Add up Bump Elliott’s accomplishments as an athlete, an assistant coach, a head coach & finally as an athletic director. You must conclude that this man had one of the most impactful careers in the history of the Big Ten. He touched every level and Bump’s resume has few peers.
When named Michigan head coach in 1959 Bump already achieved Greatest Generation status. At just 33(!) years old, consider he had already served in China in WWII, was a 3 sport star as a player at two schools (Purdue and Michigan), the B1G MVP & national champion in football (1947). Just before he came to back to Ann Arbor he helped Iowa win a Rose Bowl as an assistant coach.
For U-M fans his spot in Meechigan football’s valhalla was secured as a leader on that 1947 squad, dubbed to eternity as The Mad Magicians. He’s featured on my favorite clip of vintage film – here he is receiving a jump pass from Bob Chappuis during the 1948 Rose Bowl rout of Southern Cal.
As a head coach his legacy is more complicated but decorated nonetheless. Based on his overall record he doesn’t make it on the ‘Mount Rushmore’ of U-M coaches (right now that’s Yost, Crisler, Bo, and then Carr or Kipke). When assessing his performance you have to jump to the high point–the 1964 B1G/Rose Bowl champs – a team chronicled on these pages over the years. For what it’s worth Bo is the only U-M coach more Rose Bowl wins (2). While not an excuse, you also must acknowledge that he coached in a golden era of sorts of Big Ten football. Consider that from 1958 to 1968 B1G pigskin squads took 6 national championships (the next after that stretch was your 1997 Wolverines). And Bump was inches away (a failed 2 point conversion vs. Purdue) from adding another national title for Michigan and the B1G in 1964.
Then there’s the transition. Bump helped Don Canham hire Bo and perhaps most significant, left a ton of talent in Ann Arbor. By a ton we’re talking about 11 All-Americans and four (at present) memers of the College Footall Hall of Fame. After the epic 24-12 win over Woody’s #1 Buckeyes in 1969, Bo presented the game ball to Elliott. Think about that for a minute. It didn’t go to Barry Pierson or to captain Jim Mandich or any of the other players who “stayed”…it went to Bump.
Decades later, Bo reflected on that moment and told John U. Bacon, “I don’t remember when I felt better about anything I’ve done in my entire life.” In his life! This wasn’t a trivial acknowledgement – and it was an indicator of the type of supportive leader Bump would prove to be in Iowa City.
When he was hired as Iowa’s athletic director things were far from rosy for the Hawks. Under Bump’s leadership the program turned around. It started by hiring many of the greatest names in coaching history (Dan Gable, Hayden Fry, Tom Davis, C. Vivian Stringer). It continued with major projects including the construction of Carver-Hawkeye Arena and an expansion of Kinnick Stadium. Wins rolled in, seats were filled, donor checks were cut. Suddenly the books were in the black. On his watch the Hawks claimed 12 NCAA titles and 34 Big Ten championships.
Bump led with a style that today we’d tag with a popular business school buzzword –> Servant Leadership. With his low ego approach, he worked hard to find the right leaders, provide them with the resources they needed and got out of the way.
Earlier this year I spoke to wresting legend and GOAT Dan Gable. Bump helped bring him to Iowa City and promoted him to head wrestling coach. Gable told me after each season the conversation with his boss was simple: Elliott asked Gable what he needed to succeed. Gable provided a few modest requests to make his program stronger. Then Elliott worked to serve–and deliver to his great coaches what they needed. It worked, and then some, for many of Iowa’s most high profile programs.
It’s easy to take the success of great athletic programs like Iowa and Michigan for granted. We haven’t arrived here by accident. Just like any great organization we surive and thrive because of players, coaches, staff, administrators and directors. In rare cases you have unique people who touched and positively impacted every level. It takes special people like Bump Elliott and that’s how I will always remember this great man.
Postscript: Coincidentally I had the honor to deliver a brief speech on Bump’s career at a U-M athletic department event prior to the Iowa game this fall. Members of the Elliott family were there, but unfortunately Bump could not attend. I also have met Bump on a few occasions when he visited U-M in the past decade, and I know a couple of his former players through personal relationships. To his family, friends, coaches and former players – my deepest sympathy during this time.
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