Michigan State Postgame Presser Transcript: Brady Hoke
"You should have used a different game plan."
Your rushing offense –
“A lot of negative yardage plays. I thought there were some pretty good runs once in a while in there, but you snap the ball for a 20 yard loss, you get sacked I don’t know how many times, so your yardage part of it isn’t very good. You put yourself behind the 8-ball a little bit not executing, and then you’re forced into doing some things you don’t want to do the whole time.”
What does the offensive line need to do to protect Devin better and avoid sacks?
“It’s not just the line. There’s backs involved, there’s routes involved, there’s timing, all those issues are part of it. We have to get better.”
Did all the shuffling on the offensive line have something to do with it?
“Nope.”
What’s Devin’s status? He sat out the last series.
“Yeah, he got pounded a little bit. He was a warrior out there that last drive before the interception at the end. He did a nice job getting us down the field, had taken a lot of shots early in the game. He just was a little bit worn out.”
Does he have an injury?
“No. I wouldn’t say he has an injury. I would say beat up. If that’s an injury, then that’s an injury.”
In the history of this game, the team that rushes for more yards wins. How critical was the rushing game today?
“Well it’s always critical.”
Why do you think there were so many negative yardage plays?
“We didn’t execute as well as they did.”
That’s it?
“Pretty much.”
Taylor Lewan’s personal foul?
“I didn’t see that. I think that’s his frustration more than anything.”
You had a couple trips to the red zone in the first half. Did you think about taking a shot in the end zone at all?
“I think if we wanted to take a shot, we would have.”
There’s a lot of talk before the game about the toughness gap between the two teams.
“By … you guys?”
Yeah.
“From two years ago.”
Right. Did it disappoint you that the gap seems to have widened?
“I don’t think so. I think our kids played hard. I don’t think we executed very well. There’s eight to six plays in a game like this that make a difference. And if you go back and watch it again, you’ll see there’s eight to six plays that made a difference in the game from a standpoint of momentum, standpoint of confidence, and what you want to do. That’s part of it.”
How big was it to give up that touchdown before the half?
“That was a disappointing drive there at the end of the half. It drives you crazy. You give up points right at the end of the half, and it’s disappointing.”
How do you not allow a game like this to beat you next week?
“Well hopefully you do a great job as a group of leaders. Talk about coaches, senior captains, all those guys. Understanding where we are and what we need to do. I know they signed up for a guaranteed 12 games.”
With so much emphasis on a Big Ten title, what does this team have to play for?
“Still. It’s not in our hands. But you never know unless you’re forecasting for us now. Who knows?”
Does it surprise you that there was a lack of execution with the two weeks off?
“No. I think there’s more made out of that than anything else. Does it surprise me? Yeah. It surprises me. It has nothing to do with two weeks.”
Did you think you’d be further along?
“Well I was hoping.”
Is it coaching that you have to go back and look at?
“You always do.”
MGoQuestion: Going along with that, were you satisfied with the preparation and game plan?
“Yes. We wouldn’t have run the plays we ran unless we were satisfied.”
MGoFollowup: But considering the result …
“Hindsight’s always 20/20, right?”
What did you make of Michigan State’s defensive line and Shillique Calhoun?
“I think he’s a good football player. We’ve had a lot of respect for their defense all week going into this game, and I grabbed Max Bullough afterwards because he’s one of the guys I like watching play football. We have a lot of respect for them.”
Do you think the identity of this team is that it needs to get better in the trenches?
“That’s part of it. We haven’t played the way we like to every game.”
When Devin did have time, how did you think he played?
“I don’t know. Pretty good. But it would be nice to give him more time.”
What do you tell your fan base and alumni about dropping five of the last six games to Michigan State?
“Well, they’ve won five of the last six. Something like that. Well, we gotta keep working.”
Five of six is pretty significant. Do you think there’s that big of a gap?
“I don’t think there is a gap. I think they played awfully well, executed awfully well. I don’t think we did.”
November 4th, 2013 at 12:18 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 6:26 PM ^
What a waste of time.
November 3rd, 2013 at 9:56 PM ^
i'm sure contractually he has to, but this..
November 3rd, 2013 at 6:46 PM ^
I'm sure this is the film you want to be watching on your birthday!
