2006 Michigan Wolverines football team

Last updated

2006 Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines Logo.svg
Rose Bowl, L 18–32 vs. USC
Conference Big Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 9
APNo. 8
Record11–2 (7–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Mike DeBord (4th season)
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinator Ron English (1st season)
Base defenseMultiple
MVP David Harris, Mike Hart
Captains
Home stadium Michigan Stadium
(Capacity: 107,501)
Seasons
  2005
2007  
2006 Big Ten Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 2 Ohio State $  8 0   12 1  
No. 8 Michigan  %  7 1   11 2  
No. 7 Wisconsin  7 1   12 1  
No. 24 Penn State  5 3   9 4  
Purdue  5 3   8 6  
Minnesota  3 5   6 7  
Indiana  3 5   5 7  
Northwestern  2 6   4 8  
Iowa  2 6   6 7  
Illinois  1 7   2 10  
Michigan State  1 7   4 8  
  • $ BCS representative as conference champion
  • % BCS at-large representative
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2006 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head football coach was Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium.

Contents

The Wolverines came into the season with lower expectations than many Michigan teams of the previous few seasons, ranked #14. They won their first 11 games and rose to No. 2 in the national rankings before losing a close battle in Columbus to top-ranked Ohio State. Michigan concluded their schedule in the Rose Bowl against the USC Trojans. The game was tied 3–3 at half time, but USC pulled away in the second half, handing Michigan their second loss of the season.

The 2006 Michigan Wolverines finished the season with a record of 11–2, ranked No. 8 in the nation, and tied for second in the Big Ten Conference with Wisconsin, whom they defeated, 27–13, early that season.

Preseason

The 2005 offseason saw a coaching shakeup, prompted by the departure of coordinators Terry Malone and Jim Herrmann. Ron English was promoted from secondary coach to defensive coordinator and Mike DeBord from special teams coach to offensive coordinator, while Steve Szabo and Ron Lee were hired as assistant coaches.

Between the new coaching staff and many returning starters, the Wolverines, led by third year starting quarterback Chad Henne, expected to compete for the Big Ten title and associated BCS bowl bid. The voters of the coaches' poll and AP poll also expected improvement, respectively ranking Michigan #15 and #14.

True sophomore Antonio Bass suffered a career ending knee injury in fall practice. [1] Bass was expected to play wide receiver and occasionally quarterback. Projected starting right tackle Mike Kolodziej's career was cut short due to injury just before the season due to unknown medical problems. [2]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 212:00 p.m. Vanderbilt *No. 14 ESPN W 27–7109,668
September 912:00 p.m. Central Michigan *No. 10
  • Michigan Stadium
  • Ann Arbor, MI
ESPN Plus W 41–17108,712
September 163:30 p.m.at No. 2 Notre Dame *No. 11 NBC W 47–2180,795
September 2312:00 p.m. Wisconsin No. 6
  • Michigan Stadium
  • Ann Arbor, MI
ESPNW 27–13111,058
September 308:00 p.m.at Minnesota No. 6ESPNW 28–1450,805
October 74:30 p.m. Michigan State No. 6
  • Michigan Stadium
  • Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry)
ESPNW 31–13111,349
October 148:00 p.m.at Penn State No. 4 ABC W 17–10110,007
October 213:30 p.m. Iowa No. 2
  • Michigan Stadium
  • Ann Arbor, MI
ABCW 20–6110,923
October 2812:00 p.m. Northwestern Dagger-14-plain.pngNo. 2
  • Michigan Stadium
  • Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry)
ESPNW 17–3109,114
November 412:00 p.m. Ball State *No. 2
  • Michigan Stadium
  • Ann Arbor, MI
ESPNU W 34–26109,359
November 113:30 p.m.at Indiana No. 2ESPNW 34–342,320
November 183:30 p.m.at No. 1 Ohio State No. 2ABCL 39–42 105,708
January 1, 20075:00 p.m.vs. No. 8 USC *No. 3
ABCL 18–3293,852
  • *Non-conference game
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

Game summaries

Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt at Michigan
1234Total
Commodores07007
#14 Wolverines1037727

