This Is Michigan

It's fair to say I was less than enthused with the Hoke hire.  It wasn't so much a knock on Hoke as disappointment in missing out on Harbaugh and the sabotaging of the 2011 recruiting class with how the entire coaching search and hiring played out.   

Hoke seemed alright.  He had turned some teams around and was well respected in coaching circles.  I was optimistic but I wouldn't say I was excited.  Hoke did strum a few chords with his answer to one question at his introductory press conference.

Then Brady hired Greg Mattison to be the defensive coordinator. A competent defensive coordinator who is also a tremendous recruiter*?  Yes please I'd love the anti Greg Robinson....I allowed myself to get a little pumped up.  

The turning point came for me before fall practice began, at the Big Ten media days.  Press conferences are just words, but there was something in what Hoke said that made me believe.  "This is Michigan" was music to my ears.  (It was apparently music to the athletic departments ears as well, as they have built the promotional campaign for this season around Hoke's comments.)

Here's my quick transcript:

The question is posed on what it will take to rebuild Michigan.  (At the 9:20 mark of the video)

"I don't think we're rebuilding.  Period.  I mean, we're Michigan.  And we've got kids who understand that they're Michigan.  So I don't put any stock into that."

When asked about recruiting. (12:20 mark)

 "This might sound arrogant and if it is, it is.  We're Michigan.  We have a global education.  We're the winningest program in the history of college football."

A 58-0 romp over a Big Ten team probably says more about Minnesota's utter incompetence than it says about Michigan's return to prominence, but a complete annihilation of a Big Ten opponent made me feel like "This is Michigan" again.  It feels good.


* Urban Meyer referred to Mattison as the best recruiter in all of college football.