Brady Hoke Says He Wouldn't Have Punted on Final Play vs. Michigan State

Former Michigan head coach Brady Hoke questioned Jim Harbaugh's decision to punt at the end of the game against Michigan State that ultimately led to a fumble and the Spartans' game-winning touchdown return as time expired. 

"Personally, if we have the No. 1 defense in the nation I'm going to test those guys," Hoke told his SiriusXM College Sports co-host, Mark Packer, during the pair's show on Tuesday, per Angelique S. Chengelis of the Detroit News. "You've got to play to the strength of your football team, and the strength of the Michigan football team all year long has been their defense."

Hoke said he would have run the ball with De'Veon Smith in that situation or thrown a play-action pass, adding that he felt there were too many possible breakdowns that could occur on a punt. He also critiqued the punt formation.

"No. 1, I think the one gunner to the field should have been in a little bit more and if you're going to punt it there's ways to protect it a little better," he said.

Michigan faced a 4th-and-2 at the Michigan State 47-yard line with 10 seconds remaining as it lined up to punt. Going for it in that situation might have netted the first down, but it also could have given the ball back to Michigan State with good enough field position to attempt a Hail Mary into the end zone if the fourth-down conversion failed. 

And much like the fumbled snap on the punt, a snap or handoff exchange could have been botched as well had the team gone for it. A successful punt, meanwhile, would have buried Michigan State with poor field position, since the Spartans had all 11 men at the line of scrimmage. So an argument could be made that Harbaugh's decision was the more strategically sound one, though Hoke obviously disagrees.

Bleacher Report's Ben Axelrod believes Hoke's comment ended any goodwill fans may still have had toward the former coach:

Hoke spent four seasons as the head coach at Michigan, going 31-20 overall and 1-2 in bowl games. He led the 11-2 Wolverines to a victory in the 2011 Sugar Bowl during his best season in Ann Arbor. After the team limped to a 5-7 record last season, Hoke was fired and replaced by Harbaugh.