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The 1969 Michigan Wolverines football team was an
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
team that 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 1969 Big Ten Conference football season. In their first year under head coach Bo Schembechler, the Wolverines compiled an 8–3 record (6–1 Big Ten), played in the 1970 Rose Bowl, and finished the season ranked No. 9 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 ...
and No. 8 in the final UPI poll. The 1969 Michigan vs. Ohio State football game was considered one of the biggest upsets in college football history, as
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 ...
came into the game with a 22-game winning streak and the No. 1 ranking in the polls. Michigan intercepted six Ohio State passes and defeated the Buckeyes, 24–12, in front of a crowd of 103,588 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 ...
to win the
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 ...
's berth in the 1970 Rose Bowl. The game was also the first in a series that came to be known as "
The Ten Year War The Ten Year War was a series of college football games, played from 1969 to 1978, in the Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry that pitted coach Woody Hayes of the Ohio State Buckeyes against coach Bo Schembechler of the Michigan Wolverines. ...
". Bo Schembechler suffered a heart attack the night before the 1970 Rose Bowl game against an undefeated (but once tied) USC team. The Wolverines lost the Rose Bowl in a defensive struggle by a score of 10–3. Team captain and tight end
Jim Mandich James Michael Mandich (July 30, 1948 – April 26, 2011), also known as "Mad Dog", was an American football player. Mandich played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969 and was recognized as a consensus first-team t ...
was selected as the team's most valuable player and as a first-team All-American. Defensive back Tom Curtis was also selected as a first-team All-American. Six members of the team received first-team honors on the
1969 All-Big Ten Conference football team The 1969 All-Big Ten Conference football team consists of American football players chosen by various organizations for All-Big Ten Conference teams for the 1969 Big Ten Conference football season. Offensive selections Quarterbacks * Mike Phipps, ...
: Mandich at tight end; Curtis at defensive back;
Dan Dierdorf Daniel Lee Dierdorf (born June 29, 1949) is an American sportscaster and former football offensive tackle. A native of Canton, Ohio, Dierdorf played college football for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970 and was selected as a conse ...
at tackle;
Guy Murdock Guy Boyd Murdock (born June 27, 1950) is a former American football player. He played at the center position for the Houston Oilers during the 1972 NFL season and was named to the NFL All-Rookie team. He also played for the Chicago Fire and Ch ...
at center;
Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the a ...
at running back; and
Marty Huff Ralph Martin Huff (December 19, 1948 – June 29, 2023) was an American football linebacker. He played for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970. As a senior, he was selected as a first-team All-American by the American Football Coac ...
at linebacker. Thirteen members of the 1969 team went on to play professional football, and four players (Mandich, Curtis, Dierdorf and offensive guard Reggie McKenzie) were inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.


