Michigan State Postgame Presser Transcript: Brady Hoke Comment Count

Heiko

"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.”

Comments

Tater

November 3rd, 2013 at 8:37 PM ^

why does this coaching staff continually out these players and this team in a position to lose by having them try to execute plays they cannot execute?

Sometimes the other guys execute their plan better than you execute yours. That's why they bother to actually play the games.

UMFan95

November 3rd, 2013 at 9:15 PM ^

This is bullshit (the other team execute better than us and that is why you play the game), like this presser, I actually stopped reading because Hoke thinks there is nothing wrong wtih the team.  How the hell 5 out of 8 teams out executed with a way inferior talent. This team will not get any better because he doesn't see anything wrong or he would have worked on it throughout the season and we should have seen little improvement.  But every week, it is the same song to the presser.

caliblue

November 3rd, 2013 at 10:05 PM ^

he was being sarcastic. i think he clearly has nothing good to say so is being evasive. the fact he has no specific answers to anything is concerning. He has had no real specific statements after any game we've played poorly in this seasom. one hopes he has a plan and is just not letting on rather than think we fans have no business criticizing him or his team.

Den-blue

November 4th, 2013 at 9:24 AM ^

"why does this coaching staff continually put these players and this team in a position to lose by having them try to execute plays they cannot execute?"

 

That is the question I have been asking all year. I have no faith in this staff's ability to identify strengths...........and play to those strengths. I cannot stomach watching another Michigan football game this year and that saddens me. UM basketball and hockey will be my vise.

 

maizenbluenc

November 4th, 2013 at 8:55 AM ^

like wha' happened???? Except Lloyd lost to USC in the Rose Bowl, and Brady lost to MSU in East Lansing...

He probably couldn't answer the MGoQuestion because he doesn't seem to know what the Offensive game plan is in any given week anyway.

Agree totally - he should be really pissed and embarassed. No fire or passion like Wendy5K said. This is simultaneously why Harbaugh is a liability and an asset to the teams he coaches. His "deal" is he wants to win.

TV coverage has made it hard to tell - do either Hoke or Funk or Lewan for that matter get antic with the olineman during the game? I would not want to be our olinemen if Bo were around. Makes you shudder just thinking about it.

UMFan95

November 4th, 2013 at 8:59 AM ^

That is correct and that is all Hoke has to offer.  A team takes the personalityof their coach and this coach and his staff has no fight in them.  State came out fighting like hell no matter what is the talent gap even during the lloyd days where talent gap was big between us and them, but that didn't matter, they fought tooth and nail.  Here we are after getting our ass handed to us by state and not even deserving to be on the same field as them, our coach is talking about lack of execution.  Sorry HOKE this is on you, how the hell you come out and tell us lack of execution after a bye week.  I just cant understand how you have the guts to say that

TheDarkPope

November 3rd, 2013 at 7:34 PM ^

with the possibility of 8-4 or 9-3 going into the bowl game. How many people seriously looked at this team at the beginning of the season and thought they were going to win 11 games? Or contend for the national championship with just 2 upper classmen on the o-line depth chart? 

pokoranger

November 3rd, 2013 at 7:53 PM ^

This has been repeated several times, but many are alarmed by the WAY we got the 6-2 record.  I thought we can at least keep it somewhat competitive against MSU, not to mention about the Penn State fiasco.  And that excludes the Akron/Uconn game, where the game was not even supposed to be close.  I love to share the optimism that some carry about this program's future, but based on the lack of the development of this team over the course of this season (yes, the players are accountable for this, but so are the coaching staff), I have no reason to share such view.  It pains me to say this, but look how much better the MSU offense got over the season.

pokoranger

November 3rd, 2013 at 8:54 PM ^

Really?  Did the Indiana or the Penn State (!) game honestly gave you a sense of team development? 

Sure, if you want to compare these games against UConn/Akron (unfathomable to go below these performance), it's marginally better, but if that type of improvement makes you feel better about the team, I have nothing left to say.  

