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Brandon On Negativity: 'There Are Also A Lot Of Voices That Love This Program'

By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak

CBS DETROIT - Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon broke his silence Thursday on the football team's handling of a concussion suffered by quarterback Shane Morris, who took a late hit under the chin in Saturday's game against Minnesota.

Morris stayed in the game after the hit, despite looking noticeably woozy, and he returned to the game for another play later. Michigan head coach Brady Hoke said Monday that as far as he knew Morris did not have a concussion, and Hoke said he had not talked with Brandon about the situation.

Brandon released a statement in the wee hours of Tuesday morning that contradicted Hoke on both those points. The statement said Morris did, in fact, have a concussion. It also said Brandon had spoken with everyone involved in the situation, a description that would seem to include Hoke.

Hoke has declined several times to address those discrepancies.

INTERVIEW BELOW:

Dave Brandon

Between the concussion controversy and the team's poor performance on the field, many have called for both Hoke and Brandon to lose their jobs.

"There's a lot of loud voices out there that are stirring a lot of negativity," Brandon said to WWJ News Radio. "I've got that, and I hear that, and I'm disappointed by that. I want to bring balance to the fact that there are also a lot of voices out there that love this program, they respect this coach, they love these kids, and whether they're going through a rough time or not, they believe in Michigan and they're supporting the program.

"They may not be the ones that go out and demonstrate in public, they may not be the ones that are on the Internet, they may not be the bloggers, but they're important, and I know they're out there because I hear from them," Brandon continued. "I hear from them a lot, and they see a bigger picture than the first five games of the season, and I want them to know how much I appreciate them."

More from the Brandon interview [HERE].

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