History of Michigan Wolverines football in the Crisler years

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Michigan Wolverines football
Fritz Crisler.png
Athletic director Fielding H. Yost
Fritz Crisler
Head coach Fritz Crisler
10 season, 71–16–3 (.806)
StadiumMichigan Stadium
Year built1927
Field surfaceGrass
Location Ann Arbor, Michigan
Conference Big Ten Conference
Bowl record10 (1.000)
Claimed national titles1
Conference titles2
Heisman winners1
ColorsMaize and blue [1]
   
Fight song"The Victors"
Marching band Michigan Marching Band

The History of Michigan Wolverines football in the Crisler years covers the history of the University of Michigan Wolverines football program during the period from the hiring of Fritz Crisler as head coach in 1938 through his retirement as head coach after winning the 1948 Rose Bowl. Michigan was a member of the Big Ten Conference during the Crisler years and played its home games at Michigan Stadium.

Contents

During the 10 years in which Crisler served as head football coach, Michigan compiled a record of 71–16–3 (.806). Tom Harmon played for the Wolverines from 1938 to 1940 and in 1940 became the first Michigan player to win the Heisman Trophy. The 1947 Michigan team, sometimes known as the "Mad Magicians", compiled a perfect 100 record, outscored its opponents 39453, defeated the USC Trojans 490 in the 1948 Rose Bowl game, and were selected as the nation's No. 1 team by a 226119 margin over Notre Dame in an unprecedented AP Poll taken after the bowl games. Bob Chappuis finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1947.

Eleven players from the Crisler years have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. They are Chappuis, Bump Elliott, Pete Elliott, Harmon, Bob Westfall, Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch, Forest Evashevski (inducted as a coach), David M. Nelson (inducted as coach), Tubby Raymond (inducted as coach), Albert "Ox" Wistert, and Alvin "Moose" Wistert. Two have also been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame — Hirsch and Len Ford. Three members of the coaching staff have also been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. They are Crisler, Clarence "Biggie" Munn, and Bennie Oosterbaan (inducted as player).

Year-by-year results

SeasonHead coachConferencePlaceRecordPFPA
1938 team Fritz Crisler Big Ten Conference 2nd6–1–113140
1939 team Fritz CrislerBig Ten3rd6–221994
1940 team Fritz CrislerBig Ten2nd7–119634
1941 team Fritz CrislerBig Ten2nd6–1–114741
1942 team Fritz CrislerBig Ten3rd7–3221134
1943 team Fritz CrislerBig Ten1st (tie)8–130273
1944 team Fritz CrislerBig Ten2nd8–220491
1945 team Fritz CrislerBig Ten2nd7–318799
1946 team Fritz CrislerBig Ten2nd6–2–123373
1947 team Fritz CrislerBig Ten1st10–039453

Overview of the Crisler years

Harmon years

War years

Mad Magicians

Rivalries

Michigan State

Crisler is the only head coach in Michigan football history who served for more than two years and maintained an undefeated record in the Michigan – Michigan State football rivalry. Crisler compiled a perfect 8–0 record against the Spartans, including four shutouts in 1938 (14–0), 1942 (20–0), 1945 (40–0), and 1946 (55–0). [2] Biggie Munn, who was an assistant coach under Crisler from 1938 to 1945, served as head coach at Michigan State from 1947 to 1953 and as athletic director from 1954 to 1971.

Minnesota

During the Crisler years, Michigan compiled a 5–5 record in its annual Little Brown Jug rivalry game with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. [3] Minnesota defeated Michigan five straight years in the first half of the Crisler years. Under head coach Bernie Bierman, Minnesota compiled a nine-game winning streak over Michigan extending from 1934 to 1942. By the mid-1940s, with Bierman gone as head coach, the Golden Gophers fell from the top tier of teams, and Michigan concluded the Crisler years with five consecutive victories from 1943 to 1947. [4]

During the Crisler years, the Little Brown Jug games often took on national significance, as the two teams came into several games ranked among the top teams in the country. Significant games include the following:

Notre Dame

After a 30-year hiatus in the Michigan–Notre Dame football rivalry from 1910 through 1941, the two teams met in 1942 and 1943.

