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UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDIA CONFERENCENovember 28, 2011Brady HokeCOACH HOKE: Thanks for coming, in your interest obviously. It's great to go out and play well enough to win. I think there are some things we a know we've got to do a better job with when you look at a whole football game, but I think our guys responded well. I think as a team‑ I've said this many times ‑ but they really complement each other offensively and defensively, you know, and in the kicking game. So it was great to win a football game. Any time you can win that great rivalry game, it's good. Q. All year Al has been kind of each week when we meet with him on Tuesday, say, Hey, at some point the offense is going to come; at some point Denard is going look like the quarterback we want to be. Have we seen what Denard is capable of and what the offense is capable of with him? COACH HOKE: You know, I think couple things. No. 1, I think he's grown and matured as a Michigan quarterback throughout the course of the year. I think the decisiveness that he has run the football with when he's made that decision that there's some open area or whatever has really been good the last couple weeks. I think that's helped his confidence. I thought he ran extremely hard with the ball on Saturday. When we can rush the ball for 277 yards, it helps you obviously when you get into the throw game; in the passing game, I thought he made three very good throws again. He was 14 of 17, so his accuracy and the completion rate was pretty doggone good. So I think he just keeps growing. Q. What was the mood like the last 36 hours? Did you hear from a lot of people? COACH HOKE: Yeah, I mean, there is a lot of text messages that I haven't even seen yet, to be honest with you. It's nice and it's great that people want to congratulate you, but we're not done with this year yet. Our goal was to win the conference championship and we didn't do that, so we got a lot more prove. Q. The Urban Meyer hiring looks to be official now. What do you think about going against him? You guys have had... COACH HOKE: Yeah, he's not going to play it down and neither am I. So to me, you know, I've known Urban. He's a good football coach. Good guy. Welcome him in. But this is still Michigan and Ohio. It's still going to be that rivalry. Neither one of us are going to play the game. Q. Some of Ohio State's players took exception to the way your guys celebrated. Did you have any problem with it? COACH HOKE: No. I don't have any problem because it wasn't disrespectful to anybody. It's something they do every Friday. The last thing, when we get a victory, take a knee. It surprised me the first time they did it. No, it wasn't disrespectful to anybody. It's something those kids have done for 12 weeks. Q. To follow on Urban Meyer, I think you had him in during the spring. I don't know how behind the scenes he's got, but are there any regrets there that... COACH HOKE: No. Nope. Q. Do you think this team should get a BCS Bowl bid? COACH HOKE: You know, we're not going to make that decision. One thing I can tell you about this team, this is a team in this conference that's won ten games. It's a team by that body of work I think is recognizable. I like how we've played at the end of the season and how our guys have gotten ready to play and how they've represented Michigan. You know, those questions will be answered, but we won't have anything to do with it. We've done all that we can do. Is it deserving? Probably. You know, a ten‑win team out of the Big 10 conference, I think that speaks for itself. Q. You've talked week to week about how you're so focused on the next game. Now that you have essentially a month before the next game, are you taking time to review the season? COACH HOKE: We'll do some of that. You try to keep up on it every week, to be honest with you, when you look at what you're doing in third downs then what you're doing from a self‑scoutwise and all that. Really for us, you know, recruiting. We had guys in on ‑‑ officials this weekend, so you're working and trying to make Michigan the best. So we've got to continuously work in that area. Q. After the game, somebody asked you about the BCS, and you said, I think we have a pretty good football team. That's something you've been reluctant to say this year. At what point did that enter your mind? COACH HOKE: Well, you know, that's a good question. I think the way they've handled themselves from a daily basis, you can see that they are gaining a little bit of confidence as a team together. That's such a big part. They've had good chemistry since day one. Awfully good leadership. Done a tremendous job throughout the course of the year. I think the confidence that they've shown together means an awful lot. I think they've gone out there and played that way. Q. I think there is something to be said about the aggressive decision‑making that you've shown throughout the season, especially in this game where you elected to go for it on fourth and one on Ohio State's side of the field. Where does that decision‑making come from? COACH HOKE: Well, some of it is