In his first season, Michigan Wolverines coach Brady Hoke brought the big blue back from mediocrity into a BCS bowl. What can he do for an encore? It all starts with the Alabama Crimson Tide game in the season opener. Hoke answered a lot of questions at media day about the season ahead and the Bama game.
Long term rivalry you and Urban Meyer Ohio State going head to head?
“It’s not about coaches, never is. It’s about the players who are on the field. It’s about two great schools.”
on the suspended players
“It goes into meeting the standards that we want in Michigan football. The consequences they’ll be working through right now.”
On Penn stat and the severity of their sanctions
“There’s so many victims involved here. For me to comment on it like I’m an authority on anything which I’m not. You know, it ‘s sad in many ways.”
Back to Crimson Tide game
Split your practice in the fall as you always would, or special attention given to that first game?
“We’ll do what we normally do. We’ll go, there’s a lot from an offensive, defensive kicking standpoint that we’ll put in and fundamentals and techniques. As we get closer to game day, we’ll focus more in on what they do, which is pretty good for us anyway because there is a lot that we do that they do, so our offense and defense can gel against each other.”
Alabama? Why play a game like that?
“What I think is you go to Michigan, you coach at Michigan to play against the best and you want to be the best, I think you have to do that. So for us it’s a great opportunity. It’s gonna be a fun game. We’ll learn a lot about us win or lose and I think that’s a big benefit.”
the rivalry with Michigan State?
“For us, that’s always a big game because it’s a state rival game. You know they’ve been kicking our butts pretty good lately. And that’s something we don’t like. That game and obviously the Ohio game is as big a game as you can get.”
Freshman developing team chemistry?
“Number 1 they get acclimated a little to the academics and for some of them like any of us, that’s big. Their time management skills, all those things that become important, then how we lift, how we run, there’s a multitude of things and I think being able to get around with their team mates a little bit and get to know the other guys, the older guys. In the old days you had 3 days with them and then the next day all the veterans came in and it was kind of culture shock. Now with everybody being on campus all summer the academic year has extended itself. I think it’s great for them to have that opportunity.”
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