It’s hard to beat this awesome shot of Fritz Crisler: Is that Fritz Crisler dropping the ball? No way man – he’s demonstrating the dropkick. Back in 1958, Crisler was chairman of the NCAA rules committee and a major change for that year was the introduction of the 2 point conversion. Coaches weren’t sure what the impact would be—many thought teams would go for 2 after TDs early in the game and then see how things played out. But it was quickly figured out that hitting paydirt with one play from the three-yard line was far from a 50/50 proposition (one source had the success rate in 1958 was around 35%), and most coaches defaulted to kicking the extra point. Bringing us back to the photo, it was also suggested that having the option of the two point conversion might result end up in more teams trying the old dropkick. I think the scenario was that you’d see teams effectively lining up in a triple threat position where the offense could try to run or pass for 2, or execute the drop kick for 1…but that really didn’t happen. (Heck, it hadn’t even happened in pro football since 1941 and until Doug Flutie’s epic dropkick in 2007). From a June 1923 athletic department publication, that’s a shot of one of the…
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The Bo Brackets | Elite Eight Results
[Ed. On this day of what would be Bo Schembechler’s 85th birthday, Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis returns with the next round of the Bo Brackets. You can find background including how the teams were selected here, and a breakdown of the Schembechler 16 results here.] 1969 vs. 1976 Result: 1976 211969 10 In an impressive combination of speed and power, Rick Leach, Rob Lytle & Russell Davis combined to rush for 349 yards and three touchdowns as the 1976 squad defeated Bo’s 1969 team, 21-10. Don Moorehead’s passing (227 yards) and Billy Taylor’s rushing (110 yards) staked the ’69 Wolverines to an early lead until a colossal collision changed the complexion of the contest. Leading 10-7 midway through the third quarter and facing a 3rd and 7 on their own 23-yard line, Moorehead handed off to Taylor on a draw play. Before Taylor could put two hands on the ball, ’76 linebacker Calvin O’Neal hit the Michigan running back so violently that both players were out cold before they hit the Tartan Turf. Jerry Vogele recovered the fumble for the ’76 Wolverines at the 15-yard line. Three plays later, Leach kept on an option keeper to give the ’76 team a lead they would not relinquish and the ’69 Wolverines were reeling. A 4-yard TD run by Davis…
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Swing to Cure Diabetes – U-M Golf Course – May 19, 2014
One of my favorite charities and a classy event. Details via former QB/DB Rich Hewlett (coincidentally, he was featured yesterday in WPW!) who shared this note today about the event and how to get involved: I ask you to join me as I again serve as Chairperson for a special event designed to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and The University of Michigan Comprehensive Diabetes Center (UMCDC). On May 19, my family will host the 2014 Swing to Cure Diabetes Golf Outing at the University of Michigan Golf Course. With your participation and support, UMCDC and JDRF will continue their important research that will lead to a cure. Through our first five golf outings we have raised over $285,000! This year’s event will take place at the U of M Golf Course on Monday, May 19, 2014 with a 9:30 AM shotgun start. The agenda for the day is as follows: 8:00 AM — Check in 9:15 AM — Introduction/Welcome Remarks 9:30 AM — Shotgun Start 2:30 PM — Dinner 3:00 PM — Program 3:30 PM — Conclusion Activities for the day will include a silent and live auction, competitions, prizes, and more. Breakfast, beverages, boxed lunch, and a buffet-style diner also will be provided. Please join us for the Swing to Cure Diabetes Golf Outing. Click here…
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WPW | Jimmy Orwig’s Righteous Swig
Hump Day! Wire Photo Wednesday leads with something near and dear to my heart, the Little Brown Jug: A great shot of a few men from Bennie Oosterbaan’s 1957 roster. Left to right I believe you’ve got: Stan Noskin (QB), Dave Brown (QB), ‘57 captain Jim Orwig (LT) taking a pull, Larry Faul (LG) and Jerry Goebel (C). We don’t have a lot of information on this shot, but it looks like it appeared in the Minneapolis Star, making me think it was shot just prior to the ‘57 battle for the Jug. The caption also says that’s a replica – which is looks to be (for starter, there are no scores down the side, at least on the side we can see…). Good news – Orwig took back the real jug after Michigan’s 24-7 victory on October 26, 1957. Fritz: “..and finally, we’re getting new helmets..with yellow wings on them.” [Team breaks out in laughter]Fritz: “Trust me on this one. Wings are the future. Wings I tells ya.” So I’ve seen this shot on eBay before but never noticed the significance of the date it was taken. This is actually a pretty historically significant shot from March 28th—the start of Spring football back then. This is probably one of, if not the first, published photo with Fritz Crisler…
