CC: The Case for Brady Hoke as #2 Candidate
As much as everyone seems to throw Brady Hoke under the bus, he is a legitimate candidate for the hypothetical coaching vacancy.
In 2008, he took bottom-dweller Ball State to an undefeated MAC record and national ranking
In 2010, he turned around a mediocre San Diego State team into a solid season including a bowl win with completely understandable and close losses to TCU, Utah, and Mizzou.
In 2011, he would unite the fractured fan base which has created huge program perception problems.
Although Harbaugh is clearly the #1 option, I think there are too many influential alumni/former players who would not support any candidate without ties to the Bo-tree. This vaults Hoke over the Randy Shannons of the world.
January 4th, 2011 at 11:12 AM ^
I think Hoke is qualified to coach in the Big 10, but so are dozens of other guys out there. The issue is whether he'd be better than RR, and I don't see any reason to believe that. RR' s overall track record is much more impressive even given his bungling with the defense here, and that's correctable if the new DC is given dictatorial power.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:20 AM ^
JH would be the obvious #1 choice, but since it doesn't look like it will pan out, Hoke seems to be a solid backup plan.
Just about any coach will be a vast improvement over the current albatross of a coaching staff and the complete shambles the program is in.
Just wish our AD would get on with the "process" and end all of this freaking drama. Show RR the door so we can get someone in and move on with recruiting.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:21 AM ^
Look, I don't get some of the Hoke bashing, but realistically, I don't think he is a real option right now. He just doesn't have the BCS level credentials that Harbaugh has. I really still think it's Harbaugh or Rodriguez. As frustrated as I am right now, I still wouldn't want to give up on 4th year of continuity under RR for the complete unknown quantity, that is Hoke.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:49 AM ^
I saw something that said that DB was prepared to pay JH $4 Mil per year. If that falls through I say keep RR (for the continuity sake) and pay some huge name DC to come in and overhaul.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:23 AM ^
I like Hoke as an option...a bit mor than Harbaugh because of his body of work. I am probably wrong but I feel like under Harbaugh we would be an unexciting team and perhaps Hoke can add a little flair or spark. Can we get a little bit of that Les Miles personality without the grass eating possibly?
January 4th, 2011 at 10:33 AM ^
I like Hoke as an option...a bit mor than Harbaugh because of his body of work.You owe me a new head, because mine just exploded. You might want to go back and compare Hoke and Harbaugh's respective bodies of work and then reconsider your statement.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:23 AM ^
Stop calling Ball State a "bottom dweller;" People are throwing his around before looking at the facts.
In the three years PRIOR to hiring Hoke Ball State went: 5-6, 6-6, and 6-6. It's by no means amazing, but it's not "bottom dweller" either.
Hoke took over in 2003 and promptly went 4-8. Then 2-9, then 4-7, then 5-7. It took him until 2007 to turn in a season (7-6) that was better than any of Ball State's previous three seasons.
No doubt, Ball State had 2 bad seasons in the late 90's, but prior to that they wee a .500-or-better team.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:23 AM ^
In 2011, he would unite the fractured fan base
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
January 4th, 2011 at 10:29 AM ^
Trololo guy as the next head coach?
January 4th, 2011 at 10:30 AM ^
No kidding. There's no evidence that this would happen. In fact, I know I for one would panic more than I am now
January 4th, 2011 at 10:24 AM ^
Compare that resume to RR's and think about whether it makes sense. The only credible benefit is this "uniting the fractured fan base" thing which is getting more ridiculous by the day. It is very unfortunate this anti-RR portion of the fan base couldn't have put aside their preconceptions and been more supportive from the beginning. Things could have been at least somewhat better.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:25 AM ^
January 4th, 2011 at 10:25 AM ^
The truth is it's going to take a Harbaugh to rally the troops and reunite the fractured fanbase. I just don't see Hoke having that ability, and it's through no fault of his own
January 4th, 2011 at 10:26 AM ^
My guess is this place would explode if Minn didn't hire Jerry Kill and UM did. Kill has a better resume than Brady Hoke so if we are only talking about Hoke because 1) he has Michigan ties and 2) his current job was in the same city that Harbaugh came from (San Diego) then I'm not interested at all. I'm sure he's a fine coach but going from Ball State to SDSU should explain his potential for the Michigan job.
