VIDEO: Brady Hoke becomes the new football coach at Michigan

By: Sean Jackson (Examiner.com) -

Today, Michigan announced they have a new football coach. Brady Hoke, who has been the head coach at San Diego State and Ball State, is the new head coach of the Wolverines.

Several things stand out about this decision.

For one, Brady considers Michigan his dream job. That mindset may help him because the Wolverines need a lot of work. If Hoke takes this positive mindset when he works to fix the team‘s weaknesses, he may get the job done.

In addition, many around the program wanted a Michigan guy. Hoke is a Michigan guy. He was an assistant coach under Lloyd Carr from 1995- 2002.

This is important for several reasons. For one, Brady will remember what made Michigan one of the top programs in the country. He will instill the program’s rich tradition and history into his players. He will place heavy emphasis on the rivalry with Ohio State, something his predecessor didn’t do.

Moreover, this is a comfortable move within the program. Many former players including Charles Woodson, who played under Hoke, wanted him to be the coach. This tells me that if they have confidence in him, then this was the right move.

Many may question this decision due to Hoke’s lack of experience at this level. It is true that he hasn’t been a head coach at this level, but then again, Jim Tressel wasn’t either before coming to Ohio State.

From an Ohio State perspective, this is an interesting hire. Brady certainly has the potential to turn the Buckeyes’ main rival into a competitive force again.

Can he get the job done?

Brady Hoke’s career at a glance:

As the head coach of San Diego State, he turned the program around in two seasons. After a rebuilding campaign in his first season, the team went from 4-8 in his first year to 9-4 in his second. This includes a 35-14 win over Navy in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.
In six seasons, he led Ball State to a 34-38 record.
He was an assistant coach at Michigan from 1995-2002.