Michigan Wolverines football | |
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Athletic director | Fritz Crisler |
Head coach | Bennie Oosterbaan 11 season, 63–33–4 (.650) |
Stadium | Michigan Stadium |
Field surface | Grass |
Location | Ann Arbor, Michigan |
Conference | Big Ten Conference |
Bowl record | 1–0 (1.000) |
Claimed national titles | 1 |
Conference titles | 3 |
Colors | Maize and blue [1] |
The History of Michigan Wolverines football in the Oosterbaan years covers the history of the University of Michigan Wolverines football program during the period from the promotion of Bennie Oosterbaan as head coach in 1948 through his firing after the 1958 season. Michigan was a member of the Big Ten Conference during the Oosterbaan years and played its home games at Michigan Stadium.
During the 11 years in which Oosterbaan served as head football coach, Michigan compiled a record of 63–33–4 (.650). In Oosterbaan's first year as head coach, the 1948 team compiled a perfect 9–0 and won a national championship. The team won Big Ten Conference championships in each of Oosterbaan's first three years as head coach. In 1950, Michigan defeated Ohio State 9 to 3 in the legendary Snow Bowl game and went on to defeat California by a 14 to 6 score in the 1951 Rose Bowl.
After compiling a 2–6–1 record (1–5–1 Big Ten) record in 1958, and finishing in eighth place in the Big Ten, Oosterbaan was fired and replaced by Bump Elliott. Three players from the Oosterbaan years have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. They are Pete Elliott, Alvin Wistert, and Ron Kramer.
Season | Place | Record | PF | PA | Captain | MVP |
1948 team | 1st | 9–0 | 252 | 44 | Dominic Tomasi | Dominic Tomasi |
1949 team | 1st (tie) | 6–2–1 | 135 | 85 | Alvin Wistert | Dick Kempthorn |
1950 team | 1st | 6–3–1 | 150 | 114 | Robert Wahl | Don Dufek, Sr. |
1951 team | 4th | 4–5 | 135 | 122 | Bill Putich | Don Peterson |
1952 team | 4th (tie) | 5–4 | 207 | 134 | Merritt Green | Ted Topor |
1953 team | 5th (tie) | 6–3 | 163 | 101 | Dick O'Shaughnessy | Tony Branoff |
1954 team | 2nd (tie) | 6–3 | 139 | 87 | Ted Cachey | Fred Baer |
1955 team | 3rd | 7–2 | 179 | 94 | Ed Meads | Terry Barr |
1956 team | 2nd | 7–2 | 233 | 123 | Tom Maentz | Dick Hill |
1957 team | 6th | 5–3–1 | 187 | 147 | Jim Orwig | Jim Pace |
1958 team | 8th | 2–6–1 | 132 | 211 | John Herrnstein | Bob Ptacek |
In 1948, under first-year head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan compiled a 9–0 record, defeated six ranked opponents by a combined score of 122–17, [2] and won both the Big Nine Conference and national football championships. 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.
The 1948 season was Michigan's second straight undefeated, untied season. After Fritz Crisler led the 1947 team to a perfect 10–0 record, the Wolverines entered the 1948 season with a 14-game winning streak dating back to October 1946. Despite the loss of all four backfield starters from the 1947 team (including Big Nine MVP Bump Elliott and Heisman Trophy runner-up Bob Chappuis), the 1948 team extended the winning streak to 23 games.
