Hoke announces new coaching roles
EDIT: LINK
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan head football coach Brady Hoke announced today (Thursday, Feb. 20) the following coaching responsibilities for the defensive staff in 2014:
Greg Mattison - Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
Curt Mallory - Safeties
Roy Manning - Cornerbacks
Mark Smith - Defensive LineAdditionally, graduate assistants Jerry Milling and Ernie Lawson will work with the linebackers and defensive line, respectively.
"Everyone on the staff and the kids are really excited about these changes," said Hoke, the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach. "Greg and I met and felt this was the best for everyone, including him and his ability to coach a position group and run a defense from the middle. When you look at Mark's experience on the defensive line, then being able to split the secondary, where you have five positions and 20-plus guys, and with the way offense and passing has changed in college football, I think it balances our staff on that side of the ball."
Offensive staff responsibilities will remain the same with the addition of offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier.
Doug Nussmeier - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
Dan Ferrigno - Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends
Darrell Funk - Offensive Line
Jeff Hecklinski - Wide Receivers
Fred Jackson - Running BacksGraduate assistant Kevin Koger will continue to work with the tight ends, while new offensive graduate assistant Michael Switzer will assist with the offensive line.
February 20th, 2014 at 6:24 PM ^
"...and with the way offense and passing has changed in college football..."
Maybe there is a god.
February 20th, 2014 at 9:39 PM ^
He didn't say our Offense.
February 20th, 2014 at 6:26 PM ^
2014. Make. Or. Break.
February 20th, 2014 at 6:30 PM ^
Elaborate please.
February 20th, 2014 at 6:50 PM ^
February 20th, 2014 at 6:51 PM ^
You need elaboration on why 2014 is a make or break year for Hoke and staff...? Not saying Hoke will get canned if 2014 is another meh year, but I imagine his seat will be white hot going into 2015.
February 20th, 2014 at 7:41 PM ^
I think the Nuss hire indicates Brandon is hoping to have Hoke at least 2 more seasons, but yes, if the team is bad again this year his hot seat will be like the surface of 1000 suns going into 2015
February 20th, 2014 at 8:07 PM ^
I can't believe people think that if Hoke is "meh" (i.e., goes 8-4) this year that he will be back in 2015. With State coming off a Rose Bowl win, OSU winning 12 games a year, and ND recently playing in the ntnl championship, all our "red letter rivals" (unless they unexpectedly fall on their faces next year) will have clearly surpassed us. Alums will not stand for that.
9 wins in the minimum, in my opinion, in the regular season, unless somehow UM gets to 8 wins with 2 of those 3 wins being over State and OSU. Beating ND would be nice, but losing to State (again) and/or OSU (again) will not cut it.
February 20th, 2014 at 8:48 PM ^
I would hope we evaluate him based on how we're doing, and not make a panic move just because of how Ohio or Sparty did. Those programs were ahead of us when Hoke was hired. Given the lack of upperclassmen he inherited, it's not shocking to me that they were better last year, too.
If we're 8-4 but have a winning B1G record and are competitive in our losses, I think that can constitute progress coming off a 7-6, 3-5 season. Not only was last year's team young, but this upcoming team is not going to be all that experienced, either, other than at QB and a couple of other spots. Hoke's 2012 and 2013 recruiting classes are going to have to come up big if we want to have a strong season, but they're only going to be in their third and second years in the program, respectively.
February 20th, 2014 at 9:40 PM ^
I think Hoke will get fired at 8-4 or worse.
I can get, especially amongst Mgoblog denziens who can break down, via a scatterplot chart how UM's OL is developing, might make a better/more informed decision on whether there was "enough" improvement over 2013. I might not necessarily agree with it, as I think excuses should be at a minimum at a school like Michigan in someone's 4th year, but I can see it.
But for Joe Fan Alumni--they don't care about that stuff. They care about the fact they had to pay another $1000+ for tickets for a team (if it goes 8-4) that either a) lost to ND or b) went 4-4 in the B1G, which everyone knows is not a great conference. All the while, they're getting razzed at work and family gatherings about "Who's the little brother now?" and "Boy, what is that almost ten in a row over you guys?"
