The 1944 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

in the

1944 Big Ten Conference football season The 1944 Big Ten Conference football season was the 49th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference (also known as the Western Conference) and was a part of the 1944 college football season. The 1944 Ohio S ...

. Under seventh-year head coach

Fritz Crisler Herbert Orin "Fritz" Crisler (; January 12, 1899 – August 19, 1982) was an American college football coach who is best known as "the father of two-platoon football," an innovation in which separate units of players were used for offense and ...

, Michigan compiled a record of 8–2 (5–2

Big Ten Conference The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...

), outscored opponents 204 to 91, finished in second place in the Big Ten Conference, and was ranked #8 in the final

AP Poll The Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broad ...

. The team opened the season with a victory over an Iowa-Pre-Flight team that won all of its remaining games and ended the season ranked #6 in the final AP Poll. The Wolverines then shut out four opponents: Marquette (14-0); Northwestern (27-0);

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

(14-0); and

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

(14-0). The team's two losses came against

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

and an undefeated

Ohio State The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...

team that was ranked #2 in the final AP Poll. Michigan's left tackle

Milan Lazetich Milan "Sheriff" Lazetich (August 27, 1921 – July 9, 1969) was an American football player in the 1940s. He played college football for the University of Montana and University of Michigan. He was a first-team All-Big Ten tackle and second-te ...

was selected by both the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...

(AP) and

United Press United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20t ...

(UP) as a first-team player on the All-Big Ten Conference team and was also selected by multiple selectors as a second-team player on the

1944 College Football All-America Team The 1944 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1944. The nine selectors recognized by the ...

. Two other players on the 1944 Michigan team were selected as first-team All-Big Ten players: quarterback

Joe Ponsetto Joseph Ponsetto (March 29, 1926 – November 24, 2004) was an American football player who was the starting quarterback for the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams of 1944 and 1945. Playing under head coach Fritz Crisler, Ponset ...

(AP) and fullback

Bob Wiese Robert Lee Wiese (January 25, 1923 – November 19, 1971) was an American football player. He played college football for Fritz Crisler's University of Michigan Wolverines football teams in 1942, 1943, 1944 and 1946—missing the 1945 season du ...

(UP). Wiese also served as the team's captain, and fullback Don Lund received the team's Most Valuable Player award.

Schedule

Season summary

Pre-season

At the end of August 1944, Michigan opened its pre-season practice with 50 candidates in attendance. While Michigan's Big Ten co-championship team of 1943 had returned 24 veteran lettermen, only eight of the 50 candidates in 1944 were returning lettermen. The vast majority of the candidates (32 of 50) were part of the university's military training programs (including the

V-12 Navy College Training Program The V-12 Navy College Training Program was designed to supplement the force of commissioned officers in the United States Navy during World War II. Between July 1, 1943, and June 30, 1946, more than 125,000 participants were enrolled in 131 colleg ...

). On the line, Michigan lost All-American tackle

Merv Pregulman Mervin Pregulman (October 10, 1922 – November 30, 2012) was an All-American football player, businessman, and philanthropist. He played football as a tackle and center for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1941 to 1943 and was se ...

to military service as well as All-Big Ten center

Fred Negus Frederick Wilson Negus (November 7, 1923 – April 18, 2005) was an American football player. He played college football for Wisconsin and Michigan and professional football in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and the National Footbal ...

. The team returned only three veteran linemen: Art Renner, a starter at right end in 1943; tackle Clem Bauman, a non-starter in 1943; and center Harold Watts, a non-starter in 1943. Michigan's line coach

Biggie Munn Clarence Lester "Biggie" Munn (September 11, 1908 – March 18, 1975) was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He was the head football coach at Albright College (1935–1936), Syracuse University (1946), and mo ...