On offense, Michigan was led by a new backfield that included All-American quarterback Pete Elliott and halfbacks Chuck Ortmann and Leo Koceski. The team scored 252 points, an average of 28 points per game. [3] With Ortmann as the principal passer, the Wolverines relied on an air attack, gaining more yards in the air (1,355) than on the ground (1,262). Dick Rifenburg, the team's leading receiver, was picked as a first-team All-American at the end position. Team captain Dominic Tomasi was selected as the team's Most Valuable Player. The 1949 Michiganensian wrote of the 250-pound guard, "Famous for his sharp shattering blocking, Dom tore huge gaps in the opposing lines to pave the way for Michigan's steam roller offense." [4]
On defense, the Wolverines allowed only 44 points, an average of 4.8 points per game. The defense was led by tackles Alvin Wistert and Al Wahl, center Dan Dworsky, and fullback Dick Kempthorn. The team shut out Oregon despite the passing game of College and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Norm Van Brocklin. It also held ranked Purdue and Northwestern teams to 36 and 47 rushing yards, respectively. The defense forced a total of 32 turnovers (including 21 interceptions), an average of three-and-a-half turnovers per game. [5]
During the Oosterbaan years, Michigan compiled a 4-6-1 record in the Michigan – Michigan State football rivalry. Oosterbaan became the first head coach in Michigan history to compile a losing record against the Spartans. [6]
During the Oosterbaan years, Michigan compiled an 8-2-1 record in its annual Little Brown Jug rivalry game with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. [7]
Michigan and Notre Dame did not play each other during the Oosterbaan years. After playing against each other in 1942 and 1943, the programs did not meet again until 1978. [8]
During the Oosterbaan years, Michigan compiled a 5-5-1 record in the Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry. [9] Significant games during the Oosterbaan years include:
Name | Start Year | Last Year | Position(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Harry Allis | 1948 | 1950 | End, Placekicker | Big Ten scoring leader, 1948 |
Fred Baer | 1952 | 1954 | Fullback | MVP, 1954 Michigan football team |
Terry Barr | 1954 | 1956 | Halfback | Played 9 seasons in the NFL with the Lions; Two-time Pro Bowl selection |
Lou Baldacci | 1953 | 1955 | Quarterback, Fullback | Set Michigan record for longest field goal, 1953; Played 1 year in the NFL with the Steelers |
Tony Branoff | 1952 | 1955 | Halfback | MVP 1953 Michigan football team; Leading rusher for Michigan, 1953 and 1955 |
Jerry Burns | 1947 | 1950 | Quarterback | Later became head coach at University of Iowa and in NFL for the Packers and Vikings |
Gene Derricotte | 1946 | 1948 | Halfback, Quarterback | Holds Michigan's single season record for punt return average |
Donald R. Deskins | 1958 | 1959 | Tackle | Played in all 14 games for the Oakland Raiders in their first season (1960); later became an author and professor of urban geography and sociology |
Don Dufek, Sr. | 1948 | 1950 | Fullback | |
Dan Dworsky | 1945 | 1948 | Fullback, Center, Quarterback | |
Don Eaddy | 1951 | 1951 | Halfback | All-American in baseball; later played Major League Baseball with the Cubs in 1959 |
James Eldridge | 1948 | 1950 | Halfback | later changed his first name to Æthelred and became a celebrated artist and professor at Ohio University |
Pete Elliott | 1945 | 1948 | Quarterback, Halfback | |
George Genyk | 1957 | 1959 | Guard, Tackle | 1959 team captain; drafted by New York Titans in the first AFL draft |
John Ghindia | 1947 | 1949 | Quarterback, Fullback, Halfback | |
Darrell Harper | 1957 | 1959 | Halfback | |
John Herrnstein | 1956 | 1958 | Fullback | Later played Major League Baseball from 1962 to 1966 with the Phillies, Cubs and Braves |
Dick Hill | 1954 | 1956 | Guard | MVP of the 1956 team; played one season with the Montreal Alouettes |
Bob Hollway | 1947 | 1949 | End | Later served as head coach of the St. Louis Cardinals, 1971–1972 |
Tom Johnson | 1948 | 1951 | Tackle | Most valuable defensive tackle in the Big Ten, 1950; First-team All-American, 1951; Second African-American to play for the Green Bay Packers |
Fred Julian | 1957 | 1959 | Defensive back | Leading rusher for UM 1959; led New York Titans in interceptions 1960 |
Zeno Karcz | 1954 | 1954 | Linebacker, Running back | Later played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for 9 years; Won the 1965 Most Outstanding Canadian award |
