The Michigan football team has had a ton of turnover from the 2023-2024 National Championship team, and new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale will be tasked with picking up from where the departing Jesse Minter left off in 2024-2025.
The Wolverines return as much defensive talent and experience on paper as any team in the Big Ten, and perhaps the nation, adding to expectations for a potential fourth straight Big Ten championship.
Recently, the Pro Football Focus X account shared a graphic on Michigan’s returning stars on defense that had fans offering up strong opinions.
The Wolverines’ top defensive returnees include potential top 10 pick Will Johnson, EDGE rushing star Josaiah Stewart, defensive end Derrick Moore, defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, and Maryland transfer Jaishawn Barham. Safety Makari Paige also returns, although he will be missing his defensive backfield mate Rod Moore this time around unless he is able to recover from a torn ACL suffered in practice.
Does Michigan have the best defense in the country? pic.twitter.com/Y6Sz5jVmXE
— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 27, 2024
Does Michigan have the best defense in the country? pic.twitter.com/Y6Sz5jVmXE
— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 27, 2024
The Wolverines are projected to win 9.5 games in 2024-2025 according to the latest preseason poll shared by 247Sports.com.
Fans reacted to the Wolverines content posted by Pro Football Focus with a series of strong minded takes both for and against the notion of the Wolverines having the nation’s best defense again this upcoming season.
“If Rod (Moore) had not gotten hurt it would be a no-brainer,” one reader said.
“Not even close to the best defense talent wise,” another fan, presumably an Ohio State backer, said.
“Wink Martindale is calling their defense as well,” they added with a laughing and crying emoji.
“They will have an elite defense but they lost too many starters to say they have the best defense in the country preseason,” another reader added. “ESPN had them returning only 47% production on defense (109th).”
The Wolverines’ secondary was considered the best in the nation by the time the 2024 season was all said and done. Michigan intercepted Heisman finalist Michael Penix Jr. twice in the 2024 National Championship Game en route to a 34-13 victory as JJ McCarthy did just enough to lead Michigan to the win.
Title game hero Mike Sainristil intercepted Penix Jr. late in the game, sealing Michigan’s first national title since 1997 before being drafted by the Washington Commanders last month.
Michigan has dipped into the transfer portal to offset the loss of Moore, the hero of last year’s Ohio State game in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines have picked up four players with high potential who appear to fit Martindale’s system: Albany cornerback Aamir Hall, Tennessee safety Wesley Walker, Michigan State safety Jaden Mangham and, most recently, UNLV cornerback Ricky Johnson.
Online poll respondents selected Michigan football as having the best defense in the United States over Ohio State football, Georgia football and the field.
Best Defense in CFB in ‘24?
— 🏈Sports Biz College Football (@SportsBizCFB) May 27, 2024