HOKE COACHING FOR HIS WOLVERINE LIFE

By Mark Wilson
October 19, 2014

Michigan State’s football team hadn’t even SPIT in the Old Brass Spittoon following the 56-17 blowout win at Indiana when the Wolverine talk began.

And I ain’t talking about Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine.

MSU-Michigan rivalry week is upon us.

Would it be too bold to say it might be Brady Hoke’s biggest game to date as head coach in Ann Arbor?

I think not.

Oh, and let me correct that… “The J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach” Brady Hoke.

They paid $10 million for the privilege so they might as well get all the press they can get for that “endowment.”

Poor Mark Dantonio.

His title is “Big Ten Champion and Rose Bowl Winner” Head Football Coach.

Nobody paid extra for that moniker.

Dantonio will take his nifty 70-and-30 record as Spartans’ coach through exactly 100 games into the match up with Hoke this Saturday in East Lansing.

While Dantonio starts his game planning for the Wolverines, Hoke has had the additional week after having a bye last Saturday. It’s the second of the “big four” road games on the Michigan schedule.

The first one resulted in a shut out to the hands of Notre Dame, 31-0 back on September 6th.

It has not been a golden time since for Hoke, now midway through his fourth season in maize and blue.

A chaotic and disastrous handling of Shane Morris’ concussion situation in the loss AT HOME to Minnesota and subsequent apology from director of athletics David Brandon put Michigan on a national stage for the wrong reasons.

Even the 18-13 victory over Penn State did nothing to make Hoke’s job seat any cooler.

It remains hot, hot, hot.

Scorching.

Having the Spartans remain very much in the picture to be part of the first-ever college football playoff, doesn’t help one bit either.

U of M goes into the weekend with a mark of 3-and-4 and 1-and-2 in conference play. The Spartans are 6-and-1, 3-and-0.
M Go Blue faithful are nervous. Believe me, no matter what they say… they are NERVOUS.

MSU has dominated this series since Lloyd Carr hung up his headsets.

This will be the seventh meeting under Hoke and predecessor Rich Rodriguez. Carr had won his final SIX in the longtime series but Hoke and Rich Rod combined have LOST five of six.

Michigan State has not had this kind of streak since the 1960’s when Duffy Daugherty dominated Bump Elliott.

In fact, until Carr retired… MSU had not won BACK TO BACK games in the series since the mid-60’s.

Starting with the late Bo Schembechler and all the way through Gary Moeller and Carr, Michigan won 30 of 39 contests. It stretched from 1969 to 2007.

Spartan fans got used to losing way more than they won.

Each MSU “W” vs. Bo was special.

Moeller and Carr simply carried on the tradition in high fashion.

Hoke was supposed to be the guy to return Michigan to that kind of state dominance after it got away from Rodriguez.

In 2012, the Wolverines did eek out a 12-10 triumph in Ann Arbor but got drilled last season, 29-6, as MSU was on its way to the Big Ten Championship and eventual jubilation in the Rose Bowl over Stanford.

Thus Dantonio’s well earned and deserved “title.”

Mild mannered Mark has no job to worry about. He has his gig for as long as he likes right now. Hell, he might be a better “Mark” to run for governor against Rick Snyder than Mark Schauer is.

Dantonio certainly has more name recognition.

Hoke couldn’t run for ice cream czar in A-squared.

Or even donut emperor.

There is no doubt… HIS job is very much up in the air as is Brandon’s.

So, how did we get to this?

When Carr left there was a large faction of Michigan fans who thought it would be a slam dunk that Les Miles would be lured from Louisiana State University for a return engagement at his alma mater.

Instead, former A.D. Bill Martin selected Rich Rod from West Virginia.

Miles had played under Schembechler in 1974 and ’75. He came back to campus in 1980 as a Bo assistant and then left with Bill McCartney to “Michigan-ize” the University of Colorado.

When that job ended in 1986, Miles came right back to Ann Arbor and resumed coaching offensive line under Schembechler. He continued in that role when Bo retired and Moeller was named coach.

Les met his wife at Michigan. He had kids at Michigan.

If EVER there was a “Michigan Man,” it was Les Miles.

On that fateful night in Southfield at the now defunct Excalibur Restaurant when Moeller had the meltdown to END all meltdowns, everything changed for Miles.

It was May of 1995 and the staff was getting ready for another season.

Business as usual.

Miles wasn’t going anywhere… until that night at Excalibur.

I mean, that was an AWFUL evening for Moeller and his wife Ann. It was as bad as it gets for a local celebrity-type.

The details have changed and dusted over in the subsequent 19 years. Post-script is sketchy now.
But, it was certainly enough for Mo to lose his coaching gig; a job he cherished dearly.

It also forced an immediate knee-jerk reaction from then-A.D. Joe Roberson, the Michigan Board of Regents and president James Duderstadt.

There would be no coaching search, no application process… basically no nothing.

They would name Carr as head man.

Miles was not happy.