Plus, Hoke would suffer not only in comparison to the other football rivals, but to Beilein, who has UM as a regular B1G title contender (and beat MSU, twice, in his 4th year).
Hoke's seat is hot -- starting now. He doesn't have another "good job, good effort, nice improvement, you'll get 'em next year" season, in my opinion.
February 21st, 2014 at 4:56 AM ^
February 20th, 2014 at 9:48 PM ^
What are they going to do about it? Stomping your feet and firing another coach doesn't automatically get you success. Remember that coaching search a few years ago? Remember how nobody decent was interested in this job? The biggest thing Hoke had going for him was how much he wanted this job.
Do you think it would be different next year? ESPECIALLY after an 8-4 season that leads to a firing? What coach wants to come in here, take on a flagging program whose alums have expectations that simply don't match the reality of the last 10 years, with a mandate to win 9-10 games a year or get fired?
Granted, the cupboard will be a lot more stocked than it was when Hoke was hired, but still, Michigan alums (like me) need to get their heads out of their collective ass when it comes to the idea that this is still a fantastic job and they'll have their pick of strong coaching candidates. If the Hoke hire taught us anything, it was that. An 8-4 record, IMO, will not get Hoke fired, and it shouldn't. We all want to be better than 8-4, but firing the coach should come with a reasonable expectation of improvement. I don't think we could fairly have such in that scenario.
February 21st, 2014 at 1:04 AM ^
Remember that coaching search a few years ago? Remember how nobody decent was interested in this job? The biggest thing Hoke had going for him was how much he wanted this job.
Once of the only times I will ever say "This Is Michigan," but you do not hire someone here based on how much he wants the job. This is Michigan.
And you don't know what went on behind the scenes and what the circumstances were behind why someone didn't take the job nor do you know how many people were offered.
February 21st, 2014 at 1:11 AM ^
To improve over 8 wins but I doubt it, given the state of our OL and a difficult schedule will probably result in at least 4 losses may be 5. I will be satisfied if the team can improve during the season and finish over .500 in B1G play. 2015 Hoke will have to win 10 games or get to the B1G title game.
February 21st, 2014 at 10:35 AM ^
Because most people are reasonable and not an idiot?
February 20th, 2014 at 8:43 PM ^
I think he is already on the hot seat. I will be most surprised if attendance next year doesn't take a big hit. The Michigan difference is the size of our stadium, the ticket prices which are well below OSU, and full attendance.
My feeling is that we have gone past the tipping point. It is an expensive pain in the ass to come to Ann Arbor or anywhere else for a weekend of mediocre football against second rate opponents, particularly when you have 60 or 70 inch HDTV's and your significant other at your beck and call handing you your drink of choice. Well, maybe not but you get the point. Fans have love, but only to a point. I know of very few programs, collegiate or professional where the stands remain full, year after year, when a team loses the ability to be competitive.
Hoke's future is linked to attendance which is linked to wins and losses and the future is now.
February 20th, 2014 at 7:41 PM ^
February 20th, 2014 at 8:05 PM ^
I guess I was looking for some specifics as opposed to more boilerplate language about stepping up or else.
February 20th, 2014 at 8:10 PM ^
February 20th, 2014 at 9:52 PM ^
What does it mean to not "tolerate" 7-6? Those are just words. Firing the coach does not mean you won't be 7-6 or worse the next year. Firing coaches after four years in which they won a BCS bowl and recruited very well isn't going to make this job look any more appealing than it did last time around. And last time around, we settled for a guy from San Diego State with a losing record as a head coach.
February 21st, 2014 at 1:07 AM ^
Because of politics. The clan that wanted Hoke had already proven they would sabotage anyone not associated with Carr. Brandon was scared they'd do it again.
February 21st, 2014 at 8:40 AM ^
Jon Gruden will take the job this time.