November 3rd, 2013 at 6:50 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 6:51 PM ^
happen until after the season. People can rant and rave all they want, but this team isn't going to get much better this season. UM is what it is. The time for raging should come in spring if no serious changes have been made to offensive staff.
November 3rd, 2013 at 9:57 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 6:51 PM ^
keeps out-executing the nail.
November 3rd, 2013 at 6:51 PM ^
was supposedly once asked at a press conference after a rough loss what he thought of his team's execution. He replied, "I'm all for it."
Too bad, since these conferences are all about deflection. "Execution" is a meaningless term.
November 3rd, 2013 at 7:14 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 7:18 PM ^
Fire Borges and Funk.
November 3rd, 2013 at 7:28 PM ^
Carl Pelini
not seriously
but seriously anyone will do
November 3rd, 2013 at 7:22 PM ^
6 to 8 plays were the difference? Almost would have preferred to have the press corps just get up and leave the room after that answer.
November 3rd, 2013 at 7:31 PM ^
How about one of those tipped and nearly intercepted passes actually being an INT? Or the fumble recovered OB going our way? Or, what about if Allen had been ejected for targeting on the first play of the game when he clearly lead his hit on Gallon's head with his helmet? Or, what if that flukey 49 yard pass to the FB didn't happen? I think EVERY game comes down to a few plays that could go either way. It seemed to me that MSU's intensity ramped up, like sharks smelling blood in the water. Had a few early breaks gone our way, it might have been different. Who knows?
November 3rd, 2013 at 7:38 PM ^
Seriously dude. I get trying to be optimistic and supporting the staff, but you are such a yes man chronie it's getting suspicious. It's like you are hired by the staff as some sort of propoganda coordinator. Give it a rest man, we got our asses whipped yesterday by a better prepared, more physical team. Don't be that delusional apologist guy who can't acknowledge an ass kicking. This was not a fluky game where we turn it over 4 times. This was beat down.
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:01 PM ^
Suspicious? LOL, ok whatever you say BILG. LOL!
Yep you caught me. I am part of Brandon's "internet damage control" team...making sure that the reactionary fans that refuse to actually do any research into the causes of Michigan's struggles finally "get it." LOL! You're a peach BILG!
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:09 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:14 PM ^
By mid-way through the third quarter it was obvious we were getting dominated. And our game plan was a clusterf*ck. This was a failure on multiple levels.
November 3rd, 2013 at 7:29 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:02 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:15 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:19 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 7:54 PM ^
Urban. He looks like he's yelling "Where the hell did I leave my wallet and keys?"
Hoke actually looks pretty bad ass in that picture.
But I suppose you're one of those people that thinks a headset provides some sort of magical ability to make someone prepare the team better throughout the week or develop players more quickly?
November 3rd, 2013 at 7:45 PM ^
plain and simple
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:00 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 7:47 PM ^
Perhaps Denard masked what none of us wants to admit - that the is a very mediocre coaching staff. Sure Hoke can recruit but he has not showed he can coach. His best contribution was recruiting Mattison and getting top recruits. He has done nothing with the talent. We give him a break because of 2011. Is it possible that season may be more about the key players on the team than the coaching staff turning the program around. The bottom line is Hoke was an average coach (in terms of wins) at middling programs. He had not won anything as a head coach and I am afraid we are in for years of mediocrity until the alumni get so fed up they force a change. Sad but true
November 3rd, 2013 at 7:55 PM ^
Yeesh ya'll dramatic.
Guy loses and suddenly the way he behaves at his press conferences is ALL WRONG. I hope the venting makes you feel better, at least.
November 3rd, 2013 at 7:59 PM ^
I think he learned how to answer press questions from Lloyd Carr
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:00 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:16 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:17 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:27 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 10:55 PM ^
/s (sorta)
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:30 PM ^
I have discovered the answer to our football team's woes:
Flubber cleats.
November 3rd, 2013 at 9:07 PM ^
Flubber cleats. We could win on field goals alone, not to mention block every opponent's field goals, pats, and punts.
