Jeff Seidel

Detroit Free Press Columnist

Six days after getting fired as Michigan football coach, Brady Hoke showed incredible class by attending the football banquet Monday night to honor the team's 12 seniors.

But it set up a strange, surreal, emotional, awkward situation.

Hoke sat at the front of the banquet hall, under a spotlight, on a raised platform set up for players, coaches, administrators and alumni. He sat three seats from interim athletic director Jim Hackett, who fired him.

"Our future is bright," Hackett said. "We owe Coach Hoke a deep debt of gratitude for having the kind of program that will help you for the rest of your life.

"Thank you, Brady, for all you have done."

The applause lasted 10 seconds.

It said so much about Hoke that he would come back for his seniors. It couldn't have been easy to return under this situation.

Michigan president Mark Schlissel said he was "blown away" by the size and energy and enthusiasm of the crowd.

"I also want to express my appreciation to Coach Hoke for his dedication and service to the University of Michigan," Schlissel said. "It was clear to me from Day 1 that he cared very deeply for our players and Michigan football. He worked to nurture our student-athletes as players, as students and as men. And he was committed to their success at all levels. He also reached out to me with friendship and warmth during challenging times this semester. Thank you, Coach."

The applause lasted 6 seconds.

But it was weird, hearing so many great things about a guy who just got axed.

It was like going to a funeral and the departed was very much alive and sitting up front, listening to everybody say nice things about him.

Anthony Capatina, a walk-on from Catholic Central, summed it up best. He thanked Hoke for turning him "into a man."

"We have been blessed with the best coach in the country when it comes to that," Capatina said.

Everybody started to applaud.

"He's taught me about integrity, honesty and doing the things the right way," Capatina said. "Coach did not have to be here tonight. But he is here. He's here because of us 12 seniors. He's here because he's a man of integrity, a man of honesty, because he does things the right way. Thank you, Coach."

Senior after senior praised Hoke, although no one bashed the administration for firing him. After the players spoke, Hoke gave each one a big hug. Nobody ever questioned Hoke's love for his players.

No, it was the losing that did him in.

And all of that losing took its toll.

The banquet hall was set for about 880 people — the smallest football banquet in the past 40 or 50 years. Normally, it draws about 1,200 fans and alumni.

Hoke thanked his players and coaches and said it was a privilege to coach at Michigan, a team that showed "great resiliency" despite the "external distractions."

"As a team, they played every Saturday," Hoke said. "I'm very proud of that for them. I'm very proud of what this coaching staff did. Tonight is to honor our seniors."

Hoke built a program that excelled in every aspect but on the scoreboard. It was a team that succeeded in the classroom, a team that graduated players and produced men. But in the end, Hoke didn't win enough.

After Hoke announced that Jake Ryan won the team's MVP award, the former coach turned and walked across the podium. As Ryan spoke, Hoke tapped players and coaches on their shoulders and ducked out a doorway.

It was surprising — Hoke was scheduled to make a final remark — but it made sense. A final good-bye would have been heartwrenching for him and his players.

Hoke came back for his players; and when that part was done, he simply disappeared into the night.

Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com.