instinct, you know, during the flow of a game. You see how your defense playing, you know, get an idea for that. Greg knows that‑‑ because we've obviously talked about it‑‑ we're going to take some ‑‑ I don't know if you'd call 'em chances; I really call 'em opportunities when they come. And so I have confidence in the offense and confidence in our defense. It's more that than anything. Q. Earlier in the year against Notre Dame something that got to me was when you said with the last eight seconds to go against Notre Dame you went for a touchdown. You said that if you had not gotten the touchdown you would have gone for it again. In this in game there was a similar situation. If you hadn't gotten that touchdown, would you have gone for it? COACH HOKE: You know, I don't think so. Not at that point in the game. I would have to go back and what was the situation? What was the score? What was the time in the game? All those things make a difference. So we may have faked a field goal. (Laughter.) Q. Back to the BCS, have you had a chance to look at what teams you want to see win this upcoming weekend? COACH HOKE: I don't have that kind of time. I really don't. I don't worry about things that we really can't control. You know, the one thing, we're going to have a meeting today with our team at 4:30 and we have recruits in all weekend, so I've kind of been busy. There are other people who can look at all that stuff and figure it out. When they figure it out, they'll tell me. Q. Obviously there were some breakdowns in the secondary, especially deep. Have you had a chance to break down the film yet? COACH HOKE: You can't just put that on the secondary. Number one, you've got give Ohio some credit because they've always been a vertical team. Since 1995 I remember 'em being a vertical passing team. I think some of the difference was they max protect a lot, they kept in six or seven so they could be more vertical. We have to do a better job of getting pressure. That means you got to get two guys on the one on ones that got to get home. Part of problem when you play a guy who is athletic like Braxton Miller, if you want to send people or if you want to play man coverage and you've get defenders with their back to the ball and he makes an athletic move scrambling or something like that, it's really‑‑ it's a little bit of both: We didn't get enough pressure and we've got to play better throughout a whole play. What I'm saying is we've had so many good pressure plays from our front in the last three weeks, if you think about it, that you've got to hold your coverage a little longer and be a little more disciplined with your eyes. We didn't do that as well as we needed to. Does that make sense? Q. Yeah, it does. COACH HOKE: It does to me, but... Q. Look at the safety spot, you had Thomas Gordon and Troy Woolfolk cycling in and out. What did you see from those two guys? What went into the decision‑making of who played what? COACH HOKE: Well, we were going to play 'em both. You know, obviously we think they're both competing well practice‑wise. We think they both give us something as a team. Thomas, you know, I think he was in on the goal line stand, which really was a pivotal time in the game. To get to the goal line stand to (indiscernible) J.T. Floyd, you know, he blitzed off the corner and then started scrambling and chased him all the way down that gave us an opportunity. If not, he's in the end zone. Thomas did a nice job in that sequence; Troy did a couple good things in other sequences during the game. Q. This program was 5‑7 two careers ago; 7‑6 last year. There has been a lot of talk about whether Michigan is back. I won't ask you that, but do you feel like this program took a big step forward this season so far? COACH HOKE: We'll find out. Until the season gets over and until we finish what we start, then I think we'll sit back and look at it and evaluate it a little more. One thing I can tell, the most disappointing thing for all of us, is we didn't win the Big 10 championship. At Michigan that's expectation. So we've got a lot of the work to do. Q. (No microphone.) COACH HOKE: I think every team is different. We're going to lose some great leaders with this senior class. I hope the guys that are next in line will learn some valuable lessons from these guys and work ethic and the way they respect each other. Maybe not always agreed with each other, but there is a respectful way of disagreeing and being on the same page. Q. Van Bergen said the other day that the attitude was kind of on the think line between cocky and confident. How thin is that line? Is that where you want it? COACH HOKE: Probably. You want 'em to be like that every week. I think the kids, what's the term now, swag? I don't even know what that means. (Laughter.) But I think you've got to be confident in your ability as a team. You know, there is a composure and poise that goes along with that. I think these guys, to this point, have done a nice job with it. Q. Did you need the win over Ohio State to solidify the good things you've done all season long? COACH HOKE: It's an important football game at the University of Michigan. Q. Have you had a chance