After the 1943 game, the programs did not meet again until 1978. [12]

Ohio State

During the Crisler years, Michigan compiled a 6-2-1 record in the Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry. [13] Significant games during the Crisler years include:

Coaching staff and administration

Assistant coaches

Others

Players

NameStart YearLast YearPosition(s)Notes
John Brennan 19361938GuardVoted "queen" of UM's 1939 ice festival; played for the Green Bay Packers (1939).
Jim Brieske 19421947Placekicker, centerSet collegiate, Big Ten, Rose Bowl, and Michigan placekicking records
Jerry Burns 19471950QuarterbackServed as coach at Iowa (assistant, 1954–1960, head coach, 1961–1965) and for the Minnesota Vikings (assistant, 1968–1985, head coach, 1986–1991)
Bob Callahan 19451946Center, TacklePlayed for the Buffalo Bills (AAFC) (1948)
Jack Carpenter 19461946TacklePlayed for the Buffalo Bills (AAFC)(1947–1949), San Francisco 49ers (1949), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1950–1951) Toronto Argonauts (1952–1954).
George Ceithaml 19401942QuarterbackAll-Big Ten quarterback, 1942; Crisler called him "the smartest player he ever taught"; served as an assistant coach at Michigan and USC
Bob Chappuis 19461947HalfbackShot down over Italy in World War II; All-American and 2nd in Heisman Trophy voting (1947); played for Brooklyn Dodgers (AAFC) (1948) and Chicago Hornets (1949)
Bill Daley 19431943FullbackAll-American, 1943; Played for the Brooklyn Dodgers (AAFC) (1946), Miami Seahawks (1946), Chicago Rockets (1947), and New York Yankees (AAFC) (1948)
Fred Dawley 19391941FullbackPlayed for the Detroit Lions (1944) and Los Angeles Bulldogs (1945)
Robert Derleth 19421946TacklePlayed for the Detroit Lions (1947)
Gene Derricotte 19461948Halfback, QuarterbackServed as a Tuskegee Airman during World War II; holds Michigan's single season record for punt return average
Wally Dreyer 19431943HalfbackPlayed for Chicago Bears (1949) and Green Bay Packers (1950); head football coach for the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Panthers.
Dan Dworsky 19451948Fullback, Center, QuarterbackPlayed for the Los Angeles Dons (1949); later became an architect and designed Crisler Arena and Drake Stadium (UCLA).
Bump Elliott 19461947HalfbackMichigan's head coach, 1959–1968; inducted into College Football Hall of Fame, 1989
Pete Elliott 19451948Quarterback, HalfbackLater served as head football coach at Nebraska(1956), California (1957–59), Illinois(1960–66), and Miami (1973–74); inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, 1994
Forest Evashevski 19381940QuarterbackAll-Big Ten quarterback three straight years; head football coach at Iowa 1952–1960; inducted into College Football Hall of Fame in 2000
Henry Fonde 19451947HalfbackThrew a 47-yard touchdown pass in 1948 Rose Bowl; Head coach at Ann Arbor Pioneer HS for 10 years; Asst. coach at Michigan for 10 years
Len Ford 19451947EndPlayed 11 years in the AAFC and NFL with the Dons, Browns and Packers; inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1976
Julius Franks 19411942GuardFirst-team All-American 1942; Michigan's first African-American All-American
Ralph Fritz 19391940GuardPlayed 1 year in the NFL for the Eagles
Ed Frutig 19381940EndFirst-team All-American 1940; Played 3 years in the NFL with the Packers and Lions
Elmer Gedeon 19361938EndPlayed baseball for the Washington Senators; one of two MLB players killed in action during World War II after being shot down while piloting a B-26 bomber in 1944
John Ghindia 19471949Quarterback, Fullback, HalfbackStarting quarterback on the 1949 Michigan Wolverines football team that finished the season ranked No. 7 in the country; later served as a high school football and tennis coach in Wyandotte and Ecorse, Michigan.
John Greene 19401943Tackle, QuarterbackLater played 7 years in the NFL with the Lions
Tom Harmon 19381940Halfback1940 Heisman Trophy winner
Ralph Heikkinen 19361938GuardAll-American 1939; MVP of the 1937 and 1938 Michigan football teams; Played 1 year in the NFL for the Brooklyn Dodgers
Bruce Hilkene 19431947TackleCaptain of the undefeated 1947 Michigan team known as the "Mad Magicians"
Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch 19431943HalfbackOnly Michigan athlete to letter in football, baseball, basketball and track in the same year; Played 12 years in AAFC and NFL for Rockets and Rams; Inducted into College (1974) and Pro Football Hall of Fame (1968).
Bob Hollway 19471949EndLater served as head coach of the St. Louis Cardinals, 1971–1972
Robert Ingalls 19391941CenterLater played for the Green Bay Packers, 1942; served as the head football coach at the University of Connecticut, 1952–1963
Fred Janke 19361938Tackle, FullbackLater became the president and chairman of the board of Hancock Industries; also served as the mayorJackson, Michigan, in the 1970s.
Farnham Johnson 19431943EndLater played with the Chicago Rockets of the All-America Football Conference in 1948.
Jack Karwales 19411942End, tackleLater played professional football for theChicago Bears in 1946 and for theChicago Cardinals in 1947.
Reuben Kelto 19391941TackleMVP 1941 Michigan team; Upper Peninsula Hall of Fame
Dick Kempthorn 19471949FullbackMVP 1949 Michigan team; Won Distinguished Flying Cross as a jet fighter pilot in the Korean War
Archie Kodros 19371939CenterLater served as head football coach at Whitman and Hawaii; assistant coach at Iowa for 14 years
