Michigan Looking for Better Results with New System, Philosophy

Written for Chalk Them Up.
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Four months ago, just after the start of the New Year, University of Michigan athletic director David Brandon announced that Rich Rodriguez’s coaching tenure for the Wolverines had reached its end.

Michigan fired Rodriguez after three years of disappointing records, in which the team finished no better than tied for seventh in the Big Ten. The best win-loss record overall for a single season that the team enjoyed under Rodriguez was 7-6 in 2010; and this from a man who had coached West Virginia to four Big East titles since 2003…

Needless to say, the Big Ten is on another level, and the Maize and Blue needed a change on their sideline. Only one week after Rodriguez’s departure, a true “Michigan Man” took the helm: former San Diego State head coach Brady Hoke. Players on both sides of the ball appeared elated with the decision on the day of the announcement, with defensive end Jibreel Black telling a local news station, “we’ve been waiting for a new coach. We finally got one [and] got a leader back.”

The Wolverines now have a new coach, but the program’s other major news of the offseason in Ann Arbor was star quarterback Denard Robinson’s return to Michigan. Robinson could have easily transferred to another university, as did some players, but “Shoelace” appears to be excited for the opportunity to play for someone like Hoke who holds high expectations and is confident in his players.

As Brandon made clear in the initial press conference to welcome Hoke as the head coach, “He is clearly a player’s coach. Unlike some other coaches, it is not about him. It is about his players and his team.”

Hoke was a member of the Michigan staff for eight seasons as a defensive line coach prior to accepting a job with Ball State in 2003. Although known more for his defensive coaching ability, it will be how the offense – and specifically Robinson – performs this season that will help define his first year as head coach.

One of the moves that Hoke made upon receiving the job was to name Al Borges as the team’s offensive coordinator. Borges has served in the same position with numerous universities over the course of 25 years, including three Pac-10 schools, Auburn and San Diego State. Along with the coaching changes comes a new offensive scheme, with Robinson having to transition from the spread to the West Coast offense.

Despite his penchant for running the ball, Robinson may find himself in more passing situations this season. In an interview with ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, Robinson said that he hoped to be able to run as often as last year, but recognized that the team has talented receivers and running backs, which might mean that the QB’s running ability won’t be what highlights the team’s success.

Both Hoke and Borges seem confident that the offense can strike a balance between the passing game and the running attack. A major reason for shifting some of the offensive workload off of Robinson’s legs is to try and keep him healthy all year. He started every game for Michigan in 2010, but played poorly in the Ohio State game – arguably the season’s most important contest – completing only eight passes.

The move to the West Coast offense really fits Hoke’s style of coaching and aligns well with his statement in the January press conference that he tries to develop the whole person and not simply the football player. If Coach Hoke cared more about winning football games and conference titles than his players’ health, he and Borges might ask Robinson to run forty times a week. Instead, by installing the West Coast offense, it underscores the confidence the staff has in all of the offensive players and limits Robinson’s risk of injuring himself when long running plays are called.

Still, Hoke understands the value of an athlete the caliber of Denard. Back in January, he told the press that Michigan has “a special guy in Denard. He is [the type of] guy who can do an awful lot for your football program.”

While it might require some patience on the part of Wolverines fans and some confidence in the new offensive system from the players themselves, Ann Arbor might well regain its reputation as a prominent place to play football. The Michigan program has a renewed energy and sense of purpose under Brady Hoke. Only time will tell how much of his six-year contract will be fulfilled, and a large amount of that depends on how quickly Robinson adapts.

And, of course, if they can defeat Ohio State at the end of the year, it’s safe to say that the Wolverines will have found the right Michigan Man for the job.