Brady Hoke Monday 9/9 Press Conference Quotes
On Akron being a noon game. Donuts!
Is Devin Gardner Superman?
Brady Hoke Quotes of the Week
M Football 2013-WOLVERINES OVER IRISH AT HOME IN PRIME TIME:M-41, ND-30
In its second night game ever, the Wolverines unleashed the pack against the Irish in a spectacular Michigan Stadium setting under the lights, and before an energized crowd 115,109 strong. That is a college football single game attendance record.
At his Monday presser Coach Hoke thanked the fans for their participation. This is genuine appreciation and the second time this year he has stressed it. Saturday night was a stunning success in what is said to be the last Irish appearance in Ann Arbor for some years. As you know, Notre Dame has chosen to end the series, thus removing a spectacular competition from college football’s early season.
Both programs will continue to prosper despite the discontinuance. So will college football. But it seems it may be the Irish who may have sacrificed the most.
It was especially sweet to collar the Irish in this next to last opportunity. Michigan has lately dominated the Irish, but they are always a storied and tough opponent with a vaunted lucky streak no matter where they play, and Touchdown Jesus at home.
Saturday night the Wolverines played better football on both sides of the ball, but certainly did not play their best football. They were not perfect on either side of the ball, and neither were special teams. At his Monday presser Coach Hoke cited a bad punt, being out of lane on KO returns, and of course the hit out of bounds was a foolish penalty. No youthful excuses. This is “big boy” football.
Special teams had some problems, but they seem correctable. It is also a little worrisome that Dennis Norfleet appears to have a problem hanging onto punts, as he dropped one. Dennis had an overall good game otherwise. He has remarkable speed.
The Wolverines were still good enough for an impressive win. Notre Dame came to play as expected. They managed 314-net yards passing, and 96- net yards rushing, totaling 410-yards.
At his Monday press conference, Coach Hoke addressed the passing yardage. He indicated that M had planned to give up the short passes (7-yard hitch passes) in order to keep receivers in front of them. When the pass coverage area is compressed in the red zone, things improved.
Still, that 314-yards passing appears to be an area that needs work, as does stopping the run. Monday Brady said that there were not as many missed tackles (as he previously thought). Hoke on the defense postgame: “… I think you have to give Tommy Rees some credit. I think the kid is a good quarterback. He’s proven that against us now three years in a row. He’s accurate. They have some big-play receivers, we played mostly off when we did play man. We were going to give them some of those throws, and I think the thing that was disturbing a little bit was they ran the ball in there when we were set up defensively well enough where they shouldn’t. Even though we played mostly a seven-man front all day.”
On his thoughts on changing the defensive approach in the second half … “That was critical. You know, I think Greg (Mattison), especially in the second half, mixed some things up from a front standpoint to coverage standpoint, zone blitzes and then some zero blitzes, and I thought it worked out pretty well.”
Hoke on Monday on the team… “From an offensive standpoint we’ve got to pick up some of the interior blitzes better. I know (offensive line coach) Darrell (Funk) was disappointed because he thought they had enough looks at it to do a better job. Defensively we tried to play — and we did play this way for most of the game — with a seven-man front. We’ve got to fit the run a little better with a seven-man front. At the same time (Defensive coordinator Greg) Mattison talks about changing the math; and that means getting off the block and making tackles, and we’ve got to do that a lot better.”
The Wolverines countered ND’s production with 294-yards passing and 314 rushing for a total of 460-yards. A fairly close game, but M’s two interceptions by Blake Countess (his first and second) helped to vanquish them. Michigan has risen to 11 in the AP poll from 17.
At times the Devin Gardner led offense appeared unstoppable. He was 21 of 33 for 294-yards and 4 aerial TDs. He also ran for 82-yards and a score. Participation in 5 TDs is outstanding. Before the game he was awarded Tom Harmon’s 98 Legends Jersey. For the first time in 73 years, Number 98 was seen on a Michigan player.
Devin faltered in the second half when he scrambled in the Wolverine end zone, and tried to throw a pass to escape. Trapped, he was hit as he passed. It fluttered into the hands of the Irish and suddenly a 14 point lead became 7. Obviously chagrined, Devin left the field storming according to Coach Hoke: “He was storming off the field — I think there are different storms that can happen, and it wasn’t one that I think a lot of people would notice but when good things and bad things happen during the course of the game, I think he was pretty even, you know, as far as demeanor and how he looked.” Hoke said Monday that Devin’s ability to create is both a blessing and a curse. Said he will not slide. Too competitive.
