Hopefully, Hoke not the answer

Probably not many Big Ten football fans outside of Michigan know Brady Hoke from a cowpoke, bloody bloke or puff of smoke.

But they had better hope that he can't coach football.

The Wolverines named Hoke their head coach Tuesday, hoping this so-called Michigan Man can smooth over the hard feelings Rich Rodriguez left behind.

If Michigan ever gets the right fit, the rest of the schools in the conference will have a load to deal with.

Michigan has regressed since the Bo Schembechler era ended.

I know, I know, the Wolverines won a national title under Lloyd Carr and a lot of games under Gary Moeller.

However, it seemed that those guys were benefiting from Bo's fumes rather than creating a durable legacy of their own.

Twenty years ago if you looked at a list of the top 100 high school football recruits in America, the Wolverines competed for dozens of them.

Then, at least it seemed, Michigan was crossed off by more and more of the best prospects, who preferred the Ohio States, Floridas and USCs.

Michigan, like many delusional programs, believed it could keep winning simply because it was Michigan. Instead the Wolverines faded at the end under Carr and imploded under Rodriguez.

The Wolverines' facilities needed an upgrade. So maybe do the football budget, general commitment to football and common sense.

It's Hoke's job to convince Michigan of that.

Schools like Wisconsin and Iowa have climbed to the top of the Big Ten alongside Ohio State. That likely wouldn't happen if Michigan is all Michigan should be.

The truth is that the Big Ten also hasn't been all it should be since Michigan and Penn State regressed to the level, or lower, of the Northwesterns and Michigan States.

That's as good a reason as any for the league's shabby bowl record recently.

The only way the Big Ten ever will challenge the SEC is if Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan are the powers they're supposed to be.

Those three schools have tradition, recruiting networks and financial resources to contend with the national elite every year.

The Big Ten is down when Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan aren't at the top of the standings. Why? Because at their best, their best is better than the best of the conference's other schools.

It's the same in every conference, actually.

If USC, UCLA and perhaps Washington aren't good, the Pac-10 isn't either. If Alabama, Florida and LSU aren't good, the SEC isn't. If Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M aren't good, the Big 12 isn't.

Certain schools in certain conferences have what it takes to compete for national championships every year. The rest — like Illinois, Missouri, South Carolina and Arizona State — have a chance to rise only when the premier programs fall back to the pack.

Nebraska will begin play in the Big Ten next season, giving the league another program that can compete nationally if it doesn't squander its historic brand name.

So now Brady Hoke is charged with elevating the Wolverines to their rightful place in college football and putting Big Ten programs with less potential back in their place.

As an Illinois alumnus I hope Brady Hoke is more a bloody bloke than a football genius.

mimrem@dailyherald.com