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What to expect from a Brady Hoke offense

Published: 14th Aug 11 11:33 am
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Doug Ross
dougross

Brady Hoke falls into the majority.  Over 50% of people who go to the “Big House,” will return to the “Big House” some day.  Oh wait, we are talking about Michigan Football, not prison, never mind.  Hoke is back for his second stint as a Michigan coach, but this time he will be leading the charge.  Not much has changed with his football mentality.  He is a defensive minded coach (all eight of his non head-coaching positions were as a defensive specialist), but today we will be previewing his offense.

Hoke has taken his understanding of defense to preclude his offensive mentality.  That philosophy  is that if you can beat down a defense physically, you will have a significant advantage.  I am going to exclude each of Hoke’s first years as a HC at new schools because he wasn’t working with his own recruits (I understand that is the situation this year as well, but this will give you a better feel for what to predominantly expect from a Brady Hoke offense).

Ball State 2004-2008, San Diego State 2010 Passing plays/Running Plays:

2004:            354/414

2005:            338/412

2006:            373/366

2007:            484/466

2008:            405/520

2010:            426/439

Overall: 2380/2617= 47%/53%

Even when Ball State started the 2008 season 12-0, and had a quarterback good enough to declare for the NFL draft as a Junior, Hoke ran the ball 115 more times than he passed.  In 2010, Hoke gave the ball to his freshman running back 262 times even with having a quarterback who had previously thrown for over 3,000 yards twice.  So expect to see a heavy dosage of Michael Shaw, Vincent Smith, Michael Cox, Stephen Hopkins, oh yeah and that one dude…Denard Robinson.

Michigan fans should expect Denard Robinson to build on an already stellar  beginning in Maize and Blue.  Since 2006, Hoke’s quarterbacks have generated 147 touchdowns, averaging over 29 a year.  It is no secret that Michigan boasts the most talented offense Hoke has had his head coaching hand in, and Michigan fans and foes should expect even more out of their offensive attack.  Denard Robinson totaled 32 touchdowns last year, and based on Hoke’s past, that should be the floor of where expectations should begin for the 2011 season.  While Robinson will be asked to lead a new offense, he returns most all of his weapons outside of Daryl Stonum.  So amid an offseason of change, there will be much continuity within the offensive attack.

Thusfar Robinson has been a bit shoddy under Al Borges’s (offensive coordinator) new west coast offense, going 5-14 in Michigan’s spring game, but Borges is on record saying that he is willing to alter his gameplan for the bettermint of his personel.  So even though Robinson will be asked to take snaps under center, his rushing prowess should not be curbed.  Nate Davis netted over 140 carries during his final two years at Ball State, along with 10 rushing touchdowns, and he only runs a 4.97 40 time.  Robinson’s time is a fraction of that number, and his legs are his calling card.  Expect him to run upon seeing even the slightest hole.  Robinson will create plays with his arm as well.  He was the 20th rated QB last season, and under Hoke’s tutelage, he has the ability to increase that number.  Remember, this is only his 2nd year starting. 

watch?v=hGnPt3s8in8

I do not believe we will learn anything new about Brady Hoke’s offensive mindset.  The only thing we will see is his capability to run an offense with significant talent.  The Michigan faithful have been hit with a an old cliché’ over the last three tumultuous years, “You don’t know what you got till it’s gone.”  Gone is the strictly spread offense with all the speed and none of the guts.   Hoke will lead a ground and pound attack, and Michigan fans will welcome it back with open arms.  As many a Michigan man has stated, “In Hoke we trust.”

 

 

 

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