Express Your Opinion Without Fear of Retribution

Submitted by profitgoblue on

I want to try something different here:

I want people to express their opinions on the Hoke hiring without any fear of replies and having to defend themselves. To do so, PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO ANY POSTS HEREIN! Simply express your initial gut reaction to the hiring and then bite your tongue and simply read the others.  For what its worth, I'll be awarding +1 to all "real" responses and giving a big -1 to any replies to posts.

I'll start: My initial reaction is one of disgust. Not necessarily unhappiness about the man that is Hoke but in expectations having not been met. After finally coming to terms with the Rodriguez firing, I had high expectations about who the next coach would be. Gruden! Petersen! Patterson? No Harbaugh or Miles! To come to this final result is so much more depressing - it's disgusting. And the blame falls squarely on Brandon.

Plegerize

January 12th, 2011 at 2:22 AM ^

I'll say this, now that it's all said and done, looking back I am more disappointed with how Brandon handled the search than who he actually hired.

Is Hoke our plan C? Yes.

Is he a competent coach? Yes.

Will he lead us back to prominence? Who knows.

At first I was in meltdown mode not getting our top choices, but coming down from the cliff I'm a little more confident that maybe we'll be just fine. Looking around the blogosphere and the mediasphere there is nothing but positive buzz about this hire.

Maybe we have to take a step back and remove the emotion from an event such as this coaching hire and realize that maybe things will be good. Whatever the case, and regardless of what I think of Hoke, I will support the University of Michigan and will not waiver in support. He deserves all of our support after the last 3 years and knowing what no support can do to a team.

MIdocHI

January 12th, 2011 at 2:51 AM ^

I like this hire.  I liken this to choosing substance (wins) over style (offensive yardage).  I complained up and down about Carr's predictable offense, but winning is better than yards as I now know. Everybody talks about how exciting RR's offense is.  I don't see it.  I see 17 points at MSU, 7 at OSU and 14 in the Gator Bowl.  We scored on 2 of the first 3 possessions in the bowl and never again.  We suffered the worst defeat in a bowl ever.  Do RR supporters ever get tired of worsts- worst defense 2009, TOPPED 2010, worst season record 2008, worst bowl loss?  Yea, that is exciting.  I will take wins anytime.  Players, co-workers, everyone who personally knows Hoke seems to love him.  I am all in.  Go Blue!

WindyCityBlue

January 12th, 2011 at 2:52 AM ^

First off, It's not Hoke's fault. But good luck, cuz you're gonna need it.
<br>
<br>If this hire is to somehow try to replicate the Carr years then we are fucked. What happened? When did we give up in being the leaders and best???!!
<br>
<br>I just cant see this endung well. I just can't see us winning against MSU and OSU for the next three years.

Bando Calrissian

January 12th, 2011 at 2:57 AM ^

Like this hire quite a bit, but think the timing is less than desirable.  

Hoke is not the rube we're making him out to be, and I certainly think the banner at the top of the page probably should be changed before the presser.

MICHIGAN58

January 12th, 2011 at 3:00 AM ^

I don't understand Hoke saying he thinks teams that practice day in and day out against the spread get blown off the ball when they play pro set teams.  Best I can tell the whole damn Big Ten runs a variation of the spread, so it seams he would want to run the spread.

RUKiddin MEEEEE

January 12th, 2011 at 3:00 AM ^

Nothing against Hoke but how can HE be our number 1 option?  We could have him 3 weeks into next season and we wouldnt have lost a recruiting class that was starting to shape up quiet nicely.  Hart, Lyons, Frost oh my.....not to mention the rest that are teetering.

The Big Splash, if u didn't hear it, was me jumping into a mud puddle face first.

BTW, all my ND buddies are all in for HOKE also.  Gonna be a long off season.

Go Blue........

turd ferguson

January 12th, 2011 at 3:25 AM ^

Considering the circumstances (i.e. Rodriguez already gone, Harbaugh not coming), I like the move. 

He doesn't come with the baggage of a Les Miles, everyone who knows him seems to love the guy (which will help with recruiting), he was a few plays away from turning into a white hot coaching prospect this year, and he loves Michigan (which, fine, isn't the most important factor, but there are real benefits - no desire to leave, a visceral disgust for OSU, a sense of responsibility to preserve Michigan's image, etc.).

