Brady Hoke has an interesting take on his 2014 Michigan Wolverines schedule. Like many coaches, he has the postseason destinations already assumed, as both the Big Ten Championship and the Rose Bowl appear on the schedule. As if it’s a foregone conclusion that Michigan is already headed there.
That’s not unique, a lot of college football coaches do that in order to motivate their employees. What’s unique about this is the nicknames Brady Hoke chose for three teams on the schedule.
Lol MT @BuckeyeEdge: Brady Hoke using nicknames for Appalachian State, #MSU and the #Buckeyes just confuses people. pic.twitter.com/kRXBR2DKyG
— The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) April 21, 2014
Other than App St., Michigan St. and Ohio St., everyone else appears by their proper name. The Appalachian State moniker is funny; well played Brady Hoke. It obviously references the infamous upset from 2007 in Michigan Stadium. And State is just an affectionate term for the Spartans. MSU people, Michiganders in general all use it.
As for Ohio, I think Brady Hoke is just trying to instill in his players the enormity of the rivalry- it’s like UM is taking on the entire Buckeye state, not just THE Ohio State University.
No Brady Hoke doesn’t mistakenly believe that he’s playing the Bobcats of Ohio University that day. And of course, tOSU is well known for not using the name Michigan. The school’s Sports Information Department routinely refers to Michigan by Woody Hayes’ famous “that school up north” during game week, and we’ve seen game notes and programs without any Ms in them.
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. He’s also a frequent guest on national talk radio. Banks is a former contributor to NBC Chicago and the Washington Times, who’s been featured on the History Channel. President Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)