NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
The Michigan football defense we saw early in the season in 2024 was much different than the one that surfaced by the end.
After letting Texas move up and down the field, as well as some other teams, the Wolverines didn’t appear to have that top-notch defense as it had the previous year under then-defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. But by the end of the year, despite a Nov. 9 loss to Indiana, it appeared as if Wink Martindale’s unit had turned the corner.
That became that much more clear in Week 14 when Michigan held Ohio State to 10 points and in the ReliaQuest Bowl when vaunted Alabama had just 13.
Martindale appeared on the In the Trenches Podcast on Wednesday and explained when and how things changed for the Wolverine defense in 2024.
“You can go back — you just said second half that — holding Indiana to 18 yards in the second half,” Martindale said. “And I think the No. 1 thing was the physicality that we played with, the technique, the fundamentals that we emphasized all year. And really, everyone got a better grasp of it going into the second half. I think when you talk about the Ohio State game, and I said it before, it’s the physicality that we played with. And, just after that game, it was like they refused to let anything affect them during the game, because situational football — we played great situational football in that game. And, (Makari Paige changing positions) was part of it.
“So, it was great. It was fun for me to be a part of, for the kids, and watching them play.”
Given Ohio State’s offense, no one gave the maize and blue much of an opportunity but the Wolverines rose to the challenge. The Game was particularly special for Martindale, but it wasn’t just because of the rivalry, but where he’s from as well as the players taking ownership of the defense that particular week.
“Well, it was different…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/wink-martindale-explains-why-michigan-183607555.html
Author : Wolverines Wire
Publish date : 2025-03-05 18:36:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