I also completely disagree that his ceiling is low.  If he can win here - and I think he will - he seems to have the personality to be fully embraced by Michigan fans.  He might even be one of those guys who is difficult for rival fans to hate.  In fact, it's going to help him in the long run that people are setting the bar low for him now. 

Time will tell, but I'm happy about it now.  Welcome back, Coach Hoke.

tlh908

January 12th, 2011 at 3:42 AM ^

I will be all in for Hoke once he wins 8 games next year.  If 7 wins wasn't good enough for RR this year, the bar was clearly 8 wins.  Therefore I am expecting Hoke to be equal or better what we were expecting of RR.  Good luck Hoke! 

I see Michigan become the Oldsmobile of college football.  It was a good car in its day, and my dad bought one.  But what young person wants one?

TSWC

January 12th, 2011 at 4:08 AM ^

I'll support Hoke because he's Michigan's coach now --he's our coach. But I'm furious that the search seems to have been bogus, that DB seems to have wasted time just to please people so he could say he talked to option X, and that this tiny faction of Carr era coaches and players, many of whom I think have been hurting the program with their hubris, got what they wanted (most recognize Hoke wouldn't have been even close to being in the picture if he hadn't coached here as an assistant). I'm terrified his comments about basketball on grass indicate that he's (1) dumb or (2) stubbornly inflexible to a fault.

But I've calmed down since earlier today and zm trying to be optimistic. I'm all in because I desperately want M to succeed. Go Blue!

wigeon

January 12th, 2011 at 6:18 AM ^

as a gut reaction, we've been mislead and lied to. Brandon had an agenda all along, and the whole process was window-dressing. I think Brandon fumble-fucked a great opportunity away.  Goddammit, we're Michigan. He could have done a lot better.

That said, I believe we underestimate the talent in place already, and that they were shockingly under-coached by RR and Co.  

I'm good with any change at this point. 

UMMAN83

January 12th, 2011 at 6:34 AM ^

to pull together a top Staff.  Spend some $ there to land some bigger anmes with the supporting track record.

BlueGoM

January 12th, 2011 at 6:48 AM ^

OK, I get it.  RR's position here was tenuous at best. RR had somehow managed to alienate a group of former players.  Apparently some (Mark Bihl according to BCook) were going so far as to steer kids to MSU (which I find disgusting that supposed M-Men would turn on the program like that).

Also the NCAA sanctions pissed off a lot of people, myself included (which in hindsight are total BS in light of what has gone on in the SEC and OSU) .

HOWEVA ....

Dumping RR for Hoke doesn't make sense to me other than Hoke is a so-called Michigan Man.   3 winning seasons.  3.  That's Hoke's record as a HC.   I am not optimistic.  And I do not look forward to 3 yards and a cloud of dust offense.  Anyone notice the national championship game featured 2 spread teams? Anyway...

I honestly hope Hoke turns things around and makes Michigan a contender again.  I also honestly hope that RR lands on his feet and finds a place where he is a good fit.  Anyone questioning RR's integrity needs to revisit the Mealer family's opinion of the man.

I can see UM turning into ND, forever firing coach after coach to try to "return to glory",  demanding savior after savior.

Shoulda given RR 1 more year.   That is all.

MGoSoftball

January 12th, 2011 at 7:06 AM ^

needs to calm the f*ck down.  Hoke fits all the necessary requirements.  He is a good man, he grew up under Bo's guideance, he is a Michigan Man, and he "looks" tough.

Lets give him a year or so and see what he can or cant do.  This is simple, can he win the games he is supposed to win, split those he shouldnt win and steal a few that he cant win.  He wont know that until this December.

Anyone who hates Hoke can sell me their season tickets because I am ALL IN FOR MICHIGAN.  All Walmart Wolverines can go home and stay home.

GVBlue86

January 12th, 2011 at 7:10 AM ^

I see Michigan as maxing out as a just below top teir. Like others are saying, it will be like carr's teams in the new millenium. Lots of 9-3's, some 8-4/7-5's, and once in a while 10-2.

 

Just feel like it is a blah hire. Solid I suppose, but blah.

AMazinBlue

January 12th, 2011 at 7:46 AM ^

that pisses me off.  Dave Brandon, LC's shill and the puppet of MSC intentionally misled the fanbase and all observers of this process.  He admitted he spoke to both Harbaugh and Miles and never offered either of them the job and sought their opinions on Hoke.  Hoke was plan A from the start.  If that was the case, why the fuck didn't they hire him weeks ago and have a chance to save this recruiting class.

