CC: Bacon: Hoke likely to stay until December, Brandon's status less certain
After talking with knowledgeable people, I am more convinced that Brady Hoke will survive the season, and less convinced Dave Brandon will.
— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) October 1, 2014
Of course, there's always the Brandon Exception: He might decide to depart on his own. Still more questions than answers, however. We'll see
— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) October 1, 2014
To clarify, as things now stand, I believe UM's Hoke will remain and be evaluated in December. Brandon's future less certain.
— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) October 1, 2014October 1st, 2014 at 5:35 PM ^
For some of us anyway, to not see this season as a lost cause. You only get to watch the teams you love play so many games and for so many seasons. I had very high hopes for 2014 and I want whoever is coaching the team to have a shot at pulling us out of this nosedive, even if it doesn't actually happen. Brady Hoke has not given me the impression that he is that guy. An interim coach is a bad thing but the unknown at this point trumps the known, unfortunately.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:56 PM ^
I love the University and wouldn't send my kid to play for Brady after Saturday. So what do we have to gain by actually keeping Hoke and getting our back sides handed to us every week all the while looking woefully unprepared.
October 1st, 2014 at 6:01 PM ^
1) Barring a miracle, the season is lost already, coaching change or not.
2) The players apparently still want Hoke.
3) There isn't an ideal candidate for an interim HC.
4) Hoke may spend every waking second on the sideline now making sure concussion-gate doesn't get repeated.
I was on board with the fire both train but #3 really concerns me. I also don't really trust Hoke but think he does care about his players, he's just WOEFULLY incompetent and out of his depth. That's not good, but if he can prevent another issue like Saturday then don't know if anything is gained by canning him now.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:17 PM ^
Must be buyout related.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:18 PM ^
This outcome is fine. Hoke gets the year. Brandon's gotta go.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:18 PM ^
Sounds about right, but I wouldn't be surprised if the situation is fluid. Each thumping we take gets Hoke closer to being canned. I imagine a loss to Penn State and another 30 something to zero game against MSU might do it.
This team has a lot of adversity, sure. But let's not forget they are flat out awful.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:19 PM ^
I think both deserved to be fired immediately in light of the Morris fiasco, but firing Brandon is probably the best we can hope for right now. If they are planning on firing Brandon, I hope that process is set into motion soon since firing an AD (particularly one with a guaranteed contract) is not as simple a process as firing a coach. We need a new, permanent AD in place by the time the season is over (i.e., when it's time to fire Hoke and begin yet another coaching search), and that will take time and a lot of legwork.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:24 PM ^
That's why I'm starting to think that Hoke might be back next year. Dear God.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:23 PM ^
We saw Rich Rodriguez, a successful coach at every stop, fail miserably at Michigan - only to rebound and succeed at Arizona.
We also saw Brady Hoke, a moderately decent yet unproven coach, fall completely on his face and rapidly lose the support of the Michigan fan base.
The common denominator in both (well, mostly for RR) was Brandon.
Who knows? Maybe Hoke, secretly, has loathed Brandon and his constant middling, and now that Schlissel has slapped the AD on the wrist, he won't feel under as much pressure.
All speculation, of course, but we may see a different Brady Hoke on Saturday than the one we've become accustomed to. I give this about a 42.4% chance.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:25 PM ^
RR is mediocre at Arizona.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:32 PM ^
I forgot all those times we beat the #5 team in the country 42-16.
Although, mediocre isn't an awful term. He's not necessarily outstanding - except by Arizona standards.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:39 PM ^
which is what happened to RR last year.(58-21 Arizona State)
October 1st, 2014 at 5:45 PM ^
You keep bringing that game up like it's some black mark against AU. Guess what, ASU would have done worse to us last year so what are you really saying?
We are WORSE than AU right now and we have 4* & 5* players all over the place.....and AU is starting a FR at QB.
October 1st, 2014 at 6:02 PM ^
game to mention Arizona State. You can't have it both ways.
October 1st, 2014 at 6:10 PM ^
I don't want it both ways, I was just wondering what was so special about that loss. Given he was in his 2nd year at the program, and that ASU was a good team (8-1 in Pac 12), that wasn't unexpected. If he is losing to ASU in his 4th year at the program with a senior laden team, then I think your point will be valid.
We have never, in the 4 years Hoke has been at the helm, exceeded expectations the way AU did when they beat Oregon - despite having a much better ranked and upperclassment laden roster.
October 1st, 2014 at 7:55 PM ^
Again, you want it both ways. You want to hype up a big Rodriguez win whilst ignoring a similiar achievement by Hoke. Sorry, it doesn't work like that.
The fact is both coaches have very serious flaws as coaches.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:45 PM ^
I agree that people tend to forget about the joyous time that was 2011, but I agree with his point. The MSU win was a good win. OSU was bad that year. VaTech was sort of a BCS imposter like many viewed us. It wasn't a titanic upset. There really haven't been any games (Nebraska '11 maybe?) under Hoke where the team just absolutely played out of its mind. It's pretty much to expectation, or worse. Rarely better.
October 1st, 2014 at 10:40 PM ^
Do you have any idea what you're talking about? I've never ignored or downplayed the Sugar Bowl win....ever. If anything it highlights how steep a decline he has orchastrated. I actually think you're the one who wants it both ways, as you have never acknowledged the hurdles facing RRod in any way. You only look at his record and deem him to have been a bad coach here without ever acknowledging any mitigating circumstances that may have precipitated his struggles.
October 1st, 2014 at 6:04 PM ^
which is something Hoke and company hasn't done in two years. I also don't remember losing the Brown Jug even with a walk on QB. I most certainly don't remember getting shut out by anybody. I even remember being able to run with the football with the least talented O that I can remember in my lifetime.
October 1st, 2014 at 7:56 PM ^
watching Wisconsin destroy UM, watching MSU and OSU destroy UM. I can also remember 6(!) wins in three years in the Big Ten.
I'm not defending Hoke. There is nothing to defend. But implying that RR was somehow better is something I cannot agree with. They both sucked.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:58 PM ^
far at Arizona isn't much better then what Stoops did before him.
October 1st, 2014 at 6:13 PM ^
3-8 and 3-8 was 1-5 before getting canned with a QB that is now starting in the NFL his last year. If you are basing this of Stoops 6th and 7th years then yes similar records except RR 2-0 in bowls while Stoops was 0-2.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:41 PM ^
He's 4-0 UM wishes we were 4-0. If RR got a new DC he'd still be here. RR brought Denard etc.
RRod has also beaten USC
October 1st, 2014 at 5:48 PM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 7:37 PM ^
He may be mediocre, but his game's certainly have way more entertainment value than our's
October 1st, 2014 at 6:03 PM ^
The common denominator in both (well, mostly for RR) was Brandon.Brandon was only there for his third year. He wasn't around when RichRod went 8-16 (3-13 in the B1G) in his first two.
October 1st, 2014 at 6:48 PM ^
Brandon is an ass. But you can't blame Brandon for RR.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:24 PM ^
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October 1st, 2014 at 5:29 PM ^
What's with all this about letting a new AD evaluate Hoke? Hoke needs to go, end of evaluation. Anyone that doesn't immediately see that isn't qualified for the job, full stop...
October 1st, 2014 at 5:31 PM ^
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October 1st, 2014 at 5:32 PM ^
Diplo-speak
October 1st, 2014 at 5:24 PM ^
Of course, that is barring some unforeseen turnaround the rest of year. That is about as likely as Kate Upton dumping JV in favor of me, though.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:29 PM ^
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October 1st, 2014 at 6:00 PM ^
Brandon needs to be gone as soon as possible, to get a new AD in for the coaching search.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:25 PM ^
If Pete Roussel has reported that we are already in the midst of looking for a new AD, then you can write that shit in ink - DB is on the way out.
Roussel is keyed in. I believe he dropped the knowledge that M was looking for a new OC ~3-6 weeks before we actually canned Borges publicly.
ED: that actually may have been his brother that reported it first, can't remember for sure. My statetment holds.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:28 PM ^
Also to the point of dropping names. And both of those guys are qualified and would jump at chance to be Michigan AD. If you're going to do it this way, needs to be quick and have to get guy in before season's end to do a coaching search.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:38 PM ^
If it's on the Internet, it must be true, no matter if it was Pete Roussel or his brother.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:26 PM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 9:48 PM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 5:29 PM ^
I am good with that.
If Brandon is canned prior to when the seat licensing fee is due I will renew my tickets for another year regardless of Hoke. If Brandon is still around at the end of January I will probably drop my season tickets.
For the players sake keeping Hoke around through at least the OSU game seems like a good move (assuming no repeat of sending/keeping an injured player in).
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October 1st, 2014 at 5:27 PM ^
Keeping Hoke through the season is insane. He should have been fired after the Utah game. Other than his buyout, there is absolutely no downside to firing him.
An OSU acquaintance recently compared Michigan keeping Hoke around to a heroin addict in denial. Eventually you hit an undeniable bottom. He predicts that the MSU game for us will be like the 1985 Miami game was for Notre Dame and Gerry Faust (ND lost 58-7). I concur.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:42 PM ^
Have you sunken that low that you would cite an OSU acquaintance for credibility?
October 1st, 2014 at 5:49 PM ^
An OSU acquaintance who has watched football religiously for about 30+ years, with a very keen eye for detail and an excellent knowledge of the sport's history. He's a guy who strongly dislikes Michigan but is able to rationally analyze the program from the outside based on what he sees.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:47 PM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 6:01 PM ^
if your talking about the offense scoring 7 points, no way.
October 1st, 2014 at 6:18 PM ^
on them in two years.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:27 PM ^
What happens if the team some how becomes bowl eligible but has thier collective asses handed to them by Michigan State and Ohio State? Will they keep Hoke on to coach the bowl, or would they say "Thanks but no thanks."
October 1st, 2014 at 5:34 PM ^
Hoke would be fired if we lost to MSU and OHIO no matter if bowl eligibility. I'd fire him the day after the OHIO game. And I'd think Hoke would understand.
Hoke will ONLY stay on if we beat both MSU and OHIO. That's pretty clear. SO WIN BABY! Let's celebrate together.
GO BLUE & WIN!
October 1st, 2014 at 5:42 PM ^
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October 1st, 2014 at 6:59 PM ^