Michigan's defense held the Commodores to 171 total yards of offense (129 passing, 42 rushing). Star junior running back Mike Hart ran for 146 yards on 31 carries to kick off the 2006 season. Defensive coordinator Ron English's squad proved to be considerably more aggressive than recent Wolverine defenses, collecting six sacks and forcing two turnovers (both via lost fumbles). Michigan's offense was led by a strong rushing attack, which unveiled a new scheme using zone blocking. Behind this zone blocking scheme, the Wolverines rushed for 246 yards on the day and averaged 4.8 yards per carry. Michigan scored on their first drive of the game, as Hart busted off several big runs, and true sophomore running back Kevin Grady finished it off with a 19-yard touchdown run. Later in the first, Michigan thought they had a touchdown pass from junior quarterback Chad Henne to true sophomore receiver Mario Manningham. But after reviewing the play, it was ruled that Manningham dropped the ball, and Michigan settled for a 33-yard field-goal by senior kicker Garrett Rivas. In the second quarter, Vanderbilt caught the Wolverines by surprise, as sophomore receiver Earl Bennett completed a halfback toss pass to wide open senior receiver Marlon White for a 30-yard touchdown. Bennett, led the Commodores on the day with 6 catches for 58 yards). On U-M's ensuing drive, Henne hit senior wide receiver Steve Breaston on a short hook route, and Breaston proceeded to make a phenomenal[ citation needed ] run after the catch, juking out several Commodores before finally being shoved out of bounds. The play went for 29 yards, and it set up a 48-yard field-goal by Rivas. At halftime, it was 13–7 Wolverines. The third quarter was sluggish for both teams, but with 2:29 to go, Henne found senior tight end Tyler Ecker in the back of the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown pass. Ecker made a leaping catch with his arms stretched out in the air, and he managed to haul it down with one foot in the end zone. Vanderbilt wasn't out of it yet, and they advanced to the Michigan 27 yard-line with under 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, and a great chance to cut its deficit to one score. However, a 4th down and 5 pass on that drive fell incomplete. Michigan put the game away for good with 2:11 left, as Manningham redeemed himself with a 27-yard bomb of a touchdown catch on 3rd and 10, setting the final score at 27–7. Michigan's defense was vicious all day, as they held Vanderbilt to 1.6 yards per carry. Senior defensive end Rondell Biggs led the Michigan defense with 6 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. Grady finished with 5 carries for 30 yards and one touchdown, Manningham had 3 catches for 44 yards and one touchdown, and Breaston led Michigan with 4 catches for 68 yards. Sophomore Quarterback Chris Nickson was Vanderbilt's leading passer and rusher, but he only completed 11 of 25 passes for 99 yards, and he was held to 16 carries for 22 yards on the ground.

Central Michigan

Central Michigan at Michigan
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Chippewas0100717
#10 Wolverines141010741
  • Location: Michigan Stadium
    Ann Arbor, MI
  • Game start: 12:00 PM EST
  • Elapsed time: 2:57
  • Game attendance: 108,712
  • Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C), Cloudy/Chance of rain, NW 7 MPH- Game delayed one hour due to weather in first quarter
  • Referee: Dan Capron
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Wayne Larrivee (Play-by-play) & Kelly Stouffer (Color)

In a game interrupted by the first weather delay in Michigan Stadium history, Michigan kept it on the ground against the Chippewas, rushing 50 times against only 21 pass attempts. The Wolverines running game once again dominated, rushing for 252 yards and averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Their defense was also relentless, holding the Mid-American Conference champions dangerous spread offense to 204 total offensive yards (188 passing and a measly 16 yards rushing).

Huddle with No. 86 Mario Manningham, No. 7 Chad Henne, No. 16 Adrian Arrington, No. 72 Rueben Riley, No. 54 Mark Bihl, No. 77 Jake Long 20060909 Michigan Wolverines Huddle with Long, Manningham, Henne and Arrington.jpg
Huddle with No. 86 Mario Manningham, No. 7 Chad Henne, No. 16 Adrian Arrington, No. 72 Rueben Riley, No. 54 Mark Bihl, No. 77 Jake Long