Ralph Kohl 19471948TackleLater coached at Eastern Illinois and was head scout for the Minnesota Vikings
Robert Kolesar 19401942GuardPlayed for Cleveland Browns, 1946
Paul Kromer 19381940HalfbackFormed the "Touchdown Twins" combination with Tom Harmon in 1938
Tom Kuzma 19411942HalfbackFollowed Tom Harmon as Michigan's main running back; Finished 2nd in the Big Ten in total offense, 1941
Milan Lazetich 19441944Tackle, Guard, LinebackerFirst-team All-Big Ten and second-team All-American, 1944; Played 6 years in the NFL for the Rams; First-team All-NFL, 1948–1949
Don Lund 19421944FullbackPlayed 10 years in Major League Baseball
Elmer Madar 19411946End, QuarterbackPart of the "Seven Oak Posts' line in 1942; played for the Baltimore Colts (1947)
Bob Mann 19441947EndAll-Big Ten, 1947; Broke the Big Ten record for receiving yards in 1946 and again in 1947; Played 7 years in the NFL with the Lions and Packers; First African-American for both NFL teams; Led the NFL in receiving yards and yards per catch in 1949
Earl Maves 19431943FullbackLater played for the Detroit Lions (1948)
Tony Momsen 19451950CenterPlayed for the Pittsburgh Steelers and washington Redskins
Vincent Mroz 19431943EndServed for 26 years in United States Secret Service, shot attempted assassin of Pres. Harry S. Truman in 1950
Fred Negus 19431943CenterLater played pro football for the Chicago Rockets and Chicago Bears
David M. Nelson 19391941HalfbackInducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach
Bob Nussbaumer 19431945HalfbackLater played for the Washington Redskins (1947–48), Green Bay Packers (1946, 1951), and the Chicago Cardinals (1949–1950)
Jack Petoskey 19411943EndLater coached football at Hillsdale College and Western Michigan University
Joseph Ponsetto 19441945QuarterbackAll-Big Ten quarterback, 1944
Merv Pregulman 19411943Center, TacklePlayed 4 years in NFL; inducted into College Football Hall of Fame
Bill Pritula 19421947TackleOne of Michigan's "Seven Oak Posts" in 1942
Tubby Raymond 19461948Quarterback, LinebackerCoach at Delaware, 1966–2001; inducted to College Football Hall of Fame
Russ Reader 19451945HalfbackLater played professional football for the Chicago Bears (1947) and Toronto Argonauts (1949)
Hercules Renda 19371939HalfbackLater served as assistant coach under Crisler (1940–1941_ to 1941); also as a high school football and track coach in Pontiac, Michigan; inducted into the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame.
Art Renner 19431946EndCaptain of the 1946 team
Dick Rifenburg 19441948EndPlayed for the Detroit Lions, 1950
Don Robinson 19411946Halfback, QuarterbackAssistant football coach at Michigan, 1948–1956
Quentin Sickels 19441948GuardPlayed on Michigan's undefeated 1947 and 1948 national championship teams
Rudy Smeja 19411943EndLater played three years in the NFL for the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles
Joe Soboleski 19451948Guard, TacklePlayed 4 years for Chicago Hornets, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, New York Yanks, and Dallas Texans
Milo Sukup 19381940GuardRunning guard and key blocker for Tom Harmon; later football coach in Grand Rapids 1942–1971
Wally Teninga 19451949HalfbackPlayed on back-to-back undefeated teams (1947–48); later became the vice chairman and chief financial officer of the Kmart Corporation
Dominic Tomasi 19451948GuardCaptain and Most Valuable Player of the National Champion 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team
Fred Trosko 19371939HalfbackMeyer Morton Award in 1937; head football coach at Eastern Michigan, 1952–64
Harold Watts 19431946CenterMVP 1945 Michigan team; All-Big Ten, 1945
Jack Weisenburger 19441947Fullback, halfback, quarterbackStarting fullback for the 1947 "Mad Magicians" team
Bob Westfall 19391941FullbackAll-American, 1941; Played 4 years in the NFL with the Lions; All-Pro in 1945; Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame in 1987
J. T. White 19461947Center2nd team All-American 1947; Played for Big Ten championship teams at Michigan (1947) and Ohio State (1942); Later served as an assistant coach and assistant athletic director at Penn State
Paul White 19411946HalfbackPlayed 1 year in the NFL for the Steelers
Bob Wiese 19421946Fullback, QuarterbackPlayed 2 years in the NFL with the Lions
F. Stuart Wilkins 19451948GuardFounding director and chairman of the board (1984–1997) of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio; Served as chairman of the board of the American Automobile Association
Jack Wink 19431943QuarterbackAlso played at Wisconsin (1942, 19461947); head football coach at Wayne State (NE), Wisconsin–Stout, St. Cloud State
Al Wistert 19401942TackleAll-American, 1942; MVP 1942 Michigan team; Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame, 1967; His No. 11 is 1 of 5 retired numbers at Michigan; Played 9 years in the NFL for the Steagles and Eagles; 8-time All-Pro
Alvin Wistert 19471949TackleAll-American, 1948 and 1949; Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame, 1967; Oldest college football player ever selected as an All-American at age 33; His No. 11 is 1 of 5 retired numbers at Michigan
Irv Wisniewski 19461949EndLater coached football and basketball at Hillsdale College and the University of Delaware
Howard Yerges 19441947QuarterbackPlayed for Ohio State in 1943; Quarterback of the undefeated 1947 team known as the "Mad Magicians"; All-Big Ten 1947