to meet exclusively with the seniors since Ohio State? You had a guy like David Molk saying, if I come back here in 20 years, you'll be the first guy that he goes to look up and see. How does that sort of thing develop over a relatively short period of time? COACH HOKE: Trust. Trust. It's all based on trust and all based on, you know, honesty. Being honest in your dealings with people. Then they can trust you. I think that's it. Q. Does the start of Bowl practice (indiscernible) by when the game is played? And second question, will you use Bowl practices, like some coaches have in the past, to develop, allow those younger guys to develop those skills before you go into the team game plan? COACH HOKE: Yes. When we start, we'll dictate a little bit on when, you know, what day you leave, what day you play, all those things. So that is part of it. The second part of it, you know, we'll, as a, group work fundamentals and technique once we get back on the field. So you're doing a little bit for everybody, but, you know, some of the younger guys we'll give a couple reps to and some stuff that maybe we wouldn't. Q. Do you expect Brennen Beyer to be able to practice? COACH HOKE: Yep. He's doing pretty well, which is good. Q. What is the schedule this week while you're waiting? COACH HOKE: They'll be active. Q. Obviously Jack wants a Bowl game, but you lose a lot up front on the defensive line for next year. Have you had some younger guys come along that maybe haven't seen the field that much but have improved? COACH HOKE: I think Quinton Washington is a guy that's gotten better and better. I like how he has been practicing. I like his intensity about his work and his focus. Kid named Keith Heitzman has shown some things that you get excited about. Chris Rock. There are some things there that he's doing well. So those three. Richard Ash is a guy that we've got to bring along. There are some guys that have done a nice job. Q. You mentioned obviously you'll lose many of your best leaders. COACH HOKE: Right. Q. Do you identify younger guys and have your current leaders mentor them or do they just have to emerge on their own? COACH HOKE: Well, I think when you force it, it doesn't work. So it kind of has to emerge on its own, but we do second semester leadership seminars, meetings, nine of 'em. I think eight of 'em with our seniors to be, eight with the juniors, and kind of goes down. So we've started that process when we got here. The biggest thing is they get to know themselves. Once they start to know themselves, then they get to know the guys in their class and goes from there. If that makes sense. Q. With the offense, when you talk about Denard and his progress during the year, we were all talking about whether he was a square peg in a round hole in this offense at the beginning of the year. Have you had a chance to step back and say, Hey, we can add some things that he does better? COACH HOKE: Yeah, we will. There is no question. When we get done with the recruiting cycle, you pretty much go back and evaluate what you can coach better on both sides of the ball and the kicking game. Is there something different to stay ahead of the curve that you want to look at. We'll do quite a bit of that. Q. You mean February or do you mean the dead period? COACH HOKE: February. During the dead period you don't really have‑‑ because you're in Bowl practices and you're ‑‑ you don't have that luxury. Q. With Denard, with Drew Dileo, with the stakes and the type of pass that made, if it was a little bit lower it could be picked up, I mean, do you think that was his best pass of the year? COACH HOKE: Oh, boy. I don't know about best pass of the year. I thought, number one, Drew made a tremendous‑‑ that's what Drew does for us; that's why he holds on field goals and extra points‑‑ very good hands. The other throw that he made was the one Roy Roundtree made. He put the ball‑‑ because they buzzed the linebacker out, he put it down and away from the guy buzzing out. It was a great throw. Q. Do you think he get robbed on that Fitz touchdown? COACH HOKE: You know, do I agree exactly with the call? Only thing I can say is I know the rule states there has got to be some sort of evidence to overturn it. Q. A lot of buzz about you possibly getting Coach of the Year in the Big 10. Would you even think about evaluating your coaching this year, what your staff has been able to do with this team? COACH HOKE: Any type of awards that are given, Heisman Trophy or best taper, if you're taping ankles is ‑‑ we have a great staff and we've had a great group of kids when you look at the senior and what they've done. My point is that it's never one person, one guy. It's everybody involved in the program. John Falk and how he gets the guys ready from the equipment standpoint; Paul Schmidt in the training room, and how the people take so much pride feeding those kids and all that stuff. I got the greatest job in the world. It's fun. Fun being with those kids. Q. It's a got to be fun after a win over Ohio State. COACH HOKE: Always is. Q. It's not the first time you've experienced that, but it is as the head coach. Any different this time? COACH HOKE: No, not really. I mean, I'm a defensive line coach. That's what I see myself as. Q. Talk about the job your kickers did on the last kick? COACH HOKE: Huge. Huge. I mean, Gibbons, in that kick‑‑ you know, because there were some people who really doubted him at the beginning of the year. Maybe some in this room. Maybe. Didn't say. But he did a tremendous job all year and has grown and learned. He's got a good demeanor about him. He's worked hard. Q. Given the way that Denard plays, he's relatively healthy most of the year. What do you see as Devin's role? Are you happy with the way it worked out and the amount of time you were able to get him? COACH HOKE: Oh, I don't know. You know, you're going to compete. We're not just going to anoint anybody anything. You know, Jordan Kovacs, you know, started for two years, I think. I don't know, maybe three. He's isn't marked in right now, you know, as our starting safety. He's going to have to earn it. You got to earn it by what you do in the weight room, what you do in winter conditioning, what you do in the classroom. Everybody does. So I think Devin's come along and done a good job of progressing. You're one play away from ever being that guy. Q. You talked about after the game the offense's makeshift quasi. Looked like you went away from the power running game. Talk about how maybe the offense has changed. COACH HOKE: We ran some powers in there. We ran some one‑back powers, too. Q. Okay. Can you speak to how you change the offense depending on the opponent. COACH HOKE: Yeah, I don't know. Depending on the opponent, but also because ‑ and we've talked about this before‑ everyone defends you a little differently and everyone has their ideas on how‑‑ you know, both safeties down inside or whatever it might be. At halftime, there are things that they adjust because of that. And so, you know, there may be ‑‑‑ the lead play may be a bigger part of it. The jet sweep read may be a bigger part of it. And then how you block is the real issue. Q. The makeshift part, what did you mean by that? COACH HOKE: There I think there are things from the west coast offense that are incorporated with some of the gun spread read stuff. Q. To follow up on that, couple questions about the offense. First of all, there was a play that everyone was talking about that we called the inverted V. Is that what it's called where the runningback is running laterally and the quarterback is going kind of straight into the belly? COACH HOKE: That was a Jet read. Q. A Jet read? Okay. Looking at Ohio State's defense on film, what made you feel like that was... COACH HOKE: We ran it the last couple weeks. We've run the same‑‑ you know, if we're talking about same play, we've ran it the last couple weeks. Q. And then finally, with Denard's efficiency as it's grown throughout the season, you know, in the beginning Al was talking about the mechanics and stuff like that. Aside from the identifiable problems, like throwing off his back foot, what have you been coaching him on in terms of that that's made him better? COACH HOKE: I think the thing I would say the best is decision‑making. Don't think you have to‑‑ you know, don't think you have to just force a ball in there if it's not there. I think that's a big part of it. Q. You've recruited Ohio pretty successfully. Does having an established guy like Urban come in change things at all? Make it a lot more competitive? COACH HOKE: If you don't go into any job knowing that the recruiting is the lifeblood of the program and going in it to compete. I mean, it doesn't matter if, I don't know, Mr.Haglund (phonetic) who coached me in ninth grade was there. You're going to compete against him. I mean, doesn't matter. Q. Do you have a bigger advantage if he was there than Urban though? COACH HOKE: I don't know. I really don't think that matters. There is a lot of respect. You know, two tremendous universities. Q. Can you say what you said to Fickell after the game? COACH HOKE: I just thought he did a heck of a job all year. Tough situation. Q. Do you expect that Al is going to get interest in terms of some of these head coaching vacancies? COACH HOKE: I don't know. I don't know. If he does, good. If he's interested, I mean, that's all right. Q. How did you spell Haglund? COACH HOKE: I don't know. Tom. Tom Haglund. Q. Talk about how decisive Denard was in running. Is that toughest you've seen him run? COACH HOKE: I thought he ran very physical, and I thought he did against Nebraska. He put his foot in the ground and didn't try and make too many different moves that only he can make. I thought he did a nice job with it. Q. What was Saturday night like for you? COACH HOKE: I was recruiting down at the Chop House. Q. With who? COACH HOKE: With recruits. Q. Denard has looked much more efficient the last few weeks. COACH HOKE: I think the thing we're missing, Fitzgerald Toussaint running the football and the job those guys up front have done. Helps everything. Q. On recruiting, are you still at the 28 range for this class? COACH HOKE: I don't know. Something like that. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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