Schedule


Season summary


Preseason

The 1968 Michigan team compiled an 8–2 record (6–1 Big Ten), finished second in the Big Ten, and was ranked No. 12 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 season ended with a humiliating 50–14 loss to Ohio State on November 23, 1968. On December 25, the ''Detroit Free Press'' reported that Michigan was searching for a new head coach and that
Bump Elliott Chalmers William "Bump" Elliott (January 30, 1925 – December 7, 2019) was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played halfback at Purdue University (1943–1944) and the University of Michigan (1946–19 ...
's resignation was imminent. The following day, Michigan athletic director
Don Canham Donald Burrell Canham (April 27, 1918 – May 3, 2005) was a track and field athlete and coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the athletic director at the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1988. There, he became nationally r ...
hired Bo Schembechler, the 39-year-old head coach at Miami of Ohio, to take over as the Wolverines' head coach. Schembechler had played football at Miami under
Woody Hayes Wayne Woodrow Hayes (February 14, 1913 – March 12, 1987) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University (1946–1948), Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (1949–1950), and Ohio State University (1951 ...
and compiled a 40-16-3 record in six seasons as Miami's head coach. Schembechler brought the core of his coaching staff with him from Miami, including
Jim Young James Norman Young (born June 6, 1943) is a former professional American football and Canadian football player. Young played running back and wide receiver for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings for two seasons (1965–66), and the CFL's BC Lions f ...
,
Gary Moeller Gary Oscar Moeller (; January 26, 1941 – July 11, 2022) was an American football coach best known for being head coach at the University of Michigan from 1990 to 1994. During his five seasons at Michigan, he won 44 games, lost 13 and tied 3 f ...
, Larry Smith, Jerry Hanlon,
Chuck Stobart Charles R. Stobart (October 27, 1932 – November 29, 2022) was an American college football player and coach. He played as a quarterback at Ohio University in the 1950s. He was a football coach at various schools for 42 years from 1959 to 20 ...
, and Dick Hunter. Schembechler also retained three assistants from Bump Elliott's coaching staff:
George Mans George W. Mans Jr. (January 31, 1940 – December 20, 2017) was an American college football player and coach and politician. He was the captain of the 1961 Michigan Wolverines football team, an assistant football coach at the University of Michig ...
,
Frank Maloney Kellie Maloney (born Francis Maloney, 23 January 1953) is an English boxing manager and promoter, and television personality. She managed Lennox Lewis between 1989 and 2001, who earned the title of undisputed heavyweight championship of the wo ...
, and Bob Shaw. One of the principal challenges facing the new coaching staff was finding a replacement for 1968 All-American running back
Ron Johnson Ronald Harold Johnson (born April 8, 1955) is an American accountant, businessman, and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Wisconsin, a seat he has held since 2011. A Republican, Johnson was first elected to the U.S. S ...
. The leading candidates were Glenn Doughty and
Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the a ...
, two sophomores with zero minutes of game experience at the college level. Another change in 1969 was the removal of
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 ...
's natural grass and the installation of 3M's " Tartan Turf" playing surface, purchased at a cost of a quarter of a million dollars. Veterans from the 1968 team who returned in 1969 included end
Jim Mandich James Michael Mandich (July 30, 1948 – April 26, 2011), also known as "Mad Dog", was an American football player. Mandich played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969 and was recognized as a consensus first-team t ...
, defensive back Tom Curtis, offensive tackle
Dan Dierdorf Daniel Lee Dierdorf (born June 29, 1949) is an American sportscaster and former football offensive tackle. A native of Canton, Ohio, Dierdorf played college football for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970 and was selected as a conse ...
, middle guard
Henry Hill Henry Hill Jr. (June 11, 1943 – June 12, 2012) was an American mobster who was associated with the Lucchese crime family of New York City from 1955 until 1980, when he was arrested on narcotics charges and became an FBI informant. Hill testi ...
, and fullback
Garvie Craw Garvie Craw (January 25, 1948 – July 27, 2007) was an American football player. Craw played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969. In October 1969, he scored four touchdowns in a 57-0 victory over Illinois. In M ...
. On September 4, 1969, coach Schembechler announced that Jim Mandich had been elected team captain. Mandich called it "the greatest honor of my life."


Vanderbilt

On September 20, 1969, Michigan played its first game under new head coach Bo Schembechler. The Wolverines defeated Vanderbilt, 42–14, 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 ...
.
Garvie Craw Garvie Craw (January 25, 1948 – July 27, 2007) was an American football player. Craw played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969. In October 1969, he scored four touchdowns in a 57-0 victory over Illinois. In M ...
capped a 71-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and Glenn Doughty ran 80 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. Michigan led, 14-0, at halftime. In the fourth quarter,
Mike Keller Michael F. Keller (born December 13, 1949) is a former American football linebacker and football executive in the National Football League. He played professional football for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of M ...
blocked a Vanderbilt punt, and
Marty Huff Ralph Martin Huff (December 19, 1948 – June 29, 2023) was an American football linebacker. He played for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970. As a senior, he was selected as a first-team All-American by the American Football Coac ...
returned the ball 31 yards for a touchdown. On the next Vanderbilt drive, Tom Curtis intercepted a pass and returned it 45 yards to set up quarterback
Don Moorhead Don Moorhead (born October 11, 1948) is a former Canadian Football League quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the BC Lions from 1971 to 1975 and for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 1969 and 1970. He set 24 football record ...
's second rushing touchdown. Michigan led, 14-7, at the end of the third quarter, then scored 28 points in the fourth. On defense, Michigan held Vanderbilt to 55 rushing yards. Michigan rushed for 367 yards (209 in the first half) and passed for only 42. Doughty led the way with 138 rushing yards on 15 carries, and Moorhead added 103 yards on 11 carries.
Jim Mandich James Michael Mandich (July 30, 1948 – April 26, 2011), also known as "Mad Dog", was an American football player. Mandich played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969 and was recognized as a consensus first-team t ...
caught two passes to move into second place on Michigan's all-time receptions list with 71. In his first post-game press conference, Schembechler noted: "We're not a fancy ball club. Secondly, when you can punch the football down their throats, that's what you should do." Quarterback
Don Moorhead Don Moorhead (born October 11, 1948) is a former Canadian Football League quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the BC Lions from 1971 to 1975 and for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 1969 and 1970. He set 24 football record ...
added: "That's Bo's offense -- just basic stuff. We stick it to 'em. It's what he calls grinding meat." After the game, a crowd of 12,000 participated in a post-game, anti-war rally on
The Diag The Diag ( ) is a large open space in the middle of the University of Michigan's Central Campus. Originally known as the Diagonal Green, the Diag derives its name from the many sidewalks running near or through it in diagonal directions. Many o ...
.
David Dellinger David T. Dellinger (August 22, 1915 – May 25, 2004) was an American pacifist and an activist for nonviolent social change. He achieved peak prominence as one of the Chicago Seven, who were put on trial in 1969. Early life and schooling Delli ...
, one of the
Chicago Eight The Chicago Seven, originally the Chicago Eight and also known as the Conspiracy Eight or Conspiracy Seven, were seven defendants—Rennie Davis, David Dellinger, John Froines, Tom Hayden, Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, and Lee Weiner—charged b ...
, was the main speaker at the rally.


