Update thoughts on Hoke - Any people change opinions?
Morning all! If anyone was like me, you were somewhat dumbfounded by the Hoke hire the associated process behind it. There were certainly a lot of passionate emotions expressed - some good, mostly bad. But now that we are are almost 2 months into the Hoke regime and have had some time to assess the hire more objectively and with saner minds, have any of you who thought once thought the Hoke hire was a bad now think otherwise? And why?
Me? Well, I still think this was not a great hire that was mitigated partially by a top-notch DC. Reasons are as follows:
1. The whole "turned BSU and SDSU around" meme. I still don't get this. Taking a bad a team and putting together one good season before leaving doesn't really prove that he can turn a program around. Doesn't mean he can't do it here, but doing so in the MAC and Mountain West doesn't really give me hope that he can do this in the big ten.
2. Denard. One of the best athletes in the game, but he is a very niche QB that needs a certain coach to extract that QB talent. The new staff is not it, which is fine, because I think Denard will switch positions by time he graduates, making room for someone more abt for a traditional offense. IMO, Denard's Heisman days are done.
3. Recruiting. It seems Hoke wants to concentrate on the midwest, which scares me. Save Ohio, the midwest is a good, not great nest of football talent. The vast majority of great football players come from the South and West. This is where we need to be.
4. Hoke's introductory press conference. Am I the only one who was not impressed? I love his passion, but he was very unpolished and amateur. I get the feeling he going to say some VERY bone-headed comments when under pressure during a press conference.
Overall, Hoke's intangible's are immense, but I think there is very little tangible aspects to hold on to. He is the coach of my favorite team and he has my full support, but I just don't see hime getting it done here. I predict that the defense will improve, the offense will regress, and we will see what we did for most of the 2000s with LC. He will beat OSU once and MSU twice in 5 years and out the door after 2016. I sincerely hope I am wrong, but with Hoke's less than stellar coaching resume, hope is all I got.
February 25th, 2011 at 5:23 PM ^
...(as Dancing Queen plays in my head), no...why?
February 25th, 2011 at 5:19 PM ^
My opinion of Brady Hoke improved when he convinced Greg Mattison to leave the Baltimore Ravens for the same position here and when he convinced (or helped convince) Denard to stay.
February 25th, 2011 at 6:11 PM ^
I'll let you know in 5 years what I think about Coach Hoke! In the meantime support the team, and coach, and enjoy the ride. Hopefully, I will not have to give him a grade of "incomplete" like the last coach!
February 26th, 2011 at 1:11 AM ^
WE GOT A GUY WHO WANTED TO BE HERE. HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. There were not alternative agendas regarding a better contract or the NFL. Hell BH's contract still isn't finalized.-- I am as nervous about the future as anybody, but I know that the first two months of his tenure have me more excited about this program than I was for the last three years. There was a stain related to our program ever since RR was hired... the issues with WVU, Martin unavailable at the time of hire, the WVU buyout, the records shredding, the mass player departures, the NCAA violations, and the overall misunderstanding of the traditions of our University.
I don't care who you are or what you do - all things equal, I want the person with the passion. We have Brady Hoke as our football coach and he finished out a top 25 class, brought on a quality football staff and is workin hard for the betterment of our program. lets all look forward. Since I do live in SEC hell, I can point to this last year at TN as an example of uncertainty. No one down here was fired up about Derek Dooley - did anyone in Michigan or in the country care or know who Derek Dooley was? Well, He just had a top 10 recruiting class, he's competing/leading against us in the recruitment for O'Brien and some other players. Hoke et al are going to be doing everything they can for Michigan - RR is gone - let's move forward. Yes there is uncertainty but I am still for Hoke
February 26th, 2011 at 1:55 AM ^
I heard RichRod didn't have any passion on the football field or in the locker room. He was a dud.
February 26th, 2011 at 11:16 AM ^
Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but if you supported RichRod until the end, you have no room to say anything negative about what Hoke has done so far.
Two sweet coordinators: Check.
Unqualified approval of past players who actually know something about Michigan football beyond stats: Check
Show passion for Michigan as opposed to passion for himself: Check
Not humiliate the program in some form every two weeks: Check
We've had only one transfer so far (backup for academic reasons). RichRod people will have you believe that every time a new coach comes in with a new system, half the team will always transfer. The truth is, as shown by RR coaching the exact same game after 3 years, that the dude was incredibly stubborn and unwilling to work with the tools he had. Sure, implement your little flag football form of the spread offense, but why does that require losing defensive talent and falling into a black hole for 3 years?
February 26th, 2011 at 11:34 AM ^
Show passion for Michigan as opposed to passion for himself: Check
go fuck yourself, idiot
February 26th, 2011 at 12:00 PM ^
I'd like to see a poll of every football coach in the country which reads,
"Would it be selfish to break down, plead for your own job, and play Josh Groban at a year end banquet that is there to honor your seniors?"
You're just bitter that the only two people who ended up siding with your year long argument of RichRod 2012 were Rich Rod himself and Lou Holtz.
February 26th, 2011 at 1:41 PM ^
This is my first post. Here are a few opinions I wanted to share.
The BH hiring shows me that RR was an offensive expert but mediocre with special teams and really poor with defense. This years games against Michigan State, Wisconsin, The ohio state (Tosu), and Missisippi State prove this. David Brandon believes that "Defense Wins Championships" is a mantra that will always be true, and he decided that RR was not of this ilk. Hence the Brady Hoke hire. Look at the staff assembled, and their salaries, and all of that is consistent with the "Defense Wins Championships" mantra.
I would like to add one other thing in response to all those blue-bleeding fanatics who are ravenous for wins at all cost, National Championships and all that, and so BH was a poor hire. Much as I like to see wins all the times, I have to say CRAP on that attitude! If you look at quite a few programs that have pursued the win-at-all-costs attitude, you will develop a list that includes USC football, Tennessee football and basketball, TCU football, tOSU football, Oklahoma basketball. All of these have shown that absolute power ($$$$$) (or the blind pursuit of it) corrupts absolutely. Returning Michigan to a solid winning football team, one that competes for championships, but is not corrupted by the gigantic temptations that surround big time college atheltics, requires a tremendous amount of team and coaching staff discipline and integrity.
I believe that BH "fits the bill." It looks like he has assembled a very good staff, with a defensive coordinator that I think everyone will respect as absolutely excellent. Also, the current team remains intact with no attrition. BH didn't scare anyone off. That speaks greatly for the near term future of this team.
So lets provide some support!!