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Posted on Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 1:42 p.m.

Michigan football coach Brady Hoke thinks San Diego State has edge because of familiarity with Al Borges

By Kyle Meinke

Michigan football coach Brady Hoke said Monday he won't have a schematic edge when he faces his old team, San Diego State, despite his familiarity with the program.

On Tuesday, Hoke said the Wolverines might actually be at a schematic disadvantage because of the Aztecs' familiarity with Michigan offensive coordinator Al Borges.

Michigan (3-0) and San Diego State (3-0) play each other at noon Saturday (BTN) in a game that was scheduled by Hoke when he was with the Aztecs.

AlBorges_Preview.jpg

San Diego State coach Rocky Long has a long history of coaching alongside Michigan offensive coordinator Al Borges, above.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Borges was Hoke's offensive coordinator the past two years at San Diego State. When Hoke left for Michigan in January, Borges came with him and the Aztecs promoted defensive coordinator Rocky Long to head coach.

Long also worked with Borges at UCLA during the 1996 and '97 seasons.

"I think Rocky, with the relationship Rocky has had with Al Borges, two years at San Diego State, two years at UCLA, lot of familiarity with schematics that Coach Long is well aware of," Hoke said during his weekly teleconference with reporters.

Earlier this week, it was Long who said that the Michigan coaching staff has "a huge advantage" because Hoke and Borges are so familiar with San Diego State's personnel.

Borges brought his West Coast offense with him to Michigan, although the Wolverines now are running more a hybrid offense that Borges had called a "spread-West Coast," a system that takes better advantage of quarterback Denard Robinson's running ability.

That wrinkle could help minimize any benefits gained by Long's familiarity with Borges.

"No question Denard is a little bit different than playing a conventional style, if you want to call it that -- the pro-style -- because of his ability with his feet and to run," Hoke said.

"At same time, the way we can throw the ball from the play-action scheme, there is some familiarity with that."

After Robinson ran 26 times in a 31-3 win against Eastern Michigan on Saturday -- and completed only seven passes -- Hoke reaffirmed his commitment to finding success in the passing game.

"(Robinson) made three throws the other day that were very good throws," Hoke said. "Body mechanics and body posture and those things? Maybe they weren't exactly what you wanted, but he made throws that were right on the money."

Some other topics Hoke touched on during the teleconference:


Slow starts befuddling
Michigan has been outscored 21-0 in the first quarter this season, but is winning the final three quarters 100-23.

What is the reason for the Wolverines' slow starts?

"I wish I had an answer," Hoke said. "It's something we continue to focus on and work on, as we try to become a better football team."

Hoke credited his assistants for make the in-game adjustments necessary to win, despite the team's languid starts.


On non-league schedule
Hoke has said San Diego State will be Michigan's biggest challenge of the non-conference season, but added Tuesday that there is nothing about the Aztecs that sets them apart from other teams in terms of preparing the Wolverines for their Big Ten slate.

"I think we all have non-conference schedules that prepare you, one way or another, to start your season in conference play, and playing your best football, but not sure if (it makes a difference if it's) San Diego State or Wyoming or whatever.

"The focus and goal really has to be on your team and its improvements."


Seeking better play up front
For the second straight day, Hoke emphasized the importance of getting his defensive front seven going before opening up Big Ten play next week against Minnesota.

"We need to play much better than we have the past three games," he said.

Michigan likely will get several opportunities to work on its rush defense. San Diego State features sophomore tailback Ronnie Hillman, who is the nation's second-leading rusher.


Chatting it up?
Hoke said he hasn't talked to anyone from San Diego State this week, but "I'm sure after the contest on Saturday, we'll have some discussions."

He said Monday he has spoken with Long since departing from San Diego State, but mostly about personal matters.

Kyle Meinke covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2588, by email at kylemeinke@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @kmeinke.

Comments

Phil Wilson

Thu, Sep 22, 2011 : 7:19 a.m.

