Mike Macdonald’s tenure as Michigan’s defensive coordinator is over after just one year.
The Baltimore Ravens officially hired Macdonald as their new defensive coordinator on Thursday night.
We have hired Mike Macdonald as our defensive coordinator.
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 28, 2022
:https://t.co/SztI57r1xJ pic.twitter.com/JX1pJkv9p1
Macdonald had a big impact in his lone season as Michigan’s defensive coordinator, leading a defense that ranked eighth nationally in points allowed per game (17.4) and 20th nationally in yards allowed per game (330.9) while leading the Wolverines to a Big Ten title and a College Football Playoff berth. Macdonald’s defense also had much more success slowing down Ryan Day’s offense than Don Brown’s defense had in Michigan’s previous two meetings with Ohio State, as the Wolverines held the Buckeyes to a season-low 458 yards of offense in their 42-27 win over Ohio State, Michigan’s first win in The Game in 10 years.
Now, Michigan will be back in the market for a new defensive coordinator for the second year in a row after parting ways with Brown following the 2020 season. If the Wolverines choose to promote from within, potential candidates for the job could include defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale and newly hired defensive line coach Mike Elston, who just joined the Wolverines earlier this month after 12 years at Notre Dame.
Unsure about the timing, but I think there's traction with Mike Macdonald and the Ravens. At least Michigan is preparing for that possibility. If Macdonald departs, Michigan would have a couple of internal options with Steve Clinkscale and newly hired D-line coach Mike Elston.
— Austin Meek (@byAustinMeek) January 26, 2022
Macdonald returns to the Ravens after just one year away from the organization, as he was previously an assistant coach for the Ravens from 2014-20. He replaces Wink Martindale, whose tenure as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator came to an end last week after four seasons.
