Devastating article on UM football
"Never at any point in 2013 did Michigan look fully prepared to do all the little things necessary to win football games. Never at any point did Michigan appear to be fundamentally sound. Never at any point did the team's locker room leadership take charge of the club and put an end to a miserable 1-5 close to the year."
I hope powers to be are reading this.
Here is the link
December 29th, 2013 at 10:14 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 10:55 AM ^
That's what I took away from it. Its easy to put into words the summary of the fiery rollercoaster that was 2013. Its history now, its over. The fans still support the Team, but we need more TeamWork.
I hope every player and coach has a severe distaste for the feeling they got after this season...after all of their team milestones (i had goals but I think they generally played with mental toughness and that's got to be a goal) have been erased, and dedicate themselves to working harder than any other team until the milestones get to stay up on the dry erase board.
This is a period of adversity as we all can plainly see. Going to work every day and hammering away at the fundamentals with passion and energy is the only way I know out of it. Eventually the skills will come, and once you have command of Skills and Fundamentals then you can work on Strategy.
Edit: Devastation in my book is something on the order of a career-ending injury, NCAA violations, unexpected transfers, etc. Not just a newspaper article.
December 29th, 2013 at 10:51 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 11:08 AM ^
People can make all the good comments they want about Hoke and the team. But this article is reality. And many people don't see it getting any better. There isn't a coach on the team that has improved anyones performance. NONE!.
December 29th, 2013 at 11:22 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 11:24 AM ^
If Hoke truly cares about this University, he would step down.
All the rhetoric is totally empty.
This program is regressing, and he knows it. He's just not cut out for this.
December 29th, 2013 at 11:47 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 12:02 PM ^
Would you have called for John Beilein to step down after year three also?
Let's see where Hoke goes from here. Beilein recognized that changes needed to be made and revamped his staff.
December 29th, 2013 at 12:07 PM ^
I'm not "calling" for anything. I realize that Hoke would never do such a thing.
My point is that he says he loves this place, but ironically his presence is making us worse.
Your post says it all. Great leaders identify weaknesses and make changes. Throughout this whole season, Hoke has made zero adjustments and zero improvements.
December 29th, 2013 at 12:52 PM ^
Let's see if Hoke does the same.
If he doesn't we know how this is ending.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:39 PM ^
Agree that we need to give Hoke the chance to rectify what needs rectifying.
However, he's not in John Beilein's class as a head coach. Their respective records prior to coming to Michigan bear that out, but so does listening to their press conferences. You don't have to listen to more than 30 seconds of Beilein to know that here's a guy who is completely on top of things and can speak authoritatively about strategy, tactics, philosophy and anything else you might want to know about his team.
You can listen to a half hour of Brady Hoke and still not be sure exactly what he knows.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:02 PM ^
It really makes me wonder...how much of that initial Hoke press conference was staged? How much was he coached?
In hindsight, he must have practiced that thing over, and over, and over again and been told authoritatively what to say and how to carry himself.
It's like all of a sudden, as the years have gone on, he's become totally uncooperative, brash and rude to each and every member of the media, all of whom are only trying to do their jobs.
December 29th, 2013 at 7:03 PM ^
You really see him that way?I feel like he's in over his head and doesn't know what to say.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:18 PM ^
all we get from hoke is that "we didn't execute". beilein will describe how a defensive breakdown was caused by poor rotation 3 passes ago.
December 29th, 2013 at 11:25 AM ^
masshole
December 29th, 2013 at 11:55 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 8:12 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 11:38 AM ^
IMO I think this team just doesn't like each other. They don't play for each other at all. If I had to guess I would say the locker room is a mess and when the locker room isn't clicking then your results won't be good. I am sure the gap is the small senior click and all the new and improved talent from the last two years. This of course is just a guess from what I see on the field. As much as I think Lewan is a great player I have my serious doubts about his leadership and character at times.
December 29th, 2013 at 11:48 AM ^
Or, more likely, this staff from the top down is just bad.
