2B - Monday, November 4, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com SPORTSMONDAY COLUMN Time to re-examine Brady Hoke EAST LANSING - Brady Hoke's go-to excuse, the one he uses as a safe word in case things get too rough and as his secu- rity blanket in case things get too scary, needs tobe retired. Every time anythinggoes wrong with this Michigan EVERETT football team COOK - and recent- ly, that's been fairly often - Hoke blames "execution." The reason why Michigan was domi- nated in every aspect in Satur- day's 29-6 loss to Michigan State on Saturday? A lack of execution, says Hoke. Putting the blame on executing the existing gameplan means put- ting the blame on the players and not on the coaching staff. This matters because, yes, there were execution issues, but that was not the biggest problem.' Hoke had two weeks to prepare his team for Michigan State, and offensive coordinator Al Borges had two weeks to come up with a plan that made sure redshirt junior quarterback Devin Gard- ner didn'tgettrampled. Gardner was sacked seven times. Michigan's offense did absolutely nothing. And after the game, both fifth-year senior offensive tackle Taylor Lewan and redshirt junior linebacker Jake Ryan blamed intensity for the loss. "I think it's who is tougher, that's what it comes down to," Ryan said. "We played a tough game, but it came down to who wanted it more and who played their technique better. That's something we definitely, definite- ly need to improve on these weeks coming up. "We didn't playthe game we got a smashmouth defense that is allowing almost27 points per game and gave up 29 points to a Michigan State offense that has struggled to put up points against teams like Western Michigan and Purdue. His teams have gone 4-8 on the road while statistically getting worse every year in his three sea- sons as head coach. The reality is that Hoke's best season came in 2011, his first year, when he was coaching Rich Rodriguez's players. That was also the onlytime in Hoke's tenure that Michigan has won a game as an underdog: the second game of the season, against Notre Dame. Even then, Michigan need- ed a last-second miracle to escape with a win The Wolverines lost five games last year, and this year, they were virtually knocked out ofconten- tion for a Big Ten Championship by the first week of November. Michigan has four more regu- lar-season games in 2013. Two of them are at home against some of the toughest teams in the Big Ten (Nebraska and Ohio State) and two of them on the road (Northwestern and Iowa). Hoke isn't on the hot seat yet. He's a phenomenal recruiter, perfect for an alumni base that ADAM GLANZMAN/Gaily demands tradition above all and the players seem to love him. But tate had everything the seat is getting warmer and ays wanted in a will only heatup more if the next - a mean, menacing four games look anything like ed with a power- Saturday's. that wins football Hoke can beat the same dead ores like 21-6 or horse about why his team is fail- .9-6. ing all he wants, but at the end of Hoke's third season, the day, Michigan's faults don't that still doesn't lie with the players who aren't ty. executingthe game plan. eam that is sup- The faults lie with the man a power running behind them. 0 Michigan coach Brady Hoke has aspired to have the type ot.team that he was coaching against on Saturday - Michigan State. wanted to play. We need to go 100 percent every single play, and some plays we didn't do that ... so they came out with the win." That's Hoke's responsibility. That's his job. He's not a numbers guy, or an offensive guru. Those responsibilities are delegated to his coordinators, so as the head coach, he's essentially a motivator. And if Michigan is failingat going hard on every play, in the first week of November against a rival, then how are we evaluating Hoke? Saturday was the type of game the third-year coach has talked type of play, then where is he suc- about winning since the moment ceeding as a head coach? In 63-47 he arrived in shootoutswith Ann Arbor. It Indiana? was rainy, cold g The problem and muddy. ...it came dow n is that the team Defense and t who he's always runningthe to w afted envisioned was football m itm ore wearinggreen, tered more - and the team than anything that was get- else. By the ting bulldozed end of the day, into earning jerseys were brown and one team the fewest rushing yards in pro- was limping to the locker room. gram history was wearing maize If Hoke can't succeed with that and blue. Michigan S Hoke has alw: football team- defense coupl running game games with sc 14-0 or, hey, 2 Instead, inl he has ateam1 have an identi He's got at' posed to have offense but ra yards on Satur featured runn averaging 3.73 n for negative 48 rday and has a ing back who is yards per carry. He's -Cook can be reached at evcook@umich.edu or on Twitter @everettcook WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Offense leads 'M' in exhibition ICE HOCKEY Blue completes sweep to spoil Pearson's return. By ALEXA DETTELBACH Daily Sports Writer Friday night, the Michigan women's basketball team took the court for the first time this season in the team's lone exhibi- tion game. Playing Division II foe Wayne State, the Wolverines got to work early onthe offensive side of the ball. Michigan had no problems brushing off the offseason rust by scoring on its first six possessions and never looking back, holding on for a 81-55 win. After leading 21-4 early, the offense stayed hot throughout the first half, leading by as many as 25. The Wolverines went into halftime shooting 56.4 percent from the field. But coming out of the locker room for the second half, Michigan looked sluggish and tired, letting the Warriors cut into the lead - the Wolverines only outscored Wayne State by four in the second half. With a significant part of last season's squad gone, sophomore guard Madison Ristovski and junior forward Nicole Elmblad jumped into the spotlight as the most experienced returning play- ers. While both rose to the occa- sion, Ristovski was particularly impressive early in her firstcareer start, showing an aggressive, offensive instinct she lacked last season. "It was an amazing feeling having my name called out, first time being out there at the begin- ning of the game," Ristovski said. "I definitely had butterflies going through my stomach." The sophomore attacked the basket early and often and found success with layups, long-range jumpers and even from beyond the arc for her first 3-pointer in Crisler Center. Ristovski had 13 first-half points and finished the EVER HAD A CONCUSSION?? Participants needed for a study on the long term effects of concussion Who: Males and females in their 40's & 601s who had a concussion(s) from sport or recreation when 18yrs or younger Activities: walking, hand and foot coordination & reaction time test Test Duration: 1 session, 2.5hrs Payment: $50 Contact: Doug Martini at (734)615-9330 or neurotraumalb.umich@gmail.com game with 15 points, six rebounds and four assists. "I thought (Ristovski) did a great job," said Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico. "One of the things we were talking about was her really being able to contribute on the offensive end and knock down some open shots. I thought she really showed that tonight and did a great job. "I was really pleased with how she played tonight, and hopefully that gives her some confidence because I know a big thing for her is confidence. So I hope, after tonight, she feels real good about her performance." Elmblad, the only returning starter, added eight points and led the team with 15 rebounds. Last season, Elmblad brought a defen- sive dimension the team desper- ately needed, but this year Barnes Arico needs her to play an offen- sive role as well as be aggressive on the boards. As for the newer faces, junior transfer guard Shannon Smith - who Barnes Arico pointed to as the team's biggest scoring threat - showcased her shooting ability and led the team in scoring with 22 points. Smith also added eight rebounds. "I was really proud of Shan- non," Barnes Arico said. "She knows it's an adjustment period playing for a new coach." Meanwhile, freshman guard Siera Thompson also contributed heavily despite finding herself in early foul trouble. Thompson has a firm hold on the starting point guard position and showed her flashy quickness early, ending the game with 13 points and seven assists. Thompson kicked off the team's offense, scoring the first of Michigan's 21 points, which led to a 21-4 run to open the game. But after the Wolverines' fast start, Michigan soon looked tired and winded, forcing Barnes Arico to turn to her bench. "We ran out of gas a little bit," Barnes Arico said. "What we've really been emphasizing is trying to get stops on the defensive end, and I think when we run out of gas we slack on defense. " Ti gan said any g Bu on S were and t team an ea: Th callec leavir with zone toa2 ' "A tum Berer playe we di "I comp was last n Sol