Michigan football: Wolverines introduce Ravens LB coach Mike Macdonald as DC

Mike Macdonald has officially made the move to Michigan after leaving the Ravens.

The Michigan defense, once a bastion of consistency amid some offensive struggles, came apart at the seams last year, and the poor play prompted Jim Harbaugh to make a change. He fired Don Brown and replaced him with Mike Macdonald, who has spent the last few seasons with some of the NFL’s most successful defenses.

After being linked to the Wolverines for the last week, the Ravens crashing out of the postseason made Macdonald able to officially take the coordinator job.

“Mike is an excellent defensive mind who is highly respected across the NFL,” said Harbaugh, the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach. “He has been a valuable member of the Baltimore Ravens staff, and shown a passion for teaching, coaching and developing his players. We are excited about everything that Mike brings to our defense, team and university, and look forward to welcoming him and his fiancé Stephanie to our Michigan Football family.”

“It is an honor to join Coach Harbaugh’s staff at the University of Michigan,” said Macdonald, Michigan’s Lester Family Defensive Coordinator. “I firmly believe in his vision and am excited to get to work. Our staff will work tirelessly to develop our young men both on and off the field — I cannot wait to meet and develop relationships with our players, staff, and community! Stephanie and I are excited to join the Michigan family, and we are very thankful for this opportunity — Go Blue!”

Mike Macdonald is trying to reinvent a defense that struggled under Don Brown

While Brown had Michigan ranked as the top defense in several categories in 2018, Dwayne Haskins put a major dent in Brown’s reputation by eviscerated that secondary and putting up 62 points. The 2020 season was the final nail in the coffin. Macdonald is coming from the coaching tree of an ultra-aggressive play-caller in Wink Martindale, who himself was a linebacker coach in his day.

Macdonald helped Baltimore rise to the top of several defensive categories in 2018, all the while helping CJ Mosley become one of the truly elite players in the game at his position. His success continued in 2020, as Baltimore’s defense was one of the league’s best despite plenty of injuries in that linebacking corps and a rookie in Patrick Queen assuming the starting role.

Harbaugh’s first Michigan teams were known for their ability to control the possession of the football through a strong running game and stifling defense. Harbaugh appears to be trying to get back to that formula, and hiring Macdonald is a major step in the right direction.

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