How Wink Martindale will handle having to recruit players again

While Michigan is still basking in the glow of their 15-0 season and winning the national championship, there’s been plenty of changes on their coaching staff after Jim Harbaugh decided to go back to the NFL. Sherrone Moore has wasted little time assembling his new staff in Ann Arbor.

On Friday, he decided to bring in former New York Giants DC Wink Martindale in the same position with the Wolverines.

Andy Staples recently chatted it up with TheWolverine.com’s Clayton Sayfie about the adjustments Martindale will have to make in transitioning from the NFL to the college ranks.

One of the biggest adjustments he’ll have to make is handling recruiting players again. But Sayfie doesn’t really see any concerns in that department, since Martindale had an excellent relationship with his players in the NFL. He also noted that he might not have to be on the recruiting trail quite as much as other coaches.

“Recruiting is a question. But at the same time, this is a guy who’s a player’s coach. You read about him. He let the players call the defense in preseason games. And had a tight relationship with a lot of those guys. So, I think if you get recruits or transfers or whoever, in a room. And they start talking to him about ball. And they start talking to him about his experience in the NFL, a place they want to go to. Then I think he can be kind of a closer type, maybe. As opposed to somebody who’s gonna be hitting the road every day that he can,” Sayfie noted.

Sayfie is not too concerned with Martindale’s role as a recruiter, because the Wolverines never really had a truly elite recruiter at the defensive coordinator position under Jim Harbaugh. All the staff at Michigan needs to do is surround him with some talented recruiters, and that should be enough.

“And to be honest, too, Andy, Michigan hasn’t had great recruiters at the defensive coordinator spot in a long time, really, under Jim Harbaugh, for most of his tenure. McDonald was just okay, didn’t really have the passion for it. Minter was pretty good, but not an elite recruiter. And then Don Brown was very good at getting guys out of New England. And guys that he liked in that region. But he wasn’t necessarily the ace recruiter. So, if you surround him with really good, energetic recruiters, I think that can be a pretty good system for them. And you bring him in a room and you have the head coach of the defense and Sherrone Moore as the head coach of the team. I think you can do a pretty good job on the trail,” Sayfie said on Friday.

More on Wink Martindale’s ties to the Michigan Wolverines

Jack Harbaugh isn’t Martindale’s only connection to Michigan. He also spent nine seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, including four years as the team’s defensive coordinator. Of course, during his tenure in Baltimore, Martindale served under head coach John Harbaugh, former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh’s brother.

Moreover, Martindale mentored Jesse Minter, who spent three years with the Ravens. Minter was Michigan’s defensive coordinator for the past two seasons. He will be Jim Harbaugh’s DC for the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2024 campaign.

With so many connections, Martindale’s defense at Michigan will likely be reminiscent of those who came before him. Obviously, it was working. Michigan finished its national championship season with the No. 1 defense in the country, only allowing 247 yards per game.

On3’s Grant Grubbs also contributed to this article.