The 1952 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 1952 Big Ten Conference football season. In its fifth year under head coach

Bennie Oosterbaan Benjamin Oosterbaan ( ; February 24, 1906 – October 25, 1990) was a three-time first team All-American football end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-time All-American basketball player for the basketball team, and an All-Big Ten C ...

, Michigan compiled a 5–4 record (4–2 against conference opponents), tied for fourth place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a combined total of 207 to 134. Defensive end Merritt Green was the team captain, and quarterback

Tony Branoff Anthonios "Tony" Branoff (January 1, 1934 – December 20, 2012) was an American football player. He played at the halfback position for the University of Michigan from 1952 to 1955. He was chosen as the Most Valuable Player on the 1953 Michi ...

received the team's most valuable player award.

Lowell Perry Lowell Wesley Perry (December 5, 1931 – January 7, 2001) was an American football player and coach, government official, businessman, and broadcaster. He was the first African-American assistant coach in the National Football League (NFL), the ...

was selected by the

Newspaper Enterprise Association The Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) is an editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States and established in 1902. The oldest syndicate still in operation, the NEA was originally a secondary news ...

(NEA) as a first-team defensive back on the 1952 College Football All-America Team. Five Michigan players received All-Big Ten honors: linebacker

Roger Zatkoff Roger Zatkoff (March 25, 1931 – November 4, 2021) was an American professional football player and businessman. A native of Hamtramck, Michigan, Zatkoff played college football for the Michigan Wolverines from 1950 to 1952 and was selected ...

(AP-1, UP-1); guard Bob Timm (AP-1); center Dick O'Shaugnessy (UP-1); left halfback

Ted Kress Edward S. "Ted" Kress (March 26, 1931 – February 15, 2003) was an American football player and businessman. He was the starting left halfback for the University of Michigan in 1952 and 1953 and set a Big Ten Conference single-game rushing ...

(UP-1); and defensive tackle Art Walker (AP-1). The team's statistical leaders included Ted Kress with 559 passing yards and 623 rushing yards and

with 492 receiving yards.

Schedule

Game summaries

Northwestern

20 Rush, 218 Yds

Statistical leaders

Michigan's individual statistical leaders for the 1952 season include those listed below.

Rushing

Passing

Receiving

Kickoff returns

Punt returns

Personnel

Letter winners

The following players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1953 team. Players who started at least four games are shown with their names in bold. *

Fred Baer Frederick N. Baer (July 2, 1932 – March 21, 2007) was an American football player. He played at the fullback position for the University of Michigan from 1952 to 1954. He was chosen as the Most Valuable Player on the 1954 Michigan Wolverines ...

, 5'11", 180 pounds, sophomore, La Grange, IL – started 3 games at fullback *James Balog, 6'3", 210 pounds, junior, Wheaton, IL – started 8 games as defensive right tackle *Richard Balzhiser 6'1", 185 pounds, junior, Wheaton, IL – started 5 games at fullback * James V. Bates, 6'0", 195 pounds, sophomore, Farmington, MI - end *Richard Beison, 6'0", 200 pounds, junior, East Chicago, IN – started 8 games at offensive right guard *Donald Bennett, 6'2", 195 pounds, junior, Chicago, IL – started 4 games as offensive left tackle * William E. Billings, 5'11", 180 pounds, senior, Flint, MI - quarterback *

, 5'1", 180 pounds, freshman, Flint, MI – started 6 games as right halfback * Ted Cachey, 5'11", 185 pounds, junior, Chicago, IL - guard * J. Daniel Cline, 5'10", 168 pounds, sophomore, Brockport, NY - halfback * Robert Dingman, 6'0", 180 pounds, senior, Saginaw, MI - end * Donald Dugger, 5'10", 178 pounds, junior, Charlesto, WV - guard *George Dutter, 6'2", 190 pounds, junior, Fort Wayne, IN – started 9 games as defensive right guard * H. Ronald Geyer, 6'2", 215 pounds, sophomore, Toledo, OH - tackle * Merritt Green, 6'0", 180 pounds, senior, Toledo, OH – started 9 games as defensive left end *Frank Howell, 5'8", 165 pounds, senior, Muskegon Heights, MI – started 3 games as right halfback, 1 game as safety * Robert Hurley, 5'10", 185 pounds, junior, Alaamosa, CO - fullback * Stanley Knickerbocker, 5'10", 165 pounds, sophomore, Chelsea, MI - halfback * Gene Knutson, 6'4", 210 pounds, junior, Beloit, WI – started 9 games as defensive right end *

