Michigan football coach Brady Hoke fills out his own coaches poll, but he's not sure how valid it is
Brady Hoke prefaces any talk about the current college football playoff debate with one humble reminder.
"I'm just a D-line coach," the Michigan football coach says with a grin.
Hoke is obviously much more than a position coach these days, but that doesn't make it easier for him to defend the current championship system -- one that takes his own personal input into account.
Because, sometimes, it's not always the most educated opinion.
Michigan football coach Brady Hoke on participating in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll: "I don't get to watch a lot of football. I'm watching Michigan football, I'm watching our opponents."
Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com
Under the current Bowl Championship Series format, the weekly USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll counts for one-third of the overall formula to determine the two national championship game finalists.
Hoke says he personally fills out the poll himself each week. But there's still one mighty large problem with that.
"I don't get to watch a lot of football," Hoke says. "I'm watching Michigan football, I'm watching our opponents.
"I don't watch a lot of (other) football. My wife could tell you, because that girl loves football. And so does my daughter."
Hoke says he spends roughly 30 minutes on his coaches poll each week, after all the weekend's games are completed, with Michigan football sports information director Justin Dickens.
Dickens provides Hoke with as much information as possible on the previous weekend of college football. But still, he didn't see the games himself.
So, is there a validity issue with the coaches poll, and the system in general?
"That poll, I vote on it, and I get input from staff and from Justin also," Hoke said. "I don't know if that poll is any more valid, or not valid, than the different computers they use if they're not talking about strength of schedule."
Earlier this week, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany maintained that the league still prefers the present system as a method of selecting a national champion, but did say it's not realistic to expect it to be kept in place very much longer.
He also, ironically enough, took the time to rip the current process -- including the idea that coaches polls have a significant impact on the final result.
"The question is what’s the best selection process?" Delany said. "Is it non-transparent polls, non-transparent computer programs, allowing people to vote who have a stake in the outcome, ranking teams before they play? Isn’t that a larger problem than plus-one, or four inside or outside (a playoff)?
"It seems to me you have to be more transparent, you have to be more open, you have to avoid the conflicts of interest, and once you get that done, to me the less challenging situation is do you have four or do you have two?"
Should college football's championship game be earned on the field, or determined by computer rankings and individuals who admittedly can't watch every game on the schedule.
The debate rages on.
Just don't count on Hoke to take a hard stance anytime soon.
"I just coach defensive linemen," he jokes.
Nick Baumgardner covers Michigan sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2514, by email at nickbaumgardner@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @nickbaumgardner.
Comments
Bluewolverine
Sat, Jun 9, 2012 : 12:25 p.m.
I think the title of National Champion is great to have for your school. It helps recruiting and building a solid fan base. Since only one or sometimes 2 teams can earn that in a year and over 100 schools trying to gain that honor in a sport that is expensive, very physical and doing it with student athletes a playoff system will be difficult to come up with. Every Michigan game I watch is a championship game to me and the Big ten title is more important since you just beat most of the schools in your conference that's where the interest is. How can you possibly compare yourself to all the other schools in the country. Going to a bowl game after you just won your conference is a treat for those kids. Add up the statistics from all the bowl games played vote on it and there is your National Champion and live with it.
Terry Star21
Fri, Jun 8, 2012 : 6:37 p.m.
Tru....you have some valid points there and the system has worked - but it has also failed. There have been some instances, as late as let year when a team like Oklahoma State surely deserved a shot. I favor a four team, any more just waters down the whole championship environment. On the other hand, I am delightful alabama made it and won convincingly - it just makes our victory against them this fall so more meaningful !
Terry Star21
Fri, Jun 8, 2012 : 6:29 p.m.
This is the only time I will say Brady Hoke has not been real honest, it's about his team's selection but it's all good. Coach Hoke and Michigan football are #1 and Coach and the whole world knows it - Michigan, "Now that's the Threat" ! Gotta love that recent picture of Shane Morris, getting bulk and trim - last fall he looked like a boy, this fall he'll look like a man, and fall of 2013 he will be Heisman worthy and helping Michigan to a long line of Championships - now that's not a threat, "That's the Truth" MgoBlueForTim....Michigan, Leaders and Best..
jim in wis
Fri, Jun 8, 2012 : 4:29 p.m.
Tom, You'll find out where the threat is on about October 20th...
Terry Star21
Fri, Jun 8, 2012 : 6:21 p.m.
