Michigan's nightmare week ends, but issues continue
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Before Saturday night's game against Rutgers, Michigan coach Brady Hoke stood near Matt Wile on the High Point Solutions Stadium field and watched as the senior kicker routinely made attempts beyond 55 yards.
Four hours later, with the Wolverines trailing by two points, Hoke had confidence Wile could keep that streak alive, especially with the wind at his back. Instead of going for it on fourth and 8 with 3:07 remaining, Hoke sent Wile out to try a 56-yard field goal.
After the Scarlet Knights blocked the kick, they ran out the clock to secure a 26-24 victory, improving to 5-1 and winning their first Big 10 game since joining the league this season, Meanwhile, Michigan lost its third consecutive game and dropped to 2-4 and 0-2 in the conference for the first time since 1967. It was the end to a tumultuous seven days in which the jobs of Hoke and athletic director Dave Brandon were called into question.
During his postgame news conference, Hoke was asked if he felt confident he would remain at the helm following the season.
"I don't know," he said. "I don't think about stuff. I've got 115 sons. Every day's different. You get distractions all the time. I know we're going to do the right things for these kids, to be a coach."
Michigan's degree of turmoil heightened in the second half of last Saturday's 30-14 loss to Minnesota, when sophomore quarterback Shane Morris sustained a head injury but remained in the game for the next play. Morris later returned for another play, a decision that led to conflicting reports from Michigan officials about Morris' health.
Just before 1 a.m. on Tuesday, Brandon released a statement admitting Morris sustained a concussion, contradicting Hoke's comments from Monday afternoon. On Tuesday night, fans protested in front of university president Mark Schlissel's house and chanted they wanted Brandon fired. In multiple interviews, Brandon said he did not plan on quitting. Brandon, a former Michigan player who was hired in 2010 after spending 11 years as chief executive officer of Domino's Pizza, also backed Hoke.
Still, Hoke's status seems shaky. He is 28-17 in four years at Michigan, which he understands the fans and alumni think is an unacceptable record at a program with the most victories in college football history and the second-best winning percentage of all-time.
"Look, these are jobs that you're very much in the public eye," Hoke said. "That's part of it, but you know that when you get into it."
Michigan's players said they weren't concerned about Hoke's future and didn't feel any added pressure.
"I'm playing for my teammates," senior quarterback Devin Gardner said. "I don't understand what that question has to do with anything. I'm playing my best for my teammates, for my family and for Michigan."
Said junior receiver Devin Funchess: "We don't worry about that. We're 18, 19, 20, 21 year olds. We're just out here playing football, the game that we love and the game that we got our scholarships for."
After starting Michigan's first four games, Gardner came off the bench last Saturday to replace Morris. On Saturday, Morris was in uniform and warmed up before the game but didn't play. Asked if Morris was cleared to play, Hoke said that "he was with us this week" but wouldn't clarify.
Gardner completed 13 of 22 passes for 178 yards and threw a third quarter interception. He also ran for two touchdowns, including a 19-yarder with 9:17 remaining that cut Michigan's deficit to 26-24. On 3rd and 8 on the Wolverines' next possession, Gardner thought his pass to sophomore receiver Amara Darboh had given the Wolverines a first down inside the Rutgers' 30-yard line. Instead, the officials ruled Darboh dropped the ball and held up the call following Hoke's challenge. On the next play, Wile missed the 56-yard field goal.
Entering Saturday, Michigan's defense was ninth in FBS in yards allowed per game and 20th in passing yards yielded, but the Wolverines had no answers for Rutgers senior quarterback Gary Nova. Nova, who was benched late last season, threw for a career-high 404 yards and 3 touchdowns and helped the Scarlet Knights win the first game between the oldest programs in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
After five games last season, the Wolverines were undefeated and ranked 16th in the Amway Coaches Poll. They then lost to Penn State in four overtimes, the start of a 2-6 stretch to end the season.
Now, Michigan is reeling again following three consecutive losses to unranked teams (Utah, Minnesota and Rutgers) and an embarrassing 31-0 loss to Notre Dame. Michigan's victories have come against 1-4 Appalachian State and 1-5 Miami (Ohio).
Still, as the Wolverines prepare to face Penn State at home next Saturday, Hoke and the players said they aren't about to concede anything.
"I learned that we could fight (this past week)," Gardner said. "I learned that we're going to be great men. That's pretty much it. We're facing a lot of adversity, probably more than any Michigan team ever. We're going to keep responding."