Now, think about it. If Miles and Carr had gotten along famously, why wouldn’t Lloyd rally Les into doing it together? Miles could have been “assistant head coach” or something.

Miles response?

He boogied. Adios.

Les packed up the family and moved them to Stillwater, Oklahoma to be the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State.

Miles was born in Elyria, Ohio in 1953. He went to college at Michigan. Outside of those few years in Boulder, Colorado, by the age of 41 his time spent anywhere else was almost nil.

He had ZERO reason to hi-tail it to Stillwater unless he was so angry over NOT getting the gig to replace Moeller that he felt he had no choice but to leave Michigan.

Even on his Wikipedia page it reads, “A rift with the University of Michigan occurred near the time of Moeller’s resignation forcing him to seek employment elsewhere.”

Just the ONE line wraps up his time in the Huron Valley.

Miles has never publicly railed on the school he loves so much. Les has too much class for that because he could have railed— big time!

Until further notice, I think he did not want to take the job with Carr still very much a part of the University.

In 2007, he was having mucho success with LSU; won the national championship and there was no need to go home.

So, he told Bill Martin, thanks… but no thanks.

When Rodriguez didn’t work out, Brandon was new on the scene as A.D. and a half-hearted effort was made to try and lure Miles from LSU again.

Again, Les had no interest.

It was 2011 and Miles was still the King of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

His record, as I type, is 100-and-29 at LSU.

100 wins… and only 29 losses, people.

THAT is pretty damn good.

No one is bum-rushing Les Miles out of the Pelican Creole state with that kind of win-loss ratio.

He doesn’t NEED the Michigan job.

Every time I see Miles interviewed about Michigan, he has this sly grin. He knows there is more to the story about his departure back in 1995 than he is letting on. Twice I’ve tried to bring it up to him in TV and radio conversations and both times he backs off and feigns ignorance.

C’mon Les, we know better.

Money isn’t a factor. He can make money anywhere. It would have to be an incredibly ideal situation with Carr not involved motivating Miles to seriously consider making Schembechler Hall his work home.

Bo is probably the only reason Les would even STILL consider Michigan.

There will always be something in Miles’ life that makes him attracted to Michigan since he respects his former coach and boss so much. Schembechler has been dead for nearly eight years now but his presence permeates the athletic complex off Hoover and State Street.

Which brings us back to this Saturday.

A loss to MSU would be devastating for Hoke.

The seemingly lone chance he would have to save any job that remains his… would be a big win over Ohio State; or, as Brady likes calling them, “Ohio.”

“Ohio” isn’t on the slate, as usual, until that final weekend. It will take place in the Horseshoe down in Columbus. Those Buckeye fans’ will be merciless during that game and Urban Meyer will have a lot to play for at that time.

Michigan still has to get past the Spartans and the THIRD of the “big four” road games before meeting the Buckeyes.

Northwestern in Evanston, Illinois.

Assuming Hoke can handle Indiana and Maryland at home, it’s possible his Wolverines head to Ohio with a record of 5-and-6. That would include losses this weekend and to the Wildcats.

If that is the case, would a victory over “Ohio” be enough to give Brady a fifth season?

Rodriguez was 7-and-6 and lost to MSU and OSU and lost the bowl game; same as Hoke last season.

Rich Rod didn’t get a fourth year like Brady did.

Hoke even cashed a million and a half dollar bonus check for making it into a fourth campaign.

Nice work if you can get it.

A loss to Meyer on November 29th almost assuredly ends Hoke’s tenure.

He would be 5-and-7 and have failed miserably in each season since his 11-and-2 start in 2011 when he was using mostly Rodriguez’s players and even some of Carr’s fourth and fifth year seniors.

From 11-and-2, Hoke has gone 8-and-5 and then 7-and-6.

That’s why this game at Spartan Stadium is so HUGE.

Beating a highly ranked Michigan State team on the road could propel Devin Gardner and his teammates to bigger things.

If the Wolverines were able to win ALL their games heading into Columbus, the best they would be is 7-and-4.

Winning over the Bucks would make them 8-and-4 and a decent bowl trip in the offing. Not great… but better than anything less-than-eight wins and certainly better than not going to a bowl game at all.

Not a day goes by without someone asking me what I think will happen at Michigan.

As evidenced by my previous scenarios and rambling about Miles, Carr, Rich Rod, Hoke, etc. it’s not cut and dry. It’s not an easy call.

Before all else, what happens with Brandon?

He got the A.D. job in January of 2010 replacing Martin. Brandon, a former regent at the school and Domino’s Pizza CEO, became the sixth director of athletics since the legendary Don Canham stepped down in 1988.

Schembechler replaced the man who hired him and that lasted only three years while Bo continued as coach.

Jack Weidenbach slipped into the chair for three years after Bo and was replaced by Roberson. Tom Goss fills out the roster with his stewardship from 1997 until Martin’s appointment in 2000.

Before that run, Michigan had TWO athletic directors in 47 years.

Fritz Crisler ran the show from 1941 until Canham arrived in Ann Arbor in 1968 and revolutionized the position for 20 more years.