The game started off badly for Michigan, as Hart fumbled on the game's first play. It was his first fumble since the 2004 game against Iowa, having gone over 700 touches without fumbling. However Manningham recovered the fumble, and Hart scored a 5-yard touchdown run on that opening drive. It was Hart's first touchdown-running or receiving-since midway through the 2005 season, when he scored a third-quarter touchdown run in a 27–25 win over Penn State. Hart had gone six straight games without scoring a touchdown. The Chippewas marched to the U-M 14 yard line directly following Hart's touchdown run, but All-American senior defensive end LaMarr Woodley sacked sensational redshirt freshmen quarterback Dan LeFevour and caused a fumble, which he recovered. Hart added another touchdown run with 1:28 to go in the first quarter, this time from 18 yards out. CMU fumbled and turned the ball over again following Hart's second TD, and the fumble was once again recovered by Woodley. The Wolverines converted that turnover into a 21–0 lead, as Grady crashed in from three yards out with 12:24 left in the second quarter. On the drive following Grady's touchdown, CMU got on the scoreboard, with LeFevour finding junior receiver Justin Gardner for a 38-yard touchdown strike. The two teams then exchanged field-goals, and it was 24–10 Michigan at halftime. The Chippweas got the ball to start the third quarter, and they advanced to the Michigan 34 yard line, but a LeFevour pass on 4th and 7 fell incomplete, and the Wolverines all but put the game away on the ensuing possession. Breaston made a brilliant 26 yard run on a wide receiver reverse, and Hart finished off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run-his third score of the day. Rivas added his second field goal of the day with 1:22 remaining to give Michigan a 34–10 lead going into the fourth quarter. With 11:41 left in the game, junior outside linebacker Max Pollack intercepted a bad pass by LeFevour and returned it 12 yards for a touchdown and a 41–10 lead. Pollack was merely a substitution at OLB, and he also was only a walkon. At this point, Michigan had all their backups on the field, and CMU scored one more touchdown: a 3-yard pass from LeFevour to senior receiver Damien Linson.

Hart finished with 19 carries for 116 yards and 3 touchdowns. Grady added 12 carries for 46 yards and 1 touchdown. Breaston had 6 touches for 109 all purpose yards, and All-American senior middle linebacker David Harris led the Wolverines with 6 tackles. Aside from his 2 touchdown passes, LeFevour had a rough day, completing only 17–36 passes for 153 yards and the interception that was returned for a touchdown. He was also sacked 4 times, and as a result had 8 carries for −21 yards. Linson led the CMU receiving unit with 6 catches for 87 yards and one touchdown, while Gardner added 3 catches for 54 yards and one touchdown. The CMU running game was abominable, averaging only 0.8 yards per carry. Sophomore Ontario Sneed led the way with 11 carries for 33 yards, but almost all those yards came off a 25-yard run. Otherwise, Michigan limited him to only 10 carries for 8 yards.

Notre Dame

Michigan at Notre Dame
1234Total
#11 Wolverines20146747
#2 Fighting Irish770721

In a nationally-televised game, Michigan routed the 2nd-ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in South Bend, 47–21. Using a combination of an aggressive defense, a vertical passing combination of Chad Henne to Mario Manningham, and ball control running by Mike Hart, the Wolverines intercepted Irish quarterback Brady Quinn three times and completely frustrated the Irish. Irish running back Darius Walker ran for just 25 yards on ten carries. Henne, although intercepted once, was 13 for 22 and completed three touchdown passes to Manningham, who had four receptions for 137 yards. Steve Breaston provided most of the remainder of the passing attack with six catches for 42 yards. Hart had a touchdown and 124 yards rushing. Defenders LaMarr Woodley and Prescott Burgess had long returns for touchdowns on Irish turnovers. The final score was 47–21 in a break-out game for the Wolverines. The Wolverines gave Coach Lloyd Carr a Gatorade bath after the huge victory which boosted them in the rankings and put them in contention for a national title.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin at Michigan
1234Total
Badgers730313
#6 Wolverines01071027
  • Location: Michigan Stadium
    Ann Arbor, MI
  • Game start: 12:00 PM EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:17
  • Game attendance: 111,058
  • Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C), Rain likely, SW 7 MPH
  • Referee: Dan Capron
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Sean McDonough (Play-by-play), Chris Spielman (Color) & Rob Stone (Sideline)

Michigan entered the game ranked sixth nationally in the AP poll, while Wisconsin was unranked. The game marked the Big Ten opener for both teams. Wisconsin came into the game averaging nearly 200 yards rushing per game, but Michigan entered the game ranked number 1 in the nation in rushing defense, allowing only 21 yards per game. [3] The Wolverine defense won this matchup, holding Wisconsin to just 12 rushing yards and 3 second half points. Mario Manningham caught seven passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns, giving him five in the past two weeks. Adrian Arrington had his best game to date, catching four passes for 79 yards.

