Hoke a Good Hire for DB

Submitted by sammylittle on

I tried to think about the coaching hire from DB's perspective.  Dave is a member of the Michigan football alumni fraternity.  This fraternity was consumed in group think.  The vast majority of former players seemed to think that the traditional the program had suffered greatly under RichRod.  He came in and changed traditions about the #1 jersey and team captains.  RichRod didn't know to dance a jig around the Little Brown Jug on St. Patrick's Day or to salute the moon after each NASA launch to honor UM grads involved in the space program.  The changes to traditions resulted in losses, ANGAR, and the Gator Bowl. 

Dave saw a fractured fan base and decided that a new coach was needed.  He settled on three criteria the new HC must meet.  The new coach would have to head coaching experience at the highest level of college football and he would have to be a "Michigan Man."  Applying the first two criteria left DB with just candidates:  JH, LM, and BH. 

What was the third criterion?  The new coach would have to be a good employee.  Why the third criterion?  Because Dave is a hands-on businessman who values control.  The new coach would have to coachable.  DB is the boss and he does not tolerate insubordination.  BH was plan A because of the third criterion.

I see DB imagining his interactions with the possible head coaches:

Scene 1 - DB busts in on JH's team film study. 

DB:  "Hey Jim."

JH:  "What are you doing here, Dave?"

DB:  "I came to watch film and to evaluate the way you interact with your players."

JH:  "Get the hell out, Dave!"

DB:  "Jim, I'm the boss!  Now get on with it."

JH:  "Get the fuck out Dave before I call the 49ers!!"

Scene 2 - DB tries to discipline LM after UM wins The Game:

DB:  "Les, may I have a word with you?"

LM:  "WHOOAAAOOOAA!!"

DB:  "Les, quit it an listen.  You can't go around lifting up the cheerleaders' skirts and eating their pom pons."

LM:  "We just beat tOSU on their field.  I can do whatever I want."

DB:  "QUIT IT LES BEFORE I FINE YOU!"

LM:  "Try it and see how fast I apply my abilities to another opportunity to be taken advantage of."

Scene 3 - DB busts in on BH's team film study. 

DB:  "Hey Brady."

BH:  "Hey Dave."

DB:  "I came to watch film and to evaluate the way you interact with your players."

BH:  "Do you want some popcorn?"

What does it all mean?  It means that DB found the best coach for DB.  The hire of BH gets his frat brothers off his back and gives him a compliant employee.  The coaching change was for the benefit of the AD.  He has his model of how to run an organization.  Apparently it does not include sharing power. 

Is BH the best fire for UM?  Time will tell.  My initial reaction to learning of the hire was deflation.  However, I am willing to give BH the benefit of the doubt.  I believe he will give his best effort.  I have noticed that most of the negative reaction about the hire has to do with his physical appearance.  I know that people tend to overestimate the competence of attractive people and to underestimate the competence of those less fortunate.  We have a new HC who is no Fabio and an OC who is no Brad Pitt.  They will not will beauty contests.  I hope they win games.

Comments

m83econ

January 12th, 2011 at 9:01 PM ^

Hoke has been referred to as the anti-Rich Rod. which works on a few levels.  This seems to happen all the time in sports - the GM or AD looks for the opposite of the person that was just fired.  In a way, DB had to go safe.

Tater

January 12th, 2011 at 10:43 PM ^

RR wasn't going to get a fourth year unless he went to a BCS bowl and made it impossible to fire him.  In retrospect, it's obvious that DB was looking for any excuse he could find to get rid of RR and "bring in his own people." 

Now that it's done, it's done.  I just hope Hoke can transcend his Carr-tel status and turn the team back into the "leaders and best."  I think his charisma and energy will go a long way. 

briangoblue

January 13th, 2011 at 12:43 AM ^

If there was a drawn out plan to fire him, why not just do it? It's not like the Ohio State game didn't give him just cause. And why the three hour meeting before the firing? Three hours for a no doubt firing? I don't think a BCS bowl was necessary- most of us felt pretty confident when Michigan stood at 7-3 and bowl eligible that he'd be back unless the season finished disastrously, which it did. Why would Brandon take the risk of waiting for the bowl if firing him was his plan all along? Say Michigan comes out and beats the pants off MSU with all that extra prep. How could he fire him then? It would have been a nightmare.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it's all over and I'm psyched for Hoke after today. In no way is this a rant whining that Rich Rod should've got a fourth year. Hoke's Foleyesque motivational charisma has rubbed off on me big time and I'm ready to roll and see where it goes. My point was just that we're not that place that automatically fires a coach after a maximum of three years like the Rodriguez situation established some kind of precedent. Every situation is different.

M-Wolverine

January 13th, 2011 at 12:56 AM ^

To use another one of your MLive catch phrases ("Carr-tel", really?)
<br>
<br>If we had won the bowl game, Rich would have been back. If it had even been anything less than totally embarrassing, I think he would have been back. Brandon dragged his feet firing him. If he just wanted him out, he could have done it any week since mid-October, other than the Illinois game week.

bronxblue

January 12th, 2011 at 9:36 PM ^

I think the worst thing that could happen to any college coach is to be given only 3 years to implement, develop, and recruit his team.  That was the worst part of the RR era, and I hope UM doesn't make the same mistake with Hoke if he struggles.  Give a coach at least 4 years unless the team just falls apart, and even then make the switch only if absolkutely necessary.

bringthewood

January 12th, 2011 at 9:04 PM ^

I think Hoke was a safe hire.  I think he has modest upside and modest downside.  RR was a roll the dice choice.