's other candidates for the line in 1944 included:

, a tackle from Montana; Quentin Sickels, a 17-year-old freshman guard from

Benton Harbor, Michigan Benton Harbor is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is 46 miles southwest of Kalamazoo and 71 miles southwest of Grand Rapids. According to the 2020 census, its population was 9,103. It is the smaller, by population, o ...

; George Burg, a guard from Illinois; Bruce Hilkene, an end from Indiana; George Lintol, a center from

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

; and Dick Rifenburg, a freshman end from

Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...

. In the backfield, Michigan lost starters

Elroy Hirsch Elroy Leon "Crazylegs" Hirsch (June 17, 1923 – January 28, 2004) was an American professional football player, sport executive and actor. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1 ...

, Bill Daley, and Paul White. The team returned five lettermen to the backfield, including fullback

, who started all nine games in 1943 and was chosen as captain of the 1944 team, fullback Don Lund, who started one game in 1943, and quarterback

, a non-starter in 1943. Michigan backfield coach

Earl Martineau Earl Thomas Martineau (August 30, 1896 – January 20, 1966) was an American college football player and coach. He played halfback at the University of Minnesota and was selected as an All-American in 1922 and 1923 and served as the captain of th ...

's other candidates for the back positions included: Gene Derricotte, a halfback from Ohio; and

Bob Nussbaumer Robert John Nussbaumer (April 23, 1924 – July 26, 1997) was an American football halfback and end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins, Green Bay Packers, and the Chicago Cardinals. He played college football at t ...

, a halfback from Illinois. After a problem-filled practice drill on September 13, 1944, three days before the opening game, head coach

noted that he did not harbor any illusions about his 1944 squad and added: "I'm hoping for the best, fearing the worst and expecting almost anything."

Week 1: Iowa Pre-Flight

On September 16, 1944, Michigan defeated Iowa-Pre-Flight by a 12 to 7 score. The Iowa Pre-Flight team won all of its remaining games and ended the season ranked #6 in the final

. Michigan scored two touchdowns, both coming on passes from Bill Culligan to freshman end, Dick Rifenburg, one gaining 48 yards and the other gaining 58 yards. The

described Rifenburg as a "gangling freshman end" who "twice outreached and outran desperate Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawk defenders.

missed both kicks for points after touchdown. Fullback

was Michigan's leading rusher in the game with 24 carries for 86 yards. The Wolverines compiled 151 rushing yards and 135 passing yards in the game, exceeding the Seahawks' totals of 99 rushing yards and 22 passing yards. In a "surprise maneuver" that foreshadowed head coach

's pioneering efforts at using certain players solely on defense or offense, Don Lund was substituted for Michigan's center when the team switched to defense; the ''Chicago Tribune'' praised Lund, who intercepted to passes, for his "defensive brilliance" in the game. Michigan's starting lineup against Iowa Pre-Flight was Bruce Hilkene (left end), Arthur Leroux (left tackle), Quentin Sickels (left guard), Harold Watts (center), George Burg (right guard), Clem Bauman (right tackle), Art Renner (right end), Ponsetto (quarterback), Gene Derricotte (left halfback),

(right halfback), and Wiese (fullback).

Week 2: at Marquette

On September 23, 1944, Michigan defeated Marquette by a 14 to 0 score at

Marquette Stadium Marquette Stadium was an outdoor athletic stadium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the home field of the Golden Avalanche of Marquette University, its intercollegiate football team. Located in the Merrill Park neighborhood west of the university, the ...

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...

. The game was the first meeting between Michigan and Marquette since 1909 and the first night game played in the history of the Michigan football program. Michigan scored two touchdowns, one on a six-yard run by halfback Gene Derricotte and the other on a pass from Bill Culligan to end Dick Rifenburg covering 30 yards.

kicked both points after touchdown for Michigan. The Wolverines fumbled eight times in the game and did not score in the first half, but they out-gained the Marquette Hilltoppers 230 rushing yards to 68. After making three touchdown passes in the first two games of the season, freshman Dick Rifenburg withdrew from the football team, having enlisted in the merchant marine. Michigan's starting lineup against Marquette was Art Renner (left end),

(left tackle), George Burg (left guard), John Lintol (center), Quentin Sickels (right guard), Clem Bauman (right tackle), Rifenburg (right end), Ponsetto (quarterback), Derricotte (left halfback),

(right halfback), and

(fullback).

