Brady Hoke Named Oregon Ducks Defensive Coordinator
Oregon announced on Saturday that Former Michigan Head Coach Brady Hoke was hired as Defensive Coordinator
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Almost two weeks after demoting Don Pellum from Defensive Coordinator to Linebackers Coach, the Oregon Ducks made a move as quietly as they could on a day that was dominated by the NFL Playoffs and named new Defensive Coordinator. The choice was former Michigan Head Coach Brady Hoke according to GoDucks.com.
Brady Hoke was fired from Michigan following last season and spent this year as a radio host for Sirius XM with their College Football Coverage. In replacing Pellum with Hoke, who has not been a true Defensive Coordinator since his high school days, some may be concerned about his qualifications. Rest assured, Oregon Head Coach did his homework on this one and landed a big name that was outside of the program. Hoke has a Defensive mind and always has.
Hoke turned Ball State into a 12-1 program from a 4-8 program four seasons before. The turnaround at Oregon should be a smoother transition, of course his tenure at Michigan did not end the same way. It was the reverse. There were other names thrown around in the search including former Oregon player Mike Nolan. However, Nolan is an NFL coach, and while that would have been good for Oregon he has not coached in college since 1986. He will likely remain in the National Football League.
The hiring of Brady Hoke as Defensive Coordinator is a big step for Helfrich and the Oregon Ducks. He is also a proven recruiter. While at Michigan he had several classes ranked in the Top 10 in the country. For now, it is a solid hire and Oregon fans should welcome him with open arms. We should enjoy the time he is with Oregon. It will take several successful seasons with the Oregon Ducks on Defense, but there is no doubt Hoke could easily become a Head Coach again down the line.
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For the moment, Oregon fans should be happy for this hire. Good things are right around the corner. We already know the Oregon Offense can perform. The Defense is now closer to stepping up their performance on the field with Hoke in the fold.