The effect of nuclear reorientation coupling on the magnetic substate population in heavy ion inelastic scattering is discussed. Coupled channels calculation of the inelastic scattering of 56 MeV ¹⁶O projectiles by ⁹²Zr leading to its first excited 2+ state is used as an illustration for the discussion. It is shown that at energies near the Coulomb barrier, the information on reorientation coupling can be extracted from the magnetic substrate population only by a careful analysis in the Coulomb-nucleus interference region.