If you are Brady Hoke
and you just endured two consecutives season which by many accounts had the worst offensive line in Division 1 football how do you justify keeping the offensive line coach?
We all agree that the offensive as a whole did not perform to expectations. Most of the blame for the failure is because of the offensive line. Hoke has used inexperience and injuries as reasons for poor line play. I suppose in part this is true yet many Division 1 schools have succeeded despite inexperience and injuries.
Hoke decided to replace the Borges with Nussmier which in my opinion is an excellent move though somewhat puzzling since Hoke has stated that the problems with the offense was youth and injuries. If true, why was Borges let go and Funk retained? Even more curious is why tell the new OC he cannot have a say on staffing decision concerning the offense? If you are Nussmier and know you are inheriting a less than average offensive line and you cannot do anything about it would be like performing brain surgery wearing a catchers mitt.
By what logic does Hoke keep and protect Funk? I am not trying to get anyone fired here but I am flummoxed by the reasoning of letting Borges go and keeping Funk.
Thoughts?
February 9th, 2014 at 5:10 PM ^
My hope is that Hoke has a better handle on how to run the team than we do . If not, he will soon be gone.
February 9th, 2014 at 11:20 PM ^
February 10th, 2014 at 3:30 AM ^
Well, 2011 MAC Coach of the Year was Ron English. I'm sure Michigan fans (and Hoke himself) would trade any of those coach of the year awards for a conference title.
February 10th, 2014 at 9:52 PM ^
That was the point of my earlier post, with one caveat: Hoke has a "better handle" on this problem because he believes in a structure of authority and accountability. He holds the top guy responsible/accountable first (Borges) and expects the new OC to stress the importance of a viable,concentrated offense to his assistants--i.e. Funk. I believe Nuss will thrive in this environment of trust and empowerment...i really expect the unexpected here, maybe even an up-tempo offense that controls the line of scrimmage with power and tempo. At least we can hope.
February 9th, 2014 at 5:10 PM ^
I don't like the defense either. But for Oline and offense as a whole, big Al was just too creative. There is no way players, let alone new players, would be able to master that many things.
Do something right, do it repeatedly, do it with confidence and authority, then we will see better results.
February 9th, 2014 at 8:46 PM ^
"big Al was just too creative."
That sound you just heard was Stan Parrish rolling over in his grave.
February 9th, 2014 at 5:21 PM ^
sorry, I tried to break your post down into multiple sections,
and you just endured two consecutives season which by many accounts had the worst offensive line in Division 1 football how do you justify keeping the offensive line coach?
Because Hoke's been coaching for quite some time and generally know what the hell he's doing
"We all agree that the offensive as a whole did not perform to expectations. Most of the blame for the failure is because of the offensive line. Hoke has used inexperience and injuries as reasons for poor line play. I suppose in part this is true yet many Division 1 schools have succeeded despite inexperience and injuries. "
He's right. I won't let that get in the way.
"Hoke decided to replace the Borges with Nussmier which in my opinion is an excellent move though somewhat puzzling since Hoke has stated that the problems with the offense was youth and injuries. If true, why was Borges let go and Funk retained? Even more curious is why tell the new OC he cannot have a say on staffing decision concerning the offense? If you are Nussmier and know you are inheriting a less than average offensive line and you cannot do anything about it would be like performing brain surgery wearing a catchers mitt."
Who said they can't improve? Guess they shouldn't suit up in 2014.
"By what logic does Hoke keep and protect Funk? I am not trying to get anyone fired here but I am flummoxed by the reasoning of letting Borges go and keeping Funk."
Because there's more to an offense than just an OL.
February 9th, 2014 at 5:13 PM ^
Not much that Hoke does seems to be rooted in logic. Like...
*Wasting Shane's redshirt.
*Potentially doing more than he already has to hurt his starting QBs confidence headed into the "season of truth" by saying out loud (while his QB is still healing) that he's in a fight for his job, whether that's true or not.
*After moving him to WR for almost a whole year in favor of a 6'0" QB who can't throw.
* And crippling said 6 foot QB who can't throw's future by failing to prepare him at all (aside from the Iowa and bowl game) for a position that the entire knowing football world could see that he would play in the league. Or one similar to it, ie WR.
*Blowing our chances at a B1G title game appearance in '12 by not praciticng Devin at QB at all prior to Lace going down in the Nebraska game. Instead Bellomy came in. And predictably shit the bed.