Two guys.

There have been SIX since.

When students on campus rallied for Brandon’s ouster a couple of weeks ago, it sure looked like number SEVEN was on his/her way.

Led by new university president Dr. Mark Schlissel, the board of regents had a meeting to “discuss the future of Dave Brandon.”

Whatever THAT means.

Schlissel said he was disappointed with the handling of the Morris case and a full review of the department would be forthcoming.

Insert eye roll here.

In social media terms, #SMH

The University of Michigan has always been a tough nut to crack. They live on their own island and much of what goes on either goes mis-reported or not reported at all. It’s not a slap at those that cover the school; it just becomes somewhat impossible with all the closed doors over there.

Credit Canham for the cloak of secrecy that exists in Ann Arbor.

Michigan has made a science of it despite all the world communications changes with the internet and social media. They have found a way to stay on that island.

In fairness, it goes on like that at other institutions across America too.

See: Penn State.

Obviously, NOTHING at Michigan rivals what went on in State College. In fact, its small potatoes compared to the atrocities that took place in the Jerry Sandusky shop of horrors.

Let’s face it; this ALL has to do with failure ON the football field.

If Hoke was winning? There would be no issue.

He’s not winning and he’s losing ugly.

That 31-0 drubbing in South Bend got the carousel turning. An inability to put up a lousy point vs. Brian Kelly and Notre Dame was disgusting to Michigan fans.

Add the entire 2013 rodeo and you’ve got trouble in Ann Arbor city… with a capital “T” that rhymes with “C” that stands for… “Coach.”

Hard to believe that phrase from “The Music Man” still resonates after 52 years.
Hoke brings the Wolverines into the lions den on Saturday. MSU is playing at such a high level right now.

The Spartans went to Bloomington averaging 45.5 points per game.

They scored 56.

MSU is now THIRD in the nation with a scoring average of 47 points a contest.

Michigan is 109th in the nation averaging a paltry 21.7.

The Wolverines have barely had a passing game since Jeremy Gallon left after 2013. Their 176 yard average puts them 110th in the nation.

Not much better on the ground, Michigan averages 164 yards rushing which ranks them 66th in major college football.

110th and 66th.

MSU Defensive Coordinator Pat Narduzzi is licking his chops.

Hoke and new offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier have to hope these two weeks were enough to prepare Gardner and the offense for something better than we’ve seen so far in 2014.

Oh, sorry again. Nussmeier’s official title is, “Michigan’s Sanford Robinson Offensive Coordinator.”

It was $3-million for that one.

Greg Mattison (I don’t think he has a sponsored title!) had the extra week to get a defense ready for the third best offense in the land.

The Spartans are showing that their receiving corps of Burbridge, Lippett, Price, Mumphrey and Kings is among the best from sea to shining sea.

Jeremy Langford has rushed for over 100 yards in ELEVEN consecutive Big Ten games. Nick Hill had 176 yards against Indiana as a compliment to Langford. R.J. Shelton and Delton Williams could be starting elsewhere.

That’s the kind of offense MICHIGAN used to have.

A daunting task for Mattison’s defense.

It all takes place this Saturday in hostile territory.

Dantonio is on a mission. He wants nothing more than to be a part of that first college football playoff. MSU was never involved in the national championship picture during 17 seasons of the old BCS system.

This would be a phenomenal add to Dantonio’s growing resume.
Hoke can be a spoiler. It’s all he really has left.

Spoil the Spartans, spoil the Wildcats and spoil Meyer’s Buckeyes; that’s the mission for Brady.

Anything less and it looks like curtains for BOTH the head coach and the A.D.

Until it plays out, the rumor mill is open for business with cider and fresh apples. Nothing says autumn like a good “mill.”

Jim or John Harbaugh, Mike Trgovac (my personal fave) and various other names will surface. Miles will be mentioned again because people can’t help themselves.

As far as athletic director is concerned? Who knows? I think we’ve run out of good “Michigan Men” to lead the department.

Gasp! It could be someone from OUTSIDE the Michigan community.

Oh my!

You know the last time Michigan had an A.D. with NO ties to the university?

How about…. NEVER.

Eleven men have led the charges including the first, Charles Baird in 1898. All eleven had either gone to Michigan as students, played on the football team, coached or had some tie.

In Roberson’s biography upon his hiring to replace Weidenbach, it has this line: “Joe bleeds Maize and Blue!”

Fantastic!

Sure, schools hire folks who have connections to their particular university but to NEVER have hired from outside; in 116 years?

Even MSU has had a couple of athletic directors that came from other places.

Hello Merrily Dean Baker. Hello Merritt Norvell.

It is very possible that the next brain trust in A.A. will never have set foot anywhere near the “diag” until interview time.

This Saturday’s football tilt in East Lansing may have a lot to say about the future of Michigan athletics and that has to have hearts racing in the land of the “Michigan Man.”

Sponsored or not.

Ok, Spartans… you can spit now.