Once again it looks fro the outside as if Michigan is clueless.  Harbaugh was the best choice available and apparently DB never went after him.  What does that say of the AD and the University's view of its former players and coaches.  Apparently, if LC doesn't think you're worthy, you have no shot.

Brady Hoke very well could be a great coach, only time will tell.  I will support him as coach, bacause he is the coach of my favorite program.  But I have lost all respect for LC and MSC.  They both need to be sent to Bolivian without cell phones.  Before all this I believed in DB, now I believe he is all about the $$ and low-balling the football program for the sake of satisfying the two-headed monster.   DB apparently has no mind of his own.

I will root for Brady Hoke to be the savior of the program, but he is starting from behind with a recruiting class that is shrinking by the day.  Hopefully he can land a few great assistants and can manage to keep Denard while adding a few quality recruits to this class.

Stay Classy DB

GO BLUE

RowoneEndzone

January 12th, 2011 at 7:49 AM ^

My initial feeling is that I know nothing about Hoke.  I have not seen any of his team play on TV.  I will be leaning into this blog to learn about Hoke so I can be excited.  I really wanted to see Lesticles and after him Gruden.  Go Blue!

Wolverine318

January 12th, 2011 at 7:50 AM ^

ok, this is just stream of consciousness 

When I realized that the Les Miles flirtation was all a sham I felt like my intelligence was insulted. I am sorry DB I am not a dumb ass lemming fan that will agree with your every move. Flying down to BR wasting thousands of dollars just to tell Leslie that the current Lloyd Carr factions still think you are worthy enough to coach is insulting to the fans to the current team and to Les Miles himself. I firmly believe Brady was the #1 choice all along.

I also firmly believe DB only hired BH to appease the whiney ass old guard who never accepted Rich in the first place. I am sorry but the old guard celebrating this hire is completely hypocritical. I have lost complete respect for former regime in the past three years. Instead of trying to support Rich, instead they attempt to harpoon the program from within to install their preferred guy. To see them celebrating pisses me off. Without his time as an assistant, BH's resume does not jump out as an acceptable Michigan hire. Hell I refuse to buy into the notion he turns around programs. Ball State tanked the next season after he left. If a program is built on strong foundations, then it should be able to sustain at least a modicum of success in the next coach's first season.SDSU's success was built on the same method Minnesota uses, playing a +100 strength of schedule. I just hope Hoke is following the bobby petrino method of coaching. Louisville tanked the season after Petrino left for the NFL and nobody questions his coach especially after getting Arkansas to a BCS bowl. It is what it is right now, continuing to question Hoke's qualifications does not help our program. We need to support it unlike the old guard when Rich took over and during his entire tenure. 

Finally, DB takes a week to hire BH? Really a week? Anyone with a half a brain cell (I say this in hindsight) could see the opposing factions were going to get their way after the Penn State game. Hell even the rivals mods were pumping the anti-Rich koolaide since the MSU game. It would have been fair to Rich and to the program to cut ways after Ohio State and rapidly install BH. However, DB goes through this charade of his process, killing this class and putting BH in a nice deep recruiting hole. Great job pizza boy. You can sure put on a great outdoor hockey game, but you run this department like a local dominos franchise. Jackie Moon would be proud in how you handled this hiring. Everybody loves everbody baby!  Maybe when Red retires you can install the Kalamazoo K Wings head coach here. WHatevs I look forward to the Ann Arbor Mega Bowl in a couple years. 

Wendyk5

January 12th, 2011 at 8:10 AM ^

I just talked to a friend of mine, a Mizzou alum, who told me SDSU came within an inch of beating them this season at Missouri. 

 

I, for one, don't know anything about this guy. I wanted JH, then I wanted LM, and now I'm willing to give this untested coach a chance. I do know that our team under RR (whom I supported) couldn't compete in the Big Ten. Maybe he had his sights set on other things and mistakenly thought the Big Ten was an easy conference. But any of you who watched the games cannot deny that this team was not a well-coached team. I'm not getting down on RR - I wanted him to work out. But the proof was on the field.  