Week 3: Indiana

On September 30, 1944, Michigan lost to

by a 20 to 0 score at

Michigan Stadium Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is the largest stadium in the United States and the Western Hemisphere, the third largest stadium in the world, and the ...

. The outcome was the first loss by Michigan to a conference opponent since the 1942 season and only the third victory by Indiana over Michigan since 1900. Indiana halfbacks

Robert Hoernschemeyer Robert James "Hunchy" Hoernschemeyer (September 25, 1925 – June 18, 1980) was an American football player. A native of Cincinnati, he played college football as a halfback for the Indiana Hoosiers football in 1943 and 1944 and as a quarterback ...

and

Abe Addams Abraham Buchanan Addams Jr. (July 12, 1926 – December 10, 2017) was an American football end who played for the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Indiana University, having previously attended Louisville Male High School Louisv ...

and quarterback

John Cannady John Hanley Cannady (September 5, 1923 – September 28, 2002) was an American football linebacker in the National Football League for the New York Giants. He played college football at Indiana University and was drafted in the third roun ...

led an attack that accounted for 197 rushing yards and 168 passing yards. Michigan's starting lineup against Indiana was Bruce Hilkene (left end),

(left tackle), George Burg (left guard), Harold Watts (center), Quentin Sickels (right guard), Clem Bauman (right tackle), Art Renner (right end),

(quarterback), Gene Derricotte (left halfback),

(right halfback), and

(fullback).

Week 4: at Minnesota

On October 7, 1944, Michigan defeated

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

by a 28 to 13 score at Memorial Stadium in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

. The outcome was the first victory by a Michigan team playing on the road against Minnesota since 1932. Michigan fullback

scored three touchdowns. Bill Culligan scored Michigan's first touchdown, and

kicked all four points after touchdown. In the first quarter, Michigan stopped two Minnesota drives inside the Michigan 10-yard line. Michigan gained all of its yards from scrimmage on the ground, attempting only one pass, and finishing the game with 265 net rushing yards. Minnesota gained 119 yards rushing and 81 passing yards. Michigan's starting lineup against Indiana was Bruce Hilkene (left end),

(left tackle), George Burg (left guard), John Lintol (center), Quentin Sickels (right guard), Clem Bauman (right tackle), Art Renner (right end), Ponsetto (quarterback), Gene Derricotte (left halfback),

(right halfback), and Wiese (fullback).

Week 5: Northwestern

On October 14, 1944, Michigan defeated Northwestern by a 27 to 0 score at

. Halfback

scored two touchdowns (26-yard run on a lateral from Gene Derricotte in the first quarter and a 25-yard end run in the third quarter), and Michigan's other touchdowns were scored by

(six-yard run) and Derricotte (15-yard run in the first quarter).

kicked three of four points after touchdown. Michigan out-gained Northwestern in rushing by 450 yards to 24. Michigan's starting lineup against Indiana was Bruce Hilkene (left end),

(left tackle), George Burg (left guard), Harold Watts (center), Quentin Sickels (right guard), Clem Bauman (right tackle), Art Renner (right end), Ponsetto (quarterback), Derricotte (left halfback), Nussbaumer (right halfback), and Wiese (fullback).