Jim....some outsiders are comedians, no football knowledge whatever...all spartans flock to our site, the good sports read, learn and move on....the weak and idiotic show us their intelligent level, which at times is violent - unfortunately they don't go away if you ignore them...lol.
Tom
Fri, Jun 8, 2012 : 3:34 p.m.
This is startling.... Don't coaches rank teams based upon the perceived quality of their incoming recruiting classes? Will Michigan ever win the Big10 football championship again? Where's the threat?
Ted Bundy
Mon, Jun 11, 2012 : 8:36 p.m.
Where's the BCS? Oh yeah, you never been there...
umgoblue47
Sat, Jun 9, 2012 : 2:35 a.m.
big ten champs. . . you bet!! GO BLUE!!!!!!
umgoblue47
Sat, Jun 9, 2012 : 2:26 a.m.
MICHIGAN 2013 recruiting class is ranked number " 1 "!! sparty 2013 recruiting class is ranked "22nd to 28th" depending on which site you go to? QUALITY of incoming MICHIGAN players, well i think being the number one class explains that. quality of incoming sparty players, well you do the math. i hope this explains where the threat is. . . god knows sparty can't figure it out!! GO BLUE!!!!!!
Robert Granville
Fri, Jun 8, 2012 : 3:26 p.m.
Humans are fallible. Computers do only what they are told to. If this was a logical debate, the clear winner would be an automated selection program taking all pertinent football statistics into account.
aarox
Sat, Jun 9, 2012 : 7:33 p.m.
Who tells computers what to do? Fallible humans. Computers have no innate intelligence. What you call "automated" is nothing more than a programming team deciding how this will be decided. Let's decide it on the field. First win your conference. This is a nasty political/power problem because currently you have a set of people that are subjectively deciding who gets to play for the marbles. These folks like their power and will work hard to keep it.
unclefred
Fri, Jun 8, 2012 : 9:45 p.m.
The sample set of played games is far to small to reliably select the top 1-4 teams by computer. Not enough teams play each other or even play a common intersection of opponents. This is why a conference champion selection method is best. Teams earn it on the field. Of course you'd need either a seeded 6 or 8 team playoff, which adds a bunch of games.
Tru2Blu76
Fri, Jun 8, 2012 : 2:38 p.m.
Lets face it: the college team ranking system has always been a mess and, given its nature, may always be a mess. The bright side is that, given the actual uncertainties in all the methods tried so far, fans still get to debate and argue about "who's best" in college football. Another point to ponder: when was the last time a "No. 1 pick" was overturned or even disputed officially? In other words, whatever system is used to pick a champion, it's almost impossible their title will be taken away. And would someone please explain to me what's so horrible about the BCS system?
azwolverine
Sat, Jun 9, 2012 : 6:25 p.m.
Tom, Do tell the "powerhouses" MSU has been playing. At least we beat ND when we play them.
Bmore_Wolverine
Fri, Jun 8, 2012 : 4:11 p.m.
@Tru2Blu76 - One word: "Exclusion." The BCS's formula has been tweaked every year accept one. Every year it tries to correct for the error in the previous year. I would have no problem if 16 teams made the BCS "tournament", but there are only 2 spots. When it's that selective, they have to get those teams perfectly right. In my opinion, last year's title game should have been LSU v. OK St. Alabama not only failed to win the SEC conference title, they didn't even win their division! I know they dominated LSU in the championship game, but they did not deserve the shot to be there. They had already lost to LSU at HOME. I won't even go into the opportunity for the smaller schools like Boise St or Utah.
Tom
Fri, Jun 8, 2012 : 3:37 p.m.
Born...LOL! During 2011 LSU played both Oregon and West Virgina as part of their non-conference schedule. Congrats to Michigan for the new tradition of scheduling such "giants" as San Diego State, WMU and EMU. Where's the threat?
BornInA2
Fri, Jun 8, 2012 : 3:30 p.m.
The thing I most dislike about the BCS system is that it nearly requires teams to line up cupcake non-conference opponents in order to avoid a loss at all costs. I much prefer the old strategy at Michigan, where we lined up the best non-con games we could, in order to best prepare for the Big 10 games...because winning the Big 10 and beating tsio were the top two goals every season. My position is that college football fans love to debate rankings, so no matter what system is put in place, the debate will go on: Bowl system, BCS, playoffs...I don't think it matters; we'll still be arguing about it all season. And if that's so, I'd prefer that we play the best teams we can. Hail!