Washington

On September 27, 1969, Michigan defeated
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, 45–7, before a Michigan Stadium crowd of 49,684—the lowest attendance for a Michigan home game since 1963. In the first quarter,
Jim Mandich James Michael Mandich (July 30, 1948 – April 26, 2011), also known as "Mad Dog", was an American football player. Mandich played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969 and was recognized as a consensus first-team t ...
scored on a six-yard pass from
Don Moorhead Don Moorhead (born October 11, 1948) is a former Canadian Football League quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the BC Lions from 1971 to 1975 and for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 1969 and 1970. He set 24 football record ...
, but the kick for extra point failed. Moorhead scored on a five-yard run off a broken play in the second quarter, and Moorhead's run for two-point conversion failed. Michigan led, 12-0, at halftime. Moorhead ran for two additional touchdowns in the third quarter, and runs for two-point conversions failed each time. Michigan added three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including a 59-yard pass from Jim Betts to Bill Harris. Michigan totaled 581 yards of
total offense Total offense (or total offence) is a gridiron football statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a team or player. Total offense differs from yards from scrimmage, which gives credit for passing yardage to the ...
(362 rushing, 219 passing), breaking a Michigan single-game record of 531 yards set in 1943. Glenn Doughty and Moorhead led the team on offense. Doughty rushed for 191 yards on 29 carries. Moorhead rushed for 128 yards and completed 14 of 19 passes for 160 yards. After the game, Schembechler explained his increased reliance on the passing game: "Washington is a very tough inside team. We felt we had to go wide and throw the football." On defense, Tom Curtis and Barry Pierson intercepted two passes each.


Missouri

On October 4, 1969, Michigan, ranked No. 11 in the Coaches Poll, lost to
Dan Devine Daniel John Devine (December 23, 1924 – May 9, 2002) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Arizona State University from 1955 to 1957, the University of Missouri from 1958 to 1970, and the Universi ...
's No. 9
Missouri Tigers The Missouri Tigers intercollegiate athletics programs represent the University of Missouri, located in Columbia. The name comes from a band of armed Union Home Guards called the Fighting Tigers of Columbia who, in 1864, protected Columbia fro ...
by a 40–17 score before a crowd of 64,476 at Michigan Stadium. On offense, Michigan was limited to 82 rushing yards and 99 passing yards. Starting running back Glenn Doughty had 72 rushing yards on 22 carries but suffered an ankle injury. Quarterback
Don Moorhead Don Moorhead (born October 11, 1948) is a former Canadian Football League quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the BC Lions from 1971 to 1975 and for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 1969 and 1970. He set 24 football record ...
totaled minus 22 rushing yards. The Wolverines were also stymied by mistakes, as they turned the ball over five times on four fumbles and an interception. They also had a punt blocked, gave up seven quarterback sacks, and were penalized 11 times for 78 yards. After the game, coach Schembechler said: "You can't turn the ball over time and again, time and again, and win football games. That was the worst performance by one of my teams in years -- and I haven't had a punt blocked in six years. . . . I didn't know what one looked like."


