There stood Brady Hoke, his arms folded and nearly 10 yards away from defensive coordinator Greg Mattison. They both looked away as if they were high school students who wanted nothing to do with each other.

The Michigan head coach had pulled Mattison back before he yelled, “get off the f-----g field” and the pair argued with each other.

He called it a “discussion,” but that’s probably not what having dinner looks like.

Frank Clark had thrown Utah quarterback Kendal Thompson to the ground for a loss of 13 yards and Michigan had been flagged for sideline interference. Mattison had run onto the field to get the attention of his defense, and other players leaked out.

So Utah had a closer chance at a field goal, and it had more time to run a play, and Michigan’s shortcomings in the first half were magnified more than they had been before.

Some fans booed, others left the stadium. Even more called for Hoke’s head online. They evacuated from the stands when a rain delay came, the one that had mercifully stopped the game, and fewer than 1,000 returned for the final eight minutes to watch more of the same.

Those fans exited quickly. One wondered aloud, “I thought he could pull it off, but I don’t know what they were thinking there in the end.”

The rest remained silent. They had used up all their words.

Michigan walked off the field, dejection on their faces and a not even a handful of its fans to console them.

Utah fans came back with a larger crowd staying to the end to sway with their band. The fight song played as if it were a home game.

Hoke lost his composure on the sideline Saturday. And he’s losing support fast, if he hasn’t lost it already.

The players are imploding, too. Devin Gardner underthrew receivers. When he didn’t underthrow them, he threw to the wrong team. It’s been much of the same. Shane Morris wasn’t the answer — he threw an interception and completed just four passes.

The line couldn’t consistently protect them. It couldn’t open enough holes on the inside to make room for Derrick Green. The Wolverines allowed a punt return for a touchdown, barely getting a hand on the returner.

And all of this came against Utah. It came against a team that finished with just five wins last season. A team whose strength was quick passes and a fast tempo on offense because it doesn’t have the talent to run it up the middle or throw the ball more than 20 yards.

The boos fell down, the rain came down harder and everything about a nightmare in South Bend returned. Everything about last season returned. Including the coach.

After four years of recruits who haven’t materialized, and a bunch of sayings about winning the Big Ten and respecting tradition, and calling out fans who don’t stick by the program, Brady Hoke is 2-2 before the Big Ten season begins.

Wins against Michigan State and Ohio State seem less probable with every second that ticks off the game clock. The Big Ten Championship is theoretically in reach, but realistically, it couldn’t feel farther away.

“If (the booing) is all for me, then good,” Hoke said in his postgame press conference. “I don’t have a problem with that at all.”

Dave Brandon stood in the back of the room, his lips pursed and his arms folded. His focus undeterred from his head coach taking the blame.

“It starts with me as the head football coach,” Hoke said, as he always has. “We’ve got to do a better job for these kids.”

By now his words are hollow. It has come to this: either Brady Hoke has to change, or Michigan has to make a change.

His team’s best play Saturday, after all, came from a cornerback who stopped a would-be touchdown short for a mere 67-yard gain.

This team needs a head coach who can be more than a figure and help an offense make it to the red zone or reliable special teams. But he hasn't proven enough he's that figure.

Because how can his goal of a Big Ten title really be intact when this is the reality with which the Wolverines are faced?

Who else can be brought in on the staff to make a difference? What recruit can be hyped up enough to slowly develop into a top talent?

What else is left?

Maybe it’s not now. Maybe it’s not until the season is finished. Or maybe he does something to turn it around.

But whenever, and whatever it is, something has to change.

Garno can be reached at ggarno@umich.edu or on Twitter: @G_Garno.