UMFan95

November 3rd, 2013 at 9:21 PM ^

What hell are you talking about man, yea i didn't think we will win 11 games, but wtf, i never thought we will look like a jv team or get out planned in most games we played or looking like we are lost in game 7 of the season, or still having issues on who to block and we still cant execute.

maizenbluenc

November 4th, 2013 at 9:07 AM ^

to soundly control the UConn and Akron games, such that our backups and maybe even out practice squads were getting some playing time at least in the 4th quarter. I expected to beat a down Penn State, maybe not as handily as OSU, but better than Indiana. And I expected us at least have a fighting chance at MSU, and maybe have it go more like the ND game with a lower score: they de-pantsed us with ease.

I expected improvement over last year. This ain't it. All I see from here on out is excuses for the appologists too: 2014 well Lewan, Schofield, Dileo and Gallon left and we're young, 2015 well Gardner, Countess, and Ryan left and we're young, etc.

Guess what, other teams have key players that graduate too ...

ThoseWhoStayUofM

November 4th, 2013 at 12:13 PM ^

I looked at this team at the beginning of the season and saw possibly the best quarterback - wide receiver combo in the Big 10, a Devin Funchess who has drastically improved his blocking ability, a #1 RB recruit in the nation, an offensive line filled with 4 and 5-stars, a defensive line that has earned the right to rush 4, and Blake Countess back in the secondary who was predicted to be one of the best cover corners in program history.



What I got was a an offensive line that is absolutely attrocious... worst in Michigan football HISTORY!  I got the best runningback recruit in the country that is a total BUST under Fred Jackson.  I got a defensive line that can't generate any pressure against even the worst of opponents.  Brady Hoke preaches how the game starts up front.  THe offensive and defensive lines on this team are the greatest weaknesses.

UMFan95

November 3rd, 2013 at 9:19 PM ^

or may be work on the issues that we keep seeing week to week, and fix them. Dont tell me anything, I want to see your talk on the field, which i see no improvement but regression.  So what hell you working on for two weeks  before a big game.  What hell did you work on HOKE, What hell is your game plan going into the game HOKE.  Where is the hell is the improvement in execution HOKE since you been saying this since the begining of the year.

tricks574

November 3rd, 2013 at 5:33 PM ^

Gives terribly uninformative press conferences where he gives zero indication he understands the game?



Fucking reporters!



3 years into his tenure, has the worst o-line at Michigan in a long, long, long time?



Fucking Rodriguez!



Is consistently terrible at gameplanning, clock management, and adjusting when faced with a coach who knows what he's doing?



um....fuck...someone!!! but sure as shit not Brady Hoke

RobSk

November 4th, 2013 at 10:19 AM ^

It's impressive that you've managed to forget what real sucking looks like so very quickly.

2008? That's sucking.

2009? That's sucking.

6-2 is not sucking.

However, Saturday was most assuredly sucking.

Clearly, if they play like that the rest of the year, Hoke is putting himself in danger, with all the good things he's done, you can't get embarrassed over and over against your rivals and keep your job (like in 2010). So if they get crushed by OSU and Northwestern, things will be dicey. I suspect that 11-2 from 2012 will be enough, and the recruiting will be enough to keep Hoke here, but it would use up all the cred he's built up.

Now if they come back and beat NW, play well against OSU, that's a different story.

       Rob

UMFan95

November 4th, 2013 at 9:04 AM ^

when was the first good game to begin with? i hope you are not meaning indiana, the offense was a product of how bad their defense is.  So since ND this team has been performing bad (lol, according to HOKE is due to lack of execution, okay HOKE)

wolverine1987

November 3rd, 2013 at 7:20 PM ^

they are polite. And he doesn't answer the ones that are smart enough. "Execution" is a crutch answer. It's the answer of someone that thinks their strategy was just fine--the execution was poor. And guess what? That is wrong. Poor strategy and play calling LEADS to poor execution in many cases. 

I'm not saying better play calling would have changed the result--the O-line is too poor and State too good (sigh). But IMO better scheme and coaching would have mitigated some of our poor execution. 

bighouse22

November 3rd, 2013 at 11:42 PM ^

Poor execution is the reason you lose every game.  It bothers me how that statement implies that the issue is with the players.  Every coach uses it as a way to deflect responsibility, because any play executed to perfection will work.  The coaches are paid to identify the plays their team can execute.