Dick Kempthorn | 1947 | 1949 | Fullback | MVP 1949 Michigan team; Won Distinguished Flying Cross as a jet fighter pilot in the Korean War |
Gene Knutson | 1951 | 1953 | End | |
Leo Koceski | 1948 | 1950 | Halfback | Known as the "Canonsburg Comet"; Played for undefeated 1948 national championship team |
Ralph Kohl | 1947 | 1948 | Tackle | Later coached at Eastern Illinois and was head scout for the Minnesota Vikings |
Ron Kramer | 1955 | 1956 | End | All-American, 1955–1956; Played 10 years in NFL for Packers and Lions; First-team All Pro, 1962; Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame, 1978 |
Ted Kress | 1951 | 1953 | Halfback | |
Jim Maddock | 1954 | 1956 | Quarterback | |
Tom Maentz | 1954 | 1956 | End | |
Jerry Marciniak | 1956 | 1958 | Tackle | Played in the CFL for the Saskatchewan Roughriders |
Ed Meads | 1953 | 1955 | Guard | Captain of the 1955 team; awarded Bronze Star for work as combat surgeon in Vietnam War |
Tony Momsen | 1945 | 1950 | Center | Played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins |
John Morrow | 1953 | 1955 | Center, Tackle | |
Stan Noskin | 1957 | 1959 | Quarterback | |
Chuck Ortmann | 1948 | 1950 | Halfback | |
Dick O'Shaugnessy | 1951 | 1953 | Center | All-Big Ten, 1952 |
Jim Pace | 1955 | 1957 | Halfback | |
Lowell W. Perry | 1950 | 1952 | End | |
Don Peterson | 1949 | 1951 | ||
Bob Ptacek | 1956 | 1958 | Halfback | |
Bill Putich | 1949 | 1951 | Quarterback, Halfback | |
Tubby Raymond | 1946 | 1948 | Quarterback, Linebacker | Coach at Delaware, 1966–2001; inducted to College Football Hall of Fame |
Dick Rifenburg | 1944 | 1948 | End | Played for the Detroit Lions, 1950 |
Tony Rio | 1957 | 1959 | Fullback | |
Joe Schwarz | 1956 | 1956 | Center | |
Quentin Sickels | 1944 | 1948 | Guard | Played on Michigan's undefeated 1947 and 1948 national championship teams |
Willie Smith | 1956 | 1958 | Tackle | Played for the Denver Broncos (1960) and Oakland Raiders (1961) |
Joe Soboleski | 1945 | 1948 | Guard, Tackle | Played 4 years for Chicago Hornets, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, New York Yanks, and Dallas Texans |
Wally Teninga | 1945 | 1949 | Halfback | |
Bob Timm | 1950 | 1952 | Guard | All-Big Ten, 1952 |
Dominic Tomasi | 1945 | 1948 | Guard | Captain and Most Valuable Player of the National Champion 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team |
Ted Topor | 1950 | 1952 | Quarterback, Linebacker | Michigan Wolverines Most Valuable Player, 1952 |
Bob Topp | 1952 | 1953 | End | |
Jim Van Pelt | 1955 | 1957 | Quarterback | Played 2 seasons in the CFL with the Blue Bombers; Set CFL records with 7 TD passes in 1 game and a 107-yard TD pass; Scored a record 22 points in 1958 Grey Cup |
Robert Wahl | 1948 | 1950 | Defensive tackle, Offensive tackle | All-American, 1949 and 1950; Blocked punt to win the 1950 Snow Bowl |
Art Walker | 1952 | 1954 | Tackle | All-American, 1954; Played 3 years in the CFL for the Eskimos; 1957 CFL All-Star |
F. Stuart Wilkins | 1945 | 1948 | Guard | Founding 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 |
Irv Wisniewski | 1946 | 1949 | End | Later coached football and basketball at Hillsdale College and the University of Delaware |
Alvin Wistert | 1947 | 1949 | Tackle | All-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 |
Roger Zatkoff | 1950 | 1952 | Linebacker, Fullback, Offensive tackle | All-Big Ten 1952; Played 6 years in the NFL for the Packers and Lions |
The Snow Bowl is the nickname of a college football game played on November 25, 1950, between the teams of the University of Michigan and Ohio State University. The Michigan Wolverines defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes, 9–3, earning the Big Ten Conference championship and a berth in the 1951 Rose Bowl. The game was one of the most noted in the storied history of the Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry.
Benjamin Oosterbaan was an American football end and head coach for the University of Michigan. He was a three-time All-American college football player, a two-time All-American basketball player, and an All-Big Ten Conference baseball player for the Michigan Wolverines. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players in Michigan history. He was selected by Sports Illustrated as the fourth greatest athlete in the history of the U.S. state of Michigan in 2003, and one of the eleven greatest college football players of the first century of the game. As a head coach Oosterbaan won a national championship with the 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team, by way of the Associated Press.
The Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry, referred to as The Game by some fans and sports commentators, is an American college football rivalry game that is played annually between the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes. As of 2023, Michigan and Ohio State are the winningest and third winningest programs in NCAA Division I football history, respectively. The rivalry has gathered profound national interest as many of the games determined the Big Ten Conference title and the resulting Rose Bowl Game matchups, as well as the outcome of the NCAA Division I college football championship. In 2000, the game was ranked by ESPN as the greatest North American sports rivalry ever. The rivalry is listed in Rivals!: The Ten Greatest American Sports Rivalries of the 20th Century, published by Wiley. Encyclopædia Britannica includes the rivalry as one of the ten great sports rivalries in history.
The Michigan Wolverines football team represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins in college football history. The team is known for its distinctive winged helmet, its fight song, its record-breaking attendance figures at Michigan Stadium, and its many rivalries, particularly its annual, regular season-ending game against Ohio State, known simply as "The Game," once voted as ESPN's best sports rivalry.
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 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1950 Big Ten Conference football season. Coached by Bennie Oosterbaan, the Wolverines won the Big Ten Conference championship with a record of 6–3–1 and defeated California in the 1951 Rose Bowl, 14–6. The team had two All-Big 10 backs in Don Dufek and Chuck Ortmann and All-American tackle R. Allen "Brick" Wahl. Despite losing three times and tying once, Michigan was ranked No. 9 in the AP Poll and No. 6 in the UPI Poll at season's end. The Wolverines played a regular season game at Yankee Stadium against Army on October 14, 1950. They lost that game 27–6.
Leo Robert "Bugsy" Koceski Jr., also known as the "Canonsburg Comet," was an American football halfback. He played for Michigan's undefeated national championship team in 1948 and the 1950 Big Ten championship team that defeated the California in the 1951 Rose Bowl.
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 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.
The 1936 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1936 Big Ten Conference football season. In their eighth season under head coach Harry Kipke, the Wolverines compiled a 1–7 record, finished last in the Big Ten, and were outscored by opponents by a total of 127 to 36. They ranked 127th of 131 teams in major college football with an average of 4.5 points scored per game.
The 1935 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1935 college football season. In their seventh season under head coach Harry Kipke, the Wolverines compiled a 4–4 record, and were outscored by opponents by a combined total of 131 to 68. The team had a 4–1 record after five games, but was shut out in its final three games. Michigan's 40–0 loss to 1935 consensus national champion Minnesota in the annual Little Brown Jug game was the worst defeat suffered by a Michigan Wolverines football team since 1892.
John Verle Ghindia was an American football player, high school coach, educator, and municipal recreation director.
The History of Michigan Wolverines football in the Yost era covers the period from the hiring of Fielding H. Yost as head coach in 1901 through Yost's firing of Tad Wieman as head coach after the 1928 season. The era includes the brief head coaching tenures of George Little and Tad Wieman. Wieman was head coach during the 1927 and 1928 seasons but contended that he had never truly been allowed to take control of the team with Yost remaining as an assistant coach and athletic director.
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.
The promotion of Bump Elliott to head coach in 1959 defined a historical era of the University of Michigan Wolverines football through 1968 when he resigned after that season. Michigan was a member of the Big Ten Conference and played its home games at Michigan Stadium during the Elliott years. During the 10 years in which Elliott served as head football coach, Michigan compiled a record of 51–42–2 (.547) and claimed one Big Ten championship, one Rose Bowl victory, and two Chicago Tribune Silver Football awards for the most valuable player in the Big Ten. However, the Wolverines finished higher than third place in the Big Ten only twice.
The Michigan Wolverines women's lacrosse team is the intercollegiate women's lacrosse program representing the University of Michigan. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Wolverines play their home games in Ann Arbor, primarily at Michigan Stadium with the indoor Oosterbaan Field House as a secondary option. Women's lacrosse was established as a varsity sport in 2014, and the team played in the American Lacrosse Conference during its inaugural season before joining the Big Ten in 2015. The team is currently coached by Hannah Nielsen.
The 1948 Big Nine Conference football season was the 53rd season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Nine Conference and was a part of the 1948 college football season.
The 1949 Big Nine Conference football season was the 54th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Nine Conference and was a part of the 1949 college football season.