Purdue

On October 11, 1969, Michigan, unranked after its loss to Missouri, upset previously unbeaten No. 9 Purdue, 31–20, before a crowd of 80,411 at Michigan Stadium. Michigan had previously lost five games in a row against the Boilermakers dating back to 1962. On offense, Michigan struggled on the ground, gaining a season low 123 net rushing yards (50 by
Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the a ...
, 41 by Glenn Doughty). Doughty re-injured his right ankle in the third quarter, opening the door for Billy Taylor to take over as Michigan's No 1 running back in the second half of the season. Quarterback
Don Moorhead Don Moorhead (born October 11, 1948) is a former Canadian Football League quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the BC Lions from 1971 to 1975 and for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 1969 and 1970. He set 24 football record ...
picked up the slack, completing 15 of 25 passes for 247 yards. Tight end
Jim Mandich James Michael Mandich (July 30, 1948 – April 26, 2011), also known as "Mad Dog", was an American football player. Mandich played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969 and was recognized as a consensus first-team t ...
caught 10 of Moorhead's passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. Purdue outgained Michigan by a total of 416 yards to 370. Purdue quarterback
Mike Phipps Michael Elston Phipps (born January 19, 1947) is a former American college and professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. Phipps played college footbal ...
came into the game as the national leader in total offense and a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy. He rushed for a touchdown and completed 22 of 44 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns. Purdue fullback John Bullock also stood out with 84 rushing yards and 81 receiving yards. However, Michigan's defense intercepted four of Phipps' passes (three by
Marty Huff Ralph Martin Huff (December 19, 1948 – June 29, 2023) was an American football linebacker. He played for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970. As a senior, he was selected as a first-team All-American by the American Football Coac ...
, one by Tom Curtis) and recovered three Purdue fumbles (one of the fumbles by Phipps). The game also featured Bo Schembechler's first major run-in with Big Ten Conference officials. When Michigan's middle guard
Henry Hill Henry Hill Jr. (June 11, 1943 – June 12, 2012) was an American mobster who was associated with the Lucchese crime family of New York City from 1955 until 1980, when he was arrested on narcotics charges and became an FBI informant. Hill testi ...
assisted an injured teammate ( Cecil Pryor) off the field, an official thought Hill was being illegally substituted into the game and threw a flag. Schembechler rushed onto the field to confront the official and was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct. The dual penalties gave Purdue the ball at Michigan's one-yard line, setting up the first Purdue touchdown.


Michigan State

On October 18, 1969, Michigan lost to
Duffy Daugherty Hugh Duffy Daugherty (September 8, 1915 – September 25, 1987) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Michigan State University from 1954 to 1972, compiling a record of 109–69–5. His 1965 and 1966 teams won ...
's
Michigan State Spartans The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic teams that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 23 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and wh ...
by a 23–12 score in front of a crowd of 79,368 in
East Lansing East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County. At the 2020 Census the population was 47,741. Located directly east of the state capital ...
. Led by halfback Don Highsmith (134 rushing yards and two touchdowns on a Big Ten record 30 carries) and quarterback Bill Triplett (143 rushing yards and a touchdown on 18 carries), the Spartans outgained the Wolverines on the ground by totals of 348 yards to 176. On being told after the game that his team had allowed 348 rushing yards, coach Schembechler replied: "That's terrible . . you can't win a football game that way, not unless you're scoring 30 or 40 points." Forced to throw after Michigan State took a 23–3 lead, Michigan quarterback
Don Moorhead Don Moorhead (born October 11, 1948) is a former Canadian Football League quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the BC Lions from 1971 to 1975 and for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 1969 and 1970. He set 24 football record ...
completed 13 of 35 passes for 164 yards. Tight end
Jim Mandich James Michael Mandich (July 30, 1948 – April 26, 2011), also known as "Mad Dog", was an American football player. Mandich played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969 and was recognized as a consensus first-team t ...
caught nine of Moorhead's passes for 118 yards. Glenn Doughty rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, but he also fumbled for an 11-yard loss, missed a block leading to a quarterback sack, and was tagged with a
safety Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings There are two slightly dif ...
after he caught a kickoff at the one-yard line, stepped back into the end zone, and downed the ball for what he thought was a
touchback In American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead on or behind a team's own goal line (i.e., in their end zone) and the opposing team gave the ball the momentum, or impetus, to trav ...
. In the fourth quarter, Spartan punter Pat Miller took an intentional safety rather than punting from the end zone.


