December 29th, 2013 at 1:56 PM ^
Data is great and all, but context is important, too. Unfortunately, the offensive line was doomed to fail because of the players available, and Michigan was still in better shape this year than any year of the Rodriguez regime.
December 30th, 2013 at 2:03 PM ^
After Mallett, Boren and Arrington decided to leave, RR's first team was doomed.
Hoke inherited a team (and schedule) that should have seen M undefeated in the regular season. Instead the coaches ran Denard under center against Iowa and tried to prove their way was the way by throwing against MSU in a wind storm. That was RR's team. It would have been the first with a second year starter at QB. Hoke and his coaches have been a disaster in managing the transition to their desired style.
RR oversaw improvement in the team every year. Hoke has given us regression.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:39 PM ^
Rodriguez would not have been retained after 2008 (or 2009, when Brandon took over), and Hoke will be fired by no later than January 8th. Neither of these things happened nor will happen. Therefore, invalid.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:39 AM ^
I hear the players don't like him either.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:44 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:50 AM ^
is one.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:40 AM ^
that is so overpaid. I believe Hoke is 4th and both Borges and Mattison are in the top ten and we get 7-6 with no evidence of any improvement over the 2013 season. At least with RR things seemed to be trending up until the cowbell bowl. We seem to be headed in the opposite direction with this staff.
When I see plays where Desmond Morgan is suppose to get out to the slot WR as we send a DB on a blitz and the announcer says Morgan didn't get his job done I get PO'd. Morgan doesn't have the ability to get there so he is put in a position to fail by the DC's call. Then we get to hear in the presser how the team didn"t execute. Tired of the BS. On the bright side, tickets should be pretty cheap next year.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:40 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 10:09 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:40 AM ^
If Al gets fired, his last playcall at Michigan will be a successful 2-pt conversion. This just upsets me;
December 29th, 2013 at 1:42 AM ^
when Greg was DC in mid '90's, I hated how our D was bend but don't break and then ND stole him from us and Herrmann had us play aggressive in '97, at least that year, I miss that. I want aggressive D back, not this shit we're getting.
Also, Borges, you suck, playcalling is so incoherent, Shane looked good and deserved a better game plan.
Hoke, you are clueless and too nonchalant and I hate your elusive responses, you suck buddy.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:02 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 2:24 AM ^
Also important: The key guys in the '97 defense were all guys that Mattison had coached. He was good at developing players back then, at least.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:43 PM ^
He is correct though about the 97 defense and Hermann. Mattison did play a bend but don't break style, which was maddening. Those players he recruited were studs, but Hermann took them to another level. They were very aggressive and I would say the best defense that I have ever seen at Michigan. It was a style that you see with all of the National Championship level defenses.
After the 97 season Hermann started to get conservative, which I believe ultimately cost him his job. If you have an attacking defense, you need to play that way all the time the MSU does. It is a mindset that has to be there on every play. You force turnovers with aggression. Occasionally you get burned, but you can live with that because you are creating opportunities with good field position and turnovers for your offense.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:42 AM ^
have no idea how to make in-game adjustments. They can't adjust to what the opposition does and take advantage of a situation. Mattison seemed good at it his first season, but has gotten worse the last two years. Borges just seems lost. It may be execution also, but that still comes back to coaching. The kids aren't prepared to play and don't learn from their mistakes.
It's very sad to see what Michigan football has become. This program is a middle of the B1G program and beginning next year with the new division splits...Holy Shit this program is in trouble. Michigan will be at best, third in the division when the season starts and probaly worse than that by year's end. I think after next year the program starts all over again and it'll be five years before Michigan truly COMPETES for the B1G championship.
We have become MSU and they are us. This is sad.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:43 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:44 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:45 AM ^
Nov. 27, 2013
University of Michigan director of athletics Dave Brandon will regularly offer his view on a variety of topics related to U-M and intercollegiate sports. All his posts, along with links to related content, will be available on his page, mgoblue.com/brandon, and he is also on Twitter at @DaveBrandonAD.