It's such a garbage excuse, because you can always single out the players and execution any time you fail.  It's just a way to point the finger of blame away from where it really belongs (the coaches).

gbdub

November 4th, 2013 at 7:23 AM ^

That's kind of what gets me. Rodriguez was taken to task for blaming the players - but that's exactly what Hoke is doing here, albeit with slightly softer language.



At least after Akron he said "we didn't prepare you well enough". Here he says nothing negative about the preparation or game plan.



"Hindsight is 20/20." Yeah coach, but you're getting paid millions a year to have some foresight.

Blue in Yarmouth

November 4th, 2013 at 7:57 AM ^

This is just another, less obvious way, of throwing your players under the bus. From my experience reading these pressers GM is the only one who takes any responsibility for his players performance. That tells me that he is the only one who recognizes the fact that a player not performing is a direct indictment on the coach.

You can't keep blaming depth (that's pretty good now) and youth (we only have one true freshman playing right now and he has beaten out players with more time in the system). Sure, that isn't optimal in terms of the number of experienced players we have, but lots of team play underclassmen (and many that don't have nearly the talent our underclassmen have) and still manage to put a viable product on the field.

Honestly, the only offensive position group that has looked to have improved during the time this staff has been here is the WR's. QB? No. RB? No. TE's? No. O-Line? Hell no. Wr is the only position that has seen any marked improvement since this staff came on. 

I am far from the point where I think Hoke has to go, but IMHE he needs to take a very serious look at his offensive staff. If I were the coach I would get rid of everyone save the WR coach. Hoke is a hell of a recruiter and seems like a great guy and one that you would be proud to represent your University. I hope things work out for him here, but his issues on offense are looking frighteningly similar to RR's issues with defense. 

RR got canned for those issues after only three years (which I thought was little soon, but honestly wasn't too bothered by it at the time). I hope in this instance that DB has a little more patience and allows BH the opportunity (perhaps in the form of an ultimatum if necessary) to get the offense on track before dropping the hammer on him. Who would want to coach for a University that only keeps coaches around for three years before giving them the boot? 

All in all...I just want this team to win and couldn't care less how they do it. Win by running from under center? Great. Win by running the spread? Great. Win with AB as the coordinator? Great. I really don't give a damn, just win. I just haven't seen any indication that we can do that with the offensive staff we have, so in my oipinion things need to change. 

gbdub

November 4th, 2013 at 10:14 AM ^

I wouldn't take it quite that far. Hoke is not an idiot, I'm sure he doesn't think this is all his players' fault. And frankly execution, more than play calling or gameplanning, has a lot to do with the results on Saturday - the offensive line is epically bad, "Vince Lombardi couldn't win with that line".



But ultimately, youth and questionable talent was not an excuse for RR, and we're getting to the point where it shouldn't be for this staff. When one of your key units is repeatedly putting up not mediocre but historically bad performances (27 for 27, worst rushing total ever, 4 games without a TD in 3 seasons), something is badly broken.



Yes, we are young up front in the middle and yes, the experienced players we do have are not NFL prospects, but we still have guys that are 2/3 of the way through their second or third full year in the program who are just flat out failing at the basics, to the point where true freshmen are looking like a good idea. The experienced guys we have should be enough to piece together at least an excellent MAC caliber line, and we clearly aren't even reaching that level.



It's acceptable if your redshirt freshmen and third year walk ons are not world beaters. But if they are not a significant upgrade over your true freshmen, and cannot execute the fundamentals of their position remotely consistently, that speaks to poor coaching, poor practice, and a broken chain of accountability. That's what's unacceptable.

AMazinBlue

November 3rd, 2013 at 7:30 PM ^

questions were asked, like the one about the gap between the two programs.  Hoke answered by saying there isn't a gap...REALLLY?!?! REALLLY?!??  There is a HUGE gap.  This program has ergressed from the 11-2 team from 2011, not only in record but in 'execution' and it attitude.  Mostly ATTITUDE.  That's what this team lacks, is attitdue, just like it's coaches.  Hoke and Borges are soooo calm all the time, the players seem too calm.  There is no passion, no fire, no fight in these guys.

