Michigan coach Brady Hoke focusing on road challenges: Crowd noise, playing surface and elevators
Michigan coach Brady Hoke watches players file off of buses before a game at Michigan Stadium earlier this season. Hoke's attention to detail increases as the Wolverines hit the road for four of their next five games.
Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com
Coach Brady Hoke is happy with where his team is at right now -- 5-0 overall, 1-0 in the Big Ten and ranked No. 12 in the country -- but has said he'll know a lot more about its makeup after playing on the road.
Michigan travels to Evanston, Ill., for a 7 p.m. game Saturday against Northwestern (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten). It will be broadcast by the Big Ten Network.
There are a lot of challenges inherent to playing on the road, and especially so for the first time with a new staff. Each team and each staff travels a little differently.
Most of the challenges are obvious: Crowd noise, playing surface, game time, travel and so on.
Others, such as items on the administrative end of things, are more subtle.
“We’ll talk more about it (Friday)," he said. "You cover some more of those administrative things. Where they sit on the plane, all those kinds of things that go along with it. How we’ll dress, getting to the hotel, knowing where you’re at, knowing where the stairs are, because that’s important.
"Elevators sometimes don’t, you know, bode too well.”
That last comment got a chuckle from reporters, but also illustrated a point: Hoke is a stickler for details. He's eager to set a tempo for how this team will travel, which it must do for four of its next five games -- including at Northwestern this week and Michigan State next week.
There will be a learning curve as they adapt to each other.
"I’m kind of interested in seeing how we react," Hoke said recently. "I really am. To see what we’re made of — see our mentality, our mental toughness, see if we’re business-like in how we go about the work that we have to do, and the preparation and all those things.”
Hoke said he's thankful to have had five home games to begin his Michigan tenure -- "Now if (athletic director) Dave (Brandon) can do a 10-game home schedule, it would be wonderful," he joked Saturday -- but is eager to learn more about his team's resolve.
Northwestern is a good place to segue into that five-game stretch. Road venues can be tricky, no matter the opponent, but Ryan Field is one of the least intimidating stadiums in the Big Ten. It's capacity is only 45,130, and the Chicagoland area is home to a bevy of Michigan alumni.
"It may help a little bit with crowd noise, if we have a lot of Michigan people there," Hoke said. "I know there’s a ton of alums who live in the Chicago area, so we welcome them all.”
Ryan Field has natural grass, while Michigan Stadium has synthetic turf. The Wolverines have practiced on natural grass this week to adjust, and will wear a different cleat for the game.
That's not expected to be a concern, offensive coordinator Al Borges said.
Junior Hemingway
Hoke said senior receiver Junior Hemingway is fine and will play against Northwestern, after sporting a large wrap on his right arm at practice Tuesday.
He still fielded punts and participated in drills despite the injury, which Hoke characterized as "a little boo-boo on his elbow."
Hemingway is the second player in a week to suffer an arm "boo-boo," following quarterback Denard Robinson, who wore a large pad during the win against Minnesota last week.
Neither boo-boo seems serious.
“He’s all right," Hoke said of Hemingway. "He’s just got a little boo-boo on his elbow. He’s fine. We did punt (Tuesday) and he’s one of our wings and did a great job protecting. We serve them live bullets.”
Ricky Barnum
Barnum a 'maybe' for Northwestern
Starting left guard Ricky Barnum "didn't do much" at practice Tuesday and his status for Saturday is questionable, Hoke said.
Hoke said earlier this year if a player doesn't practice Tuesday or Wednesday, he typically won't play Saturday. That is his rule of thumb.
When asked if Barnum was out for for the Northwestern game, Hoke said, "No, I don’t think he’s out."
A peek ahead?
With the countdown clocks in Schembechler Hall reaching less than 10 days for the Michigan State game, have any players started looking ahead to that matchup next week?
“No," Hoke said punctually. "Heck no. No way. The seniors have done a nice job."
Players see the clock -- it's right next to the one that counts down to the Ohio State game -- each day as they enter the practice field.
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
SonnyDog09
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 3:43 p.m.
Is there an inside joke concerning elevators that the author would like to share with us?
Mick
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 4:47 a.m.
@Matt, no more grass field please, remember that the problem with the real grass at the Big House got soggy because when they lowered the field it approached soggy ground underneath that kept making the playing field sloppy. @Tru2, I would imagine the 1st time U-M flew to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl would have been after the 1964 season for the Jan. 1st, 1965 Game, the previous one to that was the 1949 Game I believe, so I'm taking an educated guess on this. Now, switching gears, I was watching the BTN tonight and Gary Dinardo was analyzing on film why the M Defense was so good this year. Let me tell you guys, I was really impressed with what I saw, he was showing how there was such a great effort on every play by all 11 guys on the field at any given time, how the D has been simplified and all the players are in good position and taking the correct angles to prevent the big plays. This is no fluke folks, this Defense is for real. We are going to win our Division, I predicted 10-2 before the season started and I feel we'll at least accomplish that, I think the 3 toughest games will be at MSU, at Iowa and at Illinois, all very winnable games, I feel strongly that we'll whip up on Nebraska and TSIO. The Offense is only gonna get better, don't be surprised if we run the table before facing Wiscy in Indy IMO. We shall see however, won't we? Go Blue!!!
