What else would you like from Hoke?
We have all had some time to let last season go, digest it a bit and let the rage disperse. I admit after the bowl game I was done with this coaching staff because I did not think Hoke would make the changes needed to compete. I thought the only way out was to fire Hoke. My main problems at the time were:
#1 Al Borges- no explanation needed
#2 Darrell Funk- no explanation needed
#3 Hoke and Mattison-coaching the Dline has been a failure, and the d-line not being even average has caused Mattison to coach way too conservatively.
#4 Lack of a qb's coach- I feel like our teams that have had the best qb play in the past have always had a qb coach, I also think DG has regressed since he became a starter as a result of coaching.
I have been thinking about what Hoke has accomplished this offseason, and im pretty impressed with it. #1&3 faddressed and #4 somewhat addressed with the hire of a qb guru OC. I never thought there could be a fix on D because Hoke and Gmat were the dline coaches so you couldn't fire them, I was wrong. Hoke fired both their asses in a move that commanded my respect. The man seen the problem and did whatever it takes to try and fix it, pride be damned. I can think of a few coaches that would go down with the ship before making that change. As for the big one #1..many wanted him gone last year, who really beleived it would happen? For the 3 of you who thought it would happen, what kind of replacement did you think you would get? I remember the post Brian made on pro-style OC's we had a shot with and he was basically saying go get someone from div 3. We know how that ended, props to Hoke or Brandon or whomever you want to credit, we made a serious upgrade. As for Funk, I still feel how I feel about him, Looking over his history he has been with Hoke since Ball St. and he has coached some good o-lines. That doesn't excuse the last 2 years(o-line was Ok his 1st year here with Molk) but it does give him more time to fix things before Hoke would make a change. I still have my doubts.
The reason I bring all this up is because I have seen some long respected posters being pretty harsh when spealking about Hoke lately, and it got me to think. What else would you like to have seen him do this offseason? A slight change in scheme on D and all the positions have new coaches I beleive. On O a new OC who is highly respected (I assume a whole new scheme). I am excited, why aren't you excited?
Why does Funk not have an excuse? He had to coach 18 million different blocking schemes throughout last year, sometimes changing multiple times within a single game. Is that going to yield success out of any O-line coach? If they stick with two different running blocking styles, and don't get away from them even if they struggle early, it will be interesting to see how this O-line progresses.
I think we all wasnt success, I agree he was in a tough spot and we were going to have problems. But I just dont feel like there's an excuse for that many negative yardage plays ever, it crippled the team.
Agreed. Given Borges's confusing schemes, Funk gets a mulligan for last year. He won't get one for this year, though.
You caught me
This was a screen all the way...correct?! Just look at the real estate if the RB can slip downfield.
Sleeves when the weather calls for it and a headset. I'm convinced both of these changes will lead to a perfect season.
-Wins, for god's sake. I don't expect us to win a national title next year, or even a Big Ten title, but at least show me we're on the right track towards competing for one at some point in the near future.
-Player Development. Whatever Beilein does, Hoke needs to figure out how to do that. With the exception of a select few players, there has barely been anyone on this roster that has shown any form of consistent play. In fact, it seems like sometimes that some of the players get worse. Hopefully the addition of Nussmeier and shuffling around the defensive staff will improve this, but still, I'll believe it when I see it. I'd rather have an expert talent developer than an expert recruiter any day of the week.
Beat OSU and/or MSU. If you can't do this, I don't care if you're RichRod or Nick Saban, you're not going to last long at this school, and rightfully so. I'm tired of getting curb-stomped up and down the street by both of these schools. Sure, OSU has been much more competitive lately, but there is no such thing as "almost points" in football. They still beat us every year. And MSU, well, they're just the flat-out better program right now. In every phase of the game. And they know it, too. Thank god Beilein has turned the tide in both of these rivalries on the basketball court, otherwise this would undoubtedly be the most depressed fanbase of anywhere in America right now.
-Form a competent O-Line. Just....please do this. I'm not expecting an Alabama line out there, but make me believe we can at least fend off a pass rush from the Akrons and UConns of the world.
OSU/MSU beat us every year...except for that one year when they didn't...out of 3....
Fostering more team passion and chemistry, which I think starts at the top.
I think as fans we are quick to criticize. I am the worst at this. We want results and we want them fast. And, we pull out examples of other players of similar age or situations, or other coaches, or programs that are successful earlier without pointing out that they are likely the exception and not the rule. We hate excuses like youth, inexperience, turnover from previous coaches, etc. So, its hard to not criticize.