References

  1. "University of Michigan Style Guide: Colors". July 7, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  2. "Michigan vs Michigan St". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on 2013-12-02.
  3. Steve Snider (November 4, 1940). "Brown Jug Clash Takes Spotlight: Michigan Rates Edge Over Foe". Berkeley Daily Gazette.
  4. "Michigan vs Minnesota". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on 2014-11-12.
  5. "Wolverines Beaten: Sub Kicks Goal to Win for Gophers". Berkeley Gazette. November 9, 1940. p. 1.
  6. Walter W. Ruch (October 19, 1947). "Michigan Topples Minnesota, 13 to 6: Wolverines, Outrushed by the Gophers, Take Advantage of Breaks Before 85,000". The New York Times.
  7. "Michigan Sets Back Irish In Scoring Parade, 32-20". The New York Times. November 15, 1942. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  8. Wilfrid Smith (October 10, 1943). "Irish Beat Michigan, 35-12, Before 85,688: Miller Sparks Notre Dame Attack; Clock Confuses Fans". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. A1. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013.
  9. Allison Danzig (October 9, 1943). "86,000 to See Irish Engage Michigan: Notre Dame 5-6 Choice Today at Ann Arbor, Where Record Throng Is Anticipated". The New York Times.
  10. Tommy Devine (October 10, 1943). "Irish Sting Michigan 35 to 12 Before 86,000". St. Petersburg Times (UP story).
  11. "Notre Dame Tops Michigan, 35-12 As Angelo Bertelli One-man Show". The Montreal Gazette (AP story). October 11, 1943.
  12. "Michigan vs Notre Dame (IN)". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  13. "Michigan vs Ohio St". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on 2013-07-23. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  14. "MICHIGAN BATTERS OHIO STATE, 40 TO 0; Harmon Makes 22 Points, Tops Grange's Big Ten Mark, in Buckeyes' Worst Defeat Long Drives Mark Game". The New York Times. November 24, 1940. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  15. "Ohio State Checks Michigan, 21-7, Before 71,896 for Big Ten Title". The New York Times. November 22, 1942. Retrieved 14 January 2012.