Is HokeMania Dead in Ann Arbor?

The case for firing Michigan coach Brady Hoke seems to be getting strong each week. After a strong first season it seems like the magic Hokemania seems to be fading as each year goes by. Standing at 2-4 this season this is not your father’s Wolverine program. You may ask how much of the blame should fall on the head coach. Well in college program most it tends to go towards the man who picks the players and selects the game plan.

Just when the Ann Arbor faithful thought it saw its lowest point in the program’s history under the Rich Rodriguez regime. Coincidentally Rich is coaching again at a thriving Arizona program cannot be doing any favors for Hoke who may want patience from his critics. The program thought it hit some all-time lows when it had its first losing season in a long time. Hoke seemed to have remedied that situation in the short term.

With a historic loss to longtime rival Notre Dame had to be the 1st blow to a coach who ended the previous season on a major losing streak. Then getting beat down by Utah in Ann Arbor and blown out by Big Ten bottom dweller Minnesota had to heat up Brady’s chair at the Big House. The even went into last Saturday’s loss to Rutgers as underdogs. Not the Rutgers team with Ray Rice but just the plain old school from New Jersey that generally is not competitive.

It can be understood that supporters of the coach may think that it’s too soon for him to go and maybe he just needs more time. Unfortunately this is Michigan and not Waycross State, and the powers that be want what they are accustomed to and that’s a power house program. Remember Gary Moeller for a incident at a restaurant in 1995. It didn’t help he had too many 8-4 seasons for people who cut the checks. Lloyd Carr won a national title and was always in play for the Rose Bowl. After a loss to Appalachian State it was deemed time to usher him out. The program of course has never been the same since.

Whether Hoke gets to finish out this season remains to be seen. You can be rest assured that if the team takes on a few more losses and especially if they lose both the Michigan State and Ohio State games, there will be a new sheriff in Maize and Blue for 2015.

Keith B. Holt

Follow on Twitter @Kholtjr