ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- If Michigan coach Brady Hoke is feeling the heat as his Wolverines near the conclusion of an extremely disappointing football season, he won't admit it.
When Hoke was asked Monday if he’s aware that many are beginning to question whether he’s the right man to lead Michigan, he nonchalantly replied, “Not really because I don’t listen.
“No one knows but the guys in that building (Schembechler Hall) and the people directly with the program how they (the players) practice every day, how hard they come out and work. All of those things are positive, and you can see the progress.
“People are going to have opinions. They’re going to say what they’re going to say.”
During a barrage of questions by the media, Hoke maintained that Michigan’s football program is going in the right direction, despite the Wolverines' 7-4 record.
With the undefeated, No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes set to invade Michigan Stadium on Saturday, the stark reality of a five-loss season is looming large in Ann Arbor.
Michigan enters the game as a big home underdog, with the present line listing Ohio State as a 14-point favorite. That’s almost unheard of in the annals of Michigan football.
Since their victory over Notre Dame on Sept. 7, the Wolverines have steadily played themselves out of the college-football conversation.
The press conference before the Ohio State game usually is overflowing with reporters -- with many media members trying to hoodwink players into providing some sort of bulletin-board material -- but that wasn’t the case Monday.
There were many empty seats, the tone was somber, and the only small talk was the gallows humor surrounding the anemic Wolverines offense.
It was a scene of apathy, which should worry everyone connected to the Michigan football program.
Hoke tried to talk up "The Game," and when the questions centered on the Buckeyes, he steered the conversation back to Michigan. He insisted that he and his staff don't dwell on OSU’s success, nor do they use Ohio State’s school record of 23 consecutive wins as a motivational tool.
Brady was Brady, extolling the virtues of his program; however, when asked about this being a failed season for Michigan -- they didn't compete for a Big Ten tile, Hoke’s measuring stick for a successful campaign -- he said the following:
"The No. 1 goal has always been to play for our seniors, and to do everything we can as coaches and as underclassmen to represent the seniors. At the same time, the seniors have to do a great job representing that senior class.
“Is the goal always to win the Big Ten championship? No question about it, and we won't make excuses nor back down from it.
"Have we played and coached as well as we've needed to? Obviously not, and those are things that we've got to keep going and keep working at every day because that's all you can do."
This upcoming offseason will be crucial for Hoke if he's to have longevity as Michigan’s football coach. He'll have to make tough decisions about his coaching staff, player personnel and philosophy, especially on the offensive side of the football.
Michigan’s free-falling offense, which is sprinkled with four- and five-star recruits, ranks 96th in the nation.
If Hoke is unwilling to overhaul Michigan football, his Wolverines must compete nationally next season or he could be shown the door.
Michigan’s athletic program cannot have a football team that's irrelevant. Literally, they can’t afford it.
As much as Hoke and his players like to talk about the tradition of Michigan and having the most wins in the history of their sport, it’s just talk.
If only the talk continues, then Monday’s press conference is only the beginning. Eventually, they’ll only be talking to themselves.
