Hoke’s job security the talk prior to The Game

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Brady Hoke refuses to contribute to the speculation about his job security.

Hoke batted aside questions about his future with the Wolverines on Monday and instead spoke mainly about his team’s preparation for its upcoming annual grudge match with Ohio State.

“They can speculate and all that,” Hoke said. “If I get distracted with what we’re doing that’s not fair to those 115 kids. I’ve never worried about a job.”

The familiar foes meet for the 111th time on Saturday at Ohio Stadium. The No. 7 Buckeyes (10-1, 7-0 Big Ten, No. 6 CFP) have clinched a spot in the conference title game but their hopes of making the four-team national playoffs might well be affected by the battle with their chief rivals.

“People talk about the playoff system and all that,” linebacker Joshua Perry said. “That’ll handle itself. But we’ve still got to take care of what we’ve got to do.”

The stakes are much, much different for the Wolverines.

Michigan (5-6, 3-4) needs a win just to be bowl eligible, in addition to momentarily quieting the talk about Hoke’s future.

Hoke is 31-19 in his fourth season with the Wolverines, but there has been a steady decline on the field, in his record and in attendance at The Big House.

If he feels the temperature rising underneath him, he has not betrayed that to his players.

“It speaks volumes of (Hoke’s) character that he comes into the building with the same passion that he’s had from day one,” said center Jack Miller.

Just three seasons ago, Ohio State was going through a similar situation. Luke Fickell, who was elevated from defensive coordinator when Jim Tressel stepped aside in the wake of a tattoo scandal, had his job on the line when he took the Buckeyes into the game against Michigan.

“I felt that, definitely,” said Buckeyes cornerback Doran Grant. “Being a true freshman at the time a lot of the older guys kind of grabbed us by the neck that week to get us ready. They let us know how serious this game is.”

Michigan won that game 40-34, and Fickell was not retained as head coach. He remains the Buckeyes’ coordinator.

The Buckeyes have dominated the series lately, winning 11 of 13, with one of those victories on the field later vacated due to the scandal on Tressel’s watch.

Asked whether players are motivated to save a coach’s job, Urban Meyer conceded he hadn’t thought much about it.

Then he added, “I coached for a man who lost his job (the week of the Michigan game), not that that has anything to do with this. But I met with the defensive staff this morning and their personnel will play their very best against us.”