The Michigan Insider has confirmed that Lionel Stokes has been officially hired by Michigan football to serve as a defensive analyst.
The Wolverines’ interest in Stokes was initially revealed by 247Sports in mid-March:
“Michigan is expected to hire Lionel Stokes as a defensive analyst, sources tell 247Sports,” Matt Zenitz wrote on March 13.
“In addition to working at Louisiana with new Michigan DB coach LaMar Morgan, the ex-Louisiana starting safety has also been a defensive coordinator at Jackson State and a DB coach at Jackson and Nicholls.”
“McPhee, who played collegiately at Mississippi State, played 11 seasons in the NFL. Has been a longtime favorite of new Michigan DC Wink Martindale, who coached him with the Baltimore Ravens,” Matt Zenitz reported last month.
McPhee was a member of the Ravens from 2011–14 and 2019–21. In February 2013, the Ravens defeated Jim Harbaugh and the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII.
After the Wolverines’ 2023 drive for a national championship, the defensive coaching staff was entirely remodeled, and the two new hires will be joining it. Leading it is veteran NFL defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who calls himself the “OG” of the Ravens’ defensive strategy, which Michigan used with Mike Macdonald and Jesse Minter.
“I think the great thing is that we were all together, Mike (Macdonald), Jesse (Minter) and I and, obviously, others you’ve seen throughout the NFL. I think there’s like six teams that are running this system now. Same thing college-wise, D’Anton Lynn at USC,”
Martindale said earlier this spring. “It’s been a lot of fun, and I think we all have our own personalities but I think we all call games differently than each other. Some are more aggressive, some are less aggressive.
“The thing that I love about it is the system works. It’s proven that it works. I think both Mike and Jesse did a tremendous job here at Michigan and it’s fun for me to watch the tape because you do become the proud parent, if you will, of seeing other guy’s success and everything else.
I think as the defensive coordinator, I think it’s my job to not only develop players but to develop coaches. You’re seeing a lot of success with those guys.”