 

I'm not going to blindly support BH just because he's the Michigan coach. I'm going to support him because he's untested in this arena. I've seen too many instances of people in my line of work going into a new, more competitive job and kicking ass while others sat around, doubting. This guy might not take Michigan football to places it's never been before, like we were all hoping RR would do. But he has a good chance of making it respectable again. 

st barth

January 12th, 2011 at 9:40 AM ^

You're probably gonna hate what I say but this is how I feel.  For the first time in my life I actually want M to fail.  I hope they post an 0-11 record this season and that the media & fan pressure causes Hoke to walk into Brandon's office next December and commit a murder-suicide.  As horrific as it sounds, that would mercifully be the end of this Michigan Man bullshit.

Yeah, I'm annoyed.  I trusted that Brandon sat down on Jan 2 to evaluate the program and did it with the intention of making M football better.  Instead, I feel he turned out to be some kind of Trojan Horse sent by Lloyd Carr (who I used to love) to keep the Rodriguez regime from succeeding just when it might have had a real chance by fielding some of RichRod's upperclassmen next season.

The last three losses were atrocious and I could understand the need for a new coach and initially Brandon seem to have the best interests at heart.  He talked of "national search" for a "defensive-minded everything"  coach with head coaching experience and was willing to pay top dollar.  Personally, this sounded like it pointed directly to Patterson at TCU who had just beaten Wisconsin (using undersized players nonetheless) and who might have been able to immediately turn M into Big Ten contenders this season.  That would have been a great hire.  Other names like Petersen, Fitzgerald and Gruden had some appeal in their own way.  Even amongst the Michigan Men, Harbaugh or Miles might have been an improvement over Rodrigeuz.

I don't necessarily hate Hoke, but I despise the manner in which this process played out.  Instead of national search with interviews, we get a bunch of whispers about behind-the-scenes stuff that goes down a checklist of obvious Michigan Men from Harbaugh-to-Miles-to-Hoke.  Somebody posted a recap of OSU's last coach search here the other day and it was interesting to see that they took the time to interview 4-5 people over a couple of weeks before making a decision (which happened to turn up Tressel).  If Hoke arrived by  a similar process, it would be much more encouraging.

So now the ghost of Lloyd Carr is back in Schembechler Hall.  A bunch of former players are happy but so what.  Who cares if Mike Hart is happy?  He never beat OSU or won a Rose Bowl.  Braylon Edwards?  I wish M would give him his money back and stick the #1 jersey on a punter.  And Lloyd Carr?  Yes, he was a genial coach who won many games and was easy to be proud of but he was also an interim coach.  He got the M head coaching job because he happened to be standing in the right place at the right time (not because he was anointed by Bo, that would have been Moeller).

It might sound like I'm upset but actually I'm not.  Well, yes I am somewhat.  Mostly for wasting an emotional investment during the past three years.  At this point, apathy towards the coming season is more likely than excitement.  Thankfully, I live in France so it will be remarkably easy to at least feign indifference now.

JamesBondHerpesMeds

January 12th, 2011 at 9:10 AM ^

I'm equally livid that RichRod didn't receive the level of support from former players as he deserved.  It sucks, really, but we also don't really know all the details as to why this occurred, and it's entirely possible (not wholly probable) that RR simply misunderestimated (heh) the need to fully embrace former players and the traditions that were contained therein.

RR didn't have the luxury of Bo being just down the hall during the Lloyd era, so he had an extra degree of responsibility to serve as the figurehead of Michigan football.  Did he succeed in doing so?  Who knows.  This isn't a swipe at RR by any means, but it's clear that he didn't fully realize the level of influence the old guard would have on his coaching reputation.

But -- one thing we can say for certain: former players have an IMMENSE amount of influence on recruiting, something we may not be fully privy to.  When a recruit's watching Sunday Night Football, and guys like Harris, Edwards, etc. announce their high school of origin or "Lloyd Carr's University of Michigan", don't you think it brings them pause to consider why they don't find their college worthy of showcasing on stage?  Having those players at your disposal can reap tremendous rewards on the recruiting trail, and I find an extreme amount of optimism in former players showing their unequivocal support for Hoke.

Desmonlon Edwoodson

January 12th, 2011 at 9:22 AM ^

   No reprisals right?  Because a lot of you aren't going to like what I have got to say.

There are a LOT of foreclosed personalities on this board. By that, I mean that your Superego is Brian Cook, your ID is Brian Cook, and your EGO is "What would Brian Cook do".

For the purposes of this exercise, my ID will be represented by Talyor Lewan, my Superego by Coach Eric Taylor, and my EGO is "What would Coach Taylor do?"