Week 6: Purdue

On October 28, 1944, Michigan defeated Purdue by a 40 to 14 score at

. Fullback

scored three touchdowns, halfback

scored two, and halfback Gene Derricotte scored one.

kicked four points after touchdown. Michigan out-gained Purdue on the ground by 354 rushing yards to 139. After the Purdue game, Michigan lost its two leading scorers, Bob Wiese and Bob Nussbaumer, both of whom were military trainees, to wartime transfer orders. Both missed the remainder of Michigan's football season. Wiese selected Don Lund and

to take over his responsibilities as team captain, though coach Crisler stated that Wiese would continue to be recognized as captain despite his absence. Lund was also tasked with filling in for Wiese at the fullback position, while Ralph Chubb was tasked with filling in for Nussbaumer. Michigan's starting lineup against Indiana was Bruce Hilkene (left end),

(left tackle), George Burg (left guard), John Lintol (center), Quentin Sickels (right guard), Clem Bauman (right tackle), Art Renner (right end), Ponsetto (quarterback), Derricotte (left halfback), Nussbaumer (right halfback), and Wiese (fullback).

Week 7: at Penn

On November 4, 1944, Michigan defeated Penn by 41 to 19 score at

Franklin Field Franklin Field is a sports stadium in Philadelphia, United States, at the eastern edge of the University of Pennsylvania's campus. It is the home stadium for the Penn Relays, and the University of Pennsylvania's stadium for American football, foo ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

. Michigan's seven touchdowns were scored by halfback Ralph Chubb (2), Gene Derricotte, Art Renner, Bruce Hilkene, and

Jack Weisenburger John Edward Weisenburger (August 2, 1926 – March 25, 2019) was an American football and baseball player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1944 to 1947 and was the starting fullback for the undefeated 1947 Michiga ...

kicked five points after touchdown. The Wolverines gained 376 rushing yards and 89 passing yards, while holding Penn to 161 rushing yards and 136 passing yards. Michigan's starting lineup against Indiana was Bruce Hilkene (left end),

(left tackle), George Burg (left guard), Harold Watts (center), Quentin Sickels (right guard), Clem Bauman (right tackle), Art Renner (right end), Ponsetto (quarterback), Gene Derricotte (left halfback), Ralph Chubb (right halfback), and Don Lund (fullback).

Week 8: Illinois

On November 11, 1944, Michigan defeated

by a 14 to 0 score at

. Michigan's touchdowns were scored by Don Lund (four-yard run in the first quarter) and

(two-yard run in the fourth quarter after Harold Watts recovered a fumbled punt at the Illinois 31-yard line), and

kicked both points after touchdown. Michigan held Illinois' back Claude "Buddy" Young, the NCAA sprint champion, to 81 yards. Illinois threatened in the first quarter but fumbled at Michigan's one-yard line. Michigan gained 231 yards to 159 for Illinois, with Michigan's yardage divided among multiple backs, including Gene Derricotte (67 yards), Lund (56 yards), Ralph Chubb (53 yards), and Weisenburger (37 yards). Neither team completed a pass. Michigan's starting lineup against Indiana was Bruce Hilkene (left end),

Week 9: Wisconsin

On November 18, 1944, Michigan defeated

by a 14 to 0 score at

. Michigan's touchdowns were scored by Bill Culligan (84-yard run on a lateral pass from

on the first play from scrimmage) and Don Lund (56-yard run on a "spinner play" in the fourth quarter), and points after touchdown were kicked by Ponsetto and Ralph Chubb. Despite the 14 to score, the ground game was close with Michigan gaining 188 rushing yards to 184 for Wisconsin. Michigan's starting lineup against Wisconsin was Bruce Hilkene (left end),

(left tackle), George Burg (left guard), Harold Watts (center), Quentin Sickels (right guard), Clem Bauman (right tackle), Art Renner (right end), Ponsetto (quarterback), Bill Culligan (left halfback), Chubb (right halfback), and Lund (fullback).