December 29th, 2013 at 11:53 AM ^
No that just the simple thing people want to pin it on when football teams are terrible like Michigan was. The locker room matters a lot. High character and leadership can go a long way and from what I saw this year I don't think the leaders in the locker room(if there were any) did much of that.
December 29th, 2013 at 11:56 AM ^
What proof do you have? Your insinuation that the Locker Room is broken is pure conjecture.
Those that deride the staff for the poor job they've done have pretty concrete proof: they've watched the past 13 games.
December 29th, 2013 at 12:28 PM ^
I don't so that is why I wrote this..
"This of course is just a guess from what I see on the field."
December 29th, 2013 at 12:53 PM ^
Sometimes good coaches have bad seasons. It happens.
December 29th, 2013 at 11:56 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 12:05 PM ^
Actually, the players vote for the captains.
December 29th, 2013 at 12:47 PM ^
December 30th, 2013 at 12:52 AM ^
I don't actually know. Bo would have gone ballistic, Carr tossed the transfer papers on the desk. What does Hoke do? Whatever it is, I suspect it won't be public.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:29 PM ^
Protip: "clique"
vs.
"click"
December 29th, 2013 at 11:42 AM ^
When I saw our defensive players hooting and hollering for the cameras after making a tackle on nice gain for K State while we were down big I almost turned the TV off. I've questioned our senior leadership all season long, last night I questioned it all game long.
December 29th, 2013 at 11:52 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 12:14 PM ^
We, as loyal Michigan fans, have earned the right to express our opinions any way we see fit.
December 29th, 2013 at 11:55 AM ^
December 30th, 2013 at 12:23 AM ^
Free Press Witchhunt.
December 29th, 2013 at 11:55 AM ^
Did it feel like they were prepared for KSU? No. Unless Lockett is the second coming of Jerry Rice, Michigan's secondary defense was not prepared and looked lost. Moreover, our linebackers filled the wrong gaps and our linemen did not contain the QB.
The reality is that third rate football programs are stronger, more skilled and better coached than us and we are now talking about 6-7 years not one.
However, because of money owed to the coaches and the lack of direction from the AD, it is easier to make excuses. Our players are young. We had injuries. Bad luck. Bad referees. Our kicking game let us down in the PSU OT game. The OSU defender made a great play on the two point conversion. They hit a 61 yard field goal - who does that? If only Joique did not fumble in the snow. If only Stafford did not throw his 20th interception in 5 games.
Same team. Same coaching problems. Same upper management problems.
If we are looking for the word that describes it and we don't want to use devastating then use LIONIZED or SOL - Same Old Lions.
All I know is this. Our players deserve better. From all accounts they are good kids with tons of talent. It is the adults who are letting them down. If you are making millions of dollars per year you should be great at your job. Average or good for $4 million per year is not good enough.
December 29th, 2013 at 11:58 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 11:57 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 12:09 PM ^
Well said. Hit the nail on the head. When will this all end?
December 29th, 2013 at 12:14 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:53 PM ^
Nick is a decent writer, especially given the state of "journalism" today. The article reads more like venting than analysis, though. And venting isn't exactly devastation. The Daily piece was a bit more in depth but phrases like "ass-kicking" should be in comments sections, not the main article. Then again.. journalism... objectivity.... I digress.
As far as MLive coverage in general....does not begin to compare with articles here.
For the past few years I've enjoyed taking part in the MLive blog for away games, but with the deterioration of our season, the MSU trolls have pretty much destroyed the interaction there. I'll miss some of the regular contributers but it's time to try another liveblog in 2014. I might have to be brave and attempt to join the one here. The whole MSU trolling thing has been somewhat of an educational experience, even at my advanced age I never really understood the extent of their obsession with Michigan. It's a little weird.
December 29th, 2013 at 4:58 PM ^
1. How old is this guy, and why is his writing so poor? Are half sentences and constant dangling.....good writing, or just his attempt to be clever, with outdated journalism?
2. He doesn't seem to think Michigan is any good, but who does?
December 29th, 2013 at 5:17 PM ^
however
1) you can only expect so much from journalists these days, especially online. I was trying to be NICE
2) well, we all have questions, more interested in the answers