I would like to see wins but I would also like to see some excitement on the field, like Carr's last game against Florida or when RR got things clicking at times this year.  I like watching spread offenses and option offenses.  I don't really enjoy pro style offenses like Alabama, USC, MSU. Georgia.  I'm no longer an NFL fan because it seems like the same team just wearing different color jerseys.  That's why college is better for me.  I always liked watching RR's WVA teams, Texas Tech, Air Force, Georgia Tech.  I'm a Michigan fan but they haven't always been fun to watch and i hope Hoke and company can find the creativity to win and be entertaining offensively.

AnthonyThomas

January 12th, 2011 at 10:09 PM ^

I completely agree with your opinion on NFL teams.

I doubt we're going to see Lloyd's version of a pro-style offense, simply because it won't work, especially with the players we have now. Hoke seems to consistently recruit and develop solid quarterbacks and thus he utilizes shotgun sets a lot and passes a lot. We have a slew of decent running backs who can help open up that passing game that Denard has improved exponentially upon. Hoke doesn't seem to run a three yards and a cloud of dust style pro. Not at all. He put up a lot of points on TCU, and though I realize as many have pointed out that some of those points were late in the game, he also had his SDSU team up by two touchdowns early against arguably the best defense in the country. It isn't a conservative style per se.

FWIW, Rivals have an interview from after the press conference where Hoke basically says we'll run an offense that suits the personel, and he specifically cited that running a lot of spread looks is a big possibility.

True Blue in CO

January 12th, 2011 at 9:14 PM ^

may be one of coach best attributes. Harbaugh and the Hatter have tasted success and would have been impatient with the project of taking Michigan back to the next level. Hoke is going to put all of his energy into making Michigan better and will do it by caring about the players with 100% sincerity. I know RichRod cared but he had become arrogant in his thinking and was too independently minded. When our new coach says the team, there is no question he means it. This will make him successful with DB and the program.

uminks

January 12th, 2011 at 9:15 PM ^

He's our coach and I will support him and the team.  I'm willing to give any new coach four or five years. I wish RR had the support of everyone.  But that is history now and I'm fully behind Hoke.  I hope he is the answer and can turn the team around and be our coach for years to come.

Mich1993

January 12th, 2011 at 9:34 PM ^

Today was a good day. 

Brady Hoke came off well at his initial press conference.

Mike Martin is coming back next year.

Denard is probably coming back next year.

Hoke and DB both have bringing back Denard as a high priority and will work offense to take advantage of his skills.

RONick

January 12th, 2011 at 9:57 PM ^

"Is BH the best fire for UM?"

Hopefully not a Freudian slip?

Brady Hoke will be a solid football coach in the sense that Lloyd was a solid football coach.  Nothing flashy, nothing to write home about.  But also no nonsense, hard nosed, disciplined football.  You won't see any beavers being thrown in players' faces on the sideline by grey haired old men.  That type of BS is for MSU.

swamyblue

January 12th, 2011 at 9:58 PM ^

-Familiarity or experience with the Program

-Approval or endorsements from former players

-A Public & Private endorsement by the previous Coach (LLOYD)

-Knowledge of the Ann Arbor Community  (Midwest ties...)

 

Sparkle Motion

January 12th, 2011 at 10:04 PM ^

but my opinion of DB has precipitously declined.  

I think an article from a San Diego newspaper said it better than I can:

"It’s doubtful anything will surpass the botched burlesque show directed by the Michigan pizza guy before he finally pulled a suddenly-hot Hoke out of SDSU’s oven. Wolverines Athletic Director Dave Brandon, former CEO of Domino’s Pizza, ran this process wearing clown shoes and blowing up balloon animals."

We had an ice storm where I live yesterday.  I live on a hill and last night I looked out the window to see a dominos delivery car stuck on the hill, wheels spinning.  slowly it slipped back down a bit before regaining traction and trying again, and again, to get up that hill.  I couldn't help but think the universe was somehow taunting me...

ZgoBlue

January 12th, 2011 at 10:10 PM ^

For one, I am relieved to see the support for Hoke from the mgoblog nation. The anger and disbelief over the handling of the coaching situation has passed, for the most part, and we must join together and support this coach, team and University. A nation divided cannot stand, and we shall come together and be proud of our block M.

I just read this article on yahoo sports. It is about Greg Harden, the Associate AD at UM. I've never heard of him before, but he is the type of person we could all stand to hear more about, and I'm proud to know that he is part of the Michigan family.

dearbornpeds

January 12th, 2011 at 11:03 PM ^

I think Hoke knows (or was told) that he has to adapt to the talent he is inheriting.  DB established this as one of his criterion for hiring.  The university will do everything in its power to make the Hoke regime successful for several reasons, not the least of which is that BH is the LAST Michigan Man who can coach this team.  If for some reason it doesn't work, the athletic director  will be forced to conduct a true national search and our loyal fans will realize that being our head coach is not everyone's dream job.

BlueHills

January 13th, 2011 at 1:42 AM ^

For some reason,  after watching and listening to him in that news conference, I have absolutely no doubt that Hoke will win here. Zero doubt!

The guy is clearly passionate about Michigan, inspiring, and generally, a pretty interesting character.

I loved Mo and Lloyd, but Hoke reminds me of Bo when I heard him speak on campus at the time he first became UM's coach. I can't tell you whether Bo's record was better than Mo or Lloyd, maybe it wasn't, but it FELT like it was because the guy could fire you up as a student, an alum, and a fan.

You know, that kind of thing is contagious and fun, and translates well to the kids in the program. I think this is going to be a lot of fun to watch.