Copp scores Mich Yost the its fi sweet again Pla Oct. 1 and s recei cle fr Mich awkw igan Cople go-ah "I alway fil iri Michigan gets got the win," Selman said. Three late Michigan Tech rst home sweep penalties in the first period Cl more than 20 allowed Michigan to set up in the opposing zone, but, more months importantly, hold the Huskies to just six shots in the opening stanza. After Saturday, Michi- By GREG GARNO gan Tech continued to lead the Daily Sports Writer nation with 214 penalty minutes this season. me and time again, Michi- With four forwards on the coach Red Berenson has ice during an extra-man oppor- goals are at a premium in tunity, Copp wove the puck iven game. through traffic to the left circle, t against Michigan Tech where his shot from the.faceoff aturday, penalty minutes spot proved too much for Copley provided, free of charge, to handle. Copp's fourth goal of he No. 4 Michigan hockey the season tied him for the team took advantage by way of lead, one night after he scored rly goal. the game winner in overtime. e Huskies (1-6-1) were The Wolverines also drew a d for 10 penalty minutes, number of penalties themselves ng the Wolverines (6-1-1) -12 altogether - including two ample time inthe opposing inthe second periodthatslowed to set up chances en route down play for both teams and a -1 victory. late call on junior forward Zach Ve got some good momen- Hyman in the third period. from our power play," "That gave us momentum nson said. "I thought we going into the third (period)," d better with the puck than Selman said. "It just gave us d last night all around. energy throughout the whole liked the way our team game." eted. I thought tonight Freshman goaltender Zach a better team effort than Nagelvoort surely appreciated ight." , the slow play, though. After phomoreforwardsAndrew he faced 36 shots the previous and Justin Selman both night, Nagelvoort stopped just d for the Wolverines in 29 on Saturday - his fourth igan Tech's first visit to win in place of sophomore Steve Ice Arena since 1984. With Racine. win, Michigan recorded "Our overall defense, they rst regular-season home hung in there and they bat- p since Feb. 17-18, 2012, tIed," Berenson said. "The goals st Northern Michigan. against is (on) the goalie, but it's aying in his first game since also on the defensetnen, too." 8 against New Hampshire Michigan's victory was even econd this season, Selman more impressive without fresh- ved the puck in the left cir- man defenseman Kevin Lohan, 'om freshman defenseman who remains out for at least the ael Downing, firing an next three months with a low- yard-angle shot past Mich- er-body injury that he suffered Tech goaltender Pheonix in Friday night's game, accord- ey for what would be the ing to Berenson.' ead goal. "Obviously it's never good to mean, obviously a goal is be missing a guy like Lohan ... ys nice, but I'm just glad we but I thought (the defense) did a really good job," Nagelvoort said. "They let me see pretty much anything that was in front of me. There was only two or three times where (Michigan Tech) had a chance to tip in any kind of shots." The Huskies tallied a late goal midway through the third peri- od, nearly completing the come- back when they finally managed to limit their penalties. Forward Dennis Rix slapped one past Nagelvoort when he found the puck near the slot. A late penal- ty and a 6-on-4 advantage were not enough to force a second straight overtime, though. The loss spoiled former Michigan assistant coach and current Michigan Tech coach Mel Person's return to Ann Arbor. Pearson served as an assistant coach for 23 years under Berenson, helping to lead the Wolverines to 11 Frozen Fours. "Yost is a place I love," Pear- son said. "I know it's a hard place to play, and a hard place to win at, but it's a great expe- rience for our players to come here. "I've got a lot of fond memo- ries here and I just love Michi- gan, coach Berenson and Michigan hockey." Friday night: Andrew Copp played hero in the weekend opener, scoring the game win- ner in overtime after the Hus- kies came back from a two-goal deficit. Copp took the puck across the center line before he wound up near the top of circle and fired a shot that was too quick for the glove of Copley. Junior forward Phil Di Giuseppe scored his third goal of the season and added an assist, while senior forward Luke Moffatt tallied a goal of his own. Nagelvoort, mean- while, continued his strong per- formance in Racine's absence, stopping 34 shots.