In one of the craziest finishes in college football history, Brady Hoke said he would not have punted at the end of last Saturday’s Michigan-Michigan State game. The epic finish had college football fans across the nation second guessing the play call.
Hoke is currently a host on SiriusXM’s College Sports station.
“Your playbook is open now. If you don’t make it, the clock stops on fourth down,” Hoke said.
Michigan fired Hoke after a 5-7 2014 season that Michigan failed to reach a bowl game for the second time in four years under Hoke. Hoke was replaced by Jim Harbaugh, who previously coached the San Francisco 49ers and Stanford Cardinal.
Though Harbaugh has been successful early on at Michigan, that did not stop Hoke criticizing his decision. But Hoke showed his sympathy for Michigan’s players.
“You feel for those kids, you feel for them because that is a tough way to lose a game,” Hoke said. “It is against one of your biggest rivals. And Blake O’Neil, my thoughts go out to him.”
No. 12-ranked Michigan opted to punt the with 10 seconds left in the game, rather than going for it on fourth and 2 from the Michigan State 47. Michigan’s punter Blake O’Neill fumbled the snap, allowing MSU to recover and return the turnover for a touchdown. No. 7 Michigan State remained unbeaten to win 27-23.
