Hoke Says Michigan Will Not Name Captains Until After Ohio State Game

CBS DETROIT - Michigan head coach Brady Hoke announced Monday that while the team will have captains, it will not name those captains until after the Ohio State game, the final game of the team's regular season.

"We've had unbelievable leadership throughout the team," Hoke said. "We've talked about, 'If you're good enough, you're old enough.' And the one thing - we will have captains, but they'll be voted on after the Ohio game ... We have a number, I think there's 18 fourth- and fifth-year guys that we will have represent the team at the coin toss."

Hoke said he decided in February that the team would take that route.

"We've got great leadership in our senior class, you really do, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and I also think [quarterback] Devin [Gardner] has been absolutely fantastic, but at the same time, we've talked about leadership throughout the team, throughout every class.

"We have a representative group that's a big part of what we do," Hoke added. "The seniors are always - and I met with them when we talked about this - they're always going to be the guys who to we want to try and play for, coach for. That's not changing. Their influence is important, but I think every team's different. I think this team's a little unique in a lot of ways."

Michigan named captains in late August prior to the 2013 season, but the team finished 7-6, so changes - including the replacement of offensive coordinator Al Borges with Doug Nussmeier - have been made throughout the program this offseason.