One of the best gifts that a University of Michigan education has granted me is the perspective to be an intelligent consumer of information.

Something happened on the day Rich Rodriguez got fired.  This website seased to be a Michigan football blog and became a Rich Rodriguez fansite.  It made a lot of sense when RR was head coach.  All in for Michigan right?  Yeah, well now he is gone.  And you know what?  He failed here in every way a head coach can fail.   Winning?  0-6 against OSU and MSU.  Fostering education?  Tate Forcier.  Recruiting character?  Demar Dorsey. Public Relations?  Anyone care to "get a life"?  I was a HUGE RR apologist.  Until that last punt against MSU.  I dont know what Brady Hoke's contract looks like, but I am all in for a $40,000 base salary with million dollar incentives each for 1. Beating ND 2. Beating MSU 3. Beating OSU 4. Winning a bowl game and 5. Winning a National championship.  Hell, make it 2 million each for OSU and a National Championship.  That way there is no confusion as to what his job is here.  You think winning a National Championship isn't worth $7 million?

Lets pretend for a minute that hiring Rodriguez wasn't a collosal mistake.  What good does it do to anyone to argue he is a better choice than Hoke?  You think DB is going to change his mind?  You want to post Brady Hoke's  comments about the position a no-huddle offense puts your defense in?   Let me tell you that my inner Taylor Lewan is slamming his head against the wall, and Coach Taylor is taking a deep breath and staring at you like some undesirable yet exotic insect.  I'm here to tell you.  If your defense isn't strong and deep you have got to be little schoolbus spartan freshman SPECIAL to run hurry up no huddle.  Has our defense under Rodriguez been strong OR deep?

Some of you have gone as far as to say that Denard SHOULD leave...Let me tell you that Taylor Lewan wants to punch you in the neck and Coach Taylor is balling up his fist holding a mental image of his wife and child in the middle of his fronal lobe with every ounce of his will.  Please.  Start a Rich Rodriguez fansite elsewhere. This is supposed to be a site for Michigan fans.

I was beyond bummed when Harbaugh and Miles went elsewhere.  I am of a mind that the guys in the uniform have more to do with winning than scheme, and Harbaugh and Miles have the juice to get incredible athletes into those uniforms.  That is why statements that they were never even offered the job(which I pray are not true) have inner Taylor Lewan wanting to take D. Brandon's head in his hands and squeeze until he hears a pop.  Coach Taylor, however, is telling me that Streets is down.  And now its time to put Matt Serenson in the best possible position to succeed. 

I dont know a lot about Brady Hoke.  I dont think anyone can predict how successful he will be here.  I do know that many on this site who claim to be Michigan fans will root against Hoke because he is not Rich Rodriguez, or because he represents the way that Michigan used to operate for the 40 years when Michigan was competing for big ten titles.  You want to be right more than you want Michigan to succeed. I pray you just follow Rich Rod to whatever team takes a chance on him next.  Because it is obvious that you aren't Michigan fans.

The Harbaughnger

January 12th, 2011 at 10:06 AM ^

I don't know for sure how I feel about Hoke, but that shouldn't affect my support now that he's the coach.

I'm worried, but only because there isn't a lot of evidence to suggest he'll do well or fail.

I'm all in for Michigan- it doesn't matter who the coach is, that will never change.

Hoke has all my support, but I'm nervous- which I think is ok to feel...it doesn't make me a hater or any less of a supporter.

I'm hoping with all my energy that this works and we can seriously compete for MNC's in the next 5-7 years (sooner would be nice, but I'm trying to be realistic in my expectations)...

The last thing this program needs is for Hoke to be treated the way RR was when he got into town.  If Hoke fails, and we keep up the infighting, the next coaching search will triple the number of 'Thanks, but no thanks' responses we get- and no matter what any writer/radio personality/fan/alum/administrator/former player says, we'll have ourselves to blame for it.

Here's to hoping Hoke can do it, fans will unite, and Michigan will be a national power for years to come.

GO BLUE.

rdenks

January 12th, 2011 at 10:13 AM ^

I will admit that Harbaugh was my first choice,.  However, the more I read about Hoke, the more excited I get about the hire.  I never liked the Miles, or other "hot" or "big name" coaches.  Just because you won with one team it does not promise you can do it again. 

