COLUMN: Michigan DC Wink Martindale challenges players, but coaching staff has to provide them with answers

Even after coming off an embarrassing road loss to USC this past Saturday, Michigan football seems to be focused on bouncing back and making sure they have accountability all the way around to fix the issues they had against the Trojans.

That was apparent in a report from The Wolverine that detailed defensive coordinator Wink Martindale's message to his crew following a performance where they allowed nearly 500 yards to USC's high powered offense.

“Basically, what type of man are you going to be? How are you going to respond," graduate student defensive tackle Damon Payne said the defensive coordinator's message was. "Are you going to let this moment affect the next weeks you got, or are you going to just move on?”

The report also detailed Payne's comments about how there is accountability amongst "everybody," including players and coaches.

Surely, coaches should challenge their players as it's their responsibility to motivate them and help them make plays on Saturdays, and Martindale is right to ask his players how they are going to respond.

At the same time, a lot of time needs to seemingly be spent from the Michigan coaching staff on figuring out why the Wolverines have been outplayed so badly in both of their losses to USC and Oklahoma by asking questions about the gameplans for each of those contests.

The offensive side of the ball has struggled in those games, but at the same time, although not an excuse, one might expect an offense featuring a true freshman QB in the first year of a college to struggle at times.

However, coming into the season, the defense was expected to carry the team during times the offense might be finding its way, especially under a defensive coordinator in his second year with the program and possessing plenty of talent and veteran presence to be dominant on that side of the ball.

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive end Derrick Moore (8) recovers a fumble by USC Trojans tight end Lake McRee (87) in the first half at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Although the unit has certainly had times it has played at a high level, it's not been consistent enough considering their talent level, especially in the Wolverines' two losses, where Martindale's unit has given up nearly 900 yards of total offense in the two games.

In both of those games, and in the Wolverines' 24-10 victory over Wisconsin on Oct. 5, Michigan's defense allowed opening drive touchdowns in all three of those games in what has been a problem plaguing Martindale's unit all season long. Even in Michigan's win over Nebraska earlier in the season, the Huskers drove 70 yards before being stopped on fourth down.

It would be one thing if opponents offenses had fast starts on the Wolverines once or twice, but it clearly has become a trend that has put Michigan in an early hole in too many games at the halfway point in the season. At some point, the lack of recognizing how offenses are trying to attack them early in games falls directly on the shoulders of head coach Sherrone Moore and the defensive staff.

While the Wolverines were able to correct their early defensive issues against Wisconsin, the same problems persisted against a USC offense that possesses many more weapons than the Badgers as Martindale's defense was exposed all game long.

The constant theme coming from coach Moore during his presser earlier in the week relating to the defense is that the tackling needs to be better. While that's certainly true in some cases, particularly on the 49-yard run by USC running back from King Miller on a 3rd-and-26 play in the third quarter, the lack of tackling wasn't always the issue.

For example, on a play in the first half, Martindale chose to put seven players in the box when the Trojans were in an empty set, while the Wolverine defensive backs gave the USC slot receiver over 15 yards of cushion for an easy pitch and catch, as this fan on X pointed out:

let’s check in on wink martindale at michigan pic.twitter.com/gGTsx98vrb
— ronnie (@ronnie_harter) October 14, 2025

I'm not sure whether that's a communication issue of being in the wrong call/defense, but regardless, it's an example where Michigan's players are not be putting in position to have any sort of success.

There were also several examples in both losses where Martindale's defense continued to get beat on similar play designs over and over again. Against the Sooners, it was the delayed draw play from QB John Mateer who gave Oklahoma's rushing attack life, which was non-existent otherwise, that somehow the Michigan staff could not adjust to. Against the Trojans, it was the screen passes that Michigan couldn't identify despite that being and obvious part of USC's gameplan to neutralize the Michigan pass rush.

Players do need to make plays, but coaches need to put the players in a position on a consistent basis to make those plays. Martindale is a seasoned coach who has been in the game since the mid 1980s and has certainly been a succesful one. Last year, Michigan's defense turned a major corner in the season's final few weeks, which helped lead to upsets over Alabama and Ohio State.

Now, the Wolverines don't have much margin for error if they expect to keep their hopes alive for a playoff spot, and it will be the defense that will have to step up and play to their potential in the second half.

Sep 13, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive back Brandyn Hillman (6) and linebacker Ernest Hausmann (15) celebrate a play in the first half against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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