Michigan interim athletics director Jim Hackett was in Grand Rapids on Wednesday night to receive an award, and gave WOOD-TV his first public comments since assuming the reins to the Wolverines' athletics department on Oct. 31.
"We have a football coach and I've had really good discussions with him about what it's like to play through adversity and coach through adversity," Hackett said. "Brady's a man of extreme integrity, the players love him and he knows more than any of us that we're not performing at the level we should as a Michigan program."
Michigan president Mark Schlissel spoke Tuesday on the ongoing athletics director search for the first time since Dave Brandon stepped down, indicated he'd like to take his time in finding a full-time replacement. “That’s why I’m taking a bit of time with the search for Dave’s successor,” Schlissel said at the time. “Some folks wanted me to hire an athletic director (earlier) so he could fire the current football coach and hire the next coach but I want to take the time to make sure we get someone who is not only technically adept, but can ensure that the program has financial and academic integrity, and also someone who shares the value system of realizing our mission."
We wrote in the days following Brandon's resignation that Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione was the name we were hearing from those within the industry, and that Michigan would like to have a successor in place by the Ohio State game, 15 days from today.
Until then, it's Hackett's show to run. And the most pressing item on his docket is undoubtedly the state of the football program and head coach Brady Hoke.
"I'm putting that question off until the end of the season, rooting for them, totally behind them and I'm really happy since I've been in the job, we're 2-0," Hackett said.
Michigan (5-5, 3-3 in the Big Ten) is off this week before hosting Maryland on Nov. 22 and closing at Ohio State on Nov. 29.