Week 10: Ohio State

On November 25, 1944, Michigan faced

at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Michigan came into the game ranked #6 in the AP Poll with undefeated Ohio State ranked #3, and with the

championship at stake. Ohio State won the game, and with it the conference championship, by an 18 to 14 score. Both of Michigan's touchdowns were scored by Bill Culligan, with both points after touchdown kicked by

. Ohio State quarterback and 1944 Heisman Trophy winner

Les Horvath Leslie Horvath (October 12, 1921 – November 14, 1995) was an American football quarterback and halfback who won the Heisman Trophy while playing for Ohio State University in 1944. Horvath was the first Ohio State player to win the Heisman, a ...

scored two touchdowns for the Buckeyes. Michigan led 14-12 in the fourth quarter, but a short 12-yard kickoff by Ralph Chubb gave the ball to the Buckeyes at their 48-yard line. Ohio State drove 52 yards with Horvath running for the winning touchdown with three minutes and 16 seconds remaining. Michigan's performance in the second half was handicapped by the loss of halfback Gene Derricotte to injury and by "a stomach disorder" that struck several Wolverines the night before the game. Michigan's starting lineup against Ohio State was Bruce Hilkene (left end), Clem Bauman (left tackle), George Burg (left guard), Harold Watts (center), Quentin Sickels (right guard),

(right tackle), Art Renner (right end), Ponsetto (quarterback), Gene Derricotte (left halfback), Ralph Chubb (right halfback), and Don Lund (fullback).

Scoring summary

Post-season

The final

was released by the

(AP) in early December 1944. The undefeated Army Cadets team was selected as the national champion with 1,165 points and having been selected as the #1 team on 95 of the 121 ballots cast. The undefeated

1944 Ohio State Buckeyes football team The 1944 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University in the 1944 Big Ten Conference football season. The Buckeyes compiled a 9–0 record. The Buckeyes also outscored opponents 287–79 during the season. The team was nam ...

, which narrowly defeated Michigan, was ranked #2 with 941 points. Iowa Pre-Flight, the team Michigan defeated in the season opener, was ranked #6 with 451 points, and Michigan was ranked #8 with 368 points. No player on the 1944 Michigan team received first-team honors on the

. However, Michigan tackle

received second-team honors from the AP, Football Writers Association of America (FWAA),

International News Service The International News Service (INS) was a U.S.-based news agency (newswire) founded by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1909.

(INS), and Central Press Association (CP). Lazetich was also selected by both the AP and

(UP) as a first-team tackle on the

1944 All-Big Nine Conference football team The 1944 All-Big Ten Conference football team consists of American football players selected to the All-Big Ten Conference teams selected by the Associated Press (AP) and United Press (UP) for the 1944 Big Ten Conference football season. All Big-Te ...

. Lazetich was selected with the 16th overall pick in the

1945 NFL draft The 1945 National Football League Draft was held on April 8, 1945, at the Commodore Hotel in New York City, New York. With the first overall pick of the draft, the Chicago Cardinals selected halfback Charley Trippi. Player selections Round o ...

and went on to pay six years in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...

. Two other players from the 1944 Michigan team were selected as first-team All-Big Ten players: quarterback

(AP) and fullback

(UP). Wiese was also the team's leading scorer with 42 points on seven touchdowns. Don Lund, who began the season as a defensive substitute and replaced Wiese at fullback in the final four games, was selected by his teammates as the team's Most Valuable Player. In the same post-season voting, members of the 1944 Michigan team selected Bruce Hilkene to serve as captain of the 1945 Michigan Wolverines football team.

Players

Varsity letter winners

The following 30 players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1944 Michigan football team. For players who were starters, the list also includes the number of games started by position. Players who started at least half of the team's games are designated in bold. *James J. Aliber, quarterback,

, Michigan * Clement "Clem" L. Bauman, tackle,

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater D ...

- started 10 games at right tackle *Warren W. Bentz, halfback,

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

*Gerald E. Brielmaier, tackle, Detroit, Michigan * George Burg, guard,

Winnetka, Illinois Winnetka () is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, located north of downtown Chicago. The population was 12,316 as of 2019. The village is one of the wealthiest places in the nation in terms of household income. It was the second- ...

