What Do Folks Think of Brady Hoke, Michigan's New Football Coach?

After three uninspiring seasons under Rich Rodriguez, the University of Michigan formally introduced Brady Hoke today as the Wolverines' new head football coach.

"We are pleased to announce the hiring of Brady," athletic director Dave Brandon said in a statement. "He is a terrific coach and will be a great ambassador and leader for our football program. We look forward to having him build a championship program on the field and in the classroom."

Hoke, who recently won the Poinsettia Bowl with the University of San Diego, spent 1995 through 2002 as an assistant for the Wolverines before moving on to become head coach at Ball State. While in Indiana, Hoke took a struggling Ball State football team and turned it into one of the most successful rebuilding projects in recent NCAA history.

Plus he once appeared on Letterman:

So what do people think of the Hoke choice?

ESPN's Mark Schlabach says Hoke "is exactly what they need" in Ann Arbor.

While Hoke hasn't won a national championship and has a 47-50 record as a head coach, he's the right fit for the Wolverines. ... Hoke spent eight seasons working as Michigan's defensive line coach before manufacturing two of the best turnarounds in recent college football history at Ball State and San Diego State. He is familiar with the Michigan program and knows what it takes to compete in the Big Ten.

Detroit News columnist Bob Wojnowski says Michigan got its man.

Hoke provides many of the traits Michigan sought, although not flashy ones. He's an Ohio native and a Midwest guy, and was a Michigan assistant for eight seasons, including the 1997 national championship run. He touts the program's traditional, pre-Rodriguez tenets of toughness and defense, and he rebuilt moribund programs at Ball State and San Diego State.

The Wall Street Journal's David Roth says the kid sure does have potential.

Hoke might have been the third choice of many Michigan fans -- may, indeed, have ranked lower than that for some -- but he is also a promising young coach who recently led San Diego State to the school's first bowl game win since Richard Nixon was president.

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