Minnesota

On October 25, 1969, 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 ...
, 35–9, in the annual Little Brown Jug game, played before a crowd of 44,028 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 ...
. Michigan's offense sputtered in the first half, as Ted Killian missed two field goal attempts, and the Wolverines trailed, 9–7, at halftime. The Wolverines rebounded in the second half, scoring 28 unanswered points. With Glenn Doughty sidelined due to ankle and thigh injuries,
Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the ...
started his first game as Michigan's tailback. Taylor totaled 151 rushing yards on 31 carries and scored Michigan's first three touchdowns. Quarterback
Don Moorhead Don Moorhead (born October 11, 1948) is a former Canadian Football League quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the BC Lions from 1971 to 1975 and for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 1969 and 1970. He set 24 football record ...
had 61 rushing yards and a touchdown and completed eight of 12 passes for 92 yards. Michigan totaled 285 rushing yards and 103 passing yards. On defense, the Wolverines limited the Gophers to 75 rushing yards, 182 passing yards, and three field goals, and intercepted two Minnesota passes. Middle guard
Henry Hill Henry Hill Jr. (June 11, 1943 – June 12, 2012) was an American mobster who was associated with the Lucchese crime family of New York City from 1955 until 1980, when he was arrested on narcotics charges and became an FBI informant. Hill testi ...
led the defense with eight solo tackles and three assists. After the game, coach Schembechler called the game "our greatest win of the year."


Wisconsin

On November 1, 1969, Michigan defeated
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 ...
, 35–7, in the rain before a homecoming crowd of 60,438 at Michigan Stadium. Michigan scored all of its 35 points in the first half.
Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the a ...
, playing in place of the injured Glenn Doughty, rushed for 142 yards, including touchdown runs of 37 and 51 yards in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Barry Pierson added a 51-yard punt return, Tom Curtis intercepted a pass at Michigan's eight-yard line and returned it 27 yards, and
Jim Mandich James Michael Mandich (July 30, 1948 – April 26, 2011), also known as "Mad Dog", was an American football player. Mandich played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969 and was recognized as a consensus first-team t ...
scored on a 12-yard pass from
Don Moorhead Don Moorhead (born October 11, 1948) is a former Canadian Football League quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the BC Lions from 1971 to 1975 and for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 1969 and 1970. He set 24 football record ...
.


Illinois

On November 8, 1969, Michigan defeated
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
, 57–0, before a crowd of 35,270 at Memorial Stadium in
Champaign, Illinois Champaign ( ) is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 88,302 at the 2020 census. It is the tenth-most populous municipality in Illinois and the fourth most populous city in Illinois outside the Chicago metropo ...
. ''The Michigan Daily'' reported that the 57-point margin "the worst drubbing either school has received in this long and fabled rivalry that dates to 1898." Michigan totaled 524 yards of
total offense Total offense (or total offence) is a gridiron football statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a team or player. Total offense differs from yards from scrimmage, which gives credit for passing yardage to the ...
(328 rushing and 196 passing). After a scoreless first quarter, Michigan's Tim Killian kicked a 28-yard field goal in the second quarter. Tailback
Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the ...
then scored on an 84-yard touchdown run. Taylor totaled 155 yards on 13 carries, all in the first half. Fullback
Garvie Craw Garvie Craw (January 25, 1948 – July 27, 2007) was an American football player. Craw played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969. In October 1969, he scored four touchdowns in a 57-0 victory over Illinois. In M ...
scored four touchdowns, two in the second quarter and one each in the third and fourth quarters. After the game, coach Schembechler said: "Garvie Craw is a strong runner. His average per carry is very low, but he always has the tough yardage to get." Backup quarterback Jim Betts was responsible for three fourth-quarter touchdowns, on passes to Craw and John Gabler and the other on a quarterback sneak. Betts tallied 157 yards of total offense (106 passing yards and 51 rushing yards). Defensive back Bruce Elliott, the son of former Illinois coach
Pete Elliott Peter R. Elliott (September 29, 1926 – January 4, 2013) was an American football player and coach. Elliott served as the head football coach at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (1956), the University of California, Berkeley (1957–1959), ...
and a graduate of
Champaign Central High School Champaign Central High School is a high school located in Champaign, Illinois. It has 1,385 students in grades 9- 12. The principal is Joe Williams. It is part of the Champaign Unit 4 School District school system. Its sports teams are the Centr ...
, concluded the scoring on a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown with 39 seconds remaining in the game. Despite the impressive win, coach Schembechler was characteristically guarded in his post-game press conference: "We didn't play well. The defense was not sharp in the first half and neither was the offense."