- started 10 games at left guard *George Chiaverini, guard, Detroit, Michigan *Ralph L. Chubb, fullback, Ann Arbor, Michigan - started 3 games at right halfback *William L. Culligan, halfback, Detroit, Michigan - started 1 game at left halfback * Gene Derricotte, halfback,

Defiance, Ohio Defiance is a city in and the county seat of Defiance County, Ohio, United States, about southwest of Toledo, Ohio, Toledo and northeast of Fort Wayne, Indiana, in Ohio's northwestern corner. The population was 16,494 at the 2010 United State ...

- started 9 games at left halfback *Cecil Freihofer, end,

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...

*Edward Greer, end,

Wayzata, Minnesota Wayzata ( ) is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. A western suburb of the Twin Cities, Wayzata is situated along the northern shore of Lake Minnetonka about west of Minneapolis. Known for its small-town character and lakeside l ...

* Bruce Hilkene, end, Indianapolis, Indiana - started 9 games at left end *

, tackle, Anaconda, Montana - started 8 games at left tackle *Arthur N. LeRoux, tackle,

Muskegon Heights, Michigan Muskegon Heights is a city in Muskegon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,856 at the 2010 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. The city is surrounded o ...

- started 2 games at left tackle *John Lintol, center, Detroit, Michigan - started 5 games at center * Don Lund, fullback, Detroit, Michigan - started 3 games at fullback *Howard Mehaffey, guard, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania *

, running back,

Oak Park, Illinois Oak Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, adjacent to Chicago. It is the 29th-most populous municipality in Illinois with a population of 54,583 as of the 2020 U.S. Census estimate. Oak Park was first settled in 1835 and later incorporated ...

- started 7 games at right halfback *Thomas R. Peterson, fullback, Racine, Wisconsin *

, quarterback, Flint, Michigan - started 10 games at quarterback * Art Renner, end, Sturgis, Michigan - started 9 games at right end, 1 game at left end * Dick Rifenburg, end,

- started 1 game at right end * Quentin Sickels, guard,

- started 10 games at right guard *Thomas Swift, guard, Kansas City, Missouri *Charles Wahl, center,

* Harold Watts, center,

Birmingham, Michigan Birmingham is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a northern suburb of Detroit located along the Woodward Corridor ( M-1). As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,103. History The area comprising what is now the ...

- started 5 games at center *

, halfback, Muskegon Heights, Michigan - halfback *John Weyers, guard,

Page, North Dakota Page is a city in Cass County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 190 at the 2020 census. Page was founded in 1882. Geography Page is located at (47.157963, -97.570149). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has ...

, fullback,

Jamestown, North Dakota Jamestown is a city in Stutsman County, North Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Stutsman County. The population was 15,849 at the 2020 census, making it the ninth largest city in North Dakota. Jamestown was founded in 1883 and is ...

- started 7 games at fullback *

Howard Yerges Howard Frederick Yerges Jr. (April 5, 1925 – December 24, 2000) was an American college football player who played quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team in 1943 and the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1944 ...

, quarterback,

Point Pleasant, West Virginia Point Pleasant is a city in and the county seat of Mason County, West Virginia, United States, at the confluence of the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers. The population was 4,101 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Point Pleasant, ...

Non-varsity letter winners

The following 36 players appeared on the roster of the 1944 Michigan football team but did not receive varsity letters. *George Abbott, end, Lansing, Michigan *Dave Adams, quarterback, Shawano, Michigan *James M. Artley, quarterback,

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later t ...

*George Babe, guard,

Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania Sharon Hill is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,697 at the 2010 census. Currently the population stands at 6,356 residents. Government The government of Sharon Hill operates under the Pennsylvania ...

