Recognizing what the NFL Wink Martindale brings to Michigan

When it was announced that Don “Wink” Martindale would be the next defensive coordinator at Michigan, I was not delighted.

Thoughts like “He’s too old,” “He’s out of touch with the college game,” and “He’s just the NFL Don Brown” invaded my mind.

But the more I dug, the more captivated and intrigued I was. After all, Michigan has been using variations of his defense since 2021.

Martindale is both innovative and aggressive, like a crazy scientist who specializes in unique fronts, positional adaptability, and ordered mayhem.

“You want to dictate to the offense instead of sitting there and letting them dictate to you,” Martindale told reporters in 2022.

Martindale, echoing Cobra Kai’s credo of “Strike first, strike hard,” wants his team to create the proper balance between action and reaction rather than relying primarily on the latter.

Martindale will cause nightmares for collegiate quarterbacks and offensive linemen before the game even begins. Pre-snap confusion is a staple of this defense, which is accomplished by different fronts, exotic looks, multiple personnel units, disguised  coverages, and constant movement.

Martindale, like his protégé Jesse Minter last season, is constantly looking to modify the picture from pre-snap to post-snap.

Take a look at this lineup versus the Lions.

There are seven players on the line of scrimmage, with eight within five yards of the snap. The Lions must respect Martindale’s blitzing style and slide defense to the overcrowded side of the line.

However, at the snap, only the zero-tech and two nine-techs on the defensive line rush the passer. Everyone else retreats into mixed man-match zone coverage, with the exception of the field-side corner, who rushes in as the fourth rusher.

Here’s the complete play. This is not a blitz, but it is one of Martindale’s many imaginative techniques to create pressure.

Martindale’s defense frequently has all 11 players moving after the snap. Some are rushing, some are very certainly blitzing, others are dropping, and the secondary is continually shifting. This play against the Lions exemplifies his ability to counterattack.

The Lions increased protection and introduced a hot path, but the exotic appearance and concealed coverage negated any safety valves.

Another example of Martindale countering a counter may be found in the 2022 game between the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears.

With six men in the box, Martindale takes a single-high safety, man-to-man look across the board before snapping. However, Wink is twisting both of his linebackers.

Double A-gap blitz, with the field-side defensive end (No. 51 on the right side of the screen) descending into the quarterback’s hot route window.

This is still a single-high man-to-man coverage, but with an extra player in the beneath zone. Quarterback Justin Fields attempts to get to his secondary read, but due to the surprise deletion of his hot receiver, Fields is forced to clutch the ball and take the sack with both blitzers closing down on him.

This method allows for innovative droppers beyond edges and linebackers. As we saw with Minter last year, dropping defensive tackles is also typical in this scheme.

Martindale used a single-high man-to-man approach against the Packers in 2022, this time with seven players in the box. Right before the snap, the middle linebacker leaves the middle of the field and moves around the edge as a blitz.

This action indicates to quarterback Aaron Rodgers that the middle of the field should be open, but Wink drops both defensive tackles into the middle, limiting any potential throwing windows.

With both defensive tackles staring down the quarterback and the pressure mounting, Rodgers is forced to throw an incomplete prayer. Take note of the superb man-to-man coverage skills as well.

Another innovative component of this strategy is that Martindale does not simply jam the line of scrimmage; he is as creative in alignment and formations as any modern defensive coordinator.

In the first game against his previous squad, Martindale used a “train” formation in the middle of the defense.

With two five-tech edges and one corner crowding the line, Martindale stacks a linebacker, nose tackle, and another edge vertically over the center.

The Ravens attempt a run, but it is ineffective. The linebacker and nose clog the A gaps, while the additional edge loops around to overload/rush the same side of the corner.

Before clicking on the Twitter video below, examine the structure and try to determine where the pressure is coming from.

There are seven players on the line of scrimmage, the center of the field appears open, and quarterback Joe Burrow is as intellectual as they come. Now, observe what Martindale does after the snap.

