Michigan
Michigan’s Wink Martindale talks Will Johnson, playing man vs. zone coverage
When Wink Martindale was hired by Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore to be the Wolverines’ next defensive coordinator, the aggressive playcaller was immediately compared to former U-M defensive coordinator Don Brown. Martindale immediately set the record straight and shot down those comparisons.
No, Martindale’s defense is expected to look very similar to the one orchestrated by previous Michigan DCs Mike Macdonald (2021) and Jesse Minter (2022-23), which led the Wolverines to great success over the past three seasons. There’s been rhetoric stating Martindale will play more man-to-man coverage than Macdonald and Minter did, which led to those comparisons to Brown, but Martindale once again waved that off in a recent press conference.
“There’s no truth to any of that. I mean, that’s all speculation,” Martindale said, though the defensive coordinator did stress the importance of being able to play man coverage.
“I’ll say this wherever I’m at, and I’ll say it when I’m retired, OK? Man teams, when you start out teaching the principle of man, which we’ll do on the first practice, can play zone to win games. Zone teams who play nothing but zone can never play man to win the game,” Martindale said. “Teams that don’t pressure, when they have to pressure, it doesn’t usually look right because they don’t practice it enough. So if you just want a four-man rush and coverage the entire game, when it comes time where you need to win a situational play, if they know that you’re just going to be a four-man rush coverage team, you don’t have a very high success rate.”
That’s why Martindale is thrilled to have arguably the best cornerback in all of college football on his defense in junior Will Johnson.
“My preference, I want to corner out there and cover man,” Martindale said. “My preference. What we do with the safeties is our business. But if you got two corners that can play man, like Will can, that’s my preference. I like the guys that get drafted, high.”
After spending the last 20 years coaching in the NFL, Martindale knows what it takes for a cornerback to have success at the highest level of football. Johnson has that in spades, and Martindale wants to make sure the rest of Michigan’s secondary is put in the best situation to have success, not only this season in Ann Arbor but in the future as well.
Like under Macdonald and Minter, whom Martindale mentored within the Baltimore Ravens organization before their time at Michigan, the Wolverines will play a diverse and situational style of defense in 2024.
“I’m not saying you can’t play four-man rush and coverage in situations,” Martindale said. “But I think just building it off of the man principle, one-on-one coverage principle, which these kids have been playing ever since they played football with all the 7-on-7s and everything else they’re doing seventh grade on, sixth grade on, younger than that, they all grow up playing cat coverage. You know what cat coverage is? ‘I got that cat.’ So, I think that there’s a lot more things that go into it than just playing man, man, man.”
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The 2026 men’s basketball national championship game is set with Michigan vs. UConn.
And while the Huskies are going for their third national title in four years, it’s the Wolverines who enter Monday night’s final as the heavy favorite.
Michigan blasted Arizona on Saturday in a matchup of the remaining No. 1 seeds in what many thought would be the best game of the NCAA Tournament. It didn’t turn out that way, even with Wolverines star Yaxel Lendeborg dealing with an injury.
Michigan vs UConn spread, line: Who is favored to win national championship game?
Odds provided by BetMGM, as of 9:30 a.m., Sunday, April 5
- Moneyline: Michigan (-325); UConn (+260)
- Spread: Michigan (-7.5)
- Total over/under: 144.5
Michigan UConn prediction: Who will win national championship?
- Blake Toppmeyer: Michigan. The Wolverines’ total destruction of Arizona solidified that Michigan is the class of the tournament. UConn is playing well, but nobody is playing better than Michigan.
- Jordan Mendoza: Michigan. The Huskies are able to make it a competitive game, but Michigan is just too stacked. The Wolverines pull away midway through the second half and party like it’s 1989.
- Austin Curtright: Michigan. Michigan-Arizona was tabbed as one of the most-anticipated Final Four matchups in recent memory, and all the Wolverines did was dominate start to finish in a way no one has against the Wildcats this season. Michigan has defeated all of its 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament opponents by double digits, and finds a way to do so again against the Huskies, even with a potentially limited version of Yaxel Lendeborg.
- Ehsan Kassim: Michigan. Yes, this UConn team has been impressive in the past two rounds with a big comeback vs. Duke and then shut down Illinois’ offense. Michigan is another beast, as the Wolverines have been the most dominant team in the NCAA Tournament. They pull off the win to end a couple of droughts, even with Yaxel Lendeborg playing at less than 100%.