*John Babyak, halfback,

Campbell, Ohio Campbell (; ) is a city in eastern Mahoning County, Ohio, United States, along the Mahoning River. The population was 7,852 at the 2020 census. Located directly southeast of Youngstown, it is a suburb of the Youngstown–Warren metropolitan are ...

*Richard DeMark, halback, Detroit, Michigan *Donald Drake, center,

Ypsilanti, Michigan Ypsilanti (), commonly shortened to Ypsi, is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 20,648. The city is bounded to the north by Superior Township and on the west, south, an ...

*Maurice Dunne, tackle,

*Roger Ely, halfback,

Montpelier, Ohio Montpelier is a village in Williams County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,072 at the 2010 census. History Montpelier was platted in 1845. The village was named after Montpelier, Vermont. A post office has been in operation at Montp ...

*Don Farrand, end,

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

*Donald Fate, tackle,

Bellaire, Michigan Bellaire is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Antrim County. The population was 1,053 in 2020 census. The village is split between Forest Home and Kearney townships. The historic Antrim County Courthouse is ...

* Henry Fonde, halfback,

Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state' ...

*Jack Hackstadt, end, Saginaw, Michigan *Claude Hessee, end, Bellward, Illinois *Frank Honigsbaum, end,

Troy, New York Troy is a city in the U.S. state of New York and the county seat of Rensselaer County. The city is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany ...

*George Hutter, quarterback, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin *Shelden M. Kavieff, end, Detroit, Michigan *Max Kelly, end,

Loda, Illinois Loda is a village in Loda Township, Iroquois County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census its population was 407. History A post office called Loda has been in operation since 1880. The village derives its name from "Cath-Loda", a poe ...

*William Kerr, guard,

Melbourne, Florida Melbourne is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It is located southeast of Orlando. As of th2020 Decennial Census there was a population of 84,678. The municipality is the second-largest in the county by both size and population. ...

*John Lunenschloss, tackle,

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...

*Robert Mann, guard, New Bern, North Carolina *Henry L. Mantho, guard, Alliance, Ohio *Fred Matthei, end, Ann Arbor, Michigan *Henry Milczuk, tackle, Hamtramck, Michigan *Frank Nakamura, guard, Ann Arbor, Michigan *Joseph A. Oeming, guard, Saginaw, Michigan *Robert Oren, tackle,

Evart, Michigan Evart ( ) is a city in Osceola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,903 at the 2010 census. The city lies on the northern edge of Evart Township and is partially within neighboring Osceola Township, although the city is ad ...

*Joseph Pullo, tackle, Cleveland, Ohio *Charles Sampson, end,

Wausau, Wisconsin Wausau ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. The Wisconsin River divides the city into east and west. The city's suburbs include Schofield, Weston, Mosinee, Maine, Rib Mountain, Kronenwetter, an ...

*Marvin Shebel, guard,

Marshall, Michigan Marshall is a U.S. city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Calhoun County. The population was 7,088 at the 2010 census. Marshall is best known for its cross-section of 19th- and early 20th-century architecture. It has been referred to by t ...

*Richard Smith, guard,

LaGrange, Illinois ''(the barn)'' , nickname = , motto = ''Tradition & Pride – Moving Forward'' , anthem = ''My La Grange'' by Jimmy Dunne , image_map = File:Cook County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas La Grange Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 26 ...

*Edward Sohacki, guard, Detroit, Michigan *Don Spink, defensive back,

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*William Wenzlau, halfback,

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...

*D.E. Williamson, tackle,

Utica, New York Utica () is a city in the Mohawk Valley and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The tenth-most-populous city in New York State, its population was 65,283 in the 2020 U.S. Census. Located on the Mohawk River at the ...

*Thomas Wright, tackle,

Fairfield, Ohio Fairfield is a suburban city located in both Butler and Hamilton counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. Fairfield is located approximately 25 miles north of Cincinnati and is situated on the east bank of the Great Miami River. The population ...

