Michigan head coach Brady Hoke has always taken a great deal of pride in developing players into young men. He has said that being a father figure and mentor is just as important as being a coach—no one would argue with that if he were winning.
But instead of highlighting his 69-of-69 senior graduation rate and success of those away from the field, the masses are talking about how Hoke isn’t always molding those great students into great football players. They're talking about how his Wolverines (4-5, 2-3 Big Ten) fail to improve on a regular basis.
“What I would say is that Jake Ryan is a semifinalist for the Butkus Award…Frank Clark was 217 pounds when he got here, he’ll be a draft choice,” Hoke replied when asked to address critics.
Fair enough. Some guys have gotten better, and some will continue to advance thanks to his staff—and Ryan is a shining example of Hoke's process.
Since his sophomore year with the Wolverines, Ryan, when healthy, has been one of the best linebackers in the Big Ten—the 6’3”, 236-pound senior ranks No. 7 in the league with 79 tackles, averaging an impressive 8.8 per game. His 12.5 tackles for loss are second only to the 14.5 posted by Ohio State’s Joey Bosa, who is widely regarded as one of the elite defenders in college football.
As for Clark, Hoke’s spot-on there—he’s no longer a skinny kid who didn’t know which position he’d play; he’s now a 6’2”, 277-pound wrecking ball of a defensive end who lives in the backfield.
And while we’re at it, we might as well add Brennen Beyer to the conversation; the 6’4”, 256-pound senior DE has evolved into a quarterback’s worst nightmare and leads Team 135 with five sacks.
Hoke’s right, some guys are developing.
Look at Joe Bolden—the 6’3”, 231-pound linebacker is arguably the most intense competitor on the roster. He was a great signing, and he’ll be a star senior.
Take a glance at Matt Godin—a 6’6”, 286-pound sophomore D-lineman who continues to show why he deserves more snaps. He too is on pace to have a respectable career. Even true freshman Bryan Mone, a 6’4”, 312-pound D-tackle, is coming along nicely.
But they’re caught in the carousel of one day you play, the next you don’t.
And honestly, given this staff's track record, it's difficult to guarantee that they'll continue climbing the ranks—not because they can't or won't, but because coaches aren't getting the best out of everyone else.
Why expect any different when it comes to them?
There has been a severe divide in who does what, when and where. Constant maturation and production from high-value positions such as quarterback, running back and wide receiver have been absent under Hoke.
Michigan hasn’t had a dominant 1,000-yard rushing running back since 2011 (Fitz Toussaint), and it hasn’t had a steady pro-style quarterback who could do more than merely manage a game since 2007 (Chad Henne). Instead, it's had a Devin Gardner—a fifth-year senior who has been trapped in an inconsistent spiral of turnovers and uncertainty ever since he was drubbed 29-6 and sacked six times by Michigan State in 2013.
Instead, it's had a Denard Robinson who was essentially tasked with saving a skidding program from further embarrassment. And with more than 10,000 electrifying yards of offense, he did that to a degree. But Shoelace wasn't Hoke's guy; he was Rich Rodriguez's. However, Hoke tried to make the best of the situation by forcing Robinson into a more traditional role, which didn't work and only compounded matters.
It’s been years since the Wolverines have had anything close to a proper offensive line—as a matter of fact, that position group has hit the floor since Hoke took over in 2011. The Ben Bradens, Erik Magnusons and Patrick Kuglers of the world aren’t ascending as quickly as once thought.
And other than Devin Funchess, Michigan—which gets its targets at the position—doesn’t have a receiver to speak of these days. But even he isn't immune; Funchess is having a down year, which is leaving many to wonder if the 6'5", 230-pound junior should consider returning for his senior season.
Sure, there are cases of progression. Hoke’s starting Mason Cole, a true frosh, at left tackle. If that doesn’t point to development (and natural talent), nothing does. But those examples, the few and far between stories of Ryan and Clark, aren’t enough to satisfy a fanbase that's yearning for more from everyone across the board, not just from a select few.
Hoke’s stubborn and somewhat misguided loyalty to upperclassmen, paired with his youngsters' slow progression, has been his downfall.
Where is Freddy Canteen? The true-frosh, early enrollee was the greatest thing since sliced bread after the spring game. But he's barely touched the field since.
Want another?
Next up is Drake Johnson, who wowed spectators with 16 carries for 122 yards and a pair of touchdowns during Saturday’s 34-10 homecoming shellacking of Indiana. It was about time, because before then, he had just five carries for 41 yards and Michigan had little hope radiating from its backfield.
Hoke said on Monday that the redshirt sophomore has “always been in the mix."
That's been the report since spring scrimmages, when Johnson was a top challenger for the No. 1 job. Never mind the fact that he was just months removed from a season-ending ACL tear suffered in the 2013 opener, he was ready then.
“When Drake Johnson gets back in the fall, I think it’ll be fun to see who emerges,” Hoke said in April, according to MLive.com’s Nick Baumgardner.
Derrick Green and De’Veon Smith were the ones to “emerge," though. Each had strong finishes to their freshman seasons and deserved their moments of truth. However, a peaking Green was lost after breaking his clavicle Oct. 4, Smith’s stalled and stuttered with 77 attempts, and Justice Hayes can’t get in rhythm.
Johnson got his feet wet versus the Hoosiers, but Hoke and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeieraren't hitching their wagons to him just yet. He just showed more with less than any running back this season, but yet the coaching staff's sticking to its slow approach.
Why?
That answer is easy, according to Hoke: “Because he had to get the opportunities from a practice standpoint of running with the first group."
It seems that results in the form of stat-stuffing debuts aren't enough to sway Hoke from relying on those with considerably lower production. It's cost him games in the past and, at this rate, it could end up costing his job.
Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines football writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81
Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and references were obtained firsthand by the writer.
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