Minnesota

Michigan at Minnesota
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#6 Wolverines7140728
Golden Gophers070714

The Wolverines won their third straight revenge game, reclaiming the Little Brown Jug after losing it to the Gophers in 2005. This marked the first season since 1999 that Michigan made it through the month of September undefeated. The offense came out hot, scoring 21 points in the first half. Hart rushed for a season-high 195 yards on 31 carries, and Henne had another efficient game, completing 17 of 24 passes for 284 yards. Manningham had his third straight 100 yard game, while Arrington continued his emergence as Michigan's No. 2 receiver, scoring the first two touchdowns of the game. David Harris led the defense with nine tackles.

Michigan State

Michigan State at Michigan
1234Total
Spartans007613
#6 Wolverines71014031
  • Date: October 7
  • Location: Michigan Stadium
    Ann Arbor, MI
  • Game start: 4:30 PM EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:05
  • Game attendance: 111,349
  • Game weather: 65 °F (18 °C), Sunny, ESE 7 MPH
  • Referee: Dennis Lipski
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Sean McDonough (Play-by-play), Chris Spielman (Color) & Rob Stone (Sideline)

Michigan State suffered its third straight loss of the season as Michigan retained the Paul Bunyan Trophy for the fifth straight year. It was a mistake-filled game for the Spartans, who committed 11 penalties for a total loss of 87 yards. The Wolverines dominated the ground game on both sides of the ball, allowing 60 yards rushing on defense and gaining 211 yards on offense. Hart shared carries with both Kevin Grady and Brandon Minor, and the latter, a true freshman, broke a 40-yard run for the first touchdown of his career. Henne only attempted 17 passes, but three of them went for touchdowns, one to Arrington and the other two to Manningham. Leon Hall and Jamar Adams both intercepted passes from Drew Stanton, and Burgess had eight tackles, including the Wolverines' only sack of the afternoon.

Penn State

Michigan at Penn State
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#4 Wolverines0107017
Nittany Lions030710

Michigan's defensive front seven was the story of the game, collecting seven sacks and holding the Nittany Lions to −14 net rushing yards. On a third-quarter pass play, Alan Branch knocked Penn State's quarterback Anthony Morelli out of the game with a concussion; Penn State's backup quarterback Daryl Clark was later injured on a rushing attempt. Third-string quarterback Paul Cianciolo managed to throw the Nittany Lions' only touchdown pass of the game. The game was a homecoming for Pennsylvania native Henne, who played the only game of his career at Penn State. With Manningham not playing due to a knee injury suffered against Michigan State, Arrington and Breaston caught the bulk of Henne's passes, each collecting five receptions. Hart picked up his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season and scored the winning touchdown.

Iowa

Iowa at Michigan
1234Total
Hawkeyes00606
#2 Wolverines0371020
  • Date: October 21
  • Location: Michigan Stadium
    Ann Arbor, MI
  • Game start: 3:30 PM EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:20
  • Game attendance: 110,923
  • Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C), Cloudy/Light Rain, WSW 10 MPH
  • Referee: Dave Witvoet
  • TV announcers (ABC): Brad Nessler (Play-by-play), Bob Griese (Color), Paul Maguire (Color) & Erin Andrews (Sideline)

The Hawkeyes gave Michigan one of its toughest contests of the year, staying within a touchdown well into the fourth quarter. After getting held to only 27 yards in the first half, Hart rushed for 99 in the second and scored the only two touchdowns of the game. Henne spread the ball out amongst his receivers with Manningham out, including Arrington, Breaston, and true freshman Greg Mathews. Arrington again was the Wolverines' leading receiver; the Iowa native caught eight passes for 79 yards. Offensive linemen Rueben Riley was injured in the second half, but was ably replaced by Justin Boren in the first meaningful time of the true freshman's career. Shawn Crable led the defense with three sacks on Iowa's senior quarterback Drew Tate. Woodley also picked up two sacks, bringing his total on the year to nine, good for fourth in the nation.

Northwestern

Northwestern at Michigan
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Wildcats00303
#2 Wolverines737017
  • Date: October 28
  • Location: Michigan Stadium
    Ann Arbor, MI
  • Game start: 12:00 PM EST
  • Elapsed time: 2:55
  • Game attendance: 109,114
  • Game weather: 42 °F (6 °C), Light Rain, SW 30 MPH
  • Referee: Bill LeMonnier
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Sean McDonough (Play-by-play), Chris Spielman (Color) & Rob Stone (Sideline)

On a cold, windy day, with Manningham still out, Michigan stuck with a conservative game plan against the Wildcats, throwing the ball only 20 times against 46 rushes. Northwestern, one week after losing to Michigan State in the largest comeback in Division I FBS history, [4] turned the ball over five times to Michigan and were held to −13 yards on the ground. Hart led the offense with 95 yards, and in relief senior Jerome Jackson saw his first significant action of the season, gaining 59 yards on nine attempts. The defense had contributors from all positions: Defensive backs Hall and Willis Barringer each had interceptions, linebacker Harris had both a sack and an interception, and lineman Woodley had two sacks, forcing and recovering a fumble on one.

