Dare I ponder the impossible...winning out?
To celebrate Coach Hoke's birthday, I'd like to ponder the most homerish, positive outlook for the remainder of the season.
What if we won out, including a bowl game? I realize it's pie in the sky and I'm punch drunk from watching a Michigan running back actually, you know....RUN. But what if we found the missing piece with Drake, other players got healthy, and we built on Saturday's game to take a 3 game win streak into the Shoe?
What if the unthinkable happened and we beat Oiho St, won our bowl game, and finished 8-5?
Does Hoke & staff come back in 2015?
EDIT: Because there seems to be some confusion, the question is IF we win out. Consider it a hypothetical, if you will.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:18 AM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 1:26 PM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:39 AM ^
I really do, I don't want to get down on anyone and I hope DJ is the answer, but....
Can we see JUST a bit more than a single second half performance against a team that is over 100th in defensive FEI after the game is already in hand? I really don't think the performance is all that meaningful other than proving that he is in fact fast (which is good, but ony one part of what makes a good RB).
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:48 AM ^
and drop one to Maryland or Northwestern just to make sure Hoke and Co. are gone. I know we always want Michigan to win, but if we seriously finish 8-5 only to see Hoke come back and have us just go 7-5 again the next year we will all hate ourselves.
Beat OSU and lose to someone crappy so we can be certain we'll get a new staff
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:19 AM ^
Hoke should be Earle Bruce'd
the week leading up to the Ohio State game. Get maximum emotional effort from the kids who obviously love the guy. This will be the right course of action because I'm afraid this team loses to Northwestern. It's just the kind of mentally weak result we've come to expect from Hoke's teams, especially on the road. Hoke has won at Northwestern despite his awful road record. I don't see that streak continuing, especially since he's probably telling the team how great they are after beating a truly terrible IU team.November 3rd, 2014 at 9:48 AM ^
Unless OSU beats MSU and then loses to Minnesota, Indiana, and Michigan. Michigan has the head to head with OSU. MSU would have to lose out to OSU, Maryland, Rutgers, and PSU.
Otherwise the best MIchigan can hope for is a mid to low level bowl game and an 8-5 record.
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:52 AM ^
Corrected.
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:49 AM ^
Is it even possible for us to go on the road and not turn the ball over 3+ times?
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:49 AM ^
I wouldn't say Hoke would automatically save his job, but it would leave the possibility of retaining him. It would certainly make the decision more difficult....I mean, if Hoke can get this team even now to win AT Ohio, then you have to at least consider keeping him. And there are about a million other factors to take into account in that scenario.
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:50 AM ^
Brady will be 2-2 vs. ohio, 1-3 vs. sta*e, 2-2 vs. the golden domers, and 2-2 in bowls with a BCS Bowl win. Additionally, he played several tough games close, including the 2013 Outback Bowl vs. South Carolina and 2013 vs. Ohio. He was named B1G Coach of the Year, as well.
The worst stretch, by far will be from Penn St. 2013 to Sta*e 2014, but IF we win out with good play it will look like that stretch is over.
There is also a lot of youth on this team. Most of the players are in their first two years and an overwhelming majority are in their first three years. Players usually turn the corner in their second or third year. That youth might be turning the corner now.
Finally, the team is working in new defensive and offensive systems this year and those systems take awhile to put into place.
If UM wins out and it looks like those systems and young players are coming together, Hoke and the staff should stay.
November 3rd, 2014 at 11:13 AM ^
That is a lucid, intelligent, well thought-out (post).
Overruled
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:50 AM ^
The Athletic Department is concered just as much with attendance and revenue as they are with the record of the football team. Those usually go hand in hand but if the stadium looks as empty against Maryland as it did against Indiana and there isn't much interest in bowl game tickets then Hoke would still be out after going 8-5. Can anyone imagine the fan base being hyped about 2015 with Hoke back after going 8-5?
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:55 AM ^
If we go into Northwestern and look like a competent team on both sides of the ball and win convincingly, the house will be packed for the Maryland game. IF (obviously the biggest IF ever) we won out, fans will come back next year with renewed optimism, imo.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:13 AM ^
You honestly want Hoke to be given a new contract? Because if this average team somehow wins out, Hoke is kept. Then we have to extend him because he won't be able to recruit as a lame duck. You don't want this to happen, you really dont. It's not good for the long term solution of this being a championship team again.
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:53 AM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:56 AM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:55 AM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:55 AM ^
Was crushed in year 2 and 3, you can break it down however you want but the answers lay on those seasons. Season 4 is just the reaction.
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:56 AM ^
1 game at a time. I'd like for Team 135 go into the shoe with couple of complete,SOLID played games first before dreaming...what if!