The safety bails immediately before the snap to occupy the middle of the field, while both linebackers descend into their zones. Suddenly, just four rushers emerge from the line of scrimmage, at least until the corner SCREAMS off the edge from Burrow’s blindside for the sack.

Here is another one. Obviously, it results in an interception, but take a look before the snap and try to predict what the post-snap picture will look like.

There are ten guys within five yards of the line of scrimmage. The Titans only need four yards, so a fast pass or check-down could move the sticks.

At the snap, only three rushers lined up along the line of scrimmage. The fourth rusher is a delayed linebacker who explodes past a confused left guard and forces an erroneous pass toward the middle of the field, resulting in the turnover. As a Michigan fan, it’s impossible to watch this without seeing Michael Barrett go after Alabama’s Jalen Milroe in the Rose Bowl.

As innovative and strong as the defense can be, it is not without flaws at the collegiate level.

Vulnerabilities and concerns
Man Coverage
Critics claim Martindale is very aggressive and frequently leaves his corners on islands, which explains the Don Brown analogies. However, this is not totally accurate.

When Martindale’s defense was at its peak, the team had one lockdown. Marlon Humphrey is a man-to-man cornerback, and Marcus Peters is a zone master.

Despite losing Peters on IR in September, Martindale’s final season with the Ravens in 2021 saw the club go 8-3 entering December. But when Humphrey suffered a season-ending injury in a loss to the Steelers, everything changed.

The Ravens lost their final five games, finished last in passing defense, missed the playoffs, and Martindale packed his bags for New York.

However, Martindale will leave his top corner on an island for better or worse, regardless of injury status or availability.

Expect Will Johnson to take up Humphrey’s role this season and maintain the defense’s most critical position. In terms of simplicity and one-note defensive talents, Brown is more similar to Dr. Phil than Dr. Blitz.While Martindale is more like Dr. Frankenstein, he can bring anything to life, even if it is only for a brief time.

Stopping the run.
One of the foundational principles of this defense is to halt the run. Last year, the Giants struggled to make teams one-dimensional, and their defense frequently played behind the sticks.

If Martindale is unable to compel a team to throw the football in apparent situations, the strength of his concept — blitzing — is basically negated. Speaking about…

Blitzing
“Who doesn’t love a good blitz?” – Michigan fans in 2016.

“Why in THE HELL are we blitzing?” – Michigan supporters in 2019.

The pendulum for success or failure in this defense is determined by whether or not the pressure can reach home. Martindale is frequently able to devise a free rusher and steal the initial read. However, if pressure does not reach the quarterback and he is able to proceed through his progressions, this defense may become more vulnerable than Drake after a breakdown.

Screens are a common strategy in college football to slow down aggressive defenses, particularly for air-raid offenses. Most people associate air raids with deep shots, but look no further.

Last year, we went further than Washington. The Huskies’ passes were almost always either laterally or deep, with the goal of creating busts and space within a defense. Will Wink be able to keep his plan from being exploited by a timely screen game?

In the NFL, run-pass-options are limited by the presence of downfield lineman. Linemen are only allowed one yard in the pros, although they can have three yards in college. Six feet make a significant difference in RPO camouflage and utility. Is Martindale ready for this collegiate innovation?

Pacing and Substitutions
The college game moves faster than the NFL. Most teams utilize an expedited version of the hurry-up, no-huddle offense, which can be tough to adjust to.

Just ask former Michigan defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who struggled to get his squad aligned before the snap in 2021.

Minter found ways around it by making timely replacements near the Michigan sideline and building a strong bench capable of carrying starters’ minutes.

This will be a challenge for Martindale, who hasn’t played college football since working for Jack Harbaugh, especially given how much of his scheme relies on quickness and frequent movement.

Requirements for Success: Personnel
If Martindale were drafting players to fit his scheme, it would most likely look like this. First, he would face a true No. 1 man-to-man cornerback. Martindale, like Marlon Humphrey and the player he hoped Adoree Jackson would become, can plan pressure but not solitary coverage.

Next, he’d like to add a defensive interior player(s). Large, athletic defensive linemen who obstruct rushing lanes and have the ability to drop into coverage.

