Brady Hoke - Football Coach - University of Oregon Athletics

Brady Hoke

Title:
Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Ends Coach

Brady Hoke, who earned conference coach-of-the-year acclaim in three different leagues in his stops as a head coach, joined the Ducks coaching staff as defensive coordinator Jan. 16, 2016 after accumulating 32 years of coaching experience at the collegiate level.

The 57-year-old Ohio native comes to Oregon following 12 seasons as a FBS head coach, including four years at Michigan (2011-14). He tallied an overall head coaching record of 78-70.

Hoke guided the Wolverines to a 31-20 record (18-14 Big Ten) in his four seasons in Ann Arbor. He led the Wolverines to an 11-2 record (6-2 Big Ten) and Allstate Sugar Bowl victory in his first season at the helm, in addition to leading UM to its only win over rival Ohio State (40-34) in 12 years.

In addition he became the first Michigan head coach to go undefeated at home in his first two seasons since Fielding Yost in 1901-02. The Wolverines were a perfect 8-0 at Michigan Stadium in 2011 and 6-0 at the “Big House” in 2012.

His first-season success at Michigan was acknowledged across the country. He was named the Maxwell Football Club Collegiate Coach of the Year and was named a finalist for three other national coach-of-the-year honors: the Bear Bryant, Eddie Robinson and Liberty Mutual awards. The Big Ten Conference’s coaches voted Hoke as the inaugural recipient of the Hayes-Schembechler Coach-of-the-Year Award, while the Big Ten media named him the Dave McClain Coach of the Year.

Hoke became the fifth Big Ten coach to win at least 10 games in his first season as head coach and became the third UM coach to win his first six games (along with Fielding Yost-1901; and Bennie Oosterbaan-1948). Nationally, Hoke became one of eight coaches to direct a team to a BCS bowl in his first season while he became the third coach to direct a team to a BCS bowl victory in his first season.

With four more wins than the 2010 squad (7-6), Hoke tied Yost’s 1901 team as the school’s only two teams with a four-win improvement under a first-year head coach from the previous season.

While he never previously held the title as defensive coordinator prior to his Oregon arrival, he has built the reputation as a tough-minded defensive strategist since his days as a linebacker at Ball State and remained heavily involved in the defenses’ daily operations throughout his head coaching tenure.

Hoke’s defense improved from a unit that ranked 108th in the Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring defense prior to his arrival and 110th in yards allowed to one that ranked among the top 20 in the country in scoring and total defense in 2011 and 2012. The final year of his tenure was the Wolverines’ best on defense as they ranked seventh in the nation, allowing only 311.3 yards per contest.

Twenty-one Wolverines earned All-Big Ten distinction in four seasons under Hoke, including back-to-back-to-back Big Ten Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year winners in center David Molk (2011) and left tackle Taylor Lewan (2012-13). Devin Funchess also earned Big Ten Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year honors in 2013.

Hoke long has been characterized as a relentless reruiter as well, overseeing a pair of top-five recruiting classes at Michigan. His 2013 class ranked No. 2 nationally and produced 2015 All-America selections Jake Butt (TE) and Jourdan Lewis (CB).

Prior to Michigan, Hoke enjoyed a successful head coaching stint at San Diego State from 2009-10, where the 2010 Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year guided the Aztecs to their first bowl game in 12 years during his final season in Southern California as well as the most wins (9-4) since 1977.

Six of his players earned All-MWC first team honors in 2010, including running back Ronnie Hillman, the league’s Freshman of the Year. Seven additional players earned second team (4) honors and honorable mention (3). In 2009, five players were named to All-MWC teams, while 11 were MWC?All-Academic selections in Hoke’s first season at San Diego State.

As head coach at his alma mater (2003-08), Ball State’s 34-38 record during his tenure was culminated with an historic 12-1 campaign in 2008 and an undefeated Mid-American Conference regular-season campaign. Ball State earned its first-ever AP top 25 ranking and Hoke was chosen 2008 MAC Coach of the Year.

He mentored players to 35 All-MAC selections in six years en route to a back-to-back bowl game appearances in 2007 and 2008.

Hoke broke into the coaching profession as a defensive coordinator at Yorktown (Ind.) High School in 1881 before entering the collegiate ranks as an assistant coach at Grand Valley (Mich.) State in 1983. His career continued with assistant coaching stints at Western Michigan (1984-86), Toledo (1987-88), Oregon State (1989-94) and Michigan (1995-2002). He served as defensive line coach at each of his assistant coaching stints with the exception of Toledo, where he coached the Rockets’ linebackers.

While in Corvallis, he coached alongside current Oregon secondary coach John Neal in 1989. As a defensive line coach at Michigan, Hoke was part of three Big Ten champion teams (1997, 1998, 2000), including the 1997 national champion and Rose Bowl-winning squad, before being elevated to associate head coach in 2002.

A 1982 graduate of Ball State University, Hoke earned four letters (1977-80) with the Cardinals. He was part of the only two teams in Ball State football history to post undefeated conference seasons: as a player in 1978, and as the head coach in 2008. Hoke led Ball State to the 1978 MAC championship and as a team captain in 1980, earned All-MAC second-team honors. He graduated from Fairmont East High School in Kettering, Ohio, in 1977.

He and his wife, the former Laura Homberger, have one daughter.