Ball State

Ball State at Michigan
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Cardinals937726
#2 Wolverines7177334
  • Date: November 4
  • Location: Michigan Stadium
    Ann Arbor, MI
  • Game start: 12:00 PM EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:15
  • Game attendance: 109,359
  • Game weather: 42 °F (6 °C), Cloudy, S 7 MPH
  • Referee: Bill LeMonnier
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Clay Matvick (Play-by-play), Mike Tomczak (Color) & Quint Kessenich (Sideline)

A game that Michigan was expected to win big – and in which it once held a big lead – turned into a surprisingly close affair. The Wolverines' offense uncharacteristically gave up a quick nine points to the Cardinals, coached by future Michigan head coach Brady Hoke, with Hart fumbling out of the Michigan end zone for a safety and Henne throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown to give Ball State an early 9–7 lead. The Wolverines subsequently controlled the second and third quarters to build a 31–12 lead and seemed well in control of the game. However, the Michigan second-string defenders struggled to stop the Cardinal offense, and the first-string defense was forced to return late in the game to stave off a final Ball State drive. For the first time since its 2003 game against Houston, Michigan had a pair of 100-yard rushers: Hart with 154 on 25 carries, and Minor with 108 on 12 carries. Each scored a touchdown, as did Jackson, who gained 68 yards on six carries.

The Ball State game was notable for two other reasons: First, it was the 200th consecutive game with at least 100,000 people in attendance at Michigan Stadium. In addition, actor Patrick Stewart directed the Michigan Marching Band during their halftime performance in a salute to old-time television shows. Stewart was part of the Royal Shakespeare Company's fall 2006 residency at the University of Michigan, and directed the band to the theme from Star Trek. Upon being asked if he had any advice for the Wolverines for their upcoming Ohio State game, Stewart replied, "Boldly go and beat the Buckeyes. Make it so, number one!" [5]

Indiana

Michigan at Indiana
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#2 Wolverines14713034
Hoosiers03003

Michigan jumped to an early lead with a touchdown pass to Adrian Arrington and a touchdown run by Mike Hart. Steve Breaston also had a big game with a 62-yard touchdown reception and an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown. Indiana allowed five sacks, and Michigan cornerback Leon Hall broke the school record for most deflected passes in a career. Michigan won 34–3.

Ohio State

Michigan at Ohio State
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#2 Wolverines77101539
#1 Buckeyes7217742

On November 17, 2006, Bo Schembechler, the esteemed former coach of the Michigan Wolverines football program, died at the age of 77. He collapsed prior to taping his weekly college football preview show. [6] His death came the day before one of the biggest games in the history of the Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry: the two teams both brought undefeated records to the game for the first time since 1973, and met as the #1- and #2-ranked teams for the first time in the 103-game history of the series.

In the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes, second-ranked Michigan received the ball to start the game and promptly scored a touchdown on a run by Mike Hart, the first of three he would score in the game. However, top-ranked Ohio State answered with a touchdown on its own initial drive, and dominated the rest of the half to take a 28–14 lead into intermission. Michigan scored on its first two possessions of the second half to close the deficit to four points, but could not wrest away the lead. The two teams exchanged touchdowns for the remainder, with each scoring twice; the Wolverines converted a two-point attempt to make the score 42–39 with less than three minutes remaining. A subsequent onside kick by the Wolverines was unsuccessful, and the Buckeyes came away with the victory. This game was significant in the BCS Bowl Line-up, as rather than being matched with the Buckeyes in the championship game, the Wolverines were matched in the Rose Bowl a record seventh time with the USC Trojans.

USC (Rose Bowl)

Southern Cal vs. Michigan
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#8 Trojans30161332
#3 Wolverines0301518

Michigan lost to the USC Trojans in the Rose Bowl Game on January 1, 2007. The game was tied 3–3 at the half but the high powered USC offense came out in the second half, giving USC the 32–18 victory.