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:56 AM ^
They would not have to just "win out." They'd have to win in convincing fashion. No last-second "fire drill" FGs to win, but three honest-to-goodness victories that showed a bit of domination. The offense would have to be a scoring machine, one that showed it could move the ball in the air or on the ground consistently against a real defense. And our defense would have to be an aggressive shut-down unit, one that could smother the other team's offense. That way, Hoke could stand at the pressers and basically say, "See? The boys are finally getting it. This is the kind of team I can build if you'll give me the time."
In other words, they'd have to become a completely different team than the one they've been since the back half of last season. And while that's fun to think about, it just ain't happening.
November 3rd, 2014 at 11:17 AM ^
There's some merit to what you're saying, but its also true that in order to win out (in any fashion) they'd have to become a completely different team.
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:57 AM ^
I've wondered the same thing. I would think that if that did happen Hoke would be retained as he would be able to point to actual, in season progress and development of the team and actual, in season improvement.
But I think the likelyhood of it actually happening is about the 2.5% LS& A outlines above.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:00 AM ^
I can see us winning this week against a bad Northwestern team. A home game against Maryland is also a winnable game. And then "The Game" where anything can happen.
Hoke & Staff will still be gone regardless though. a 6-6 or 7-6 beatinga another bad team in a bad bowl doesn't change anything.
November 3rd, 2014 at 11:19 AM ^
I believe 6-6 (or7-6) won't do it either, but the hypothetical was 8 - 5, though.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:01 AM ^
I honestly dont remember the last time a Hoke coached team won on the road.... Northwestern? Dileo's slide into the place holder. Not going to even waste my energy to think of this team winning out after beating a terrible IU team.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:03 AM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:04 AM ^
Does anyone know anything about the characteristics of cocaine?
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:10 AM ^
Not sure but word on the street is it's a hell of drug.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:12 AM ^
It's white, it's a powder, and is popular with athletes, musicians and rich people?
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:39 AM ^
Yes. It makes you dress your dog up in school colors.
November 3rd, 2014 at 4:41 PM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 6:44 PM ^
A study of cocain historic and current was the subject of one of my papers back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and I was in school.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:04 AM ^
I think the odds are pretty good it happens. We'll beat NW, and barring a rash of costly turnovers we should take care of MD Then it comes down to pulling it off in Columbus. At that point that game would look like a toss-up, at least in my sunny mind.
After Indiana we can say we have a solid defense that is now creating a few turnovers, reliable kicking game, and an emerging running threat. Barring big mistakes those elements should keep us in any game.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:06 AM ^
but don't bet on it.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:08 AM ^
Someone has made this post after every game of the season. If its a loss, then its "What if the team rally's and pulls it off?". After a win, its "What if this is the spark they needed?".
This is a poor team that has performed the same way all season. Why do we need to speculate the "if" every single week? Lets just take it one game at a time.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:09 AM ^
but, LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:09 AM ^
Ponder that for a moment. It's been a while. Can't see it changing this year.
November 3rd, 2014 at 12:20 PM ^
hadn't happend yet
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:13 AM ^
If we won out this year and kept Hoke, the vibe around the program next year when we are 3-3 going into the MSU game will be Hiroshima-esque.
Edit: Honestly, looking at next year's schedule with Brady Hoke at the helm, I can't help but feel we'd be in a similar spot.
Utah away you have to chalk up as a loss. Split between Oregon State/BYU. UNLV is a win. Maryland away is a loss. Northwestern at home, probably a win.
So there is 3-3 to start the season. Then you've got Sparty (probable loss), then three winnable games (Minnesota, Rutgers, Indiana). So at best you're looking at 6-4. Penn State away (6-5) and then Ohio State (probable loss, 6-6).
Keeping Hoke seems like a lost cause no matter what.
November 3rd, 2014 at 12:34 PM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:09 AM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:12 AM ^
I think you're giving Northworstern a bit too much credit. They just got jack hammered by Iowa 48-7...this is a completely winnable game.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:15 AM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:19 AM ^
Although we did win on the road their last year. Northwestern is just a home game in Chicago.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:13 AM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 12:43 PM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:10 AM ^
Let's just hope it doesn't come to that? I never root for the team to lose but the thought of bringing him back for another year makes my stomach turn.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:10 AM ^
Win out. Expecting a Jim Mora GIF any minute. It would be a beautiful thing, but OSU had their B1G scare at PSU. They are beatable, as VT has shown with great defense and MSU will show this weekend, but Devin needs to take a couple Adderall before that game and be able to scramble into open space for it to happen in Cbus.OSU's Oline has improved a bit since VT. Maybe JT Barrett will be as dinged up as Devin or Braxton were last year. There is always hope. But, I am not sure if we are fully aware that we have Hope.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:11 AM ^
If Harbaugh gives any indication he would come back, then the change has to happen. If we pass on Harbaugh again then he'll shun us for life.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:11 AM ^