He stayed “even” enough to engineer a 10-play, 75-yard TD that rescued his team’s peace of mind and his and the team’s fortunes on a four-yard TD pass to Jeremy Gallon. The jump from a four point lead to an eleven point lead severed Irish comeback expectations. Hoke on what went through his mind when Devin (Gardner) threw the fourth-quarter interception and if Hoke went one-on-one with him … “Every time he comes off the field we talk. It may be ‘we’re going to need more’ like I told him tonight ‘we’re going to need more’ because we were struggling a little bit defensively, and they were efficient in some things.
“When he came off the field I didn’t have to say a word to him, because he was beating himself all the way off the field. It was one of those things that he knows better, and I’ll go back to the same thing, it’s a blessing and a curse sometimes when you have that ability.”
Fitz Toussaint was large in the second half even if the coaches are not entirely satisfied with TB rushing yardage contributions yet. Fitz’s 22-yard gallop in the second half was very much needed. He rushed 22 times for 83-yards.
Devin had some help from his receiving friends, too. Jeremy Gallon is of smurf size, but he plays as big as anybody and bigger and better than many. Gallon snagged eight passes for 184-yards and 3 TDs. He has become an outstanding receiver in combination with Devin. Devin on his chemistry with Gallon … “He’s like a bulldog. We work so hard, since I got here. You guys are just now seeing it, but behind the doors we’ve been working so hard, and we’re finally getting an opportunity to display it in front of the biggest crowd in college football.” On his first TD catch Gallon made a tremendous spin move to race to pay dirt.
Another reliable and talented smurf is Drew Dileo and he provided the Wolverine scoring capper with 4-yard TD grab culminating a 75-yard TD drive that iced the victory by putting the Wolverines up 41-30. Devin was poised and determined, as well as right on target, during this drive that became so critical because of his earlier interception.
Brief recap and scoring:
First Quarter:
The defense held on the first ND possession. A 3-play, 77-yard drive ensued and B. Gibbons hit a FG of 44-yards. M-3, ND-0. Gallon then snagged a pass he turned into a 61-yard TD (as described above). M-10, ND-0.
Notre Dame answered with a 75-yard 10-play drive. M-10, ND-7.
Second Quarter:
Gardner got 6 on a 2-yard run. A 12-play, 75-yard drive. M-17, ND-7. ND and M each nailed FGs of 22 and 32-yards respectively. M-20, ND-13. Gallon caught another TD, this time a 12-yard score. M-27, ND 13. Countess came up with an outstanding interception and returned it 30-yards to the ND 23-yard line. Gardner to Gallon took it in from there, for a 12-yard score, culminating a 23-yard drive. M was up 27-13 at the half. Wrong again, I thought it was turning into a rout.
Third Quarter: ND remedied my misconception after the half by producing 6 via a 90-yard, 12-drive to make it 27-20, but Gardner to Gallon made it 34-20 on a 13-yard pass, driving 78-yards on 7-plays.
Fourth Quarter:
Devin gave up six by his end zone miscalculation of trading a two point safety for an end zone interception. M-34, ND-27, and then ND compounded the misery by means of a 6-play, 29-yard drive for a 40-yard FG. M-34, ND-30. This last drive benefited from two pass interference calls on ND.
A Gardner to Dileo pass already described provided the scoring capper for a happy final of 41 to 30. But with 4:18 left it was not over. The M KO went out of bounds. Starting at their 35 the Irish proceeded to M’s 6-yard line with a couple of minutes on the clock. ND QB Tommy Rees fired a pass into the end zone. M’s Taylor hit it with his knee. It caromed into the air and Countess pulled it in to preserve the lead and the win. This was the second carom reception of the day. The first was on the first Irish TD.
This game provided unforgettable spectacle and competition as well as a boost to Wolverine hopes and expectations for the season. But the Wolverines have moved on to competing with the Akron Zips next Saturday in their first meeting.
A proud MAC team, they would like nothing better than to beat the Wolverines, and the Wolverines would like nothing better than to treat them as they treated their fellow league members the Chippewas. Under Head Coach Brady Hoke the Wolverines have won sixteen straight at home. They are always in need of another.
Go Blue!
Note: I apologize that this article was not published in as timely a fashion as usual due to some onetime and unavoidable personal circumstances. Next week and in the weeks thereafter it will be in the usual timeslot. Hope you are there.
