Bump Elliott, Brady Hoke, And The Next Bo
While all the focus is on which man will take over the Michigan Football program, I am inclined to take just an extra moment to reflect on the recently dismissed Brady Hoke. Usually during struggles the fan base turns on a coach to the point that they celebrate his firing. This was not the usual situation. Almost everyone who has truly supported and cared about Michigan Football for any length of time was not celebratory in the least bit when Hoke was let go. Almost all agreed, however, that it was a move that was necessary for a program that is on a downward trend. Where will Brady Hoke reside in Michigan Football history? This question has nagged me; and while it is still much too early to tell, I would like to believe he will be viewed much in the same light as Bump Elliott. The similarities are striking between two Michigan coaches whose years with the school did not end the way they wanted.... read more: http://uofmdiehards.com/2014/12/12/bump-elliott-brady-hoke-and-the-next-bo/
December 13th, 2014 at 2:42 AM ^
Even that "NFL team in Alabama" has modernized their offense.
Loved it, but 1997 is over.
December 12th, 2014 at 5:00 PM ^
given our indifferent committment to football during his tenure, and the limited (just 1 Big Ten team) opportumity to play post-season, Bump's tenure was markedly better than Hoke's. The 1964 and 1968 teams were very good--both Top Ten. Brady didn't lack for committment or money or much of anything else.
I think the analogy has more to do with who replaced Bump and our hopes for who will replace Brady.
December 12th, 2014 at 5:46 PM ^
The indifference allowed Elliot to have the '64 and '68 seasons, the consecutive losing seasons of '62 and '63 would have had him fired from most other institutions.
So maybe it isn't that Bump Elliot > Brady Hoke, but that the expectations now are much greater than fifty years ago.
December 12th, 2014 at 5:01 PM ^
December 12th, 2014 at 5:12 PM ^
There will never be another Bo.
I'm willing to guess we'll never have another head coach that's here for 21 seasons.
December 13th, 2014 at 7:04 AM ^
You're right but maybe he will win more Rose Bowls or even an NCAA title while he is here.
December 12th, 2014 at 5:44 PM ^
December 12th, 2014 at 6:49 PM ^
Contrary to what many believe, Hoke did a lot of good in his time here. He rebuilt a lot of relationships with former players, alums, supporters,and high school coaches, among others. He did things the right way and earned respect for how he conducted himself and the program, and that matters.
He recruited a high calibre of players in terms of both skill and character, laying a nice foundation for the next guy. Whoever it is, he'll start worlds ahead of where Brady did.
He's one of my favorite Michigan people.
December 12th, 2014 at 10:12 PM ^
December 13th, 2014 at 1:55 AM ^
He'll win 9 games his first year then get into playoffs by year 2!
Miles, Mullens and Bob Stoops will do well!
December 13th, 2014 at 6:47 PM ^
Two reasons for that, in my view. First the classes that were ravaged by turnover and style changes moved up through the ranks of the team year by year, and the voids became more damaging. Also, Denard covered a lot of sins early on in Hoke's tenure. Hoke may have made too much of a concerted effort to move toward a "pro style". This was compounded by the fact Devin never really was that type and we sort of force fed him.
For a long time, because of scheduling and the time that seemed necessary to totally rebuild the roster, we pointed to 2015 as "the year". With just seven seniors graduating and 50 of 56 back in the two deep, or something like that, I'd have preferred to see Hoke get that shot in 2015 before pulling the plug on what could have been a 15 or 20 year coach.
December 13th, 2014 at 7:05 AM ^
I agree 100% he did a lot to upgrade the program, I just wish he knew how to upgrade his recruits.
December 12th, 2014 at 7:20 PM ^
These boards are vicious today,not just this one. Everyone's patience must be wearing a little thin and we still have the rest of December.
December 13th, 2014 at 2:48 AM ^
We're getting cranky that all the other programs without coaches are getting their dates to the prom while we're still waiting and hoping for Kate Upton to say yes . . . while knowing deep inside that there's a good chance we are going to wind up with that homely Schiano girl who we talked to in the hallway once.
December 13th, 2014 at 9:22 AM ^
December 13th, 2014 at 10:36 AM ^
Yeah, we really have no choice but to wait at this point, fan impatiemce be damned.
Besides, we just weren't that into the prom dates those other programs locked into early.
Harbaugh or Rosie, er, bust.
December 12th, 2014 at 9:18 PM ^
December 13th, 2014 at 1:49 AM ^
Only a handfull of users are allowed to plug their content on the board, and those guys post their links maybe once every six months.
You've been given a rare opportunity by Brian to post links to your site, don't wear out your welcome by doing it once a week.
December 13th, 2014 at 1:50 AM ^
I don't remember it since I had just turned 1 years old at the start of the '64 season. But Bump was just a one point loss to Purdue away from going 10-0 and having a co-national championship with Arkansas and Alabama, since the bowl games were not counted in the AP poles. He shutout #7 OSU 10-0 in the horseshoe!
Also Bump's last season he went 8-2. OSU blew Michigan out 50-14 in the horseshoe!
But he did have 5 sub .500 seasons including one 2-7 season in 62. In that respect he was like Hoke!
December 13th, 2014 at 10:00 AM ^
If you look in the dictionary under "michigan man", you will see Bump Elliot. Hoke is just a guy who was a mid level assistant for a few years........not sure just being on campus makes one a "Michigan man"......and though he may be a great guy to players and people in the program, he came off as a condescending jerk to fans and the media.
Hoke's non development of players was appalling. He was not the decision maker on offense of defense.
Dont put Hoke and any Elliot in the same sentence.
December 13th, 2014 at 10:35 AM ^
December 13th, 2014 at 12:12 PM ^
Bump Elliot's team was in the Top 5 and that 1968 UM-Ohio State game was for a Rose Bowl berth.
Hoke came nowhere near close to that.
December 13th, 2014 at 1:53 PM ^
Bump Elliot won a Big Ten championship, and left a reasonably strong team behind for Bo. Also Bump declined to extend his contract... he wasn't fired.