After Michigan’s 36-14 trouncing of Purdue on Saturday, Wolverine head coach spoke to the media on various topics including their tough upcoming road trip against Iowa.
Here is some of Hoke’s press conference via AnnArbor.com with Ryan Van Bergen following…
Brady Hoke: On Iowa’s pink locker room. “Who am I to judge?”
Brady Hoke: On Iowa losing to Minnesota. “Minnesota is a heck of a lot better now than they were.”
Brady Hoke: Said Stephen Hopkins has moved ahead of John McColgan at fullback based on play, not injury.
Brady Hoke: On if he’ll keep Taylor Lewan out of practice. “We don’t have that luxury. … Our depth at offensive line is probably as low as I’ve ever seen at a university.”
Brady Hoke: “I thought we got off blocks well and got to the football well.”
Brady Hoke: Said on the play where Denard Robinson took a knee on an offsides, “I think that’s some old training.” Said he’d rather see him take a free shot down field.
Brady Hoke: On starting this many freshman. “The best players have to play. … Or else you’re cheating the program.”
Brady Hoke: Said he thinks Fitz Toussaint is the definitive No. 1 running back. “He’s earned that.”
Brady Hoke: On Desmond Morgan. “He would have played more a lot sooner, but he aggravated a hamstring at the end of training camp.”
Brady Hoke: “Ricky (Barnum) is day-to-day. … Taylor (Lewan) is fine.”
Brady Hoke: On Fitz Toussaint. “The most exciting thing was his burst. … He’s a guy that will get starts again for us. … Vince (Smith) was a little beat up so he didn’t get as many opportunities.”
Brady Hoke: “I don’t know if our blueprint is ever going to be any different,” on playing games in October and November.
Brady Hoke: “I’ve always loved as a coach watching Iowa on offense and watching Iowa on defense.” Hoke said if he’s playing a common opponent, the Iowa tape is the first tape he’ll watch because Iowa’s physicality gets him excited. “It’s awesome.”
Brady Hoke: Doesn’t remember having a team that creates turnovers at this rate.
Brady Hoke: Of giving up the team’s first touchdown of 40 yards or more against Purdue. “They caught us in a blitz. It was a great call by them, not a great reaction by us.”
Brady Hoke: “Not getting in, scoring a touchdown before half time, bothers me.”
Brady Hoke: “(Jordan Kovacs) ran around and did things last night.”
Brady Hoke: Said Jordan Kovacs is “day-to-day.”
Brady Hoke: “Mike (Martin) no question was a factor in the game. … I thought Desmond (Morgan) and Kenny (Demens) played well.”
Brady Hoke: “When you get into November you play for championships in the Big Ten conference.”
Brady Hoke: “They (Iowa) play very well and are a very well coached football team. … It’ll be our most physical game to this point.”
Ryan Van Bergen: On pink locker rooms at Iowa. “I like the pink locker rooms. … I think more teams should do it. It’s better than the off-white jail cell look.”
Ryan Van Bergen: “We’re very proud of where we are, but we’re nowhere near where we want to be.”
Ryan Van Bergen: Said he doesn’t think playing defense changes much on the road. Said the crowd noise is less, and it’s easier to communicate. Offense is where you expect some communication issues.
Ryan Van Bergen: On Mike Martin, “Good luck to the guard that has to block him one-on-one. … I don’t think there’s a player in the Big Ten that can block him one-on-one.”
Ryan Van Bergen: “It seems like the buzz around Michigan in the defense is back. … We want to come come to the podium on Monday and say we played perfect, and we’re not there.”
Ryan Van Bergen: On J.T. Floyd. “No one pushes J.T. as hard as J.T. pushes J.T.”
Ryan Van Bergen: On Minnesota beating Iowa. “Records go out the window in rivalry games. … Minnesota is a better team than when we played them.”
Ryan Van Bergen: On Jake Ryan. “Jake has done a great job of continuing to be better regardless of winning his spot out of camp.”
Ryan Van Bergen: On Jordan Kovacs not playing. “He probably could have played, but it wasn’t in his own self interest.” Said he thinks Kovacs will play this play this week.
Ryan Van Bergen: “No team is the same team that they were in their opener. … Now it comes down to if you win all your games in November, you’ve got a good chance to be in the Big Ten championship.”
Ryan Van Bergen: On the defense. “We’re almost to where we want to be.”
Ref: AnnArbor.com, Zimbio (image)