With that said, I although I understand the o-line will still be young I want to see forward progress. I can understand early struggles but by mid-B1G play I'd like to see some consistency. Also, I'd like to see guys with high recruiting profiles entering their second and third years show some growth. I'm thinking of guys like Kalis, Magnuson, RJS, Bolden, Pipkins, Charlton, Ojemudia, Wormley, Ross, Wilson, Green, and D. Thomas. These are all top 300ish kids in their second and third year and they should be showing promise and progress, so I hope to see some flashes of that this season. And, finally I'd like to see us beat at least one of our division rivals on the road (MSU and OSU).
and would be even better to see them actually knocking the DL off the line occasionally.
If they can manage to do these two things with consistency, they might be able to beat a good team on the road during the regular season in a hostile environment.
If they can't do these things in 2014 and 2015, Hoke won't be here in 2016.
Hoke should lose some weight. And I am not joking.
he is as disciplined as they are in making sure they are prepared in mind and body. It wouldn't hurt him to lose some weight. I don't know how his health is but he'd at least give himself a better chance of warding off T2 diabetes, which is at an epidemic levels now due to being overweight. Hoke has even joked about his weight.
And I don't have to remind many of you just how easy it was for you to go after Charlie Weis.
Like I said. I wasn't kidding. He should lose some weight. I know his doctor would probably agree too.
than alot of you, I grew up with Michigan being in the Big Ten championship mix every year. The tradition, or arrogance that other fanbases complain about was earned with consistency, pride and a belief in the team, the team, the team. Hoke says all the right things, and has re-embraced the culture of Michigan football. Howeva, the product on the field has not caught up yet.
I want Michigan football to return to being that type of team. No more what ifs, or moral victories. This year is huge for Hoke. Dude can recruit, but we need to see improvement and growth on the field.
Rationally I want 8-4 but this last decade of losing to Ohio State and 8-4 with another loss to Ohio State and then the Copper Bowl and I am just not ready to accept what is rational.
I am not sure what I want but I will know it when I see it.
...to win the B1G title. He's said (and I agree) that is the expectation for the program. I also believe a head coach is allowed 5 years to build his program. The 2015 season will be Hoke's 5th year, and if he hasn't won the B1G, he should be gone.
As for this season, I expect to see improvement at every position except OT and PK.
year year. A Big Title is required no later than '15. If not , Brandon is gone also. RR had 3 years and No support from Carr, ex-players, boosters, etc. They should all be ashamed.
I'm not a big RR scheme fan. He also hurt himself. However, want gives that Hoke is an automatic 5 years.
Come November 29th, the winner goes to Indianapolis, means everything. If Michigan is 7-0 in the B1G come The Game, no matter what happens that Saturday, Michigan will be looking forward to what Hoke and his team can do in 2015.
...should've auctioned off a "Fire Borges" phone call.
boom/market'd
season wins
I feel like he has been too conservative sometimes. This problem obviously had a lot to do with Borges so I'm hoping Nuss will have these guys ready to jump down opponent's throats with simplicity.
I'd like to see a perfect season and a national championship. I realize those goals are very difficult to achieve, so I think the following would be more reasonable:
For this season, let's beat our two primary rivals, OSU and ND. A win against OSU on the road would do wonders to boost the esteem of this program nationwide. Why ND over MSU? Simple. ND is a nationally recognized program, MSU a regional power, 13-1 notwithstanding. The last time MSU won a national championship Lyndon Johnson was president. Simply put, Michigan needs to beat ND. Then MSU will be the second rival.
Beat Penn State and Nebraska. Again, they're programs that have won national championships within the last three decades, so Michigan needs need to beat them.
More than that, make legitimate progress toward winning a national championship. We didn't win one in the 1999 season, but the team was so strong that it seemed as if a national championship was realistically within striking distance. I'll take that.
For the love of Bo, win at least one of the last two games of the season (OSU or the Bowl Game)!
Also, win at least one of the MSU or OSU games.
Generally speaking, play better during the Conference schedule. I'm sick to death of being 5-0 the first six weeks of the season, and 0-5 in Nov-Jan.
How about something easy, like opening up the program to the fans.
I watched a motherfucking 40 contest between OSU and their students during their spring game on BTN. I'll be damned if it isn't Urban Meyer making the call to put that on.
Instead of moping around and being generally unpleasant, how about doing something to engage the students/fans/media with the program instead of giving us a couple of clips of Devin stretching during Spring Practice?