Desmond Howard talks about Ohio State, Michigan's future and more hall of fame notes
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- It almost seems perfunctory at this point for former Michigan players to comment on the trouble brewing at Ohio State, where the Buckeyes' football program has self-imposed sanctions that include vacating wins from the 2010 season.
Desmond Howard is no different.
The former Michigan football star commented on the plight Saturday before his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.
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“We’re all just kind of sitting back to see (what the NCAA will rule),” Howard said of the Buckeyes, who also lost quarterback Terrelle Pryor and coach Jim Tressel in the offseason.
Pryor declared for the NFL with possible NCAA infractions looming for an alleged gifts-for-memorabilia scheme, among other alleged infractions. Tressel resigned his post for an alleged cover-up of the improprieties.
Ohio State has levied its own punishment, but could it be facing stiffer penalties?
“The problem is (the NCAA is) so inconsistent in how they administer punishment, your guess is as good as mine,” said Howard, who now is a college football analyst with ESPN.
Did Howard expect Tressel to coach next season?
“I wasn’t shocked that he stepped down, just because the snow ball just kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger," he said. "That was the only end game there could be -- either retire or get fired.”
Making an impression
Howard reiterated at Saturday’s ceremony the buzz he has been hearing nationally about Michigan on the recruiting trail.
“Greg Mattison is a guy who not only is a fantastic defensive coordinator, but speaking to other coaches, who coach with other teams, they say he’s the best recruiter they’ve ever seen,” Howard said. “That speaks volumes about what he brings to Michigan.”
Michigan already has 11 defensive commitments for its 2012 class, which now has 19 overall players. That’s the most in the Big Ten.
Shout out to Mo'
Howard credited a lot of people Saturday for his Hall of Fame career -- among them former Michigan coach Gary Moeller.
“I don’t think a lot of Michigan fans or football fans know this about coach Moeller, but coach Moeller is responsible for going down to Ohio and bringing the University of Michigan its last two Heisman Trophies,” Howard said, referring to himself, a 1991 winner from Cleveland, and former defensive back Charles Woodson, who is from Fremont, Ohio.
Woodson became the first primarily defensive player to win the award in 1997.
Quotable Beano
Legendary football writer Beano Cook, on earning the Bert McGrane Award for outstanding contributions to college football journalism: “This proves if you live long enough, you’ll win something.”
Cook first joined the Football Writers Association of America in 1956.
Getting away from Mom
How did Charles Haley, a five-time pro-bowl player with the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys who was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday, end up at James Madison?
“Long story short, I got two schools who offered me a scholarship: Liberty and James Madison,” he said. “My mother, ya know, she’s only 30 minutes from Liberty, while James Madison was four hours.
“I love my mother, but I needed that distance.”
Appalachian State flashback
Dexter Coakley, a longtime pro linebacker, played at a FCS school that should be quite familiar to Michigan fans: Appalachian State.
The Moutaineers beat then-No. 5 Michigan 34-32 in 2007 in what has become known by some Wolverines fans as “The Horror.”
“When I was in college, coming from a (Division) I-AA (team), no one wanted to play us,” Coakley said. “Wake Forest, Clemson, we played them and beat them, so no one else wanted to play.
“But going up to the Big House and playing Michigan, that kind of put us on the map. But we’ve always had that ability.”
Tillman honored
The late Pat Tillman, a former Arizona State and Arizona Cardinals star who died in the conflict in Afghanistan in 2004, received the only standing ovation of the night.
His widow, Marie, attended the ceremony.
Kyle Meinke covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2588, by email at kylemeinke@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @kmeinke.
Comments
Mick
Mon, Jul 18, 2011 : 5:12 p.m.
@Crown, so just unlucky huh? Definitely stupid, not unlucky, TSIO repeatedly pushed the envelope and finally got caught, no luck involved, just extreme cockiness. I'm tired of some of these people who visit our sites and spew garbage. Take the medicine, you're the one's who made yourselves sick, no one else did this, THEY DID IT TO THEMSELVES!!
15crown00
Mon, Jul 18, 2011 : 4:18 p.m.
All it amounts to Blue Brains is OSU and others got caught University of Blue and Yellow never did.My feeling is there is cheating going on to a greater or lesser degree DAILY at EVERY MAJOR Univ. in the country.The unlucky or stupid get caught.
D21
Sun, Jul 17, 2011 : 10:51 p.m.
Yup Mick, Ohio St has encouraged a cult of cheating and entitlement across the board in football for far too long including the majority of their deranged fans. The Ohio HS Football Coaches Association president recently said that no matter, right or wrong, the Ohio HS football coaches should honor Tressel by dressing like Tressel on their first football games. Pretty immoral and sick!
rightmind250
Mon, Jul 18, 2011 : 3:20 p.m.
The truth is the coaches will honor Tressel by wearing a white shirt and tie. Immoral? Sick? Its immoral to not write the truth.
Mick
Sun, Jul 17, 2011 : 5:42 p.m.
@The OSU, your nightmare is just beginning. It's not Desmond's fault what happened to your program, it's your previous coach and some of the people still there who turned a blind eye or are complicit in there action's or lack there of. You only have to look within, don't get mad at other people because of the situation you're school put themselves in, look in the mirror. Meanwhile, the direction U-M is going is opposite of TSIO, we're headed for a great era in our program and we're not looking back, see you in the rear view mirror buddy. Good luck with that sanction thing you got coming up. Go Blue for TiM!!!
The OSU
Sun, Jul 17, 2011 : 4:02 p.m.
For once, Desmond had the good sense to keep his mouth (reasonably) shut regarding the OSU problems. Usually he merely repeats hisarrogant, elitist babble about how UM is soooooo... much better than any other school. NEWS FLASH: This just in. The NCAA is now investigating OSU, Auburn, Geo Tech and Oregon. Everyone's 2010 schedule has been vacated except Michigan. By process of elimination, Michigan is named the 2010 National Champion. Students pour onto the quad singing, "champions and the best." They then march to the Big House chanting, "We want Rich-Rod." Oh thank goodness... I just woke from a horrible nightmare.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Tue, Jul 19, 2011 : 1:45 a.m.
Denial falls where in the 12-step program? Good Night and Good Luck