When Brady Hoke came to Michigan, he had to deal with the Daryl Stonum situation. From all public appearances, it appeared that Stonum was a decent kid. However, he had had numerous run-ins with the law, encompassed by a second DUI offense shortly after Hoke was hired.
Hoke had numerous options to deal with the situation. He could have dismissed Stonum right then. Undoubtedly, he could have lost players or divided a locker room because he was a new guy coaching the old guy's recruits. Hoke could have also dusted the situation under the rug and allowed Stonum to play, taking a more win at all costs path. He did not do either of these things.
Hoke made Stonum redshirt. He made Stonum push weights across the football field early in the morning. He made Stonum play on the scout team and help the team prepare for their season. He showed his players that to be a part of the program, they had to be accountable. He also showed them loyalty. Hoke handled the Stonum situation as best as he could, and he gave Stonum a chance at redemption.
Stonum failed. He failed himself. He failed his team. He failed Coach Hoke. He was irresponsible and misguided and thought he could cheat the law. He lied to a judge. He drove with a revoked license. He did time as a result. However, he blew his chance at playing for Michigan again.
Like he has for almost all of his players, it was clear that Brady Hoke had a fondness for Daryl Stonum. He wanted him to come back and he wanted him to succeed. Stonum forced Hoke's hand. That's why he was dismissed, but you can still feel Hoke's disappointment:
"I love Darryl and wish him nothing but the absolute best," Hoke said. "However, there is a responsibility and a higher standard you must be accountable to as a University of Michigan football student-athlete. That does not and will not change. It's unfortunate because I believe he has grown a great deal as a person since the beginning of the season. My hope is that maturing process continues."Similarly, you can tell that Stonum himself is disappointed by his actions:
"I appreciate everything the University of Michigan, Dave Brandon and Coach Hoke have done for me," said Stonum. "I look forward to continuing my football career down the road, but more importantly, right now I'm focused on graduating from Michigan this spring. I understand only I am responsible for my actions. I'm sad about how all of this turned out, but I completely understand. I love this school and my team and will miss them all greatly. But I'll always be a Wolverine. I know I have grown and matured as a person over the last nine months, and I will continue to learn and grow every day. I want to thank everyone for all of their support, and I hope they will support me in the future."I enjoyed watching Daryl Stonum play for three years. I loved his press conferences as well. He seemed like a good kid who couldn't shake trouble. I wish him the best wherever the next step is. I believe he could transfer to another school, if they take him or he can also enter the draft, though I don't think he'll be picked. It's an unfortunate circumstance, but one he brought upon himself.
You have to laud Coach Hoke though. He did not buckle under the pressure to boot Stonum last year. He did not hesitate to release him after he did not come through this year. He did not divide the team, but rather set a precedent and a tone for how his program is going to be run: with accountability an integrity.
Far too often, we see players get put on a pedestal, with the University's protecting them from legal action and allowing them to continue playing. That's not the right way to run things. That's not how you develop men. Brady Hoke handled this situation the best way possible. He deserves praise for it.
Michigan will benefit from having a man like Brady Hoke in charge.
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