Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Quick hits from Hoke's Wednesday presser
By Michael Rothstein
Brady Hoke chatted with the media one last time before shutting things down in preparation for Ohio State on Saturday -- oh, and he wished the media a Happy Thanksgiving, too. Here's what mattered from the presser, in convenient bullet form.
Freshman linebacker Brennen Beyer "probably won't play" Saturday against Ohio State. He injured his leg against Nebraska last week. Hoke was unsure of his availability for whatever bowl game the Wolverines end up playing in as well. Otherwise, Vincent Smith and Ricky Barnum are doing fine.
Hoke on Nebraska coach Bo Pelini's comment about defensive players faking injuries this season: "That's ridiculous. I wouldn't do that. (Jordan) Kovacs? Come on. Us?"
Hoke on preparing for Ohio State every day through the year: "To some degree we do because they are always in our thoughts and we talk about them every day. But from a physical nature, and Bo (Schembechler), because he mimicked them offensively and defensively, they were doing something every day."
Hoke on playing after Thanksgiving: "It's different. The one thing I don't like about it is your kids don't have a chance to go home to be with their loved ones, especially when you're playing away on that 12th game. We'll have a good amount of people here for Thanksgiving."
Hoke on this week: "There's been a lot of consistency, which is what we want to have on a weekly basis. I can't tell you if it is up more but I think they understand how fun this game is."
Hoke said he is not having anyone special talk to his team in advance of this game. "I'll talk to them. I talk to them every day. They get tired of that, probably. We'll pretty much handle everything as normal."
Hoke on Braxton Miller: "He can make plays. He's flat out a playmaker. If he's going back in playaction or whatever it might be or drop back out of the gun or running the speed option or quarterback draw or quarterback iso, he's a tremendous athlete and a rather big guy and great feet."
Hoke on Ohio State defense: "They will be, in my opinion, the stiffest test we've had."
Hoke on peaking now: "I think all three phases consistently playing together for four quarters. If it is peaking, I don't know. I just think last week we played in all three phases together and really complemented each other."
Hoke on this week being different as a head coach opposed to assistant coach: "It's not any different. You're trying to develop kids and you guys probably think I'm full of it and the life lessons they learn from this great game weekly. I probably have more meetings with guys than you did as an assistant coach when something happens to a guy's friend or whatever with 115 guys there's a lot of that. That's the biggest difference, you know, but I get to coach nose tackles in there and meet with them every day and do that stuff. That's fun."
Hoke on meaningful for seniors: "It really is, I'm proud of them. Proud of how they've, the whole new staff and doing this at two other schools this group has done a really nice of job of them staying together as a class, I think there's a great deal of respect they have for each other. So the question is, is it a special class? Yeah, it is. Because they've done a tremendous job on a daily basis. There's been a lot of consistency with how they've approached everything they've done."
Hoke on the seniors legacy, feeling more this game for those guys: "I probably am. But yeah, probably. They are a group of great kids who have been through a lot."
Hoke on this game for a Michigan football player's legacy: "I think it's an important one because that's the first thing, when they go to a reunion or something, when did you graduate and did you beat Ohio?'
