Coaching search: fans beginning to follow Michigan planes again

Saturday’s disappointing loss to Michigan State was probably the last straw of Brady Hoke’s Michigan coaching career.  As Michigan fans know all too well, that means it’s time for another coaching search.

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Nearly four years to the day, reporters, fans and bloggers began following the flights of Michigan’s private jets.

If you aren’t best buddies with any of the pilots, you can follow along with flightaware.com so you won’t miss a critical takeoff or landing.

Remember that Michigan sometimes has more than one plane in the air, so there will no doubt be decoys.

More than one plane

During the last search late in 2010, Michigan planes were spotted in Louisiana (Les Miles), San Francisco (Jim Harbaugh) and finally in       Los Angeles (Hoke).

Of course, we may be getting ahead of ourselves.  Michigan (3-5, 1-3 Big Ten) just might right the ship by knocking off Indiana this Saturday (Nov. 1), and eventually winning two of the final three games to become bowl eligible.  A bowl game victory would be icing on the cake, providing the Wolverines upset Ohio State .

Dream on.

A quick look at the Big Ten Statistics suggest that Michigan will be home for the holidays instead.

Dead Last

Face it, who can remember when the Wolverines were dead last in so many categories.

Most would argue that Michigan is hanging its hat on defense this fall. The Wolverines have been decent against the run until Michigan State’s Langford busted them open for 177 yards in 35 carries.

The Wolverines are last in interceptions (3), and last in turnover margin (-14)

Michigan is also dead last in scoring offense (20.4), total offense (320.8) pass efficiency (105.3) and first downs (17.4).

Oct 4, 2014; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio claims the Michigan football program has disrespected MSU more than once. Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY

Dantonio cries

Right now, the Wolverines can’t even depend on either Devin Gardner (6 TD, 10 INT) or Shane Morris (35% comp. rate) at quarterback. The running game is inconsistent at best.  Even worse, Hoke can’t even orchestrate a “stake” prank without letting MSU coach Mark Dantonio get the last word. All Hoke had to say that things happen in a rivalry game and live with it.

Next year, Michigan should really give Dantonio something to be disrespected about.

The Wolverines can borrow Ohio State’s playbook.

Several times while Woody Hayes was coach, the water in Michigan’s hotel was suddenly turned off, and there no water when the Wolverines awoke on game day.

Arrogant asses

Bo Schembechler never cried disrespect. He would just send selected cuss words across the field as the opening kickoff approached.

What about Spartan coach Darryl Rogers who called the Michigan fans, “arrogant asses,” or another Spartan group who coined the phrase ”Walmart Wolverines.”

No one in Ann Arbor cried, but they did print up plenty of “arrogant asses” t-shirts.

No we have the “stake-gate” controversy. Did anyone see if Dave Brandon had Hoke’s back.

Brandon has been no friend of the Michigan student body, Wolverine traditionalists (blue pants?) and just about everyone after the Shane Morris injury.

When the serious coaching search begins at the end of November, don’t  be surprised if one of the private Michigan planes take Hoke and Brandon far, far away.

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