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:59 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 9:00 PM ^
Post game press conferences. after a loss, are a waste of everyone's time. It hasn't always been like this but it is now. I don't watch them or read them, and normally don't read the posts about them, or the comments except today, read the first page here. No surprises. If we win, of course, it's much different, it's like replaying all the highlights and adding to the satisfaction of the win. But with a loss, especially in today's climate, I can't imagine a Michigan coach doing or saying anything different than what Hoke is doing. You want him to criticize his team, or his staff? Not gonna happen no matter what insightful questions are posed. You want him to sound tough, to show emotion? Ah, but that is a weakness that will be exploited or distorted somehow, since the field of journalism has been diluted in recent times to include character assassination. Add on the politics of the athletic departments, the conference, attorneys and compliance departments.... after RR there has to be a recognition that statements can and will be misinterpreted and blown so far out of context that it's safer to say as little as possible... and I don't blame Hoke one bit for simply returning all those ping pong balls that were tossed to him.
November 3rd, 2013 at 9:05 PM ^
Everybody's goal is to get better. Every week. Win or lose. So, what's the roadmap here? We've had 4 unacceptable performances this year. So, what's the roadmap to avoid more of these poorly "executed" games? These press conferences do nothing to reassure the fanbase that you know what you're doing Brady. I like you. I want you to stay around. Just don't insult me.
November 3rd, 2013 at 9:28 PM ^
So you think the team that put up 24 and 28 points against UConn and Akron was the same one that put up 40+ points against Indiana, Penn St. and Minnesota?
November 3rd, 2013 at 9:24 PM ^
Hoke might not know what he's doing but not because of any evidence cited here. Listen to any quality college basketball or football coach and they will talk about building a program. That means guys coming up through the system, learning the schemes and developing over the course of 2-3 years to become contributors as Juniors and Seniors and/or provide the foundation for the young guys coming in.
What does Michigan have on offense? An inexperienced line, young TEs (along with a couple of WRs) and a QB who has about a season's worth of starting experience. How many have to make a mistake on any given play to blow it up?
November 3rd, 2013 at 9:26 PM ^
Tough loss for all, including coaches. They want the same results as us. Our coaches want the win even more than us. In the real world, there are winners and losers. We lost this one. Accept and move on. Focus on the next win. The coaches have already done this.
November 3rd, 2013 at 9:54 PM ^
There is no gap! Its just 5 out of 6 games.
November 3rd, 2013 at 9:52 PM ^
Fred flinstone...I mean brady Hoke is right. There is no gap. This game was so close that Sparty just executed a little better than us. This is Michigan for gosh sakes! our dominance is evidenced by our blowout wins over Akron and Uconn. Lets not forget our defensive gems against Penn State and Indiana. Hoke needs to put on a head set so that he knows what plays that idiot up in the booth Fat Al is calling. The reason Sparty "executed" better is because they are COACHED BETTER.
November 3rd, 2013 at 9:57 PM ^
November 4th, 2013 at 5:20 PM ^
Someone finally blamed Rodriguez for all of this. As a Michigan fan base, I thought this crowd was slipping.
I mean, it has only been THREE YEARS since he was fired, THREE YEARS Hoke had to recruit/develop linemen he needed, THREE YEARS to make the program his...Nope, it's all RR's fault.
Remember, when your girlfriend leaves you....IT'S RR'S FAULT!
Teenage thug lights a steaming bag of dog poo on your front step and stomp on it...IT'S RR'S FAULT!
World hunger....IT'S RR'S FAULT!
Did I miss anything?
November 3rd, 2013 at 10:38 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 10:51 PM ^
He said all of the coach speak he could muster. I don't blame him for the first half. It was close. The 2nd half they didn't do anything differently. It was just like watching the Ohio game last year. Competitive 1st half, no visible adjustments or changes in strategy, and the other team just killed us. Like many people I attribute this to Al Borges but it's Hoke's team. If his coordinator isn't getting it done, take over. I am concerned going forward about his ability to use our talent. That game was winable. His coach speak-isms won't go over so well if in many more big games that's all he has to show for it. In the mean time, we have a young team, and as long as he can show progress I'm going to give him some benefit of the doubt. Because at the end of the day-He's not Rich Rod. ; )
November 3rd, 2013 at 11:29 PM ^
Comments