Perhaps it took a little longer than anticipated, but the Oregon Ducks found their man at defensive coordinator Saturday, officially announcing the hiring of former Michigan coach Brady Hoke.

While the 57-year-old coach hasn't held a defensive coordinator position since 1982 at Yorktown High School in Indiana, he has long held a reputation as an intelligent defensive mind.

Hoke, who has won coach of the year awards in the MAC, Mountain West and Big Ten conferences, is also know as a strong recruiter.

While Hoke was the head coach at San Diego State from 2009-2010, Jon Hoke, the recently hired Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back coach, said he believed one of his brother's strengths lay in recruiting.

"I don't care where it is, whether it's San Diego State or anywhere else, if there's one thing he can do it's recruit. He's as good at it as anybody," he told The San Diego Union-Tribune. "He's relentless with recruiting. He has a great feel for parents and a great feel for players. As long as you give him the budget to (recruit) the way it needs to be done, he'll be fine."

That statement proved prophetic, as Hoke's move to Michigan in 2011 gave him both the budget and clout to recruit the nation's best.

He didn't disappoint.

Despite a 31-20 record during his four years at Michigan - predecessor Rich Rodriguez went 15-22 - Hoke reeled in the No. 7 recruiting class in the country in 2012 and the nation's No. 5 recruiting class in 2013.

Amid turmoil in his final season, Hoke managed to secure the commitment of New Jersey five-star athlete Jabrill Peppers, one of the most coveted defensive back recruits of the past decade.

On his way out of Michigan, even his detractors had to admit his problems didn't come on the recruiting front.

Recruiting isn't everything, of course, but it's a piece of the puzzle. And it's an area in which Hoke excels.

That's potentially good news for Oregon's future, but Hoke's arrival also comes at a critical time.

This year's Oregon class is nearly full on offense, highlighted by four-star quarterback Terry Wilson, running back Vavae Malepeai and wide receivers Dillon Mitchell, Eddie McDoom and Tristen Wallace.

Defensively, the Ducks still have plenty of work to do. Five-star talents Jonathan Kongbo and Caleb Kelly remain in the mix, as do four-star athletes Connor Murphy, Nigel Knott, Keith Simms, Calvin Bundage and others.

While Hoke's true value will be determined on the field in the fall, his first test will come over the next three weeks, as he looks to close out a class that is slumping at the wrong time.

So much for settling in.

-- Andrew Nemec

anemec@oregonian.com

@AndrewNemec