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Newsstand: Wink Martindale is 'just getting started' at Michigan

clayton-sayfieby:Clayton Sayfie•01/02/25•

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Tweets Of The Day

Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale took to social media to share his excitement on the 19-13 win over Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl and look ahead to the future.

“Fast, violent and physical all the way til the end,” Martindale wrote. “Proud of our guys and the way they battled. We are just getting started…

“#StayBuckled #BuildingABully

“Who wants to be a Michigan Man?”

Martindale’s defense has been incredible in the last four games, and was a great unit most of the season.

Here’s what we wrote about Martindale and the defense after the game:

Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale saw his unit allow 28 first-half points against Oregon in early November. Since then, though, it’s been lights out, save for a couple plays at Indiana, a top-10 team that made the playoff.

Michigan has held its last four opponents to 260 yards or fewer: Indiana (246), Northwestern (127), Ohio State (252) and Alabama (260). The Wolverines allowed 12.3 points per game in that stretch.

While it would be hard to top the performance in the 13-10 win over Ohio State in Columbus, this was close to as impressive. Michigan was without its top players, particularly along the defensive line, which was the strength of the unit, and still beat an Alabama offense that had most of its horses.

The Crimson Tide had just two drives that lasted longer than 42 yards. They turned the ball over on downs three times, and gave it away three times.

Michigan started 2024 and ended it with wins over Alabama — in the Rose Bowl Jan. 1 and the ReliaQuest Bowl Dec. 31. Per U-M radio, Michigan is the first team to ever beat Alabama twice in the same calendar year.

Michigan quarterback signee Bryce Underwood was with the team during bowl prep and the game. But now that the season’s over, he’s officially a freshman player and preparing for the 2025 campaign. He sent out a message on social media saying, ‘It’s my time now.’

Quote Of The Day

“This is an opportunity for both of them. They’ve been a unit. That’s one of the biggest advantages of having them together. They are so competitive with one another. They keep each other on their toes. Even though they are on the same side of the ball, they’ve played offense as well. When they go up against each other in drills and things like that, they help each other. I think that helps them have such a high football IQ — just that they’ve played both sides. They can anticipate what’s happening. They both have great personalities. TJ is more outgoing, while Tevis is more reserved, but they can switch that up. You never know what you may get. They are able to adjust like chameleons while keeping their own personalities.”

— Neely Metcalf, the mother of Michigan transfer commits TJ Metcalf and Tevis Metcalf, who are set to join the team from Arkansas

Headlines Of The Day

• EJ Holland, The Wolverine: Blue Chips: Parents of Michigan transfer commits TJ, Tevis Metcalf talk recent decision, more
• Chris Balas, The Wolverine: Ten things we think we learned about Michigan football after a 19-13 win over Alabama, an 8-5 season
• Clayton Sayfie, The Wolverine: Michigan DB Kody Jones enters NCAA transfer portal
• Chris Balas, The Wolverine: ‘Physical’ Michigan defense stifles Jalen Milroe and Kalen DeBoer again – ‘that’s what they thrive on’
• EJ Holland, The Wolverine: Five Michigan transfer portal storylines to watch as dead period comes to an end

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