I'd rather go after Mattison the DC for the Ravens under John H before I pushed Hoke up the list.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:37 AM ^
In my interpretation of the overwhelming sentiment of the whole CC situation this is the heart of the matter: A Michigan Man is the only answer. Which is of course ridiculous. This Brady Hoke thing is already causing people to choose sides, yet he'll "unite the fanbase" or "provide a spark". Honestly, at this point there's only one thing that will unite this fan base-JH. If that doesn't happen we'll in all likelihood be destined for an "entertaining" 9 months.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:26 AM ^
I get that Brady Hoke is not Jim Harbaugh. I don't think that there is a rational being out there that would have Hoke as his #1 candidate. But, when considering a coaching change, you don't just have a #1 candidate - you need back-up plans, and to me, Hoke is as good of a Plan B as any coach out there.
If JH turns us down, whar are out options:
1. Brady Hoke - has ties to Michigan, coached the National Championship team, so he could install some link to our storied past as opposed to our muddled present. We need that to remind the new kids of what Michigan was and will again become. He has also shown an ability to coach. He has ties to the midwest, understands the B10 and can recruit very well.
2. RR - if RR stays, does anyone here believe that the controversy surrounding our coaching position will immediately die? Hell, it will increase and RR will remain "on the hot seat" for all of next season. Even if he wins his first 8 games, everyone will be expecting the usual collapse and pantsing by the better teams on our schedule (i.e. Nebraska followed by OSU). The drama will continue, our defensive recruiting will crater even more than it currently has and the fan base will further divide. Our once storied program will fall further into disrepair. To me, RR is no longer a viable option - not because he can't coach (although I do have my doubts about his ability to coach in the B10), but because the perception has overtaken any possible reality and the situation has become toxic.
3. Please fill in other names here. If there are any other good candidates for this job, please let me know, because I don't see any others.
January 4th, 2011 at 11:11 AM ^
Jim Herrmann was on that 1997 staff. Why not hire him?
January 4th, 2011 at 1:09 PM ^
I think Pat Fitzgerald would be better then RR (whom I was a HUGE supporter of until the PSU game this year) or Hoke. He's familiar with the Big 10. He runs the spread. And he's been pretty successful considering what he's had to work with. Chris Petersen from Boise is another option. We shouldn't settle on a coach just because he has ties to MIchigan's great past.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:27 AM ^
In 2011, he would unite the fractured fan base which has created huge program perception problems.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:31 AM ^
The fact that he is Brady Hoke, and will likely remain as such for the forseeable future.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:32 AM ^
Grady Hoke
January 4th, 2011 at 10:36 AM ^
If Harbaugh does in fact deny Michigan (sad face), would Les Miles be a better fit than Brady Hoke? Do you think he even has any interest in the job?
January 4th, 2011 at 10:40 AM ^
At LSU, Les Miles went grim reaper this year on three different someones -- none more appallingly than Elliott Porter. Porter is a freshman offensive lineman from Waggaman, La., who signed with LSU in February, qualified academically, reported to summer school in June and started taking classes. After two months as a member of the LSU football family, Porter was summoned last week from his dorm room to Les Miles' office to hear that he wasn't part of the family anymore. Sorry, son. You're out. The NCAA allows a team to add 25 scholarship freshmen, and LSU had gone over that limit. Someone had to go, and that someone was Elliott Porter. Miles is getting good at this. In March, when he first started to suspect that he had signed too many players -- he intentionally went over the 25-signee limit, assuming several would fail to qualify -- Miles took away the scholarship of linebacker Houston Bates, who went to Illinois. Last month, still needing to whittle down to get his overall roster to the NCAA-allowed maximum of 85 scholarship players, Miles cut redshirt freshman quarterback Chris Garrett. That slash of his scythe was especially galling, seeing how one year earlier Miles had talked Garrett out of his oral commitment to Mississippi State. Last week Garrett, after being screwed out of two SEC schools by Les Miles, transferred to Northwestern State. I don't know what NCAA division that school is in. Not even sure what state it's in.Source Les has the wins, but he has way too many skeletons in his closet for me to want him. If it comes down to it, I prefer to lose my pride on the field as opposed to via shady practices off it.
