The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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A BY MICHAEL SPATH few hours after Michigan had finished off rival Ohio State, snapping a seven- game losing streak to the Buckeyes in capping off a 10-2 regu- lar season that not even the staunch- est U-M optimist likely saw coming, former U-M All-American and cur- rent CBS broadcaster Dan Dierdorf sat in a production meeting with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. A Michigan alumnus himself, Brady could not wipe the smile off his face, while Belichick doled out complements. to endure for three years, and the criticism they've taken. And they were the ones that broke the streak — I'm so happy for them." The Wolverines probably didn't need their win over Ohio State to validate the 2011 season — the major- ity of preseason predictions put the over/under win total at eight — but with the victory, U-M made a strong case that Michigan football is back. "A 10-2 Michigan heading to a very significant bowl, competing for the Big Ten championship … that sounds like Michigan to me," said athletics director David Brandon, who seem- ingly went out on a limb back in proud of this coaching staff and, es- pecially, of these kids," Dierdorf said. "To see a man come in and do it the right way, the Michigan way, with class, and integrity and a singular focus on the team, the team, the team … I think I speak for the entire Michi- gan family when I say we are ecstatic with the way this team performed this season, and the manner in which they won, like true Michigan Men." EXPECTATIONS EXCEEDED In Sports Illustrated's 2011 college football preview issue, the maga- zine predicted Michigan to finish 7-5 overall and 4-4 in the Big Ten to place Wolverines Pleased With Progress, But Not Yet Satisfied "Our conversation kept steering Off To A Good Start from talking about the Patriots back to Michigan, and the win over Ohio State," Dierdorf said. "Bill couldn't believe the transformation from one year to the next. He was at the Ohio State game last year in Columbus and couldn't believe how badly Michigan was outplayed. "He was overwhelmed at how quickly and emphatically Michigan had turned it around." Brady's visage and voice made an appearance before the showdown with the Buckeyes, joined by greats Charles Woodson, Mike Hart, Brian Griese and others, to introduce Team 132 to the Maize and Blue fans packed into The Big House Nov. 26. Hart was there in person, along with teammate Jake Long, and a number of former stars. What he witnessed that day brought tremendous satis- faction. "After the game, I saw Jake and just sort of gave him a look; nothing even needs to be said in moments like that because we all understand as Michigan Men what this team accomplished," Hart said. "Losing seven years in a row, being a part of that streak is tough, but none of us ever experienced what these guys went through, what the seniors had Quarterback Denard Robinson, who passed for 18 touchdowns and rushed for 16 more scores in the regular season, helped lead U-M to its first win over OSU since 2003. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL January when he passed up bigger- name candidates for Hoke. "I'm glad our fans are united behind this coach, are excited about this football pro- gram and are enthusiastic about the future direction. "There were certainly a lot of people who thought in this first sea- son, with implementing a new of- fense, implementing a new defensive scheme, bringing in all new coaches … there was a lot of conventional wisdom that this would be a rebuild- ing year, and our expectations should be very low. "But I can tell you that was never Brady Hoke's perspective. He went into the season believing Michigan should contend for the Big Ten cham- pionship, and I never saw him once waver. I'm sure in his heart right now, he's not thinking about the 10-2 but about how much better it could have been." At his regular Monday press con- ference, just a couple days after U-M had completed its joyous regular sea- son, Hoke put aside the revelry to, in fact, focus on what this team had not accomplished. "The most disappointing thing for all of us is that we didn't win the Big Ten championship," Hoke said. "At Michigan, that's the expectation. We've got a lot of work to do." Still, the season, with a bowl game left, has been a smashing success. "I wish Bo was still alive because he would be so proud of Brady, so fifth in the Legends Division. Athlon and Phil Steele's predicted a fourth- place division finish, Sporting News forecasted a fifth-place effort and Lindy's the most optimistic, offered a third-place showing. They were all wrong. The Maize and Blue finished sec- ond in the Legends Division with a 6-2 mark, one of only four teams in the Big Ten to earn six conference wins and one of only three teams to earn 10 victories overall. Michi- gan won 10 games for the first time since 2006 (11-2), beat Ohio State for the first time since 2003, and has a chance at its second 11-win campaign since 2000 and its fifth since the Bo Schembechler era began in 1969. "Yeah, we didn't win a Big Ten championship — and that was our goal, and still is our goal, and that's Michigan's goal every single season — but at the same time, we're 10-2," fifth-year senior center David Molk said, echoing the thought that this team did achieve something special. "We beat Ohio State, and we haven't beaten them in eight years. There are a lot of good things that happened this year." Brandon never demanded Michi- gan reach a certain number of wins in year one under Hoke. He under- stands, having worn the winged hel- met under Schembechler in the 1970s, progress cannot always be measured in tangible results. He wanted to see improvement, offensively, defen- DECEMBER 2011 THE WOLVERINE 21