February 21st, 2014 at 11:52 AM ^
Tony Dungy will join the staff as DC.
He's from Jackson, ya know.
February 21st, 2014 at 8:42 AM ^
I agree with your point about "firing the coach does not mean you won't be 7-6 or worse the next year'" but, I'm sorry did he really win that BCS Bowl or was it the players that RichRod recruited that won it?
Hoke has recruited very well though.
And you never "settle" when you hire a Michigan Man! lol
But I agree with you. I wouldn't even think about firing him until after Shane Morris/Derrick Green are upperclassmen, and Jabrill Peppers has time to make an impact. So I'd put his hot seat at the end of the 2015 season. We already fired one guy too early, the least we can do is learn from our mistakes.
February 21st, 2014 at 9:37 AM ^
We didn't fire RichRod too early. The program was regressing badly and in the process of turning into a smoking crater. At the very least, the Hoke hire salvaged recruiting for at least a few years.
February 21st, 2014 at 1:40 PM ^
The team was a smoking crater when RR came in. He inherited the team that lost to Appalachian State - minus Hart, Henne, Long, Crable, Adams and several other stars. He had 1 OL (plus redshirt F Molk) and a couple of good, but injury-prone RBs. The defense was like a doughnut: good on the line and the backfield. Most of those players were gone after RR's first year.
The team improved every year under RR. The team that went 11-2 was RR's team and he wouldn't have lost games by playing Denard under center against Iowa and trying to prove his manhood by passing in a windstorm against MSU.
Hoke took that team and has regressed (which means "to go in a negative direction" BTW), losing more games each year and becoming less competitive while playiong in a conference that has become a laughingstock. They were 30 seconds from losing to the 6th best MAC team from Ohio last year.
The recruits have been highly ranked but the coaches have shown an inability to develop them properly. By RR's third year he was playing 2 OL that he recruited who would become All American and All Conference. If Hoke had duplicated that, we wouldn't have had consecutive games with negative rushing yardage.
3 then 5 then 7 equals improvement. 11 then 8 then 7 equals regression.
February 21st, 2014 at 2:48 PM ^
February 21st, 2014 at 4:33 PM ^
1. The guy who thinks the 2008 team was better than the 2010 team thinks RR would only win 6-7 games in 2011, despite the "luxury" of having a second year starter at QB. I'll take that with a grain of salt.
2. I don't hate Hoke. There's nothing to blame in a man taking his dream job where he wasn't responsible for creating the vacancy. I do recognize that after his third year he hasn't led Michigan to the level of success that was expected.
3. If you can't understand that going from 3 wins to 5 wins to 7 wins is improvement, a progression, then there's no point in wasting time on further discussion with you.
February 21st, 2014 at 10:04 PM ^
February 21st, 2014 at 7:07 PM ^
Let me first say that I support Hoke and think he deserves to be supported as our coach until at least the end of the 2015 season. This would give him plenty of time to recruit/teach/fit the team to his image. But to be honest I credit Rich Rod for that 2011 BCS Win as much as I credit Hoke. The game was won with Rich Rods players and if Hoke/Mattison really were such defensive wizards then why has the defense fell further every year since they got here? I think Mike Martin (who was recruited by Carr) Van Bergen, Demens, Kovacs etc were just good players that were upper classmen that season and they wouldve progressed as a defense under Hoke or Rodriguez.
Anyway, I also fell that the Kansas State loss was just as upsetting as the Mississippi State loss. Both games sucked.
I think Rich Rod did better in his first 3 years than Hoke has done in his. Rich Rod took a team that lacked leadership/seniors and turned them into a team that Hoke led to a BCS win. Hoke on the other hand took over a team full of upperclassmen RichRod had recruited and has regressed every year since. And I also feel that Rich Rod created a team that had an identity. We scored points. With Hoke the identity is supposed to be power football and defense but we ran for -48 yards vs. Sparty last season and got worse on defense as the year went on.
