The Michigan football team is on a quest to find its perfect replacement for departing defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and there is a new name on the horizon, ex-Ravens and Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.

The news comes on a day when ex-Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh decided to snatch up defensive line coach Mike Elston from the Ann Arbor, MI based program. Harbaugh has been a vocal supporter of Michigan players in the NFL Draft including JJ McCarthy, for whom he made a bold prediction recently.

Now, the focus has shifted to a potential hire at one of the team's most important coaching positions in 2023-2024.

Michigan Football Interested in Martindale, Report Says 

Wink Martindale has previously coached for multiple NFL teams and is a well known and respected name around the league for his defensive coordinator skills.

With star defensive coordinator Jesse Minter headed to the Chargers, Martindale could be the choice to replace him.

Fans React to Martindale Hire Possibility

Opinions on the possibility of Martindale coming to Ann Arbor were mixed, to say the least. Michigan football won the national championship on the strength of young, up-and-coming coaches which may be part of the reason why some fans seemed skeptical about the possibility of hiring the NFL journeyman.

“This does not make me happy,” one fan said.

“Nobody wants to see this man,” another fan added.

Others sounded intrigued by the possibility of bringing an NFL veteran coach to the table. Michigan has had success going that route in the past with Mike McDonald, now the coach of the Seattle Seahawks, and Minter.

“Please give me Wink as DC,” one fan said on X.

“If he can recruit well I'm so down,” another fan added.