Iowa

On November 15, 1969, Michigan defeated
Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
, 51–6, in
Iowa City Iowa City, offically the City of Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is the home of the University of Iowa and county seat of Johnson County, at the center of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the time ...
. Michigan set three
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 ...
single-game records with 524 rushing yards, 673 yards of total offense, and 34 first downs. Running back
Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the a ...
led the attack with 225 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries, all in the first three quarters. Adding to the attack were Glenn Doughty (100 rushing yards),
Don Moorhead Don Moorhead (born October 11, 1948) is a former Canadian Football League quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the BC Lions from 1971 to 1975 and for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 1969 and 1970. He set 24 football record ...
(90 passing yards, 80 rushing yards), Bill Harris (80 receiving yards),
Garvie Craw Garvie Craw (January 25, 1948 – July 27, 2007) was an American football player. Craw played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969. In October 1969, he scored four touchdowns in a 57-0 victory over Illinois. In M ...
(51 rushing yards), and Jim Betts (50 rushing yards). Iowa's only touchdown was scored with 22 seconds remaining in the game. Asked after the game whether Michigan could beat Ohio State, Iowa coach
Ray Nagel Raymond Robert Nagel (May 18, 1927 – January 15, 2015) was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He was the head football coach at the University of Utah from 1958 to 1965 and the University of Iowa from 1966 t ...
replied: "They can beat anybody in the country."


Ohio State

On November 22, 1969, Michigan, ranked No. 12 in the AP Poll, upset
Woody Hayes Wayne Woodrow Hayes (February 14, 1913 – March 12, 1987) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University (1946–1948), Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (1949–1950), and Ohio State University (1951 ...
'
Ohio State Buckeyes The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Ohio State University, located in Columbus, Ohio. The athletic programs are named after the colloquial term for people from the state of Ohio and after the state tree ...
, 24–12, before a crowd of 103,588 at Michigan Stadium. Ohio State entered the game ranked No. 1, riding a 22-game winning streak, and favored by 17 points. Ohio State running back
Jim Otis James Lloyd Otis (born April 29, 1948) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons during the 1970s. Otis played college football for Ohio St ...
rushed for 144 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries, but quarterback
Rex Kern Rex William Kern (born May 28, 1949) is a former American football player. He played professional football in the National Football League at defensive back for the Baltimore Colts and Buffalo Bills. In college, Kern was the quarterback for ...
completed only six passes for 88 yards, and Michigan intercepted six Ohio State passes. Michigan defensive back Tom Curtis intercepted two passes and set an NCAA career record with 431 interception return yards. Barry Pierson also intercepted three passes and returned a punt 60 yards to set up Michigan's third touchdown. On offense, Michigan running back
Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the a ...
gained 84 yards on 23 carries while quarterback
Don Moorhead Don Moorhead (born October 11, 1948) is a former Canadian Football League quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the BC Lions from 1971 to 1975 and for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 1969 and 1970. He set 24 football record ...
completed 10 of 20 passes for 108 yards and gained 67 yards rushing. Fullback
Garvie Craw Garvie Craw (January 25, 1948 – July 27, 2007) was an American football player. Craw played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969. In October 1969, he scored four touchdowns in a 57-0 victory over Illinois. In M ...
scored two touchdowns, and tight end
Jim Mandich James Michael Mandich (July 30, 1948 – April 26, 2011), also known as "Mad Dog", was an American football player. Mandich played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969 and was recognized as a consensus first-team t ...
caught six passes for 78 yards. Neither team scored in the second half.


