Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis is a Schembechler-era savant and once again he’ll be diligently handing out his postgame helmet stickers after each game. Sap has pored over hours and hours of U-M games over several decades, and in these posts he’s able to tie the present to the past. I encourage you to subscribe to Dr. Sap on YouTube, or follow Sap on Twitter: By Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis Before I talk about how great the entire Michigan team played in all phases of the game on Saturday, and before I talk about how Michigan outhit Nebraska in all phases of the game, that performance (for both teams) should serve as a reminder for everyone on how much work it takes to restore a once-proud & mighty program back to where it was a few decades earlier.  Attitudes have to change and players have to buy in to the new staff’s direction. Remember the “All In For Michigan” slogan a few years/coaches ago?   The Michigan program, players & fanbase have been exactly where Nebraska is right now. It takes time – and a few blowouts like this – but The Big Red will be back, just not this year. Enough perspective – onward to some helmet stickers! OFFENSIVE CHAMPION – There have been some impressive offensive performances down through the…

For Tonight’s edition of This Week in Michigan Football History we stroll back all the way to the 1920s, a decade that saw the construction of Yost Field House and later, Michigan Stadium. The 1920s also saw a few Wolverine all-time greats take the gridiron, including Meeeechigan men like Harry Kipke – who helped Yost earn another national title in 1923, as well as legends Bennie Oosterbaan and Benny Friedman. One name that’s not often mentioned from that decade is a man named Paul Goebel. Goebel was born in 1901, just around the time Michigan hired Fielding Yost to lead the football squad into an era of point-a-minute mayhem. At around 6 foot 5, he was a giant for his day. A while you won’t hear him mentioned with greats like Anthony Carter, Braylon Edwards, Derrick Alexander, and David Terrell – he was the first Michigan end to don the once-coveted #1 jersey. If nothing else, you should know his name because of what he did on this day 95 years ago in Columbus, Ohio:Here’s the clip: Here’s the clip: This segment can be heard on the Keybank Countdown to Kickoff and you can listen live on 1050AM in Ann Arbor & on wtka.com around the world.  This segment plays approximately 2 hours before kickoff each week. You can hear the archive…

Could Bo reload?   That was the question before the 1972 season after losing 4 All-Americans.  I’ll give you the answer now: Damn right Bo could reload! But there were a few nervous folks in these parts as we kicked off Bo’s fourth season at the helm.  Adding to the anxiety was the prospect of opening the season with a conference game, as the Northwestern Wildcats strolled into town.  A few notes: I’m not sure how the passing of Harry Kipke was treated in Ann Arbor.  He won a national championship as a player and coach (twice), but his coaching regime ended in a shambles amidst scandal in the late 1930s, opening the door for Fritz Crisler.  That’s why his name is on a service drive in the Michigan Stadium parking lot. Speaking of the reception, I wonder if Michigan fans in 1972 had any emotions about having a black quarterback take the reins – did anyone care?   I was too young, but I remember the buzz around guys like the Redskins’ Doug Williams and all that. And speaking of breaking barriers, this game marked the first gender-integrated Michigan Marching Band.  I did not know that there were no female musicians marching back in the day.  Check out James Tobin’s fine piece in Michigan Today for more on this…