I think RR sort of proved this, although I think he would have won in the long run.  I just do not think he understood UM football.  Sure we have our "Michigan Man" thoughts, our hatred for OSU, ND and MSU, but understanding and embracing these is part of what makes a great coach.  Plus RR came with a lot of baggage, and continued to pile it on throughout his stay.

I like the fact that we have a coach that understands you HAVE to plan to beat OSU, ND and MSU every year, and that they are not "just another game."  I compared stats between UM and SDS from last year, and UM only topped them in Total yards (barely), Rushing Yards, and Total Offense (barely).  SDS was on top in Passing/Receptions, FG, Total Defense, and most other stats.  This is UM vs. SDS we are talking about here.  If he can do that at UM we'll be in good hands.

The big question is can he retain the talent he has, and make it work in some variation of his system.  My guess is that was in the contract this time.  We'll see if the "talent" believes him.  From what I have read, he can be convincing.

In summary, I am all in with the hire.  I feel better about this one then I did three years ago.

GO FREAKING BLUE!!!

BLUEOkie

January 12th, 2011 at 10:20 AM ^

During the supposed national search my wife delivers a future recruit and Dave Brandon delivers Brady fucking Hoke.

Today I feel better and am ready to support Hoke but have my doubts about Brandon and MSC doing what's best for the program.

Gone_Fishin

January 12th, 2011 at 2:07 PM ^

I wasn't thrilled when Brady Hoke was hired, especially with all the big names being thrown around.  I found that I was extremely frustrated, however, when reading reactions from the traditional media outlets and former players.

It is great that these two factions are now once again "all in" for Michigan, but where were they during the RichRod era?  Why couldn't they give the same support?  Now, Braylon Edwards and Michael Rosenberg are telling me that I am supposed to be excited about this hire and "all in" for the team.  It's ridiculous. 

If the likes of Cato June and Aaron Shea really support Michigan, they should have done so through thick and thin, regardless of who the coach was.  Yet, because it was not Michigan football the way they wanted it to be, they decide who they should support, and I am supposed to blindly follow.

Whether alluded to or bluntly stated, I hear a lot of people saying that they want things back to the way they were with Coach Carr.  It seems people remember what he did differently from me because I recall a 1-5 record against Tressel, a traditional Rose Bowl demolishing, and an inability to stop a running quarterback.  I was excited Michigan decided to take a step in a new direction that would finally address these problems.

I do not necessarily think RichRod was the right person for the job given the on-field results and the numerous player transfers, but I continue to wonder "what if" when it comes to the support he should have received from these two factions that were so opposed to him from Day 1.  Maybe it would not have changed anything, but I would have liked to see what could have happened.

I want to support this hire, and I will in time, but everytime I see another former player or reporter telling me how much I should like this decision, I have a harder time doing so. 

Irish

January 12th, 2011 at 7:51 PM ^

NEXT SEASON'S GOALS: Proclaiming 9-3 as the target for next year is just dumb, chances UM losses only 3 games is very low.  The goal for next season should be another bowl game at any cost, where the team actually shows they're capable of playing against their opponent.  

RECRUITING: This recruiting year will be very hard to salvage, just getting bodies to fill out the class could become hard with the limited time table Hoke has to fill out his staff and then change/convince recruits to join him.  And likely in that order, recruits want to build relationships with their position coaches before agreeing to follow them for 4 years of their life.  This has the potential to leave the team with worse depth than the past season.

DEPTH: Already down one QB, and another on the fence.  Still have plenty of RBs though, maybe a wildcat-ish formation is in UM's future?  Oline could be the offense's best asset next season again.  Interested to see what Hoke will do with the TE's; a good amount of potential there that wasn't realized in the past 3 years.  Hard to say the defense wont get better with healthy players and a year of experience but there also isn't much worse they could do.  I have heard mixed reviews on Hoke's brother; I liked his resume but not a lot of big happy reviews.  Won't have any idea how capable he is till much later in the year, and maybe not until a few years from now after he actually has been given time to develop players.

KEY DATES: NSD (duh) how much depth can he add, it probably won't be a sparkly class but it also won't be a strong indicator of what Hoke will be capable of as a recruiter.  It would be really unfair to him to judge him on the next 3 weeks alone, so don't do it.  Spring game, don't look for a flashy offense or defense, look for competent units.  Good Signs: Low on penalties, players executing their assignments, strong tackling, and players showing a lot of effort and buying into the coach's philosophy. 

