NathanFromMCounty

January 13th, 2011 at 9:43 PM ^

...it's too early to tell in recruiting but he's brought back Jackson, kept Denard, kept Martin (and there was a chance he was going to the NFL, not a great chance, but a chance >0%), and hired an O-Cord with an okay track record (who's done better than okay when he's had something to work with).  Now comes the hard part of hiring a D-Cordinator (if Shannon's out, any chance of Wannestadt, he knows Pennsylvania's recruiting terrain, he's an above average D-Cordinator, and he's friends with Jim Leyland...).

kgh10

January 14th, 2011 at 1:13 AM ^

Um facts and patterns of performance are not propaganda. The defensive performance of The Horror and Oregon Bloodbath is not propaganda. The fact that he inherited 3 healthy NFL Pro Bowlers (Hall, Woodley, and Harris), monster Alan Branch, and solid veteran players like Burgess, Biggs, and Jamison, Crable, Jamar Adams, and Englemon is not propaganda. The only area where we lacked extreme amounts of talent was in the secondary...and the secondary sucked bad. 

The fact that Ron English's stint as DC at Louisville had his defenses ranked 70th is not propaganda. The fact that in Ron English's EMU defenses rank 106 (2009) and 113 (2010) and were better in all three years before he arrived in Yypsi is not propaganda. Yes I know, it's Eastern...but if he's some defensive mastermind, I'd expect to see at least a little bit of improvement.

I'm really tired of everyone thinking that anyone who agrees with Brian's generally (extremely) well-researched opinions are just toeing the company line. That schtick is getting really old.

NathanFromMCounty

January 13th, 2011 at 10:01 PM ^

...have someone at Michigan call a favor from (apparently) Wanny-friend Jim Leyland to try to talk his buddy to MIchigan?  Yeah, I know, not likely, but still.

Though, for whatever reason, Hoke's hires have primarily been people he's been familiiar with from past jobs (with only Borges, Wellman, and Fred Jackson not having been people who only made D-I coaching with Hoke at Ball State).

kgh10

January 14th, 2011 at 1:26 AM ^

Those are two guys I perhaps unrealistically hoped would stay. Frey has done an excellent job with the offensive line both in recruiting and in development and Rod Smith has done a very good job working with Denard and Tate. Kinda bummed to see them go. Man if we look back at the 2008 crap fest at both of those positions and how well they developed in the 3 years compared to RB, WR, slot, and TE. I think it's fair to say those guys earned their paychecks. Rod Smith was also a hell of a recruiter for us in FL.

BigSi

January 13th, 2011 at 10:26 PM ^

For what it is worth, I just spoke with one of the position coaches at Wake Forest, who told me that Hoke has a strong national reputation among his peers and is an excellent hire. I was skeptical when Hoke was first announced, but I am starting to rethink things. Denard, Martin,  and Fred Jackson staying are huge pluses.

bighouseinmate

January 13th, 2011 at 9:51 PM ^

I was hoping for maybe an off-coaching staff rehire of Jackson to a football related part of the AD and a hire of Wheatley, but this is just as good. I like Jackson as RB coach.