Statistical achievements

The team earned the Big Ten rushing defense statistical championships for all games by holding opponents to 43.4 yards per game. [7] The team also earned the Big Ten rushing defense statistical championships for conference games by holding opponents to 50.9 yards per game. [7] They were the conference leaders in quarterback sacks for conference games (3.3 sacks per game) and all games (3.3 sacks per game). [8]

Garrett Rivas set the current Michigan Wolverines football records for career scoring (354), surpassing Anthony Thomas' 2000 record (336), [9] field goals (64), surpassing Remy Hamilton's 1996 record (63), [10] and point after touchdowns (162), surpassing J. D. Carlson's 1991 record (137). [11] He has also tied Mike Gillette's 1988 record of 13 career 40-yard field goals. [10]

Players

Michigan returned 18 of 22 starters for 2006, one of the highest totals in the nation. [12]

Key returning starters for the offense included quarterback Chad Henne, running back Mike Hart, and wide receiver and kick returner Steve Breaston. Henne and Hart, who both started in 2004 as true freshmen, looked to rebound from their 2005 sophomore slumps. Hart, Breaston, and captain Jake Long all missed significant time due to injury in 2005.

On defense, captains LaMarr Woodley, David Harris and Leon Hall respectively anchored the defensive line, linebacking corps and defensive secondary. Woodley and Hall were four-year starters.

Depth chart

Roster

(as of October 15, 2006) Archived December 1, 2010, at the Wayback Machine

Quarterbacks

  •  7 Chad HenneJunior
  •  8 Nick SheridanFreshman
  • 10 Jeff Ziegler – Freshman
  • 12 David Cone – Freshman
  • 13 Jeff Kastl – Redshirt.svg Senior
  • 19 Jason Forcier – Redshirt.svg Sophomore

Running backs

  •  3 Kevin Grady – Sophomore
  •  4 Brandon Minor – Freshman
  • 20 Mike HartJunior
  • 23 Carlos Brown – Freshman
  • 24 Jerome Jackson – Senior
  • 32 Mister Simpson – Redshirt.svg Freshman

Fullbacks

  • 25 Robbie Thornbladh – Freshman
  • 33 Mark Moundros – Freshman
  • 34 Will Paul – Redshirt.svg Junior
  • 39 Andre Criswell – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 40 Obi Oluigbo – Redshirt.svg Senior

Wide receivers

  •  2 Landon Smith – Redshirt.svg Junior
  • 13 Greg Mathews – Freshman
  • 14 Tyrone Jordan – Redshirt.svg Junior
  • 15 Steve Breaston Redshirt.svg Senior
  • 16 Adrian Arrington – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 17 Carl Tabb – Redshirt.svg Senior
  • 18 Antonio Bass – Sophomore
  • 18 Ben Wright – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 26 Alijah Bradley – Redshirt.svg Senior
  • 81 Doug Dutch – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 82 LaTerryal Savoy – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 86 Mario ManninghamSophomore
 

Tight ends

  • 35 Brian Thompson – Redshirt.svg Senior
  • 42 Chris McLaurin – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 83 Mike Massey – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 85 Carson Butler – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 88 Quintin Woods – Freshman
  • 89 Tyler Ecker – Redshirt.svg Senior

Offensive linemen

  • 52 Stephen Schilling – Freshman
  • 54 Mark Bihl – Redshirt.svg Senior
  • 57 Adam Kraus – Redshirt.svg Junior
  • 60 Patrick Lyall – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 60 David Moosman – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 62 Tim McAvoy – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 62 Jon Saigh – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 64 Grant DeBenedictis – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 65 Justin Boren – Freshman
  • 70 Jeremy Ciulla – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 71 Mark Ortmann – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 72 Rueben Riley – Redshirt.svg Senior
  • 73 Alex Mitchell – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 74 Brett Gallimore – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 75 Cory Zirbel – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 76 Mike Kolodziej – Redshirt.svg Senior
  • 77 Jake Long Redshirt.svg Junior
  • 78 Justin Schifano – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 79 Perry Dorrestein – Freshman
 

Defensive ends

  • 50 Jeremy Van Alstyne – Redshirt.svg Senior
  • 55 Brandon GrahamFreshman
  • 56 LaMarr WoodleySenior
  • 58 Tim North – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 90 Tim Jamison – Junior
  • 91 Rondell Biggs – Redshirt.svg Senior
  • 92 Greg Banks – Freshman
  • 96 Eugene Germany – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 99 Adam Patterson – Freshman

