Brady Hoke: 'It's Easy To Second Guess'
DETROIT (97.1 The Ticket) What was up with the play calling in the Wolverines devastating 43-40 overtime loss to Penn State Saturday?
It slashed their previously perfect -- though hard-fought -- record to 5-1.
Brady Hoke discussed it Thursday morning with the Stoney and Bill show on 97.1 The Ticket.
"It's easy to second guess, I think we all do that, it's human nature ... but we have a lot of confidence defensively," Hoke said, adding the real question of the game came down to whether to kick the field goal or pooch punt.
Hoke picked the punt -- and unfortunately, Matt Wile's punt went into the end zone for a touchback.
If he could do it again, would he use Wile for a long field goal in overtime? "That's easy to say now," Hoke said, later adding, "I thought about it, just thought 'pooch it,' Matt's done a great job of pooching it all year, to be honest with you."
There was another much-questioned incident during the game: Devin Gardner took a penalty for delay of game.
The delay of game penalty is "on me completely," Hoke said, adding, "He's trying to get guys organized, that's all on me, that's my fault."
On the question of whether he and offensive coordinator Al Borges are on the same page when it comes to whether Gardner should be a featured runner, Hoke said they are in agreement.
I think we both want to get more production from the tailback position," Hoke said, adding "The problem you have is if you make Devin your featured runner he's not going to make it through the season ... It just really, trying to, we've got a pretty good quarterback, especially when he played in the second half ... We don't want to get him beat up."
The offensive line is frustrating right now, he conceded.
"We had three redshirt freshman and a redshirt sophomore, that position, in my opinion in the one that takes the longest to really develop because of the different schemes, protections ... But, yeah, I'd by lying to you if I said it wasn't frustrating," Hoke said.
At the same time, he said they are developing.
So in the midst of all this game stress, where does Hoke -- who regularly makes his weight the butt of jokes -- turn for comfort?
Does he have an addiction to any one snack?
"You know, that's a great question," he said, adding it wasn't Oreos, which were reported in a recent study to be as addictive as crack cocaine. "I get Oreos only when Laura's dad comes to town, in our house there' not a lot of snack food, with our schedule (I'm not home). I know when her parents are coming in because all of a sudden you see Oreos and things that are really good for you."
