mike macdonald
defensive coordinator search
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Report: Mike Macdonald Leaving for Ravens Job Comment Count

Seth January 26th, 2022 at 2:24 PM

After one season of sharing, it seems big brother John stomped back into Jim’s room and took back his defensive coordinator. The Wolverine's Chris Balas reported this afternoon that it's virtually a done deal after Michigan's DC met with John Harbaugh about the Ravens opening.

Barring a change of heart or an 11th-hour event, Michigan defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald will return to Baltimore to be the Ravens’ D.C.

Young rental Mike Macdonald was a big part of the one-year turnaround in Ann Arbor in his first year ever coordinating a defense himself. Before that however he spent years coming up under Baltimore’s star coordinator Dean Pees. Apparently it only took that one season for John Harbaugh to decide that Macdonald, not elder successor Don “Wink” Martindale, was the real brains behind their continued success after Pees’s retirement.

Michigan will probably play the field, though they could also turn to program options like Steve Clinkscale or recent hire Mike Elston, both of whom have held titles beyond position coach in the past, but never coordinated themselves. So far there's been no indication that LBs coach George Helow, who followed Macdonald to Michigan, would go back as well.

Comments

Erik_in_Dayton

January 26th, 2022 at 2:37 PM ^

I said this in the other thread, but I think a silver lining here is that Harbaugh (our Harbaugh) must have learned his lesson about having a DC who can switch coverages.  I don't think we'll return to the days of watching our CBs flail in man coverage as OSUs receivers run a million crossing routes. 

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allezbleu

January 26th, 2022 at 4:53 PM ^

True. If he's as good as most of us think he is, it's unlucky that we only got one year out of him. The Ravens are a couple heartbreaking plays away this season from having 2 or 3 more wins. That's before we even consider Lamar's injuries. The Ravens would've made the playoffs and most likely retained Wink and MacDonald probably stays in Ann Arbor. Alas.

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JonnyHintz

January 26th, 2022 at 3:20 PM ^

Coordinator continuity isn’t really a good thing. Generally means your coordinators are either not very good or there’s some glaring issue keeping other teams from hiring them (bad recruiter, bad character, age)

It sucks losing him after 1 year, but you want you coordinators at least getting major consideration for other jobs every 2-3 years. It implies success on the field 

Joined: 01/11/2015

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matt1114

January 26th, 2022 at 2:44 PM ^

Looking at some candidates the media thought we should look at last year it looks like a few others bolted after 1 year. 

Derek Mason went from Auburn to Oklahoma State.

John Rudzinski went to Virginia this year (his alma). 

 

The Elston hire seems to make more sense now since he has a good 20 years coaching on the defensive side whereas Nua had 6 when hired. 

 

 

Edit: I'm hoping I'm just reading too much into this but Derrick Moore(Who didn't enroll early) had a primary recruit of Nua(Off to USC) and Macdonald. Hopefully, he stays committed and has built relationships with other staff and the enrollees. 

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JamesBondHerpesMeds

January 26th, 2022 at 2:47 PM ^

Young Macdonald said Go Blue

e-i-e-i-o

But then John Harbaugh called him too

e-i-e-i-o

with a caw caw here

and a caw caw there

here a caw, there a caw

everywhere a caw caw

Macdonald left us way too soon

e-i-e-i-o

Joined: 04/13/2009

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ERdocLSA2004

January 26th, 2022 at 5:05 PM ^

Great opportunity for Macdonald, can’t fault him at all.  Seems a little strange that this transpired the way it did.  Playing red rover between the NFL and college that is also between HC brothers doesn’t seem like they did our program any favors.  While it’s hard to have coordinator continuity, you’d think we’d be able to hang on to a first time coordinator for more than one season.  Recruits do in fact care about playing for the coordinators that recruit them.

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camblue

January 26th, 2022 at 5:47 PM ^

I mean it got us a win over OSU, a conference championship and a playoff berth. If someone told you last year when we hired Macdonald it would only be for one year but we'd get all of the above, not a single fan would have turned that down. The long term "good" for our program stemming from the above far outweighs a little short term pain from switching DCs again. So playing red rover specifically doesn't do us any favors but overall we got a great deal and I don't think anyone would do it differently.

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jimmyjoeharbaugh

January 26th, 2022 at 2:59 PM ^

I am super happy about this year's performance, but it is frustrating that people keep using Michigan as a springboard in a short time period. 

Congrats to Mac but also thanks for ... 1 good year??? 

Joined: 09/12/2018

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los barcos

January 26th, 2022 at 3:10 PM ^

Well, it always seemed like his future was going to be in the NFL.  I highly doubt he would have been gone this year if it wasn't Baltimore calling him back - but there was no way we were getting a third year if he maintained some success next year.  Unfortunate, but that's the name of the game in premier college football programs ...

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rice4114

January 26th, 2022 at 6:15 PM ^

Serious question.

What is the pay difference between a first year NFL DC and a top flight FBS DC (Bama Clemson Osu etc)

I guess I dont understand our fanbase. We are all "Shoot the money cannon" but then we are too poor to retain a DC. Which is it.

And this isnt a criticism of Macdonald just wondering in general why we cant match the NFL? We move Harbaughs pay 4million each way yearly.

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bronxblue

January 26th, 2022 at 3:02 PM ^

I do wonder who's still out there as an option this late in the cycle. I mean, I'm sure they could try poaching someone from a decent program but more likely you're either trying to import an NFL guy or pulling a guy up from a G5 team, both of which have their pluses and minuses.  I'd almost go with a dual DC with Clinkscale and Elston for a year and then see what you have next offseason.

Still, not a big surprise once Wink was fired.  Ah well.

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michengin87

January 26th, 2022 at 3:03 PM ^

Best of luck to Mike with Brother John.

I'll take the one year that we got and appreciate the vast improvements throughout the defensive schemes.

The Elston hire makes complete sense now.  With Elston, Clink and Bellamy, I think we'll be in good hands on the defensive side of the ball this year.

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