1970 Rose Bowl game

On January 1, 1970, Michigan, ranked No. 7 in the
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 ...
, lost to John McKay's undefeated No. 5
USC Trojans The USC Trojans are the College athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Southern California (USC), located in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the ' ...
, 10–3, before a crowd of 103,878 in the 1970 Rose Bowl game in
Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district. I ...
. Michigan coach Bo Schembechler was hospitalized with a heart attack four hours before the game began. Defensive coordinator
Jim Young James Norman Young (born June 6, 1943) is a former professional American football and Canadian football player. Young played running back and wide receiver for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings for two seasons (1965–66), and the CFL's BC Lions f ...
served as the acting head coach. The teams traded field goals in the first half, and USC took the lead with three minutes remaining in the third quarter on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Jimmy Jones to Bobby Chandler. USC's "Wild Bunch" defense held Michigan 162 rushing yards and 127 passing yards. In the fourth quarter, Michigan quarterback
Don Moorhead Don Moorhead (born October 11, 1948) is a former Canadian Football League quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the BC Lions from 1971 to 1975 and for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 1969 and 1970. He set 24 football record ...
led three drives into USC territory. On the first drive, Michigan took the ball to USC's 13-yard line, but Moorhead's pass on fourth down slipped through
Garvie Craw Garvie Craw (January 25, 1948 – July 27, 2007) was an American football player. Craw played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969. In October 1969, he scored four touchdowns in a 57-0 victory over Illinois. In M ...
's hands. On the next drive, Michigan drove to USC's nine-yard line where Craw was stopped on a fourth-and-one run. On the final drive, Moorhead threw 12 passes and converted twice on fourth down before time expired. The loss was Michigan's first in five Rose Bowl games.


Award season

In January 1970, the
American Football Coaches Association The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) is an association of over 11,000 American football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "mainta ...
selected Bo Schembechler as the Major College Coach of the Year. Schembechler was still in the hospital at the time of the award ceremony and quipped: "I may well be the only coach to win this award who failed to show up for his final game." Schembechler returned to Ann Arbor on January 19 following his discharge from the hospital. Two Michigan players received first-team honors on the 1969 All-America team: * Tight end
Jim Mandich James Michael Mandich (July 30, 1948 – April 26, 2011), also known as "Mad Dog", was an American football player. Mandich played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969 and was recognized as a consensus first-team t ...
was a consensus All-American, receiving first-team honors from the
American Football Coaches Association The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) is an association of over 11,000 American football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "mainta ...
,
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. newspa ...
(AP),
Central Press Association The Central Press Association was American newspaper syndication company based in Cleveland, Ohio. It was in business from 1910 to 1971. Originally independent, it was a subsidiary of King Features Syndicate from 1930 onwards. At its peak, the ...
,
Football Writers Association of America The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) is an organization of college football media members in the United States founded in 1941. It is composed of approximately 1,200 professional sports writers from both print and Internet media out ...
,
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 ...
,
United Press International 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 20th ...
(UPI), ''The Football News'', ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' magazine, and the
Walter Camp Football Foundation The Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF) is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The organization also presents various awards. It is named in honor of foo ...
. * Defensive back Tom Curtis received first-team honors from the Associated Press, Central Press, UPI, ''The Football News'', and the Walter Camp Football Foundation. Nine Michigan players received recognition from the AP and/or UPI on the
1969 All-Big Ten Conference football team The 1969 All-Big Ten Conference football team consists of American football players chosen by various organizations for All-Big Ten Conference teams for the 1969 Big Ten Conference football season. Offensive selections Quarterbacks * Mike Phipps, ...
: Jim Mandich at tight end (AP-1, UPI-1), Tom Curtis at defensive back (AP-1, UPI-1),
Dan Dierdorf Daniel Lee Dierdorf (born June 29, 1949) is an American sportscaster and former football offensive tackle. A native of Canton, Ohio, Dierdorf played college football for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970 and was selected as a conse ...
at offensive tackle (AP-1, UPI-1),
Guy Murdock Guy Boyd Murdock (born June 27, 1950) is a former American football player. He played at the center position for the Houston Oilers during the 1972 NFL season and was named to the NFL All-Rookie team. He also played for the Chicago Fire and Ch ...
at center (UPI-1),
Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the a ...
at running back (AP-2, UPI-1),
Marty Huff Ralph Martin Huff (December 19, 1948 – June 29, 2023) was an American football linebacker. He played for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970. As a senior, he was selected as a first-team All-American by the American Football Coac ...
at linebacker (AP-1, UPI-2),
Cecil Taylor Cecil Percival Taylor (March 25, 1929April 5, 2018) was an American pianist and poet. Taylor was classically trained and was one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an energetic, physical approach, resulting in complex ...
at defensive end (AP-2, UPI-2), Henry Hill at middle guard (AP-2, UPI-2), and Barry Pierson at defensive back (UPI-2). Team awards were presented at the end of the season as follows: *Most Valuable Player: Jim Mandich *Meyer Morton Award:
Don Moorhead Don Moorhead (born October 11, 1948) is a former Canadian Football League quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the BC Lions from 1971 to 1975 and for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 1969 and 1970. He set 24 football record ...
*John Maulbetsch Award: Glenn Doughty *Frederick Matthei Award: Jack Harpring *Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: Brian Healy


