Tag: Brady Hoke

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2011 University of Michigan Football Season Predictions

Yeah, it’s me, the “basketball guy”, back for more.  It’s time for my annual attempt to predict how the University of Michigan’s football season is going to go.

I’ve been quite good at it for the last 3 seasons, during the ill-fated Rodriguez Era.  I correctly predicted 11 of the 12 results last season, all except the opening UConn win.  Many people haven’t liked my predictions, but they’re just predictions, not what I want to happen.  I would love for UM to go 13-0 every season, but that’s not the way it looks, yet.  I’m expecting the offense to be slightly less productive than last season, and the defense to be significantly less embarrassing.  Special teams?  Who knows…

Here are my predictions for the 2011 season:

 

Date Opponent W/L Record Comments
09/03 Western Michigan Win 1-0 Other than that unfortunate Toledo game in 2008, Michigan has always beaten MAC teams.  This WMU team is nothing special.  A nice first win for Hoke.
09/10 Notre Dame Win 2-0 This is the first home night game in Michiganhistory, and the team will deliver a big win in a close game.
09/17 Eastern Michigan Win 3-0 Eastern isn’t even as good as WMU.  No contest.
09/24 San Diego State Win 4-0 An intriguing matchup, since Hoke coached SDSU last year.  It could be a tough game, but UM should prevail.
10/01 Minnesota Win 5-0 (1-0) Minnesota will be better than they were last season, but not good enough to beat Michiganin the Big House.
10/08 at Northwestern Win 6-0 (2-0) After 5 home games in a row, UM hits the road. This will be a tough, hard-fought win.
10/16 at Michigan State Loss 6-1 (2-1) Yikes! It’s going to be tough to lose to MSU for the 4th year in a row.  It’s hard to win on the road in the Big Ten.
10/22 Bye The bye week comes at a good time, after 2 tough road games in a row.
10/29 Purdue Win 7-1 (3-1) Purdue has been slipping the last couple seasons. UM beat them at their place last season, and they should beat them inAnn Arbor this season.
11/05 Iowa Loss 7-2 (3-2) Back to earth for UM. With a 7-1 record and a decent ranking in the polls, people will be talking about a Big Ten Divisional (Legends) Championship before this game.  I’m afraid thatIowa is just too tough.
11/12 at Illinois Win 8-2 (4-2) This will be an emotional game, after last season’s triple-overtime thriller. Illinois wants this one bad, but UM wants it even more.
11/19 Nebraska Loss 8-3 (4-3) Sure, Michigan has playedNebraska before, but this is their first Big Ten meeting.  It’s a huge game, but Nebraska is just too good.  Nebraskawill probably win this game, the Legends division, and maybe the Big Ten title game.
11/26 Ohio State Win 9-3 (5-3) Finally, after losing to the (cheating) Buckeyes way too many times recently,Michigan has the team and the attitude to win. It won’t be easy.

 

That should be good enough for 3rd place in the Legends division of the Big Ten, and a good New Year’s Day bowl game.

It’s possible that UM might beat MSU or Iowa, but I doubt it.

It’s also possible that UM could lose to Ohio State, but I think we’re due.  They could also lose the Notre Dame game, but that seems less likely.

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Football Practice Report August 9

Here are my observations from our brief opportunity (20 minutes) to view Michigan football practice.

2011-umfootball-august9-09

Brady Hoke is definitely a hands-on coach. He spent time running drills and working with defensive lineman on techniques and was quick with instruction, criticism, and occasional praise.

He also spent time working with lineman to refine blocking technique during punting. During spring practice, I asked special teams coordinator Dan Ferrigno how he would motivate players to players to do the many thankless jobs critical to successful special teams play. He said that with a head coach like Brady who understood how important these aspects of the game are that wouldn’t be a problem. Seeing Hoke instructing the finer points of blocking for the interior lineman on the punt team reinforced this.

Continue reading “Football Practice Report August 9”

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2011 M Football Brady Hoke Succeeds Rich Rodriguez

To the delight of many Michigan Football players who played for or watched Brady Hoke while he helped lead the Blue to a National Championship in 1997 as the Wolverine Defensive Line Coach, and to the chagrin of some Michigan fans who had their caps set for Jim Harbaugh, or Les Miles or anybody but Hoke, Brady Hoke has been named University of Michigan Football Coach.

It seems to me that all of us will find that Brady fits the ?Michigan Mold? and he will represent the University of Michigan and its football program, its traditions and values, with honesty. He will restore the program to its former toughness.

He has family values in spades, wants tough guys on his defensive line, and on his team as a whole, and will toe the line to stay inside the NCAA rules.

He will bring a diverse offense and use personnel in a system that utilizes a player?s talents to best advantage.

He has the kind of personality that invites people to like him, but make no mistake he can be tough when tough is called for.

He is not Lloyd Carr and will not play Lloyd?s brand of football. He is not a Lloyd Carr crony. He is his own man.

He does not tolerate losing and will do all that is within the rules to win. He will work hard and his team will work hard.

All that being said he has a tough row to hoe. He is behind in recruiting for this year. Way behind.

More importantly he has to assemble a staff. That might be the most important thing that he has to do, to provide a staff that is all on the same page and which can produce in the Big Ten.

I would be remiss if I did not thank Rich Rodriguez for his effort in Ann Arbor. Even if the results in the win column were not what we, or he, wanted for the past three years, he worked hard, and did what he could to remain in Ann Arbor. And lets quit dumping on Lloyd Carr, and appreciate the only National Title Michigan has managed in fifty years. And let’s forget Les Miles, and Jim Harbaugh as coaches, but, of course, not as people and Michigan men.

It is past time the Michigan Wolverines snarled with one voice. I am sick of forums with conspiracy theories, Brandon bashing, complaining about that ho hum Hoke, kicking Carr, and insulting Rodriguez. The Free Press remains fair game.

AD Brandon thinks that Brady Hoke can do it. Let?s give him a warm welcome and all the help we can in what will be no minor task.

How soon he wins is an issue, because we have three years of frustration behind us.

Fans want winning sooner than later. Their irritation is also understood.

Things can only be accomplished through wins.

Welcome aboard Head Football Coach Brady Hoke!

Good Luck, and Go Blue!