Steve Clinkscale speaks relationships with Jesse Minter, Ron Bellamy

Steve Clinkscale is going through his first spring football run with Michigan heading into his second season on the job. The defensive backs coach was hired after the spring last year, replacing Maurice Linguist. The Wolverines’ success on the field in 2021 helped him earn a co-defensive coordinator title and pay bump this offseason.

Things are different with Michigan’s defense these days. The Wolverines are much younger and lack experience the last group had. It also has a new leader in defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who comes from the same Baltimore Ravens mold as Mike Macdonald and coached at Vanderbilt last season.

By design, the schematics and philosophy of what Michigan wants to do on defense are still there.

“There is a lot of carryover,” Clinkscale told the media on Wednesday. “We try to go through it with a fine-toothed comb every year no matter who you are or how long you’ve been here. Try to coach it in, make corrections and make it simpler for the players and the coaches to understand. We have a better understanding after a year of how people are trying to attack us. We are then able to make adjustments.”

Business as usual at Michigan

So far, Clinkscale has not seen much difference in how Michigan will operate. The synergy between he and Minter is strong through the meat and potatoes of spring football.

“Not a whole lot different,” Clinkscale said. “I take care of my position of course. Jesse and I are on the same page. It’s the same way it has been since I’ve been here no matter your position or title. If you have something to say or something that’s going to make us better, speak up. It’s the same way with coaches as I stand here with the title of co-coordinator. It’s always been a guy to speak my mind and find ways to make it simpler for our players so we can win games. As far as playcalling, Jesse is going to be the main playcaller. We will definitely touch base and even now, we talk during practice and make calls and adjustments together. It is a united front.”

Though his time working with former coordinator Mike Macdonald was limited at Michigan, Clinkscale has nothing but praise for how he approached the game. He sees a similar mold in Minter and his father, defensive analyst Rick Minter.

“Mike is a great guy,” he said. “Didn’t know Mike very long, but he’s a very smart football coach. He cared about the players and was always in here trying to get the right thing. He sacrificed hours and hours [in the building] trying to make sure players were in the right position. Jesse is no different. He’s the same way. He knows the system inside and out and knows football. His dad was a head coach. He’s been around football his entire life. They are both great guys and their personalities fit well with mine. I enjoy working with both of them.”

The Clinkscale/Bellamy connection

A big part of Michigan’s success on the back end of the defense, as well as the recruiting trail, is the relationship between Clinkscale and Ron Bellamy. Bellamy coached the safeties the last season, but moved over to offense this year. He will be working on the wide receivers.

Despite that, not a whole lot has changed with the way either work together at Michigan or how they recruit.

“I don’t talk to him,” Clinkscale joked. “We try to make sure we split up the Detroit area. And then even though he’s not with the secondary, we still coach the skill positions. We are always looking for guys that play both sides because we are looking for a more versatile player. I don’t try to pigeonhole someone as just a receiver or corner. If he can play both, for example Amorion Walker, if he can play both, let’s recruit him together. Let’s get him here and he’ll help someway, somehow. Ron and I work extremely close together. That’s my brother and I’m always going to be side-by-side with him.”

Michigan’s wide receivers room is set to be one of the strengths of the team this year. A talented and athletic freshman class aids in that. Clinkscale and Bellamy still get work in together during practices by bringing their groups together.

“They’re fast. Our guys are really fast and competitive,” Clinkscale said. “We work a lot together, the receivers and defensive backs. Did with that with Coach Gattis as well. We work on releases, I show them how they can beat certain things. They show us how they are going to attack us. It’s making us all better. Every last one of the receivers, I don’t think I haven’t looked up and said, ‘wow that’s a good catch.’ Or ‘wow, that’s a good route.’ Everybody is doing a great job.”

This dynamic is supported by Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, who builds time into the practice schedule fro the defensive backs and wide receivers to work together.

“It’s something you’d like to incorporate, but you don’t always get to,” he said. “When you have coaches that are on the same page, we coach the same way and want the best for the team, it’s a lot easier to get to. Plus Coach Harbaugh does a good job of giving us time to work on man-to-man or releases and blocking. He scripts that in practice.”