Brady Hoke is our coach and will be leading our football program well into the future. There is no question about it. Brady has done a great job rebuilding the program and reshaping the culture to the level it was under coaches Bo Schembechler, Gary Moeller and Lloyd Carr. Anyone making efforts to stir up a coaching controversy at Michigan is ill-informed and is likely promoting a personal agenda that is not in the best interest of Michigan Football.
We don't make excuses at Michigan when we fail to reach our goals, and we never will. We recognize areas we need to address and improve -- and we will. We also know how to hold people accountable for the roles and responsibilities they have as part of the privilege for being a part of Michigan Football -- and we will. However, it is valuable to occasionally step back from the disappointment and frustration that occurs when things don't go as well as expected and consider a few facts that may help put things into proper perspective.
Is our program where we want to be? No. We want to consistently compete for championships. That is the expectation at Michigan and that has been Brady's stated expectation from day one. When we don't meet those expectations there's disappointment -- and that starts with Brady, the coaches, players and everyone else that represents our football program. If you saw how hard everyone inside Schembechler Hall works every day, you would understand why they are disappointed. They pour their lives into developing these young people to prepare them to compete at the highest level and consistently win.
Many don't remember that Alabama finished fourth in its division during Nick Saban's fourth year with the Crimson Tide. At present, Alabama seems to be doing pretty well!! Stanford had 4-8, 5-7 and 8-5 records under Jim Harbaugh before reaching its current string of consecutive BCS appearances. This shows that it takes time for the right leader to build a consistent winner. We have the right leader, and despite the fact we have lost three very close games (and WE ARE ALL feeling the pain that comes from it!) the consistency will come. There have been speed bumps along the way and unforeseen obstacles that have hindered our progress this season, but the resiliency of this team has been remarkable.
Our coaches are recruiting nationally from New Jersey to California, from Michigan to Florida, and continue to bring in the type of young men that can compete on the field and in the classroom at the University of Michigan. The depth that this program needs to be a consistent winner is coming, but it doesn't happen overnight or in one or two recruiting classes. It takes time and probably a little more time than we all anticipated. However, the only threat to our continued success in recruiting is the same old, tired tactic being used by some who wish to see us fail -- to try and scare young recruits into believing that our coach "is on the hot seat" -- which simply isn't true. In fact, this is the same guy that was Big Ten and national coach of the year two seasons ago.
Brady inherited a team during his first season that had many juniors and seniors who played key roles in previous years. The senior class was recruited by Coach Carr and had some terrific talent that had simply been underperforming. We only had one freshman crack the depth chart on the offensive and defensive lines during that Sugar Bowl winning season. Right now, this year's team is counting on 11 freshmen or redshirt freshmen in the trenches. Not to make excuses, but to point out the obvious, this shows how much we are investing in young talent that will make huge contributions to our future success.
I'm really proud of how the players have bought into the new direction. Our coaches are changing schemes, and that requires a different recruiting philosophy and asking current student-athletes to adapt to a different style than previous years. The transformation and improvement of our defense under the leadership of coach Greg Mattison has been outstanding. Our coaches have worked hard to blend and develop schemes that bridge the gap between what was previously done and what they ultimately hope to run on both sides of the ball.
I have seen firsthand what Brady and his coaching staff are doing to make this program better. It takes time and sometimes patience by all of us before we can build the consistent winner that meets our expectations. I can assure you that our student-athletes are working hard every day to get better on the field, in the classroom and in the community. That hasn't changed at any point during the season; this group is fighting through obstacles. I know and see the drive that Brady, his coaches and players have to win -- and win for Michigan.
We recognize what makes Michigan so special is the passion and enthusiasm that our fans have for the team. However, those individuals who are spreading inaccurate rumors and saying inappropriate things about our coaches, players and recruits don't know what's happening inside Schembechler Hall or on that practice field. They are only trying to hurt the program and the progress our coaches and student-athletes are fighting to make on Saturdays. Sometimes that progress takes a little bit longer than we all like, but we know the long-term success that it's going to bring.
The 2013 season is far from over! We have two more big games to play, and we should all be looking forward to the opportunities they represent for our program. It is important and exciting for our young team to have the opportunity to experience an additional 15 practices, heal up some injuries, and compete in a bowl game at this stage in their career. And, for our seniors, these last two opportunities to play for Michigan are very special.