MRunner73
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 11:54 a.m.
I like your optimism and am sipping the feel good Kool-aid but I haven't finished the glass just yet. Give me until Oct 15th, after the game with Sparty. If the Maize and Blue win these next two road games, please post an "I told you so" comment.
Tru2Blu76
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 2:34 a.m.
I think this is relevant to the discussion: traveling is harder than playing at home. So I take this into account when it comes to the idea of Michigan always being in the Rose Bowl (that's now obsolete with the advent of the BCS bowl system but sometimes it still applies). Michigan was always the 'most traveled' when it came time to face the Pac 10 champion. Small wonder that Michigan's record isn't as good as it might be if: the Pac 10 had to travel to the opposing Big 10 champ's stadium on alternate years. Any historians out there who can tell us what year it was that Michigan first used air travel to get to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena? Denard is right handed: so he needs a good Left Guard ("tackle") to protect him. Hoping that Ricky Barnum will be there for him on Saturday @ Northwestern.
Matt Patercsak
Wed, Oct 5, 2011 : 11:46 p.m.
A solid road debut from this team would make me immensely happy. by solid i mean: no mental mistakes, few or no missed assignments and no dumb penalties and an overall good flow of the game. tough defense and good hitting, hearing pads pop on natural turf is always hair raising for any true big ten fan. if a team can play hard, clean, smart football it is hard to lose, seeing a team do those things on the road would be very inspiring knowing its only going to get better as personnel fill in over the years to come. sloppy play (broken plays) are not the path to championship football. it's when you can execute a called play against a tough opponent in their house, when you know you've become solid as a unit. and that's what id like to see. not the denard show. would anyone else think that natural grass in the big house again would be pretty darn cool?
RWBill
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 7:25 p.m.
No. Epic Fail.
garrisondyer
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 12:57 p.m.
YES. Believe me, I have heard the debate loud and clear from both sides of the argument. I still think it'd be "pretty darn cool" to have real, natural grass in Michigan Stadium once again.
MRunner73
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 11:49 a.m.
No, we had the natural grass turf only a few years back. The artificial turf technology is much better these days. Good ol fashion football in the mid or late fall season in the Big 10 under very sloppy field conditions are fading. I do recall the Purdue game last season played on natural grass under rainy conditions was fun to watch but those were to aweful teams struggling to find an offense.
BlueGator
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 12:35 a.m.
No.
riverraisin
Wed, Oct 5, 2011 : 11:24 p.m.
Judging by the way this group plays as a team, I think being on the road may be somewhat to their advantage. They have nothing to focus on but the job at hand. I like the way this Michigan team plays solidly together and plays to win! Hoke and company will have them fully prepared and ready to go on saturday. Take care of business at Evanston and then prepare for battle in East Lansing. Let's go Blue!!!!!
MRunner73
Wed, Oct 5, 2011 : 9:35 p.m.
The next game up is Northwestern. We can really delve into playing Sparty AFTER the Northwestern game. Sparty has a bye week and Meeechigan is next up for them... Road games can be chaotic and it sounds like Brady Hoke will handle all of the little things that will keep the players at ease. About the natural grass, the weather forecast calls for dry conditions. Ryan Field has not been rained on in about a week now but their grounds keepers will make sure the grass is well hydrated. It makes you wonder. The big question is if Northwestern will have a healthy QB. I am sure our defense will rough him up. GO BLUE!!!
58-44-6
Wed, Oct 5, 2011 : 8:50 p.m.
In a 34–17 loss to Michigan State, Robinson completed 17 of 29 passes for 215 passing yards but threw three interceptions. He was also limited to 86 rushing yards on 21 carries i don't want to lose to 'Little Brother' again...
XTR
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 1:40 p.m.
Dantonio and his DC made a good expose on how to control that RR Denard one trick pony offense then other teams followed that blueprint. One trick pony offense and no defense will lose in the big ten. Michigan does not play that way, Michigan should play like a team on both offense and defense! lolz The MSU game is next week. We will have 6 full days to talk about MSU, enjoy the NW game this week.
Brent
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 12:06 p.m.
It was the start of the downward spiral that they couldn't recover from. We need to focus on NW and then take it to the Spartys!!!
redceder1
Wed, Oct 5, 2011 : 9:04 p.m.
Was that the game that kept him from the Heisman?