 | |
| Career information | |
|---|---|
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| College | Michigan |
Bill Putich was an American football player who played quarterback and halfback for the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1949 to 1951.
| | |
| Career information | |
|---|---|
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| College | Michigan |
Bill Putich was an American football player who played quarterback and halfback for the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1949 to 1951.
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Putich played only 13 minutes of a possible 540 as a sophomore in 1949. [1] He earned the nickname 'One-Play-Putich' in Michigan's 7–3 win over Michigan State in 1949; Putich appeared for only one play in the game, throwing a touchdown pass to win the game. [2]
Putich took over as the starting quarterback for the 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team. [3] After a 14–7 loss to Michigan State in his first start, some questioned his selection as the starting quarterback. Sports writer John F. Mayhew wrote a column in defense of Putich, noting that he was inexperienced but showed promise. Mayhew noted:
Putich is an eager, hard-working, intelligent football player. He's good enough to have the complete faith of Backfield Coach George Ceithaml, one of Michigan's best quarterbacks and a man who should really know. Given a reasonable break, he'll prove it too. [1]
Putich proved Mayhew correct in leading the 1950 team to a 9–3 win over Ohio State in the famed Snow Bowl game, a Big Ten Conference championship, and a 14–6 win over the University of California in the 1951 Rose Bowl. [3] The 1950 team was ranked No. 9 in the final Associated Press poll and No. 6 in the coaches' poll. [3]
In February 1951, Putich was ruled ineligible to compete for Michigan's basketball team due to academic deficiencies. [4]
In the fall of 1951, with his eligibility restored, head coach Bennie Oosterbaan moved Putich from the quarterback position to the left halfback position. [5] [6] [7] Putich was also the captain of the 1951 team. [6] [8] An October 1951 feature story "Three P's Put PUNCH in Michigan Attack," Putich was described as a "hard-driving and tricky runner." [2] [9]
Putich's career totals at Michigan included 668 yards passing with his longest pass completion of 55 yards against Minnesota in 1951. He also had 206 net yard rushing, 153 yards on pass receptions, and 212 yards on punt and kickoff returns. [10]
The 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan during the 1948 Big Nine Conference football season. In its first year under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan compiled a 9–0 record, defeated six ranked opponents by a combined score of 122–17, won the Big Nine Conference and repeated as national champions. In the final AP Poll, Michigan received 192 first place votes, twice as many as second-place Notre Dame which garnered 97 first place votes. This remained the last unanimous national title won by the Wolverines until 2023.
The 1969 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1969 Big Ten Conference football season. In their first year under head coach Bo Schembechler, the Wolverines compiled an 8–3 record, played in the 1970 Rose Bowl, and finished the season ranked No. 9 in the final AP poll and No. 8 in the final UPI poll.
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The 1960 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1960 Big Ten Conference football season. In its second year under head coach Bump Elliott, Michigan compiled a 5–4 record, finished in fifth place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a combined total of 133 to 84.
The 1959 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1959 Big Ten Conference football season. In its first year under head coach Bump Elliott, Michigan compiled a 4–5 record, finished in seventh place in the Big Ten, and was outscored by a combined total of 161 to 122.
The 1958 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1958 Big Ten Conference football season. In its 11th and final year under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan compiled a 2–6–1 record, finished in eighth place in the Big Ten, and were outscored by opponents by a combined total of 211 to 132 points.
The 1957 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1957 Big Ten Conference football season. In its 10th year under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan compiled a 5–3–1 record, finished in sixth place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a combined total of 187 to 147. Michigan was unranked in the final AP and UPI polls; it was ranked at No. 19 in the final Litkenhous Ratings.
The 1956 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1956 Big Ten Conference football season. In their ninth year under head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan, the Wolverines compiled a 7–2 record, outscored opponents 233 to 123, and finished the season in second place in the Big Ten Conference and ranked No. 7 in the final 1956 AP poll. The team played five of its nine games against ranked opponents, losing to No. 2 Michigan State by a 9–0 score and No. 15 Minnesota by a 20–7 score, but defeating No. 15 Army by a 48–14 score, No. 7 Iowa by a 17–14 score, and No. 12 Ohio State by a 19–0 score.
The 1955 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1955 Big Ten Conference football season. In their eighth season under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, the Wolverines finished in third place in the Big Ten Conference, compiled a 7–2 record, and were ranked No. 12 and No. 13 in the final AP and UPI Polls.
The 1954 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1954 Big Ten Conference football season. In its seventh year under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan compiled a 6–3 record, tied for second place in the Big Ten, outscored opponents by a combined total of 139 to 87, and was ranked No. 15 in the final AP and Coaches Polls.
The 1953 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1953 Big Ten Conference football season. In its sixth year under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan compiled a 6–3 record, tied for fifth place in the Big Ten, outscored opponents by a combined total of 163 to 101, and was ranked No. 20 in the final AP Poll and No. 19 in the Coaches Polls.
The 1951 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1951 Big Ten Conference football season. In its fourth year under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan compiled a 4–5 record, finished in fourth place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a combined total of 135 to 122. For the first time since 1937, Michigan was not ranked in the final AP Poll. It was ranked at No. 29 in the final Litkenhous Ratings.
The 1949 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1949 Big Nine Conference football season. In their second season under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, the Wolverines compiled a 6–2–1 record, tied with Ohio State for the Big Ten Conference championship, were ranked No. 7 in the final AP Poll, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 135 to 85. On October 8, 1949, the Wolverines had their 25-game winning streak broken in 21–7 loss to Army.
The 1946 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1946 Big Nine Conference football season. In their ninth year under head coach was Fritz Crisler, the Wolverines compiled a 6–2–1 record, outscored opponents 233 to 73, and finished the season in second place in the Big Nine Conference and ranked No. 6 in the final 1946 AP poll. The team's two losses came against an undefeated Army team that was ranked No. 2 in the final AP poll and against an Illinois team that won the Big Nine championship and was ranked No. 5 in the final AP poll. Michigan won its last four games by a combined score of 162 to 19, starting a 25-game winning streak that continued for nearly three years until October 8, 1949. In the final game of the 1946 season, Michigan defeated Ohio State, 58–6, the Buckeyes' worst defeat since joining the conference in 1913.
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John Verle Ghindia was an American football player, high school coach, educator, and municipal recreation director.
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