I sure hope Nuss can come in and do the job at a very high level right away, because I have zero confidence in Hoke as a motivator (maximizing a player's potential), time manager, and football tactician. To give the guy the benefit of the doubt, the jury is still deliberating on his leadership skills, and he seems like a really nice guy. But logic? Not so much.
February 9th, 2014 at 5:18 PM ^
February 9th, 2014 at 5:21 PM ^
February 9th, 2014 at 5:23 PM ^
February 9th, 2014 at 10:33 PM ^
Can you just...go root for someone else?
February 10th, 2014 at 4:16 AM ^
February 10th, 2014 at 8:17 AM ^
*Wasting Shane's redshirt.Bellomy suffered a season-ending ACL injury in spring practice last season. The only other viable option at QB on the depth chart was Morris. Hoke did not "waste" Shane's redshirt.
*Potentially doing more than he already has to hurt his starting QBs confidence headed into the "season of truth" by saying out loud (while his QB is still healing) that he's in a fight for his job, whether that's true or not.Not that this needs further discussion, since it got the full treatment when it first came up a couple of weeks ago, but a healthy football program has competition at EVERY position. Gardner knows this. Only the trolliest of trolls tries to spins Hoke's comment into some kind of lack of support for Devin.
*After moving him to WR for almost a whole year in favor of a 6'0" QB who can't throw.So what's your point here? Two comments down you point out that Michigan was a legitimate contender with for the B1G Championship game with Denard at QB until he went down with his elbow injury.
* And crippling said 6 foot QB who can't throw's future by failing to prepare him at all (aside from the Iowa and bowl game) for a position that the entire knowing football world could see that he would play in the league. Or one similar to it, ie WR.Denard was recruited to play QB. He wanted to play QB. He was our best option at QB the last two seasons of his career here until he got hurt. Suggesting that Hoke didn't have Denard's best interests in mind by leaving him at the position he wanted to play is completely intellectually dishonest.
*Blowing our chances at a B1G title game appearance in '12 by not praciticng Devin at QB at all prior to Lace going down in the Nebraska game. Instead Bellomy came in. And predictably shit the bed.Jesus, this point has also been talked to death. Devin was the starting WR. Bellomy was the back-up QB. You can't prepare Gardner and Bellomy to fufill their respective roles in the line-up by denying them valuable practice snaps doing something else. You want to criticize the decision of moving Gardner to WR in the first place? Fine. Hoke and Borges wanted to get their 11 best athletes on the field, which is a pretty defensible decision. Should the lack of QB depth been more a concern to both of them? Hindsight something, something, but this meme that Hoke fucked up by not having Gardner ready to go over Bellomy for Nebraska (just in case) is completely ludicrous. Obvious troll is obvious.
February 9th, 2014 at 5:14 PM ^
Perhaps what Brady Hoke told Coach Nuss was that he could not come in and restaff the offensive coaches . . . . .
until he had spent at least one season getting to know them and evaluate them.
February 9th, 2014 at 6:04 PM ^
and it is white.:)
February 9th, 2014 at 5:14 PM ^
February 9th, 2014 at 5:17 PM ^
February 9th, 2014 at 5:18 PM ^
If I were Brady I'd find you and kick you square in the nuts. heck I might do that myselfamen!
February 10th, 2014 at 11:15 AM ^
Do you already have one? Or will you have one in four weeks? Will it be white?
February 9th, 2014 at 5:16 PM ^
February 9th, 2014 at 5:18 PM ^
February 9th, 2014 at 5:19 PM ^
"If you are Nussmier and know you are inheriting a less than average offensive line and you cannot do anything about it would be like performing brain surgery wearing a catchers mitt."
This is not necessarily true, however, and indeed there are several examples - Nussmeier himself being one of them, as I recall - of being inserted into a role with no other personnel changes and having those same assistants and the same players performing much better with different schemes.
It seems to me that this is the thinking here - when we sat here during the fall and mulled over the statement that the offense "lacked identity", it seemed fairly clear that the identity has to come from the OC and their system. If that is not happening, then it seems like it would be difficult for someone like Funk in his position to fully overcome it, especially with a lot of players who just got here basically and are having elements of multiple schemes thrown at them to learn. Bring in someone who can develop a more coherent, simpler scheme and I can foresee a scenario where Funk, his coaching and the players he deals with almost daily look a lot better.
February 9th, 2014 at 5:21 PM ^
Obviously Hoke doesn't think Funk is the problem, we shall see soon enough.