Defensive tackles

  • 44 James McKinney – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 63 Mike Knill – Redshirt.svg Junior
  • 67 Terrance Taylor – Sophomore
  • 80 Alan BranchJunior
  • 93 Jason Kates – Freshman
  • 94 John Ferrara – Freshman
  • 95 Marques Walton – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 97 Will Johnson – Redshirt.svg Sophomore

Linebackers

  •  2 Shawn Crable – Redshirt.svg Junior
  •  6 Prescott Burgess – Senior
  • 28 Dan Moore – Redshirt.svg Junior
  • 33 Cobrani Mixon – Freshman
  • 36 Quintin Patilla – Freshman
  • 37 Chris Graham – Junior
  • 44 Obi Ezeh – Freshman
  • 45 David Harris Redshirt.svg Senior
  • 46 Brandon Logan – Sophomore
  • 49 John Thompson – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 51 Max Pollock – Redshirt.svg Junior
  • 55 Ohene Opong-Owusu – Redshirt.svg Freshman
 

Cornerbacks

  •  4 Darnell Hood – Redshirt.svg Senior
  •  5 Charles Stewart – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 14 Morgan Trent – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 21 Gabe Morelli – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 22 Kyle Plummer – Redshirt.svg Junior
  • 25 Johnny Sears – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 27 Brandon Harrison – Sophomore
  • 27 Shakir Edwards – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 28 Chris Richards – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 29 Leon HallSenior

Safeties

  •  8 Jonas Mouton – Freshman
  •  9 Anton Campbell – Redshirt.svg Junior
  • 12 Matt Hornaday – Redshirt.svg Freshman
  • 19 Willis Barringer – Redshirt.svg Senior
  • 21 Ryan Mundy – Redshirt.svg Junior
  • 22 Jamar Adams – Junior
  • 26 Mike Carl – Redshirt.svg Senior
  • 30 Stevie BrownFreshman
  • 31 Brandent Englemon – Redshirt.svg Junior
  • 38 B.J. Opong-Owusu – Redshirt.svg Senior

Kickers

  • 34 Jason Gingell – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 38 Garrett RivasSenior
  • 43 Bryan Wright – Freshman
  • 99 Sam Buckman – Freshman
  • 84 K.C. Lopata – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 92 Jason Olesnavage – Redshirt.svg Freshman

Punters

Long snappers

  • 59 Sean Griffin – Redshirt.svg Sophomore
  • 61 Turner Booth – Redshirt.svg Senior

Awards and honors

Coaching staff

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005–06 NCAA football bowl games</span>

The 2005–06 NCAA football bowl games were a series of 28 post-season games that was played in December 2005 and January 2006 for Division I-A football teams and all-stars from Divisions I-AA, II, and III, as well as from the NAIA. The post-season began with the New Orleans Bowl on December 20, 2005, and concluded with the Senior Bowl, played on January 28, 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team</span> American college football season

The 2005 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. The Irish completed the season with a record of 9–3, culminating in an appearance in the Fiesta Bowl and a number 9 ranking in the nation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team</span> American college football season

The 2006 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. The team completed the season with a record of ten wins and three losses that culminated in a post-season appearance in the 2007 Sugar Bowl and a number 19 ranking in the nation.

The 2006 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno. It played its home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team</span> American college football season

The 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium. The team finished the season with a win–loss record of 12–1, having been defeated by Florida in its final game, the BCS Championship game, and ended the year ranked second.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1997 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 1997 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1997 Big Ten Conference football season. In its third year under head coach Lloyd Carr, Michigan compiled a perfect 12–0 record, won the Big Ten Conference championship, defeated Washington State in the 1998 Rose Bowl, and finished second in the coaches poll behind Nebraska Cornhuskers. Michigan was declared the national champion by the Associated Press, the National Football Foundation, and the Football Writers Association of America, resulting in a non-consensus national championship.