I know the kids play hard.  I don't question their effort.  But Dantoni and the MSU players HATE Michigan and they play like it.  They play like it's their Super Bowl and we play it like it's just another game.  That's why they have won 5 of the last 6.

The coach doesn't have to ewxplain everything, but this isn't National Security stuff here.  We can see what happened.  If Michigan has an inferior team, admit it.  They are better and their coach is better right now.

When this season is over there needs to be some changes.  I can tell you this, if they go 7-5, 6-6 or worse 6-7, Brandon won't be able to give season tickets next year.  Raising prices for that crap-ass schedule and putting out a team like that against an in-state rival, won't sell any tickets.

Who the hell decided that Michigan should travel to MSU two years in a row???  Playing OSU and MSU and ND on the road with a young offensive line and other holes?  Wow.

TheDarkPope

November 3rd, 2013 at 7:54 PM ^

Addressing these 1 at a time....The team has not regressed since 2011. It's just a much younger team. Success is part talent and part experience. The 2011 team had both in the starting lineup. See Molk, Omameh, and Barnum on the interior O -line. 3 upperclassmen. See RVB, Martin, and Roh on the D-line. 3 upperclassmen. Veteran Kovacs and T-Wolf in the secondary. Veterans Hemmingway and Roundtree at WR. This team was talented and started a ton of guys who had been there for 4-5 years. The team this year is talented but they don't have the experience factor yet. A true freshman starting a LG? A walk-on RS sophomore starting at C? 



This talk of the coaching staff lacking passion is complete bullshit and ignorant. Would it make you feel better if Hoke's face was purple like Brian Kelly's after Gardner gets sacked? 

You say you don't question the effort of Michigan's players but then you question it. "They play like it's their Super Bowl and we play like it's just another game." Do you honestly think Lewan, Gardner, Gallon, etc. are just going through the motions? That they don't care if they beat Sparty? 



Even is Sparty is a better team, what good would possibly come from Michigan's head coach admitting such? Name one positive outcome from admitting you are not as good as your rival. 

You're right about the record. Because they didn't sell any season tickets after 3-9. 

The conference sets the schedule. Though I'm sure you think it's Hoke/Borges' fault too. 

AMazinBlue

November 3rd, 2013 at 11:25 PM ^

but there seems to be a lack of sense of urgency in this coaching staff.  In pressers, Hoke and Borges are very calm and collected, especially Borges, it's like he reading a childrens book.   But when you're wrong, you admit it and move on.  This bullshit that this whole country has adopted to deny, deny, deny and when all else fails...deny again.  All that proves is you can't be trusted.

This team may be young and may be inexperienced, but how do you defend the play-calling against Penn State in the last 3 minutes of regulation on defense and offense, or any of it in OT?  How do defend the lackluster play of the All-America play of Lewan the last several weeks.  Why not roll gardner out to the right and throw a quick swing pass.  A bubble screen with a stacked formation at receiver.  Those plays don't require the O Line to block that long.  This staff doesn't seem to adjust to the circumstances.  The secondary routinely has no idea where the ball is because they are always chasing the receiver with their back to the QB.

When I question the passion of this team, it's a comparison to how MSU approaches this game.  Since Mike Hart opened his big mouth about the stupid Little-brother crap, MSU has had a chip on their shoulder and have been attacking on the field, Michigan has been reacting.  This O Line doesn't fire out and hit the defense, they seem to wait to be hit.  They remind me of the Lions O Line when Barry Sanders was playing.  They rarely opened a hole, he had to do all the work himself.

I know this team is young in spots, but the coaches are well-seasoned and they don't seem to be learning from their own mistakes.

BlueRude

November 4th, 2013 at 7:46 AM ^

Yup, pretty much says it all. For a top notch engineering school the staff should take a walk over to the engineering department and do a serious Six Sigma on this situation. Then go over to Toyota and learn the why,why, why process. The problems are there, deal with it. Bring in some engineering guys on the field and lay it out.