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 cars that traveled to the ‘22 Ohio State game down in Columbus, on the day they dedicated Ohio Stadium. Note the smack talk scribed on the roof “WE’LL DEDICATE IT..” – a reference to the Buckeye plans to dedicate the shiny new Ohio Stadium during the game. Beyond a big fat YOST on the front, and the “from and from U-M” painted on the door I can’t make out any other gems. Either way a priceless paint job and yes, Yost and the Wolverines “dedicated” it—crushing the Buckeyes 19-0.