, 5'11", 175 pounds, junior, Detroit – started 9 games as left halfback *Laurence LeClair, 6'0", 190 pounds, senior, Anaconda, MT – started 9 games as linebacker * Robert K. Matheson, 5'10", 190 pounds, senior, Detroit - guard * Duncan McDonald, 6'0", 175 pounds, sophomore, Flint, MI - quarterback * Wayne F. Melchiori, 6'0", 185 pounds, senior, Stambaugh, MI - center *Don Oldham, 5'9", 167 pounds, senior, Indianapolis – started 4 games as defensive back, 2 games as safety * Dick O'Shaughnessy, 5'11", 190 pounds, junior, Seaford, NY – started 9 games at center *Bernhardt Pederson, 6'2", 215 pounds, senior, Marquette, MI -started 6 games at offensive right tackle *

, 6'0", 180 pounds, senior, Ypsilanti, MI – started 9 games as offensive left end, 4 games as safety *Russell Rescorla, 5'11", 180 pounds, senior, Grand Haven, MI – started 3 games as defensive back *Thad Stanford, 6'0", 190 pounds, junior, Midland, MI – started 9 games at offensive right end * Ralph Stribe, 6'1", 205 pounds, senior, Detroit - tackle *Dick Strozewski, 6'0", 200 pounds, senior, South Bend, IN – started 5 games as offensive left tackle *Bob Timm, 5'11", 185 pounds, senior, Toledo, OH – started 8 games as offensive left guard *David Tinkham, 5'10", 178 pounds, senior, East Grand Rapids, MI – started 9 games as defensive back *

Ted Topor Teddy Peter Topor (May 1, 1930 June 5, 2017) was an American football player who played quarterback and linebacker. He played college football for the University of Michigan and professional football for the Detroit Lions. Early years Topor was ...

, 6'1", 212 pounds, senior, East Chicago, IN – started 9 games as quarterback * Bob Topp, 6'2", 190 pounds, junior, Kalamazoo, MI - end * Art Walker, 5'11", 198 pounds, sophomore, South Haven, MI – started 9 games as defensive left tackle *Ronald Williams, 5'9", 185 pounds, junior, Massillon, OH – started 7 games as defensive left guard * Thomas Witherspoon, 5'11", 185 pounds, senior, Detroit - halfback *

, 6'2", 210 pounds, senior, Hamtramck, MI – started 9 games as linebacker, 1 game as offensive right tackle

Coaching staff

*Head coach:

*Assistant coaches: :*

Jack Blott Jack Leonard Blott (August 24, 1902 – June 11, 1964) was an All-American football center and place kicker for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1922–1923. He was also a baseball catcher for the Wolverines from 1922–1924. After ...

- line coach :*

George Ceithaml George Frank Ceithaml ( ; February 10, 1921 – May 24, 2012) was an American football quarterback and coach. He was the starting quarterback for Fritz Crisler's University of Michigan football teams in 1941 and 1942. Crisler later called C ...

- backfield coach :*

Cliff Keen Clifford Patrick Keen (June 13, 1901 – November 4, 1991) was an American coach who served as the head coach of the University of Michigan collegiate wrestling team from 1925 to 1970. He led the Michigan Wolverines to 13 Big Ten Conference cha ...

- head wrestling coach and assistant football coach :*

Bill Orwig James Wilfred "Bill" Orwig (January 1, 1907 – July 30, 1994) was an American football and basketball player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football and college basketball at the University of Michigan. He later s ...

- end coach :* Don Robinson - junior varsity coach :*

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 ...

- freshman coach and scout :* J. T. White - assistant line coach *Trainer:

Jim Hunt James Baxter Hunt Jr. (born May 16, 1937) is an American politician and retired attorney who was the List of governors of North Carolina, 69th and 71st Governor of North Carolina (1977–1985, and 1993–2001). He is the longest-serving governo ...

*Manager: Gerry Dudley

Awards and honors

Honors and awards for the 1952 season went to the following individuals. * Captain: Merritt Green * All-Americans:

* All-Conference:

, Art Walker, Bob Timm, Dick O'Shaughnessy,

* Most Valuable Player:

* Meyer Morton Award: Gene Knutson

References

{{Michigan Wolverines football navbox

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

Michigan Wolverines football seasons

Michigan Wolverines football The Michigan Wolverines football team represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins in college football history. The team is known for its ...