February 9th, 2014 at 6:02 PM ^
-Flockavelli
February 9th, 2014 at 5:23 PM ^
February 9th, 2014 at 5:26 PM ^
by placing "I am flummoxed" at the top and letting it stand alone.
February 9th, 2014 at 5:31 PM ^
February 9th, 2014 at 5:30 PM ^
I assume Hoke is keeping Funk because he thinks he can get the job done and didn't have similar confidence in Borges. Your assumption that Nussmeier will have no say in matters related to the OL is certainly way off base. Nussmeier is the offensive coordinator. He will call the plays as well as design plays and offensive schemes that directly impact what the OL does and how they do it. Funk will be expected to contour his teaching wihin that framework. And after the performance of the OL last year I assume Funk will be more than willing to listen to new ideas.
February 9th, 2014 at 5:32 PM ^
February 9th, 2014 at 5:37 PM ^
This has been explained more time than I can count...
February 9th, 2014 at 6:12 PM ^
Do you think Borges had sole decision making power in those decisions? I'd assume that when it comes to changing personnel and blocking schemes Borges wasn't making them on his own. I'd guess there was consultation with Funk, possibly other coaches and at least a nod of approval by Hoke.
February 9th, 2014 at 7:17 PM ^
February 10th, 2014 at 1:32 AM ^
I've wondered the same thing myself.
February 10th, 2014 at 4:12 AM ^
February 9th, 2014 at 5:34 PM ^
February 9th, 2014 at 5:38 PM ^
It's real simple. If we lose a bunch of game in '14, replacing an O-line coach may be part of something larger.
I like Hoke, but I am wondering if he has gone as far as he can as a coach. That's not a knock on him, as we all have our limits, but he may have reached as far as he can go. I appreciate family values and "This is Michigan" but that only takes you so far. He needs to start winning some games against the teams that matter in the B1G.
February 9th, 2014 at 5:38 PM ^
Who knows, maybe Nuss wanted Funk retained. It's impossible to say whether another OL coach could have come in and teach inexperienced guards to the point where they could make strides during the season.
February 9th, 2014 at 5:45 PM ^
February 9th, 2014 at 5:46 PM ^
Taylor Lewan spoke highly of Funk.
February 9th, 2014 at 6:44 PM ^
February 9th, 2014 at 5:47 PM ^
I am not trying to get anyone fired here..."
WTF? Do you not see the ridiculously vast contradiction in the two sentences you've written?
You're trying to have it both ways. Either you think Funk should be let go, or you don't. Choose one.
February 9th, 2014 at 6:44 PM ^
to solicit from the participants of this Blog as to their opinions as to why Funk was retained and Borges let go. To my knowledge Hoke has not been asked this question nor has he given any indication as to how he views the performance of Funk. Also, I don't believe this issue has been discussed on the Board. We have discussed the firing of Borges and the hiring of Nussmier and (at least as far as I know) never the question as to why Hoke opted to keep Funk and let go Borges.
I wanted to make it clear I was not starting a let's fire Funk thread. That would be a waste of bandwidth.
Finally, I realize this is a tough crowd and I am willing to take the heat. If one is going to post he should be prepared to defend himself.
February 9th, 2014 at 8:54 PM ^
"Also, I don't believe this issue has been discussed on the Board."
If by "the board", you mean some board not related to this one or to Michigan football, then this makes sense. Like a cheese board. Or, the Board of Directors of Ford. Or a surf board. But using the handy seach function I see 103 pages of results with the exact quote "fire Funk". This was a daily discussion during November, but also common throughout the season and since.
February 9th, 2014 at 11:17 PM ^
knew about Funk's coaching skills and thought he was a good coach. You don't know if Nuss was the one who decided to keep Funk. IMO, he probably though Funk was a good coach and could not think of anyone better to bring in.
February 9th, 2014 at 7:18 PM ^
He also does't want to get any moderators fired for sleeping on the job.
Thanks for asking Don. Always a pleasure.
February 9th, 2014 at 5:49 PM ^
February 9th, 2014 at 7:21 PM ^
Please ban the idiots who bash the coaches on this sitefixed
February 9th, 2014 at 5:49 PM ^
Just a wild guess, but maybe he thought Borgess was not doing a very good job, and that he could substatially upgrade the position. And maybe he thinks Funk is doing a good job and/or he cannot substantial upgrade the position.