National championship game time
The national title game between Michigan and UConn is scheduled to tip at 8:50 p.m., Monday, April 6.
What channel will the national championship game be on? How to watch, streaming info?
Monday’s national title game is on TBS, TNT, truTV and available for streaming on HBO Max, which requires a subscription, or Sling TV, which carries TBS and truTV.
Indianapolis — If Michigan wants to play for a national championship, it might have to do so without its best player.
With 8:51 to play in the first half of a Final Four game against Arizona on Saturday night, Wolverines star Yaxel Lendeborg rolled his left ankle on a drive after he stepped on the foot of Arizona center Motiejus Krivas. After hitting two free throws, he subbed out of the game and headed down the tunnel with the help of a trainer.
Lendeborg’s pain showed immediately. After he got up from falling, he walked down the court, wincing, squatting to collect himself. He tied his shoes tighter to boos from some Arizona fans before hitting his foul shots. Then he walked to the bench, down the stairs, past concerned teammates, before heading off to be evaluated.
Arizona went on a 9-0 run after Lendeborg left the game.
Lendeborg returned to the Michigan bench, walking gingerly, with about six minutes left in the first half, but did not immediately return to the game. He then returned to the locker room before the end of the half.
Late in the first half, Tracy Wolfson on the TV broadcast reported that Lendeborg’s ankle would be iced with the Wolverines possibly getting their star back for the second half.
Lendeborg was the Big Ten Player of the Year and leads Michigan with 15.2 points per game, but he played just five minutes of the game against Arizona. In the span of 1:22, he picked up two defensive fouls and had to sub out, returning at 12:57 as the Wolverines led 19-10.
Lendeborg made a 3-pointer and hauled in a rebound before leaving the game with his injury.
cearegood@detroitnews.com
@ConnorEaregood
Michigan
Flooding reported across much of Mid-Michigan after heavy rainfall overnight, several roads impassable
LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Flooding is impacting many people across Mid-Michigan after heavy rainfall late Friday and into Saturday morning. News 10 Chief Meteorologist Darrin Rockcole says some areas of Mid-Michigan saw 1-2+ inches of rain. The Lansing area saw more rain overnight than those near Jackson and to the south.
Mid-Michigan is not out of the woods yet when it comes to rain for the rest of Saturday either, as explained in your latest First Alert Forecast. If you see flooding in your area, submit photos and videos to News 10 by clicking here.
Many major roadways are experiencing flooding, leading to several highways being shut down as water was over the roadway. Numerous flood warnings, watches and advisories are in effect across Mid-Michigan.
Here are the many reports of flooding from city and county officials across Mid-Michigan. This has led to the closing of roads across the area.
EATON COUNTY
SB I-69 just north of Potterville exit (66) was closed with water over the freeway.
Eaton County has canceled their outdoor siren test for Saturday due to the inclement weather.
Michigan State Police said on ‘X’ Saturday that numerous area roadways were flooded outside of the previously mentioned portion of I-69.
Traffic Alert! Eaton County: Due to the heavy rains in the area, southbound I-69 at Vermontville Hwy is flooded and impassable. Numerous other roads in the Eaton County area are also flooded. Troopers are reminding the public that if you do not have to go out right now, it might… pic.twitter.com/KcUzYIMOzK
— MSP First District (@MSPFirstDist) April 4, 2026
INGHAM COUNTY
I-496 was flooded between Waverly and Martin Luther King in Lansing, drivers were asked to avoid the area.
Potter Park Zoo: The zoo is closed Saturday as flooding is impacting Pennsylvania Ave in Lansing.
Ingham County has canceled its outdoor siren test for Saturday due to the inclement weather.
CITY OF LANSING
Traffic alert from the city: Reports of many streets flooded throughout Lansing. Please use caution while driving and do not attempt to drive through standing water.
CITY OF EAST LANSING
City Alert: Reports of streets flooded throughout the area and basements with backed up water. Use caution when driving. Do not attempt to drive through standing water. Check sump pumps for proper operation and monitor basements for signs of water.
CLINTON COUNTY
County siren test scheduled for Saturday has been canceled due to inclement weather. Next testing opportunity will be May 2, 2026 at noon.
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Be the first to see the Mid-Michigan headlines you care about – download the News 10 mobile app and subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and YouTube page to receive the latest local news and weather.
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