Under the Lights 2- Michigan 41 Notre Dame 30 Game Photos
Brady Hoke on Under the Lights 2 Michigan vs Notre Dame
On the value of playing Notre Dame…
On coaches talking before the game…
CONQUEST OF CENTRAL MICHIGAN PROVIDES A SUCCESSFUL HOME START TO THE 134TH EDITION OF MICHIGAN FOOTBALL: M-59; CMU- 9
The Chippewas rolled into Michigan Stadium coming off the third bowl victory in their football history. While their Coach Dan Enos surely has a “thing” about the Wolverines, as he is of Spartan lineage, he tactfully only mentioned the huge payday and preparing for the MAC, shunning inflammatory comments.
Prognosticators slated the Chips for third place in the MAC, but this year’s trip to Michigan Stadium provided few bright spots for them, even if the game did provide a serious six figure payday for Chippewa athletics. They ran into the football buzz saw Saturday that the Wolverines are striving to develop. It appears with this admittedly small sample of 2013 play, that is exactly what they will become.
It was difficult to develop a working pregame disdain for the Chips. Many of us have friends or relatives who attended or graduated from there. Coach Enos has had little success against BCS teams, but his charges did count coup on Iowa last season, at Iowa. They are not as bad a football team as Saturday’s loss indicates.
The Chippewas came into Ann Arbor with some football tools the Wolverines did not possess last season. Tailback Zurlon Tipton rushed last year for 1,492-yards, and scored 19 TDs. Saturday he was held to 10 net yards on 4 carries, partly because he was injured early. Saturday Central’s leading rusher on the day picked up just 52-yards on 10 carries.
Last season M’s best TB, Fitz Toussaint, had few holes to run through. That problem appears to be improved now. Fitz showed he is now healed from the injury that robbed him of part of last season. His was a spectacularly nasty injury. Outside of Denard Robinson’s magic, M’s tailback position provided anemic production. A now healthy Fitz had 10 carries for 52-yards. That situation appears improved also.
In addition to Fitz, Michigan came into the game with a cadre of five others tailbacks. Highly touted freshman Derrick Green had 11 carries for 58-yards, and a TD. Fitz had 14 carries for 61-yards and 2 TDs. Devin Gardner risked his health 7 times running for 54 yards and 2 TDs. Dennis Norfleet was a factor in this game, running for 38-yards from scrimmage. D. Smith ran 7 times for 13-yards. Thomas Rawls bulled in for a TD and carried three times for14-yards. Drake Johnson ran twice for 9-yards, but ended up dinged. Justice Hayes had a carry for 7-yards.
The Wolverines came out in a shotgun formation with a hurry up offense, and Devin promptly hurried into an interception. The rumored pistol was in evidence a little. There was an acceptable split between running and passing. M rushed for 242-yards, and the tailbacks accounted for a significant amount of that. The Wolverines passed for 221-yards. The Wolverines amassed 463-yards and the Chippewas totaled 210. Obviously, M was dominant on both sides of the ball in this rout.
Devin Gardner was good. He rushed 7 times for 52-yards, and ran for two TDs, including a twenty two-yard jaunt. He was 10 of 15 passing for 162-yards, with one TD, with a long of 45-yards, but threw two interceptions. Devin said afterwards that his first interception was simply a mistake, and that the the second interception was because of a hit on the arm. He of course wished he could get them back.
Hoke on Devin: “Well, he’s athletic. And sometimes I’m crossing my fingers when I see him out there being athletic. But he had a couple of decisions that I think, one for sure, was one that he should have probably made a better decision on. But at the same time he’s got a lot of confidence in his abilities. And you like that. I’d rather have a quarterback that has that confidence and a guy who you have to keep feeding all the time. So I think I thought he had a good game. I wouldn’t say elite or excellent or anything, but I thought he had a good game.”
Freshman Shane Morris got some snaps in the second half. He was 4 of 6 for 59-yards with a long of 36, with one interception and one sack. He seemed to have a decent debut, but the coaching staff will put it under a microscope.
One wag suggested that the only Wolverine smell in Ann Arbor Saturday was the odor of all the red shirts burning. Many red shirts and true freshman played.
The inside of the offensive line was a question resolved reasonably positively, at least on Saturday. They need to improve and will improve game by game with experience. I think they are already an improvement over last year. Kyle Kalis was extraordinary, and he, Graham Glasgow and Jack Miller were praised by Hoke.
As for wide receiver production, Joe Reynolds had a nice game. When Dymonte Thomas blocked a Chip punt, Reynolds took possession and hauled it in style 29-yards for the season’s first score. He also caught a 45-yard pass. Hopefully his knee injury Saturday will turn out to be a minor event.
Amara Darboh was scheduled for a high contribution year on the outside. Lost for the season he and we will have to wait until next year. The large receiver heir apparent is now Jehu Chesson but he did not contribute a reception Saturday. I could not see how well he was blocking, but in general the receivers did a good job blocking down field.