Following the big guys, Martindale would want safeties who can do a little of everything. Whether it’s the ability to play at the line of scrimmage, 15 yards off the ball, or somewhere in between. The Giants’ free agency loss of Julian Love last year compounded their defensive issues in 2023, leaving unresolved holes in the defense.

To help the safeties, Martindale wants flexible do-it-all linebackers who can play a variety of roles within a single defense — blitz, stop the run, and play coverage.

Although Wink is a blitzing expert, having good edge rushers makes his life much easier and more enjoyable. Adding powerful, rapid edges to his defense can elevate his concepts to the next level. There is a reason why Elvis Dumervil prospered under Martindale’s supervision.

Finally, Wink would add capable zone corners who can also be counted on for man-to-man and open-field tackles.

Martindale’s roster includes cornerback Will Johnson, defensive tackles Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, and Rayshaun Benny, safeties Rod Moore and Makari Paige, linebackers Jaishawn  Barham and Ernest Hausman, and edges Josaiah Stewart and Derrick Moore.

If the Wolverines can develop a second cornerback and some crucial rotational players, they might once again be the best in the country.

Communication
This was a key component of the defense last year, and it will need to be again in 2024. With the number of checks, calls, and continual communication required in this system to avoid players from foregoing leverage or rushing the wrong gaps, players must be sharper than ever in their preparation and pre-snap. communication.

The level of movement in a Martindale scheme necessitates clarity in all 11 locations. With Wink’s disguises, deceptions, and gambles, one player being out of alignment could end in calamity.

Sure-tackling
Missed tackles may really ruin this defense. With so many resources frequently deployed near the line of scrimmage, pursuit angles and sticky tackles are essential skills for all backside players.

Under Minter, the Wolverines exhibited a penchant for the details and principles of tackling, and to be successful under Martindale, they must continue this pattern.

Overall thoughts.
First and foremost, if you are dissatisfied with the hire, know that this is only a temporary remedy. After a 20-year NFL career, I can’t image Martindale wanting to be on the road recruiting into his 60s. Martindale’s “pressure breaks pipes” theory has had its ups and downs, but it is critical to consider the context.

Martindale’s defense was ranked in the top five in scoring defense four times during his five years with the Ravens, with the lone decrease occurring when he lost both of his starting corners (after Matthew Judon and Yannick Ngakoue’s free agency).

In his first season with the Giants, Martindale helped head coach Brian Daboll rescue a 4-13 squad and win a playoff game with Daniel Jones at quarterback.

In year two, after losing the aforementioned Love and cornerback Fabian Moreau, working with a talent-depleted squad, and lacking any semblance of a competitive offense, Martindale’s defense deteriorated but still tied for the league lead with 31 forced turnovers. Regardless, this defense will find a way to Give the offensive a chance.

Second, recognize that the players will have a great time playing in this new system, and that this defense is designed specifically for this team and Michigan’s style. Martindale’s defenses are designed to protect leads and work perfectly with a ball-control attack.

Under Sherrone Moore, Michigan’s motto of “get ahead, stay ahead” will remain unchanged. This approach will allow Martindale’s team to pin its ears back and target college quarterbacks who are far less prepared to handle the post-snap innovation required to routinely overcome this defense.

Furthermore, players like Will Johnson, Mason Graham, Josaiah Stewart, Jaishawn Barham, and Rod Moore, among others, appear to have been developed in a lab to play this kind of defense.

Each of these athletes will have the chance to They had a tremendous final season in Ann Arbor and proved they could thrive in a sophisticated NFL defense.

Finally, Martindale has seen more dynamic quarterbacks and NFL schemes than most current college coaches. Michigan should have a defensive preparation and schematic advantage in the majority of games next season, combined with the ideal personnel matchup.

There will be a learning curve and periods of frustration, but this defense will be one of the most thrilling in college football by 2024.

Martindale is the ideal wildcard for a squad with long-shot championship hopes. Operating as an underdog for the first time in a few years, this club requires a little managed chaos to make a repeat run.