9/28 Update: In a statement, Hoke said Michigan is confident it acted properly in playing Morris who he said was evaluated for a leg injury. He did not mention a concussion.
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There are a lot of reasons Michigan fans want Brady Hoke fired -- for starters, they've been outscored 87-24 in losses to Notre Dame, Utah, and Minnesota. Here's one more: Hoke forcing a wobbly Shane Morris to return to action in a 30-14 blowout:
It would've been bad enough if Morris had merely gotten an obvious concussion and been allowed to stay in for a play or two. And that did happen, as Morris threw an incompletion after stumbling around on an ankle he'd already injured.
But it's worse than that: Hoke realized Morris needed to come out of the game, put in Devin Gardner, then shortly thereafter allowed Morris to re-enter a game his team had no hope of winning. According to NCAA rules, Gardner had to leave for a play after having lost his helmet. Michigan could've then either called a timeout, in order to negate Gardner having to come out, or it could've subbed in its third-stringer, but it instead chose to send Morris back in.
When asked, Hoke had insufficient answers:
If Brady Hoke isn't fired, he should be suspended for this quote. http://t.co/lXsOQh78pO pic.twitter.com/3XIdBgxYJl
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyedNESN) September 28, 2014
Hoke does not know why morris was taken off the field on a cart
— Mark Snyder (@Mark__Snyder) September 27, 2014
Hoke said that if Shane didn't want to stay in the game, he would've said so. In a case where he is clearly injured, that's coach's call.
— Joshua Henschke (@JoshuaHenschke) September 28, 2014
Look at this photo and tell me he is not concussed, TELL ME. (Photo Credit: Leon Halip, USA TODAY) pic.twitter.com/FNR75YG2Sv
— Joshua Henschke (@JoshuaHenschke) September 28, 2014
This is blatant disregard for the well-being of a young athlete, and it's kinda disturbing.