M’s experienced smurfs, Gallon and Dileo, provided significant receiver production. Everyone thought they would and could and they did. Gallon collared 4 for 47-yards and a TD. Dileo got 2 for 43-yards.
TE Funchess had 2 receptions for 47-yards. Jeremy Jackson collared one for 17-yards. TE Jake Butt caught one for 8-yards.
Dennis Norfleet caught a 15-yard pass. Norfleet now returns punts as well as KOs. He had 106-yards on 4 KO returns. I would bet that he will ankle a punt into the end zone this year.
While the right and left guard and the center are newly minted, tackles Lewan and Scofield are very experienced, and talented. They showed it Saturday. With the refurbished offensive scheme now being the pro set, a destructive ground game was effectively re-established. Happily, Coach Borges is driving the offensive scheme of his choice in the pro set, and Coach Funk has some new, large and talented pieces to solve the run blocking puzzle. But Central provided only the first test.
Central’s starting QB, Cody Kater, was not experienced, but in comparison his Wolverine counterpart, Devin Gardner, only had about half a season under his belt. Unfortunately Kater was injured, and left the game.
Defense usually exceeds offense in speed of development. Coach Mattison’s somewhat interchangeable parts (except for the back four) clicked from the git go, and will only get better. There seems a ton of potential and depth there. Mattison has said they are three deep at spots on the DL. This is in spite of the loss of Jake Ryan last season. The injured Courtney Avery was more recently and less seriously dinged. Accordingly he will return sooner, but Jake is progressing well, and will probably be back this season. Cam Gordon has grown into the position, and is doing well. Thomas Gordon is still in Hoke’s doghouse and remains suspended.
The Wolverine defense was immediately treated to the opportunity for a goal line stand, when Devin threw his first interception, an attempted short out route to Drew Dileo. Three Chippewa tries to break the plane failed, with the help of a Central penalty. The defense held Central to a short field goal on 4th and one
Frank Clark’s name surfaced as much as anyone’s on the defensive side of the ball when it came to rushing the passer. Brennan Beyer also contributed. A run first offense, M’s defense severely limited Central’s running game. Desmond Morgan was often involved and effective. Josh Furman did a good job at safety.
On what Hoke liked and didn’t like from the game … “There’s probably a lot of things in the negative side. Winning was good. The defense responding in a couple of sudden-change situations was good. I think running the football was something that we want to do, obviously. Getting a lot of touches to a lot of different guys was a good thing.”
On every Saturday, the Wolverines must hang onto the football, create turnovers, and avoid stupid penalties. They had 55-yards worth of the latter against Central.
This year’s new targeting rule is a point of emphasis (it seems that means not hitting with the top of the helmet). Punishment includes a player getting tossed for the game. If it happens in the second half, the penalty is for that half and the first half of the next game. M is a young football team, but this new wrinkle did not impact them in this game.
Brief Scoring Summary:
First Quarter: Joe Reynolds picked up a blocked punt and took it home from 30-yards out. M-7, CMU 0. CMU answered with a 23-yard FG. M-7, CMU- 3. Devin ran in for 22-yards out. M 14, CMU 3.
Second Quarter: Fitz got 6 on a 1-yard run. M-21, CMU-3. CMU got 3 more on a 27-yard field goal. M-21, CMU 6. Gallon caught a 16-yard pass for a TD and Devin ran one in from 4 out. M 35, CMU- 6.
Third Quarter: Fitz scored on a 2-yard run, and Derrick Green bulled in from the one. M-49, CMU-6.
Fourth Quarter: CMU posted their third FG, this time covering 33-yards. M-49, CMU-9. Then Rawls scored from the 5. M-56, CMU-9. After Freshman Channing Stribling forced a fumble, which Delonte Hollowell recovered, Gibbons stuck a 30-yard FG for the final of 59-9.
The no assigned student seating seemed to be a success. Although there seemed to be some vacancies in the uppermost regions, the big block of yellow drew Hoke’s post game praise and appreciation.
All in all Central provided a nearly perfect season opener, but the young Wolverines are a team that has to grow up fast. After Central, the competition goes from mid-major to high-major, Notre Dame major, quick. Next Saturday night when the Irish come to town under the lights, the collective heart of the Wolverines will undergo a nuclear stress test. We will find out how tough they are. I believe the Wolverines will pass the test.
Coach Hoke commented that this will be the last time in a while that Notre Dame will be in Michigan Stadium. I am sure that it will be a memorable occasion.
Go, Blue!