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The Bo Brackets | Schembechler Sixteen Results
Via the mind of Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis, here are the Round 1 results of the Bo Brackets. ROUND 1 GAMES – 1970s 1969 vs 1970In a close game, 1969 pulled away late in the 2nd half with a pic-six by Barry Pierson and a Garvie Craw 1-yard TD run that came off a Tom Curtis interception. Final Score: 21-71969 advances 1971 vs 1972Dennis Franklin out dueled Tom Slade for most of this game, but Billy Taylor scored his 2nd TD of the contest on a 65-yard scamper to put the ’71 squad up, 17-13. Franklin’s last second Hail Mary pass was batted down by Thom Darden in the endzone to preserve the victory for the 1971 team as they move on. Final Score: 17-13 1971 advances 1976 vs 1977Rob Lytle ran for three TD’s as the ’76 squad looked to make this game a blowout, but Rick Leach’s three TD passes in the 4th quarter tied the game at 21 with just under a minute to go. Jim Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 67 yards to set up Bobby Wood’s game winning 33-yard field goal. Final score: 24-21. Final Score: 24-211976 advances 1973 vs. 1974A back and forth contest that saw the lead change 3 times, this game, not surprisingly, came down to a…
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The Bo Brackets
[Ed. Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis at it again, just in time for March Madness. ] Ever wonder what Bo Schembechler-coached-Michigan-Football-team was the best? [Ed. Sap, of course they have!]. With March Madness all around us and brackets being filled out everywhere, I decided to draw up my own set of Bo Brackets – The Schembechler Sweet 16, if you will. I used some basic criteria to determine who would go dancing, who would stay on the sidelines and who would get the highest ranking/seed of the Schembechler-coached teams from 1969-1989. Rose Bowl and Big Ten Championships certainly helped, and the absence of either of those pretty much meant you didn’t get an invite. As a result, these teams are not included in the tourney for the following reasons: 1975 – Started Bo’s Bowl streak but did not win a Big Ten Championship & had only 8 wins. 1979 – No conference championship & poor record doom this team. 1983 – A great defense, but no Big Ten Championship means no invite. 1984 – Obvious non-qualifier with 6-6 record. 1987 – Too many losses and too many interceptions spell disaster for this team. Also note: The 1970 team was on the bubble for this tourney, but got the nod over the 1975 squad because of their better record, even though they…
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Wire Photo Wednesday | Cutting Nets and Dr. Shake
Good Wednesday to you. Leading off…T Mills: Leading off, the man coach Bill Frieder personally visited at Romulus High literally hundreds of times – to keep him away from Jud Heathcote and MSU, here from April 1989 presumably from the Kingdome following the NCAA title victory (Ed. However as a commenter pointed out, M wore blue of course in the finals—so perhaps an earlier round or something else]. From 1970, an awesome shot of back Glenn Doughty posing between an unidentified pair of Bo’s bruisers. Great shot. Following his Michigan days he became Shake and Bake, and later (after completing his PhD in Groove from Funkalicious University [Dearborn]), just Dr. Shake: He earned the nickname “Shake and Bake” during his years with the Colts, and the nickname was also extended to the 1975 Baltimore Colts offense. The Colts Record of 10-4 reversed the prior year’s 2-12 record to set the greatest one year turn-a-round season in NFL History. The Colts won the Eastern Division Championship. Doughty played a key role in leading the Colts to three straight Eastern Division Championships for the first time in Colts history. 1975 also saw Doughty, a Motown native, create the Shake & Bake Band. The Group consisted of Tight End Ray Chester on bass, Lloyd Mumford Defensive Back on harmonica, Fred Scott…
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Beat Ohio!
We got this!
