GA Tech Runs for 535 yards vs Hoke D Line

"I know the Vols didn't have a great rush D last year (107th)"

This caveat alone nullifies your argument. Not to mention the fact that Hoke doesn't have ANY of his own guys on the line, since he was hired after Signing Day. Remember, he was the guy who found Hurst, Charlton, Wormley, etc.

It's a bad look to pile on to a good man when he hasn't even had a chance in his new job.

What Georgia Tech does on the ground really has no relationship to what other teams will do on the ground.  And the D-line really has little role in stopping that gameplan compared to what they would do against other teams.  With all the cut blocking GT does, the best you can hope for is either to dodge the cut block or create a pileup that the linebackers can deal with.

I'll admit that planning for the triple option offense when you almost never play against it is incredbily tough. And I fully expect Michigan to let at least 1-2 big runs break free against Air Force next week. It's a tough system to defend because almost no one outside of Ga Tech and the service academies ever run it anymore.

But 535 yards when you've had a full offseason to prepare is pretty bad. Hoke's best days are way, WAY behind him. I don't want to rag on the guy too much, but he seems like a guy who has never been able to adapt with the times, especially as the spread has become more and more prevalent.

Makes sense that his DLs were really good back in the 90s when everyone and their mother was lining up in the I and trying to pummel it down your throat.

they're always pointing out something negative about Hoke or what he's done.  I'd say for every positive Hoke post on here (and there haven't been very many) after he left, we get 10 negative ones.  I assume his defenses have had some good games in the last 3 years.  Why not post about that?  This post would have been just fine with me if it didn't mention Hoke at all.  Rushing for 535 yards against Tennessee is pretty newsworthy by itself without dumping on Brady Hoke again.  

Meanwhile out in the desert.....

https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2017/9/2/16248300/arizona-vs-nau…

I said it yesterday in the game thread, but I'm more curious what his thoughts were being on the same sideline as John Kelly out of Oak Park while he ran for 4 TDs. Hoke only recruited him as a DB, because he was too small to play RB in "manball" offense.

Harbaugh only had a month after he was hired to try to recruit him, but it was too late.  Harbaugh even said he was the best athlete in the state at the time.

I like how you noted that UT was terrible on rushing defense last year as well, then sorta waved your hands and said "Hoke is terrible."  Oregon was a tire fire on defensive line last year but people already expecred that given graduation and recruiting.  Also, Tennessee hasn't been a top-50 rushing defense this decade as far as I can tell.  

Hoke isn't a head coach at a P5 program, but he's been put into two really bad situations as DC.  That's his choice and he'll deal with it, but being gashed by GT in your first game of the year doesn't seem beyond the pale, especially when you wind up winning the game.

The running attack that GT features exploits the LB's and secondary. There is only so much a DL can do against that type of offense. The OL cuts the DL and it is up to the back seven to fill the gaps and tackle in space on the edge.

Why would anyone willingly latch on to Butch Jones less than a year before he inevitably gets shitcanned? 

I logged in just to downvote you.  For chrissake it was years ago now.  Let it TF go.

I logged in just to downvote you.  For chrissake it was years ago now.  Let it TF go.

This is a really bad argument. Hoke may do well at Tennessee, or he may do poorly, or things may melt down there and prevent us from truly knowing how good he is.

But to take his first game, taking over an awful run defense, against Georgia Tech of all teams, is absurd.

Georgia Tech is the most sophisticated of all triple option offenses, offenses that succeed in this era in part because other teams have no precedent for preparing for them. Greg Mattison, an NFL DC who also won a national title at Florida, was flummoxed by Air Force in our previous meeting. Nick Saban's Alabama team gave up 300 rushing yards to Georgia Southern (!) running the option in 2011, the year they fielded one of the greatest defenses of all time. Don Brown has been developing his Air Force game plan since before the team went to Rome. It's challenging.

Option offenses require defenses to play unfamiliar assignment football and execute. It is incumbent upon the DC to put those players in the right position to succeed. When the DC does not produce a good gameplan, teams like Georgia Tech carve through them like a scythe.

There is absolutely nothing that can be learned that is useful information about Brady Hoke, good or bad, from this game. If a coach deserves criticism, it is DC Bob Shoop. Regarding Hoke, let the season play out. Maybe he's not that good, maybe he's great, but you can't tell anything from Monday Night.

So there's at least that.  Also, LBs and secondary need to do their job defending the option and they struggled as well.  

If they get gashed by Florida, then you can criticize him.  But until then, enjoy your Top 10 Wolverines.

That's what happens when you don't hear football.

Hoke didn't succeed here, but he seems like a good guy and I hope things work out at Tennesee.  It's hard for me to believe that he not ability to coach defense as the defense improved dramatically after he arrived (yes, I know Mattison played a big role).  His recruiting was also the strongest on the Dline with guys like Taco, Hurst etc).

Hoke is a good guy and a great recruiter. If I'm being honest, that's about as far as it goes. I wish him good fortune but on his best day he's a medocire football/position coach. 

Did you actually watch the game or are you just spouting off stat lines and assigning blame to whoever better fits your agenda? Defensive line is only one part of the equation when putting a defense on the field and you want to blame the position coach who is coaching in his first game? Come on, man.

Im not expecting much from them this year, but the first game was against a triple option (unless Im mistaken) with a rushing defense that sucked last year. I dont think its a great indicator of where they'll be.

These kind of shit posts really clog up the board during the season.

One more bit of evidence that shows how important Greg Mattison has been to our football team ever since he began coaching here.

Greg Mattison gets a lot of love around here, and he earns every bit of it. I still believe he deserved the Broyles Award in 2011 for the minor miracle how he turned our defense around.

Yeah but they won. I'm tired of kicking Hoke around. 

a good recruiter. He's a good evaluator of defensive lineman.

of the guy who has a great girlfriend but can't stop obsessing about his/her ex.

Harbaugh is here and everything surrounding the program is going great. Why are you still obsessing over a guy in Hoke who loved the University and gave his best to it?

I get it, It wasn't good enough. Get over it.