MY EXPECTATIONS: Most people won't take my advice and a lot of them will complain about everything Hoke does that they think Harbaugh or Miles or RR wouldn't have done.  The RR supporters will continue to ask why Hoke gets leeway on his win total (or whatever topic) this year when expectations of RR would-be/were different.  Expectations were set with Harbaugh becoming the HC, and again with Miles, those same expectations will be applied to Hoke when it is likely really unfair to do so.  At the end of this season Hoke won't have the full support of the UM fan base but I think he will have the program in a better place, how much better will be decided over the next 3 months.

bamill010

January 13th, 2011 at 1:44 AM ^

I don't think that he is a bad guy or a bad coach but I was hoping for something more. I almost assume that he'll win 9 or 10 games next year with most of the 2-deep returning and a favorable schedule and everyone will declare him the savior. I'm just dreading some 'Bush Push' almost beat OSU type thing where he gets a fat extension and slowly burns this program to the ground like Charlie Weis did at Notre Dame. I really hope that's not the case and he gets us back to national prominence.

TESOE

January 13th, 2011 at 1:43 AM ^

 so much has changed...yet nothing has changed.  The magnetic pole shift has occured and nothing really is that different. 

I was at Autzen when Braylon dropped the final pass and I realized we weren't going to get it done.  I resolved to travel back to Mecca for the redux of the ducks.  Apalachian State happened.  Belloti got his picture with the scoreboard in the background.  Carr was carried off the field after a truly great Capital One Bowl.  That season encapsulated the dichotomous nature of the modern Wolverine.

The division between Wolverines on this hire is disheartening...yet letting go of the spread is more troubling to me than any lack of coaching bona fides.  Remembering the horror and Dennis Dixon still resonates.  I don't see an answer for this deep wound in the salve of Brady Hoke. 

I need to take a break from what has been a multi-year obsesson with regaining Michigan pride and excellence.  I need to go back to my cave and sleep another couple hundred years.  I'll awake to find my religion in vogue instead of on the fringe.  

 

McSomething

January 13th, 2011 at 2:17 AM ^

I've already put my thoughts into a lengthy post in another thread (before I even saw this one).

My disappointment level is still incredibly high. After all that transpired in that 2007 season, and seeing the landscape of college football as it is today. I really don't like the idea of "going back" to what we did (offensively) before. I really don't like that the (now ended) RR era is being looked at as a "failed experiment." Well, any experiment is bound to fail if the plug is pulled before it's given a chance to be completed.

RR deserved at least one more year. That's all we (his supporters) asked for. We, apparently, weren't really going after Harbaugh or Miles. Not like either actually seemed to want the job anyway. And I'm pretty sure that if Hoke was the guy from jump, he still would've been available next year if need be. So I honestly can't see a reason why this whole thing was scrapped prematurely.

Happyshooter

January 13th, 2011 at 9:48 AM ^

I am really not feeling it with Hoke. Les had me a little concerned, I was on the Jim bandwagon, Hoke just seems like a step to the side instead of forward.

I hope I am wrong, we can get our first real clue at the spring game.

ixcuincle

January 13th, 2011 at 10:37 AM ^

Give the guy a chance

I am interested in how the media fawns over the hire though, Dick Vitale's twitter was buzzing all over it

IT'S A GREAT HIRE BABY GOOD GUT FEELING ABOUT THIS GUY BABY

And of course all the former players very excited

I will reserve judgement until I see what happens in the season, you have to give the guy a chance

Still very early

Hal_Victor

January 13th, 2011 at 12:21 PM ^

of patience with people claiming it's not fair that current players and the media are supporting BH in ways that RR never was.  Newsflash: life's not fair.  Also done with people demanding that DB be fired, pilloried, etc. because, whah, the search could have been done in November if he was going to hire BH, and, whah, I want to know what was going on with the search every 15 freaking minutes. 

I wanted Harbaugh until it was clear he wasn't coming here.  It may not be the popular opinion but I think DB did an excellent job on the search and on the results he got. 

Thank God I'm posting these thoughts in this thread and won't have to bear the whithering insults of being a slappy, a pollyanna, or, worse, a Pangloss.

phork

February 19th, 2012 at 2:12 PM ^

I can't remember what I posted, but I thought it was a fantastic hire for you guys.  I do remember the pure vitriol when his name was brought up as a candidate.