I don't think it's very classy to go on an opponent's board and talk smack, but reading these posts I just have to try to politely comment that you should not look beyond the Aztecs. Highly ill-advised. Michigan fans should worry at least a little bit about Saturday's game against their little old Mountain West Conference opponent San Diego State. Our record was 9-4 last year, we beat #23 AF, lost to #13 Utah by 4, to #4 TCU by 5. Like Michigan we are 3-0 this year. Like Michigan we have a player on the ESPN Top 10 Heisman watch list. The #2 runner in the nation in Ronnie Hillman. He's leading the nation in TDs. I'd just say, don't put the Aztecs in nearly the same category as Eastern or Western Michigan. <a href="http://espn.go.com/college-football/player/_/id/481156/ronnie-hillman" rel='nofollow'>http://espn.go.com/college-football/player/_/id/481156/ronnie-hillman</a>

lugemachine

Wed, Sep 21, 2011 : 2:53 a.m.

All I ask, Al is that you don't run Denard three straight times EVER again.. particularly if the first run is a long gainer. It happened against EMU and it was absurd. Mix it up a little. ...oh, and don't run him 26 times, either. Thanks.

edjasbord

Wed, Sep 21, 2011 : 2:20 p.m.

So, if Denard has an option to run, and that seems to be the best choice, he should not take it? Because that was what you saw against EMU. And the EMU defense did not think Denard would run 3 in a row either.

MRunner73

Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 9:10 p.m.

Count me in on &quot;Coach-speak&quot;. In all honesty, even Al Borgess is trying to figure out how to use Denard. Borgess is a master at drawing up offensive plays but I am sure he has his hands full this season thus far in how he can fit Denard's talents to the offense. The skill that Denard brings has to be mind boggling to any Offensive coaching staff. Rocky Long of SDSU won't know what's coming because we go off script quite a bit. If our running game clicks early, Denard hits his wide recievers early, then we might stick with the script. The getting to know Denard adjustments will go for some time this season for all of us.

heartbreakM

Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 7:31 p.m.

I hope Hoke goes into the SDSU locker room after the game, win or lose, to thank his team for playing for him in the last several years and say a proper goodbye. Coaching changes appear to be too sudden to allow for that kind of thing, though Hoke never hid his desire to land here. In terms of preparation for the season, I don't know what Hoke is talking about. Playing against good competition certainly prepares your team better for the Big Ten than playing Delaware State and Eastern Michigan. Look at Olympic athletes--they don't get better by practicing against high school talent. They practice against the best and improve that way.

A2comments

Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 7:29 p.m.

I agree that we need to get on with the Big Ten games. These other games are nice for warmup, but not worth reading much about (or writing about). I think both coaches are blowing smoke up each other's posteriors...

BlueGator

Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 7 p.m.

I can't wait to have this game over with and get on to the B1G season. No matter how the SDSU/UM game turns out, fans and the media are going to concoct a myriad of somewhat conflicting theories (all probably wrong) about how the Hoke move did (or didn't) predestine the result. Few will believe the simple reality that the better team that day won. Pure soap opera. GO BLUE!!!

David Vande Bunte

Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 6:24 p.m.

Coach speak. I love coach Hoke, but I am going to agree with coach Long from SDSU. It is a much bigger advantage for Michigan, because while coach Long knows how Al Borges thinks, he simply cannot account for Denard Robinson. Even if he guesses half of Borges' called plays correctly, that still doesn't prepare his team to try to stop Robinson. He is kind of like Barry Sanders in that regard. Yeah, you can kind of plan for him, but his speed and elusiveness mean no matter what you do, he is just as likely as not to make you look silly. The plays that end up getting run don't always match how they were drawn up because of players like Denard Robinson. So, the &quot;advantage&quot; that coach Long has based on his familiarity with coach Borges isn't really all that significant. Against a traditional pocket style QB, yes. It would certainly help SDSU prepare. But against a player like Denard, any advantage to be gained is largely negated just because of the unpredictability. Improvisation is awfully hard to predict, otherwise it wouldn't be improvisation.