And just to clear this up, CalifExile is saying that Rich Rod progressed the teams RECORD from 3 wins to 5 then 7. And Hoke has regressed each year from 11 to 8 to 7. He isnt refering to the Bowl game with RichRod. That game was bad, but it doesnt change the fact that the team was improving and didnt even go to a bowl game the year before
February 21st, 2014 at 7:21 PM ^
It's true that MM committed to LC, but after Carr's retirement Martin decommitted. He wasn't committed to Michigan when RR took over. He was being heavily recruited by ND and MSU, among others. RR recruited an uncommitted MM and convinced him to come to Michigan.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:31 PM ^
Well yeah, I would say he was sort of a half Carr/half Rodriguez recruit. I was just qualifing him as a Carr guy before someone stepped in and said Rodriguez didnt solely recruit him.
February 21st, 2014 at 9:34 AM ^
You are right that firing your coach doesn't guarantee anything, but at some point, you make the choice that it's worth it to try and get the best candidate available rather than stick with the guy that you've got. With Hoke, I have pretty much made up my mind that it would be worth it. I'm not very enthusiastic about it, because I have little faith in the airheaded twit who will be making the next hire. But if Hoke ends up 9-4 this year with uncompetitive losses to MSU and OSU, the rational decision is to fire him.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:14 PM ^
That would be a tough season, but I would not be able to support firing the guy. 9-4 would mean improvement and a bowl game. We would have the 2013 recruiting class going into the junior seasons. A junior Shane Morris and Derrick Green/DeVeon Smith along with expected progression across the O-Line from guys like Kalis, Bosch, Magneson, Braden, etc. Not to mention Jabrill Peppers on D. That is the team Hoke has been building for. I would want to see Hoke coach that team for at least one year before we go ahead and can him for losing with Spread guys and young guys.
February 20th, 2014 at 6:57 PM ^
I don't think 8-4 will get it either. IME 2014 will have to be demonstrably better than 2013. As one that has been fairly supportive of Hoke and his staff, if Michigan isn't going to Columbus to secure a trip to Indianapolis, I'm through with him.
February 20th, 2014 at 8:07 PM ^
In 2014, just the bottom three of five classes will be fully his. We should expect improvement, which 8-4 would be.
February 21st, 2014 at 2:34 PM ^
that 8-4 is seen as acceptable and improvement. Who are we, NC State?
February 20th, 2014 at 8:13 PM ^
while going 8-4. Just improving the wins into respectful territory i.e., solid margins over the Akrons and UConns in the schedule, and putting up a decent fight against Staee would make a huge difference in "going in the right direction".
That said, looking at the schedule looks doable for more than 8 wins.
I think the most important thing is not to have a "guh", I can't stand watching this shit it is embarassing to all things Michigan Football season.
It is one thing to loose competitively. It is another to loose, and barely win embarassingly.
February 21st, 2014 at 11:53 AM ^
Just make sure you let him down easy. You know he's gonna be plenty broken up about it as it is.
February 20th, 2014 at 10:03 PM ^
February 20th, 2014 at 10:11 PM ^
February 21st, 2014 at 3:16 AM ^
February 21st, 2014 at 8:50 AM ^
To me the most upsetting fact is that we still can't assume we will beat non-AQ level teams. Akron, Air Force, UConn, etc. those our worse than seeing us crushed by Sparty. Especially at home. Not to mention the fact that we can't win on the road.
February 21st, 2014 at 11:55 AM ^
I had got back to assuming wins in those games in 2012, which is why flirting with the Toledo Nightmare Zone last year was such a painful fucking experience.
I really, really don't want non-boring cupcake games 'round here no more.
February 20th, 2014 at 6:27 PM ^
February 20th, 2014 at 6:27 PM ^
Did they play musical chairs or did they draw straws?
February 20th, 2014 at 6:27 PM ^
Awkward and ridiculous, looking and sounding.
February 20th, 2014 at 6:30 PM ^
February 20th, 2014 at 6:35 PM ^
and he's got that whole first initial thing going, too. irks me even more.