Awards and honors

*Captain:

*All-Conference:

, Joseph Ponsetto *Most Valuable Player: Don Lund

NFL and AAFC drafts

The following 12 players from the 1944 Michigan football team were drafted to play in either the

(NFL) or the All-America Football Conference (AAFC): * Ralph Chubb: Chubb was selected by the Los Angeles Rams with the 143rd pick in the 1947 NFL draft. * Gene Derricotte: Derricotte was selected by the

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...

with the eight pick of the AAFC's secret draft held in July 1948, but he was injured during training camp with the Browns at the end of July 1949 while standing along the sidelines playing catch with a teammate. * Bruce Hilkene: Hilkene was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 283rd pick in the

1948 NFL draft The 1948 National Football League Draft was held on December 19, 1947, at the Fort Pitt Hotel in Pittsburgh. This was the second year that the first overall pick was a bonus pick determined by lottery, with the previous year's winner Chicago Be ...

. *

: Lazetich was selected by the Cleveland Rams with the 16th pick in the

and played six seasons in the

(NFL) from 1945 to 1950. * Don Lund: Lund was selected by the Chicago Bears with the seventh pick in the 1945 NFL Draft, but he opted instead to play in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers,

St. Louis Browns The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they p ...

and Detroit Tigers between 1945 and 1954. *

: Nussbaumer was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the 21st pick in the

1946 NFL draft The 1946 National Football League Draft was held on January 14, 1946, at the Commodore Hotel in New York City, New York. The selections were initially withheld from the public out of fear that the newly formed All-America Football Conference wou ...

and played in the NFL from 1946 to 1951. *

: Ponsetto was selected by the New York Giants with the 194th pick in the 1947 NFL Draft. * Art Renner: Renner was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the 56th pick in the 1946 NFL Draft. * Dick Rifenburg: Rifenburg was selected by the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...

with the 24th pick in the

1949 AAFC Draft The 1949 AAFC Draft was the third and last collegiate draft of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). The teams traded draft choices for the first time in league history. New York sent their first round pick to Chicago, which selected Pete E ...

, and by

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...

with the 132nd pick in the

. He played for the Detroit Lions in 1950. * Quentin Sickels: Sickels was selected by the Detroit Lions with the 147th pick in the

. *

: Weisenburger was selected by the

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...

with the 38th pick in the

. He was also selected by the New York Yankees with the 64th pick in the 1948 AAFC Draft. *

: Wiese was selected by the

San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...

with the 14th pick in the 1947 AAFC Draft, and by the Detroit Lions with the 39th pick in the 1945 NFL Draft. He played for the Lions in 1947 and 1948.

Coaching staff

*Head coach:

*Assistant coaches :: ''Backfield coach'':

:: ''Line coach'':

:: ''Ends coach'':

Bennie Oosterbaan Benjamin Oosterbaan ( ; February 24, 1906 – October 25, 1990) was a three-time first team College Football All-America Team, All-American American football, football End (gridiron football), end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-tim ...

:: ''Reserves coach'':

Arthur Valpey Arthur Ludgate Valpey Jr. (August 5, 1915 – March 12, 2007) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Harvard University from 1948 to 1949 and at the University of Connecticut from 1950 to 1951, compilin ...

:: ''Other assistant coaches'': William C. Barclay (former Michigan back, 1936-1938), Ray Fisher (head baseball coach and asst. football coach), and

Wally Weber Walter J. Weber (February 27, 1903 – April 14, 1984) was an American football player and coach at the University of Michigan. He played Halfback (American football), halfback and Fullback (American football), fullback for the Michigan Wolverines ...

(head wrestling coach and asst. football coach) *Trainer: Ray Roberts *Managers: William Hart and Rawland Sylvester

References

External links

1944 Football Team -- Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan Athletics History
{{Michigan Wolverines football navbox

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

Michigan Wolverines football seasons Michigan Wolverines football