During the first few games of the season, Michigan football fans weren't overjoyed with the performance of defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
Yet, by the end of the season, Martindale had won everyone over. Down the stretch, the Michigan football defense played incredibly well.
Over the last three games, Martindale's defense allowed just 23 points. Ohio State, the No. 2 team in the country at the time, was held to 10. No. 11 Alabama scored 13 in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
What was impressive about that performance is that Michigan football was without four projected first-round picks on defense and still shut down one of the highest-scoring offenses in the country.
That made the prospect of Martindale's return for next season an exciting one for Michigan football. However, with the NFL coach hiring cycle underway, it's not clear if Martindale will be back.
Wink Martindale interviews with NFL team
The long-time NFL defensive coordinator for the Ravens and New York Giants has reportedly taken an interview with the Atlanta Falcons for their vacant defensive coordinator position. This is according to Jonathan Jones, an NFL insider for CBS.
I wondered if NFL teams would come after Martindale, who is one of the highest-paid defensive coordinators in college football. Mike Macdonald, the Michigan football DC in 2021, who coached under Martindale in Baltimore, left after one season and is now an NFL head coach.
Jesse Minter, who coordinated the defense in 2022 and 2023, is now the defensive coordinator for the Chargers, working for Jim Harbaugh. So it's not crazy that another NFL team wants a coordinator running the system Michigan has run for the past four seasons.
Losing Martindale would be a blow. It took him about half the season, but he figured out the college game and the defense would be elite with him calling it in 2025.
The Wolverines will surely find another talented defensive coordinator if Martindale does leave. For now, all Michigan football fans can do is wait and hope.