Ed. Who knows the Bo era better than Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis?  NOOOOBBBOODY.  Here’s another great story from Sap: The first three games of the 1985 season brought about some major changes to the Michigan football uniform, some thirty years ago. In Game #3 against Maryland, the helmet manufacturer “BIKE” no longer appeared on the front of the Wolverine helmets.  “MICHIGAN” was now stickered on the front nosebumper of the maize and blue’s headgear. Game #2 at South Carolina brought a smile to my face, as the helmet stickers/decals returned to the Michigan helmets after a plain-and-boring-helmet-looking two year absence in 1983 & 1984. While these changes were somewhat cosmetic, the most impactful and most important change happened in Game #1 against Notre Dame.  The wristbands changed for the quarterbacks.  No, this wasn’t a cosmetic or color change, it was much more than that.  The wristbands had the offensive plays listed on them.  Not only did the quarterbacks wear the wristband playsheets, Cam Cameron, the Michigan Receivers Coach, did as well.  (see pics below) No longer would they be used to dab sweat or look cool – the QB wristbands were now a strategic weapon in the Michigan Football arsenal. Think that is overstating their significance and impact on the Michigan offense?  Well, in 1983 and 1984 the Michigan offense…

I assume thanks to my fondness for the Little Brown Jug, a few folks pinged me after the game about the Paul Bunyan Trophy.  To be clear: this trophy sucks. Historically speaking, Michigan never wanted this to be a trophy game or for that thing to be the trophy.  Of course given circumstances where there is a trophy when you win, we’d just assume win and take the trophy. If nothing else you keep it out of the opponent’s hands so it won’t sit in their football building and get a Santa hat around Christmas time. There is no sideline swap of the trophy.  There is no running across the field to take it back.  It stays in the locker room.  Spartan players like to bring it on the field – that’s fine – but that’s not what we do. Take a few photos with it after the game?  Fine.   But when you are done, put it on the truck.  When it gets back to Ann Arbor I just assume we keep doing what we’ve always done – tuck that thing away in Schembechler Hall until next fall: Update:  More historical context on this mgoblog thread, including: The following year in 1954, the trophy was left on the field for half an hour after Michigan defeated the Spartans 33–7. “We’ll find a place for the…

Here are the Decal Champions for week eight by Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis: George Perles used to say, “all games count one.” Not this one and not for the reason you might think. Not only did Michigan put another nail in the Spartan coffin, they made it real difficult if not unlikely for the Spartans to become bowl eligible.   This would also mean MSU will not have those 15 bowl practices which are critical for player development and evaluation.  Sucks to be Sparty! OFFENSIVE CHAMPION – If your receiver has a career day and makes crazy-tough, one-handed catches then that means your quarterback is making some crazy-clutch throws. Amara Darboh and Wilton Speight are starting to be like The Hawaiian War Chant and Temptation – you can’t have one without the other. If Michigan is going to be playing in January, #82 and #3 need to keep it up. DEFENSIVE CHAMPION – Gotta go with two guys: Jourdan Lewis & Jabrill Peppers. Lewis, because he single-handedly stopped two drives – one with an INT and one with a fourth down tackle at the UM goalline. Peppers, because of what he did all over the field and particularly the fourth down sack late in the game. Of course the 2-point conversion “Oh he has trouble with the pitch” play was the perfect exclamation…

For this #BeatState edition of This Week in Michigan Football History we go back 112 years to 1904, a season that featured arguably the greatest Wolverine squad of all time.  Dig it: [display_podcast] As always, this segment appears on 1050AM WTKA and 1330AM WTRX’s epic KeyBank Countdown to Kickoff prior to each game.  During home games you can hear it live inside the Go Labatt Blue Light Victors Lounge starting 4 hours prior to kickoff.  Go Blue! You can listen to all of This Week in Michigan Football History clips here. Follow MVictors on Twitter script after the jump:

A few sights and sounds from Saturday’s colossal beating against Illinois: And then the glasses is that a Woody Hayes nod? [laughs] “It is, actually. There’s really three people. Got my eyes checked out a couple weeks ago and they said I needed to go to glasses full time, so as of Tuesday I’m now a full-time glasses person. This style in particular is a tip of the cap, a nod, to Woody Hayes, to Michael Douglas in the movie ‘Falling Down,’ and also a tip of the cap to Malcolm X. In honor of those three men.” • The Wolverines improved to 64-29-2 in the all-time series against Illinois and 33-11-1 in home contests against the Fighting Illini. Michigan also improved to 90-28-2 on homecoming and has won 18 of its last 22 homecoming games. • Michigan is now 7-0 for the first time since 2006 and just the fourth time in 40 years (1986, 1997, 2006, 2016). Follow MVictors on Twitter 

Here are the Decal Champions for Week Seven by Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis: OFFENSIVE CHAMPION – When it gets close to the goal line, you gotta love Khalid “The Hammer” Hill. Michigan hasn’t had a battering-ram of a back since…Leroy Hoard? It’s got to be an awesome feeling for a coach & a team to know that when you get close, The Hammer is going to seal the deal. Red zone efficiency is an important metric and when you can punch it in from in close, you pretty much punch out your opponent. DEFENSIVE CHAMPION – I’m starting to get the impression that Rashan Gary is adjusting to the speed and strength of the college game. Believe me, it IS a step up from high school, even if you are as big and strong and quick as #3. He’s starting to make his presence known and felt and that is impressive midway through his freshman year. SPECIAL TEAMS CHAMPION – Khaleke Hudson and his blocked punt was the kiss of death for the Illini. Why? Because 90% of the time, the team that blocks a punt, wins the game. It’s demoralizing for one team and jacks up the other. And when a team like Michigan gets jacked up, look out! It becomes infectious and permeates to other groups of the team.…

For Saturday’s edition of This Week in Michigan Football History takes us back to the special year of 1927 – the season the Big House was first open for business.  Can you dig it?  Yost could and did! [display_podcast] As always, this segment appears on 1050AM WTKA and 1330AM WTRX’s epic KeyBank Countdown to Kickoff prior to each game.  During home games you can hear it live inside the Go Labatt Blue Light Victors Lounge starting 4 hours prior to kickoff.  Go Blue! You can listen to all of This Week in Michigan Football History clips here. Follow MVictors on Twitter script after the jump: