The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE YEAR IN REVIEW In His First Season, Brady Hoke Led The Wolverines Back To Elite Status BY KEVIN MINOR I Wolverines' season and become a dream mar- keting slogan for athletics director David Bran- In the three years prior to Hoke's hire, U-M was the polar opposite of the program's intimidating image built over the previous 128 hard-hitting years. The winningest institution in college football history, which hadn't had a losing season since 1967, was 15-22 in three years under former head but also the support of a deeply fractured fan and alumni base, was immense. But, like he has throughout his 29 years as a collegiate coach, the former Michigan defensive The turnaround was expedited when the Maize and Blue stole ultra-experienced defensive coordinator Greg Mattison from the Timeline Aug. 25: The Michigan athletic department announces the 2014 season opener will be a rematch against FCS foe Appalachian State, a team that stunned Michigan 34-32 in 2007. Aug. 28: Head coach Brady Hoke reports that seniors Kevin Koger, Mike Martin and David Molk will captain Team 132. Sept. 3: The Wolverines dominate Western Michigan 34-10 in a bizarre contest that was called with 1:27 left in the third quarter due to in- clement weather. Linebacker Brandon Herron be- came the first player in program history to score two defensive touchdowns in a single game. Hoke's task at hand, to win not only football games but also the support of a deeply fractured fan and alumni base, was immense. But, like he has throughout his 29 years as a collegiate coach, the former Michigan defensive line supervisor went to work, and so did Team 132. The turnaround was expedited when the Maize and Blue stole ultra-experienced defensive coordinator Greg Mattison from the Hoke's task at hand, to win not only football games Sept. 10: In the first night game in Michigan Stadium history, Michigan rallies from a 24-7 fourth-quarter deficit with two touchdowns in the last 1:12 of the game to stun the Irish 35-31. Sept. 18: The Wolverines trounce Eastern Michigan 31-3 in the "Battle of Washtenaw County" to improve to 10-0 in the series. Sept. 24: Hoke and company dismantle the head coach's former team, San Diego State, 28-7. Oct. 1: Michigan pulverizes Minnesota 58-0, the highest margin of victory in the history of the series and the first U-M shutout of a Big Ten opponent since defeating Penn State 20-0 in 2001. 200 s THE WOLVERINE 2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW In the three years prior to Hoke's hire, U-M was the polar opposite of the program's intimidating image built over the previous 128 hard-hitting years. The winningest institution in college football history, which hadn't had a losing season since 1967, was 15-22 in three years under former head coach Rich Rodriguez. n January 2011, Brady Hoke uttered three words that would come to characterize the Wolverines' season and become a dream mar- keting slogan for athletics director David Bran- don — "This is Michigan." n January 2011, Brady Hoke uttered three words that would come to characterize the Baltimore Ravens, and was made official with a 23-20 victory over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl — the program's first BCS bowl vic- tory since a 35-34 triumph over Alabama in the 2000 Orange Bowl. After a desolate three years that began with so much hope and hype, and concluded in so much disappointment, the 2011 Maize and Blue squad surpassed even the most optimistic fan's wildest fantasies; and cemented Hoke as Michigan's man for the foreseeable future. His first regular season started peculiarly — with one of the odd- est games in the history of the program, a weather-shortened 34-10 laugher over Western Michigan — and closed with a thrilling 40-34 victory over Ohio State to end the Buckeyes' lengthy streak of de- struction. The Maize and Blue earned a BCS bid in a year where most would have been happy with eight wins. The Wolverines' defensive progress in 2011 was nothing short of spectacular. A team that was bludgeoned for upwards of 35 points per game in 2010 yielded only 17.2 a contest in 2011. A running game that was entirely predicated on the legs of quarterback Denard Robinson in 2010 saw the emergence of the first true feature back since Mike Hart in redshirt sophomore Fitzgerald Toussaint, who exploded for 1,041 yards and scored 10 times. The Maize and Blue's electric, and at times enigmatic, starting signal-caller showed true signs of maturity as the season grew old, throwing for 2,173 yards and 20 touchdowns while adding 1,176 yards and crossing the plane 16 times on the ground. Add in an all-time classic 35-31 triumph over Notre Dame in the first-ever night game at Michigan Stadium and a dominating 45-17 conquest of Nebraska in the first-ever Big Ten matchup between the two, and this was a truly special season for the Wolverines — despite midseason Goals remain, specifically halt- ing the unimaginable four-game skid against the pesky Spartans, but rest assured — but rest assured — Michigan football is back at The Big conquest of Nebraska in the first-ever Big Ten matchup between the two, and this was a truly special season for the Wolverines — despite midseason losses to Michigan State and Iowa. Goals remain, specifically halt- ing the unimaginable four-game skid against the pesky Spartans, football is back at The Big House and on the big stage. u PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN Oct. 9: Hoke becomes the first Michigan head man to start his career in Ann Arbor 6-0 since Bennie Oosterbaan in 1948 with a 42-24 tri- umph over Northwestern. Oct. 15: U-M falls to rival Michigan State 28-14, its fourth consecutive loss to the Spartans. Oct. 29: The Maize and Blue offense registers more than 500 total yards for the third time in four games in a 36-14 victory over Purdue. Nov. 5: The Wolverines drop a heartbreaker to Iowa 24-16, their second loss in three games, when an apparent Junior Hemingway touch- down grab was controversially ruled incomplete on U-M's final series.