over”

Michigan’s players have made a conscious effort to avoid signs of complacency that came after winning the national championship and posting a 15-0 record last season. Martindale noted that the Wolverines are a big target, but they are working to become more successful.

“Every year is different. We know that instead of ‘Road To Atlanta,’ there are 11-on-11 live periods that (former Michigan head coach) Jim (Harbaugh) and Sherrone continued that in spring ball or in the ‘Beat Ohio’ phase that we had at 9-on-7 and things like that, now people are doing that for Michigan,” Martindale stressed. “And the thing about these kids is they’re going to find out it’s going to be tough, but I’m not panicking. It’s not like they’re resting on their laurels. They want to do it again with their leader, Sherrone.

“The national championship is over. And every season there are going to be different low points – anyone who has ever played a sport knows that – and I just know that with our character and our leadership, we will be able to tackle those things head on.”