The 2005 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno. It played its home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 2007 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This was Lloyd Carr's final season as Michigan head coach. The 2007 season began with a stunning loss to Appalachian State, but the Wolverines won eight straight games after starting 0–2 and finished 9–4 with a win over No. 9 Florida in the Capital One Bowl, 41–35. Michigan finished tied for second in the Big Ten Conference with Illinois, a team the Wolverines defeated 27–17 in Champaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Wisconsin Badgers football team</span> American college football season

The 2007 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by head coach Bret Bielema, the Badgers completed the season with a 9–4 record, including a 5–3 mark in Big Ten Conference play. The season ended with a loss in the Outback Bowl to Tennessee, 21–17.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Appalachian State vs. Michigan football game</span> American college football game that took place in Michigan in 2007

The 2007 Appalachian State vs. Michigan football game was a regular season college football game between the Appalachian State Mountaineers and Michigan Wolverines. It was held at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on September 1, 2007, and was the first game of the season for both teams. The Wolverines entered the game ranked No. 5 in both major Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) polls and media outlets considered them to be preseason favorites to win the Big Ten conference championship as well as possible contenders for the national championship, while the Mountaineers were ranked No. 1 in The Sports Network's Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) poll and were preseason favorites to win their third consecutive FCS national championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 2004 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their tenth season under head coach Lloyd Carr, the Wolverines compiled a 9–3 record, outscored opponents by a total of 370 to 279, and tied with Iowa for the Big Ten championship. Having beaten Iowa during the regular season, the Wolverines received the Big Ten's berth in the 2005 Rose Bowl where they lost to No. 6 Texas by a 38–37 score.

The 2008 Capital One Bowl was held on January 1, 2008, at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The game featured the University of Michigan Wolverines—who finished the 2007 season tied for second in the Big Ten Conference with an overall record of 8–4 —and the #12 University of Florida Gators—who finished the 2007 season third in the Southeastern Conference's East Division with an overall record of 9–3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1964 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 1964 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1964 Big Ten Conference football season. In their sixth year under head coach Bump Elliott, the Wolverines compiled a 9–1 record, won the Big Ten Conference championship for the first time since 1950, and defeated Oregon State in the 1965 Rose Bowl by a score of 34–7. The 1964 Wolverines defeated four teams ranked in the Top 10 in the AP Poll by a combined score of 82 to 17 and finished the regular season ranked No. 4 in both the AP and Coaches' polls. Although no post-bowl polls were taken in the 1964 season, Oregon State coach Tommy Prothro opined after watching game film from the Rose Bowl that the 1964 Wolverines were "the greatest football team he has ever seen."

The 2005 Alamo Bowl was a college football bowl game held on December 28, 2005 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It was the 13th Alamo Bowl. The Nebraska Cornhuskers, second-place finishers in the Big 12 Conference's North Division, defeated the Michigan Wolverines, third-placed finishers in the Big Ten Conference. This matchup was notable in that it featured the two schools that shared the 1997 national championship. At the time, Michigan and Nebraska were two of only five schools in NCAA Division I history with 800 or more victories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1985 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 1985 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1985 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 17th year under head coach was Bo Schembechler, the Wolverines compiled a 10–1–1 record, outscored all opponents by a combined total of 342 to 98, defeated five ranked opponents, suffered its sole loss against Iowa in a game matching the #1 and #2 teams in the AP Poll, defeated Nebraska in the 1986 Fiesta Bowl, and were ranked #2 in the final AP and Coaches Polls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1984 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 1984 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1984 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 16th season under head coach Bo Schembechler, the Wolverines compiled a 6–6 record and outscored opponents by a total of 214 to 200. It was the only team in Michigan's 21 seasons under coach Schembechler that did not finish its season with a winning record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1978 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 1978 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1978 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 10th season under head coach Bo Schembechler, the Wolverines compiled a 10–2 record, tied for the Big Ten championship, outscored opponents by a total of 372 to 105, and were ranked No. 5 in the final AP and UPI polls. The defense allowed only 94.6 passing yards per game and ranked second in the country in scoring defense, allowing an average of only 8.75 points per game.

The 2006 Michigan vs. Ohio State game was a regular-season college football game between the unbeaten Michigan Wolverines and the unbeaten Ohio State Buckeyes on November 18, 2006, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Called the "Game of the Century," this was the first time in the rivalry series that the teams entered the matchup ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the nation. In a game featuring lots of offense, Ohio State won 42–39.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Breaston</span> American football player (born 1983)

Steven William Breaston is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at the University of Michigan and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL draft. He also played for the Kansas City Chiefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 2021 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan as a member of the East Division of the Big Ten Conference during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. In their seventh year under head coach Jim Harbaugh, the team compiled a 12–2 record, won the Big Ten championship, outscored opponents by a total of 501 to 243, and was ranked No. 3 in the final AP and Coaches Polls. The Wolverines advanced to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, losing to eventual national champion Georgia in the Orange Bowl.

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