January 4th, 2011 at 11:13 AM ^
Please no. Incompetent and sleazy is no way to go through life, son.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:38 AM ^
and keep Magee as OC? He has been with RR long enough and will keep the O as is.Since he interviewed for the USF job, he has head coaching aspirations and likely only wants to be an OC for 1-3 more years, so seperating from RR now isn't that big of a deal.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:40 AM ^
If Brandon was going to fire Rich Rod no matter what; then why hasn't Rich Rod been fired yet? Why make him wait around when he could have closure and look for a new job? Could it still be Harbaugh #1 Rich Rod #2. Why wait to fire him?
January 4th, 2011 at 10:40 AM ^
.......in less than a half-hour. Who'd have thought that Hoke was such a hot/controversial subject as HC?
January 4th, 2011 at 10:46 AM ^
After the Gator bowl, I fully got behind the notion of upgrading at the coaching position. Hoke is not an upgrade. In fact, he is the complete opposite. Panic firings and hiring unqualified individuals with a high degree of potential failure thereby leading to more chaos and uncertainty in the program is straight out of the ND playboook. Given the actions of our insular, delusional, living-in-the-past fanbase over the past three years, I am sadly resigned to the fact that is the path we are most likely heading down.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:47 AM ^
would not unite the base.
Look, I am not a Hoke hater, he has done a nice job...but he hasn't done enough of a job to get the Michigan gig. Sorry. The resume says that.
And you think the fan base disliked RR? Wait until Hoke goes 6-6 in his first season, which I think is more than 50% probability.
January 4th, 2011 at 11:10 AM ^
I'll say this: I certainly would trust Hoke's ability to hire assistants over Rodriguez. Giving Rodriguez a third crack at a DC is the same as giving Matt Millen his third crack at a head coach.
January 4th, 2011 at 11:16 AM ^
If we want to look at wins and losses and the Michigan family tree there's one clear #2 and it's not Hoke. One clue: he eats grass.
January 4th, 2011 at 11:23 AM ^
before taking over at Auburn. We all know where AU is at.
<br>
<br>Will Hoke do the same? I don't know, but a losing record does not mean a guy is terrible.
January 6th, 2011 at 1:06 PM ^
I'z lost weight. Cheeze burgers!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 4th, 2011 at 1:55 PM ^
If a losing record doesn't mean a coach is terrible, then why not keep Rodriguez for the remainder of his contract?
January 4th, 2011 at 1:20 PM ^
Jim Harbaugh, Rich Rodriguez, Gary Patterson, Pat Fitzgerald, Gus Malzahn, Jon Gruden, Lou Holtz, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, Mike Hart, Jose Mourinho, Landon Donovan, Michael Jordan, Larry Brown, Charles Barkley, Stan Bowman, and Bill Simmons.
January 6th, 2011 at 1:03 PM ^
Mary sue and Dave says i's gets free cheezebugers with my contract. I will loves me some Mr. Spots cheezebugers
January 6th, 2011 at 1:11 PM ^
A real man eats wings at Spots.
January 6th, 2011 at 1:20 PM ^
Wings is good too! Ron likes wings and mikey too! Lloyd likes cheezeburgers
January 6th, 2011 at 2:32 PM ^
OP are you completely insane?
Some points:
1) That's not really the correct usage of the phrase "throw ____ under the bus" but ok...
2) Really? An undefeated season in the fucking MAC is now cause for excitement about a coach? I just threw up in my mouth a little....
If that excites you then hey, I have an idea. Let's join the MAC, re-hire RR, and when we go undefeated in the MAC next year you can be excited about RR.
3) He had a slightly above average season at SDSU. These things happen from time to time, so what.
4) If there are former players and alums who place a higher priority on cronyism than excellence in the search for a new coach.... with all due respect they can go fuck themselves. If they would rather see one of their pals get the job than someone with bona fide success, they are toxic people and the sooner they are alienated from the program, the better.
Hoke has had more losing seasons than winning seasons.
And, bottom line... As Brian said on the front page, if Hoke was a former MSU assistant, his name would not even be brought up, he wouldn't even be on people's radar let alone being seriously considered. You can't argue with that, and it's quite a damning indictment of Michigan football's culture. The fact that he is being considered indicates cronyism of the worst kind.
Hopefully we get someone else. (Patterson, please?) In the meantime, all of you people who are even entertaining the thought that Hoke could possibly be a good option are legit completely insane.