I know that Brady Hoke will finish his career at Michigan as one of the most successful coaches in our program's storied history. And, thanks to our many loyal fans and supporters who will be along for the ride because they care so much about Michigan Football for all of the right reasons!
Happy Thanksgiving and Go Blue!
December 29th, 2013 at 1:47 AM ^
Do the right thing and waive the PSD for season ticket holders.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:58 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:20 PM ^
Did you give your season tickets up? Huh. I had no idea.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:33 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:45 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:47 AM ^
So per twitter, Borges declined any comment as he came out of the locker room.
He's a joke.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:51 AM ^
I've seen that before.
Lame duck coordinator, ducking the last public opportunity to atone for his sins.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:51 AM ^
I don't think you can pin tonight's game on Borges. You can blame him for other games but tonight his hands were tied.
Mattison's the guy who has some 'splaining to do tonight.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:38 AM ^
30 points (really 24) against a decent offense - that's not that bad. He had a bad first half but that second half was great.
Borges? SIX POINTS and 150 yards (outside of garbage time)? He has a LOT of explaning to do - especially since his offenses make me wish Debord was back.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:45 AM ^
I'm sorry, but were you expecting an offensive explosion with the current state of the offensive line and a true freshman backup quarterback? Exactly what is he supposed to "explain" that a halfway intelligent observer can't figure out at this point?
December 29th, 2013 at 4:17 AM ^
I think it could have been 49 points against our D. Snyder just went more conservative to run down the clock in the second half. The 70th rated offense in the country is not a decent offense.
December 29th, 2013 at 11:42 AM ^
This is pretty clear evidence of the power of preconceived notions.
Much of the fanbase here went into the game expecting Borges to call a bad game and Mattison to call a good one. People like yourself are now trying to fit the evidence into your preconceived expectations.
Our offense was able to move the ball much of the night. Given that we had a sieve for an interior OL, a brand-new QB and WRs with a penchant for dropping key passes, I didn't think it did that badly. Its biggest problems were that it just plain didn't get the ball that much (thanks to our D completely sucking on 3rd downs) and when it did get the ball, it was always in poor field position.
There are no extenuating circumstances for the D. It let KSU convert 100% of 3rd downs in the first half and possess the ball 35 minutes, and never once gave our offense the ball in good field position. Every single KSU possession entered our territory, except for the kneeldown at the end of the first half.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:46 PM ^
They forced one punt in the second half. KSU continued to move the ball up and down the field in the second half but killed themselves with some turnovers. I would have felt better if we had stopped them from moving the ball, but that just wasn't the case.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:49 AM ^
I don't see Coach Hoke winning anything at Michigan. He will coach 1 more pitiful year and then be let go quietly after yet another loss to OSU. I wish there was even a glimmer of hope, but this bowl game proved that this staff is completely inept at developing players. A whole month to prepare for one team, and they play out of position with poor technique, again. The whole staff deserves to be fired.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:50 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:59 AM ^
I don't want to lump them all in one basket. I find that hard to believe with the likes of Gallon and Dileo and etc. but it's definitely plausible.
December 29th, 2013 at 9:17 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:50 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:51 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:57 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:52 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 2:00 AM ^
Doug Karsch reported that sources indicated to him that "Cam Gordon went nuclear" at halftime.
December 29th, 2013 at 4:20 AM ^
Well it did not work!
December 29th, 2013 at 10:16 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:53 AM ^
Not saying RR should have stayed, but it looks like things are the same or worse three years in.
I think Hoke is in over his head, his coordinators are only good when they have superior talent, which they don't. This whole staff is guessing and grasping at straws. The program is in real trouble and will be third or fourth in their own division next season.
There is very little hope as things stand.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:56 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:56 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:56 AM ^
We lost big, got outcoached and outplayed, that is obvious. What hurts the most thought is that we got outclassed. I cringed watching our players talk so much garbage when they were getting beaten so bad. Wow, Michigan Football was a joke tonight.
So sad and so upset.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:54 AM ^
Fire Jackson and Borges, combine both coaching postions and hire Denard. Having him teach his vision to these skill guys with our line would be great to have. Plus it's not like the Jags are even using him, they don't deserve him.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:57 AM ^