Hoke To 'Make Some Decisions' Tuesday; Says Gardner, Morris Know What They Need To Do Better

By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak

CBS DETROIT - With the Wolverines unranked, worst in the nation in turnover margin and holding a record of 2-2, Michigan head football coach Brady Hoke disagreed Monday with an assertion that the program has slid into a state of crisis.

Hoke also brushed off a question about whether he thought the team would be farther along in his fourth season as head coach.

"We're building a program with a great foundation, and that's important, from the academic side to the athletic side," Hoke said in his weekly press conference. "We're a little older on defense. We've got some older guys who've played a lot of football. On offense we've got one scholarship senior starting on the offense, and if he wasn't the starter, then we'd have two guys, and the rest, two juniors, and everybody else is a redshirt freshman or a sophomore."

Michigan's only wins this season have come against Appalachian State and Miami (Ohio). The Wolverines looked overmatched against Notre Dame two weeks ago and against Utah on Saturday. Michigan has committed 12 turnovers in its first four games.

Linebacker Jake Ryan said after this weekend's game that players are staying confident, but outside perception of the program has fallen dramatically. Hoke recognizes there is negativity from some corners, but he says the players have not given up.

"With social media and everything else and bloggers and things like that, it's out there," Hoke said, "but it's what you choose and what you believe, and we've got great belief in our locker room."

Hoke did not rule out the idea of major changes given the way the team has started the season.

"I'm not saying we're not," Hoke said. "Tuesday we'll make some decisions - or we'll let you know the decisions, let's put it that way ... You look at everybody. You look internally, and then you look at everybody and see what combination of whoever in that starting 11 give you the best chance to win. Maybe it's a different personnel group, maybe it's more two tight ends, three tight ends. As Jake [Butt] gets healthier, he'll be more a part of the offense. We'll see how that goes."

Quarterback play has been a source of frustration for many Michigan fans. Devin Gardner has struggled with turnovers, and he had two more giveaways in the game against Utah. He was replaced in the fourth quarter with backup Shane Morris, but Morris also committed a pair of turnovers, throwing a pick and losing a fumble.

Following Saturday's game, Hoke did not commit to staying with Gardner as the starter. He said Monday that the team would announce Tuesday its decision on which quarterback will start against Minnesota.

"They both did some really good things, and then they did some things not so good," Hoke said. "If you're looking for 'Was there one guy who played better than the other?', no, I don't think so, but I think they both know what they need to do better, and they will, and I think they both competed and made some good decisions also."

Morris, a sophomore, has started only one game for the Wolverines - the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl last year. Hoke said, however, that the coaches have confidences that Morris could start regularly this season if given that opportunity.

"I think Shane had a real good fall camp, and I think it's continued," Hoke said."When I sit up here and say there's competition, there truly has been competition the whole time, and do we feel comfortable, do we feel confident? No question about it."

While Hoke expressed confidence in Morris, he also noted that Michigan's offensive struggles cannot all be attributed to Gardner.

"It's [not] all on him," Hoke said. "There was tipped balls in both games, last two, one from a defensive perspective, one from an offensive perspective. Maybe if we get two hands on it, it's not tipped ... There's different things - guys getting pushed back into him a little bit. Not very often, but it's happened, so the ball doesn't come off right. Has he made perfect decisions? No. And he wants to. And he will.

"He's a leader, and leadership is hard at times, but he'll handle it like a leader does, whatever happens," Hoke added. "He's as resilient as any young man you could be around because of what people put out there."