Brady Hoke

What was going through your mind when the two touchdowns got called back at the end of the game?

“Well, there's probably easier ways to get to the end of the game, but you know, honestly it was so much fun watching those guys compete and watching them play together as a football team. I was having fun. The way they encouraged each other, the way they fought for each other -- there wasn’t a doubt in my mind, but I think a little different anyway.”

Was there something poetic about the fact that the play that sealed the game was made by a defensive back, considering the struggles that group had earlier in the game?

“They did a nice job. You’ve got to give Ohio credit. They did a nice job stretching the field, which is part of what they do offensively. I thought Miller threw the ball well. They max-protected a bunch, so if you have four guys or five guys coming, they could pick them up. That was a good plan for them. The way they run the ball, and with his ability to run and the dual-threatness that he presents, we got distracted a little bit with our eyes from a technique standpoint, and they were able to hit some. But the kids kept playing, and Courtney made a nice play.”

Was this Denard Robinson’s best performance?

“Um … Let’s hope the next one is. He played well. He played with a lot of energy and he played with, in my eyes, he played with a toughness. He went after some of those runs, especially in the second half. It just tells you a lot about him and how he feels about his teammates.”

Is it more gratifying to you that you won by pounding the ball?

“Well, [that] and the last drive that Fitz scored on and didn’t score on -- those offensive linemen, it was neat to see Koger and Denard [when they went] up to the offensive line and said, ‘We’re going to ride you guys. You’re going to win this for us, make it a 10-point game.’ It’s kind of neat to see how they all have the same belief.”

What happened on that last drive when Posey broke free and Miller just overthrew him?

“I don’t know. I didn’t see it well enough. I’m sure he probably double-moved. The guy may have bit on the double move.”

Did you think he was going to catch it?

“You know, if he catches it, we’ve got work to do.”

Was this one of the more satisfying wins of your career?

“What satisfies you [is when] you see those kids in that locker room, and you saw them on the field -- how happy. Because it’s been a struggle. They went to work in January. It wasn’t easy. It’s fun as a coach to see them and how they responded and how hard they worked.”

Do you think you should get a BCS invite?

“I don’t have that decision. I think we have a good football team. Somebody will make that decision.”

Since day one, you said that Ohio was the most important game on the schedule. Having played it and having won it, what do you think now?

“I haven’t changed my opinion. This is the most important game on the schedule, and 364 days and I don’t know how many hours we’ll be teeing up again.”

At any point did you feel the pressure of not having beaten Ohio State for seven years?

“We never talked about it. We never spoke about the last seven years. It’s not fair to this team, and it’s not fair to those teams that played in this game for seven years. So for us to comment about seven years, it’d be disrespectful for those teams.”

Did you feel that your players felt pressure whether it was talked about or not?

“I don’t think so. I mean, I think we had an unbelievable intensity and a focus about our preparation. They’ve been like that most of the year. Maybe there was some more this week. I didn’t sense any of that.”

What was it like being able to celebrate with your seniors afterwards?

“You know, one of them, and that’s Ricky Barnum, threw water on me. But it was -- just to see them happy. That’s the neat part. The investment and the commitment they made as a team. It was special. It’s special. It’s one of those good days.”

The affection you have for your seniors was visible during the senior day introductions. What did you say to them after the game?

“I don’t remember, it was kind of a blur. I just told them in there how proud I am of them. And I can tell you, if we would have gone out there and gotten beat, I would have told them the same daggone thing, that we’re proud of them and what they’ve done for Michigan.”

Can you talk about the confidence you have in your D-line and allowing them to call their own plays?

“Those guys are pretty smart. Ryan is really a good, smart football guy. So is Mike. You feel good about guys when you give them a little bit of freedom, and I think they enjoy that, too. We needed to do something and obviously needed to clog up some of the lanes inside and hopefully get some pressure on him.”

What happens to the clock that says 2,900-something days on it?

“It goes to zero. I think it was 2,926.”

When did you know that your seniors were coming together?

“Oh … that’s a good question. It really -- and I know that’s why you asked it, because it’s a good question.”

They’re not all good.

“Well I know, believe me. I think after spring ball, the summer, and fall camp -- we were tough in fall camp. They responded tough. They responded together. And then just the little things, the respect you see in a guy at the training table that he has for another guy. All that stuff. That’s what makes teams -- good teams -- is when they have that respect for each other. You could see it during the course of the game. The offense telling the defense, ‘We got your back,’ and the same thing [the other way around]. That doesn’t happen every year. Hopefully the guys will be in that role next year -- hopefully they’ve learned.”

How will you remember Team 132 and your seniors?

“Well I think they’re a group that obviously had been through a lot. They faced a lot of adversity through their career here. But they persevered and they stuck together. It’s a special group.”

Any thoughts on competing against Urban Meyer at Ohio State?

“You know the good thing about coaches -- we don’t do the competing. It’s the kids. It’s the guys on the field.”

Two question: Molk said you emphasized this game 1,000 more than the last few years. How did you do that? Also, what happened on Will Hagerup’s fumbled snap?

“Obviously took his eyes off it. Like I told him, I said, ‘How many snaps do you think you’ve caught over the course of your career? There’s a probability that happens, that you may drop one sometime. If you’ve caught 1,000, then you may drop one but you won’t drop the next one.’”

And the first question?
“We just -- we end every meeting with ‘Beat Ohio.’”

Nothing at the end of practice?

“I think we … eh, I don’t know.”

We’ve asked you a lot about Denard over and over and you’ve had to back him every time. What kind of statement did he make with today’s performance?

“Well, I don’t know who he’s making the statement to, because he’s out quarterback and will be our quarterback at Michigan. When you ask that, I think Denard went out there as a quarterback at Michigan and went out there to help his teammates and be accountable to his teammates on his performance. He couldn’t do it by himself, and no one ever does, but I thought he played an aggressive, controlled football game.”

Brady, you’ve got two 1,000-yard rushers.

“I didn’t know that. That’s good.”

What does that say about the balance in your running game?

“Well I think the ability that the guys up front and what they’ve done, I think the offensive staff and what Denard has done in this make-shift, a-little-bit-quasi offense that we have. I think Fitz, the growth and maturity that he’s shown.”

Van Bergen said this is one of the best team victories you’ve had. Do you agree?

“Yeah. I think whenever we win, it’s a team win. I think the magnitude of the rivalry and all those things, that always means a little more.”

How do you feel about your team and your first full regular season as head coach of Michigan?

“I love my team. I love the kids on this team. I love how they represent Michigan. And what was the last question?”

How do you feel about your first regular season?

“Eh, it’s fun, you know? It’s fun! Look, I’ve got the best job in the world. I do. Because at 2:30 every day, I get 115 guys that I get a chance to make a difference in their lives. What could be funner? Or more fun. Is ‘funner’ right?

Does it mean anything to you that three seniors caught touchdowns?

“You know, I just think for our seniors, and it doesn’t matter -- we have some seniors that didn’t play a snap, but they’ve played plenty of snaps on the look team and the scout team. They’ve been tough and they get in the weight room at 5:15 three days a week and go to class. One of them’s going to law school. I’m proud of all of them. It doesn’t matter who caught a touchdown. This is a team.”

[Players will be up this afternoon.]