Brady Hope: Hoke Electrifies Michigan Fanbase as Alumni Rally Around Hire

If wins came in January, consider Michigan the undisputed national champions.

Michigan's 19th head coach—Brady Hoke—has said all the right things in his first week as the head coach of college football's winningest program.

He mentioned the date of the Ohio State game, talks about how Michigan must maintain superiority over Michigan State, wants to snag the best talent the state of Michigan has to offer and, of course, was fiddling—either out of excitement or nerves—with his 1997 national championship ring, a ring that Hoke won by coaching the Wolverine defensive line to a perfect season, beating Washington State in the Rose Bowl.

In fact, Hoke can't even mention "that scarlet and gray team from Ohio" by name and avoids wearing the color red (an improbable feat after coaching two schools whose colors include red).

Perhaps this is why Hoke has received such a warm reception in Ann Arbor despite having a considerably worse résumé than Rich Rodriguez brought from West Virginia.

Braylon Edwards (2001-04): @officialbraylon: I want to congratulate #BradyHoke. He coached my 1st 2yrs, he's a good friend of mine & a great coach #GoBlue

Desmond Howard (1989-91): @desmond_howard: Brady Hoke will be Michigan's next head coach! I've heard nothing but positive things about him since midseason.

Mike Hart (2004-07): @MHart2032: Hoke = Great choice he knows and Michigan Football.

Cato June (1999-02): @catojune: Congrats #GoBlue we have a new coach and his name is Brady Hoke!

Dhani Jones (1996-99): @dhanijones: Congrats @DaveBrandonAD on the hire of Brady Hoke. He's felt a Michigan Championship. Time to return! #goblue #michiganman

Green Bay Packers cornerback and former Michigan star Charles Woodson texted to the Associated Press, "I'm excited for Brady Hoke and even for Michigan. I'm glad this process is over and we can begin to restore the tradition and respect that was once Michigan."

That's about as good as it gets.

But what has most people excited, including the AD (David Brandon) who hired him, is that Hoke is a defensive-minded coach.

Certainly something Michigan lacked the past couple years.

So the alumni are "all in"...but what about the players?

Well, consider that a coach that once referred to the spread offense as "basketball on grass" was able to retain spread superstar All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year Denard Robinson. That is a testament to how much he believes in his players and how the players are responding well to Hoke.

“Everybody (has to) buy in,” junior linebacker J.B. Fitzgerald told the media at a press conference. “I think everybody realizes that. You know, the first time it didn’t really go as well because everybody wasn’t really buying in. ... The chemistry is real good right now. Everybody’s excited, and everybody’s ready to get it started.”

Maybe the sub-.500 record at two mid-major schools is a sign of things to come, but maybe, just maybe, we've drastically underestimated alumni support and players buying in.

A coach who jumped at the job right away without asking about salary information and an excited Wolverine fanbase?

Sign me up.