Personnel


Roster


Offensive letter winners

The following players received
varsity letter A varsity letter (or monogram) is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its recipient was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met. Description ...
s for their participation on the offensive unit of the 1969 Michigan football team. Players who were starters in the majority of Michigan's games are displayed in bold. *Morris Abrahams, offensive tackle, senior, Ann Arbor, Michigan *Robert Baumgartner (No. 60), offensive guard, senior,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
– started 9 games at offensive left guard *William J. Berutti, quarterback, junior,
Franklin, Ohio Franklin is a city in Warren County, Ohio, United States. The population was 11,771 at the 2010 census. The Great Miami River flows through Franklin. Ohio State Routes 73, 123 and 741 pass through Franklin, while Interstate 75 passes on the ...
* Jim Betts (No. 23), quarterback, junior,
Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
– started 1 game at left halfback *
Jim Brandstatter James Patrick Brandstatter (born ) is an American sports announcer. He was the radio play-by-play announcer for the Michigan Wolverines football team. He held the position of color commentator for the Detroit Lions for 31 years until the end o ...
(No. 76), offensive tackle, sophomore,
East Lansing, Michigan East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County, Michigan, Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County, Michigan, Clinton County. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 ...
*Richard Caldarazzo (No. 56), offensive guard, senior,
Melrose Park, Illinois Melrose Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a suburb of Chicago. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 24,796. Melrose Park had long been home to a large Italian-American population. The suburb was the home of ...
– started 8 games at offensive right guard *
Garvie Craw Garvie Craw (January 25, 1948 – July 27, 2007) was an American football player. Craw played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969. In October 1969, he scored four touchdowns in a 57-0 victory over Illinois. In M ...
(No. 48), fullback, senior,
Montclair, New Jersey Montclair () is a township in Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated on the cliffs of the Watchung Mountains, Montclair is a wealthy and diverse commuter town and suburb of New York City within the New York metropolitan area. As ...
– started 7 games at fullback and 3 games at right halfback *
Dan Dierdorf Daniel Lee Dierdorf (born June 29, 1949) is an American sportscaster and former football offensive tackle. A native of Canton, Ohio, Dierdorf played college football for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970 and was selected as a conse ...
(No. 72), offensive tackle, junior,
Canton, Ohio Canton () is a city in and the county seat of Stark County, Ohio. It is located approximately south of Cleveland and south of Akron in Northeast Ohio. The city lies on the edge of Ohio's extensive Amish country, particularly in Holmes and ...
– started 7 games at offensive right tackle and 1 at offensive left tackle * Glenn Doughty (No. 22), tailback, sophomore,
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 th ...
– started 4 games at left halfback *Eric Federico, fullback, senior,
Trenton, Michigan Trenton is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States. At the 2010 census, the city population was 18,853. A Shawnee village was built in the area by war chief Blue Jacket after the 1795 Treaty of Greenville. The area later became the site ...
*John H. Gabler (No. 18), wingback, senior,
Royal Oak, Michigan Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring suburb of Detroit, Royal Oak is about north of Detroit's city limits. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 57,236. Royal Oak is located along th ...
– started 3 games at fullback, 3 games at right halfback *Werner W. Hall, offensive tackle, senior,
Sandusky, Ohio Sandusky ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Erie County, Ohio, Erie County, Ohio, United States. Situated along the shores of Lake Erie in the northern part of the state, Sandusky is located roughly midway between Toledo, Ohio, Toledo ( wes ...
*
Mike Hankwitz George Michael Hankwitz (born December 14, 1947) is a former American football coach and player. He was the defensive coordinator at Northwestern University, a position he had held from 2008 to 2020. Hankwitz has twice served as an interim he ...
(No. 81), tight end, senior, Scottsville, Michigan – started 2 games at right end *Jack Harpring (No. 71), offensive tackle, junior,
Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
– started 8 games at offensive left tackle and 1 at offensive right tackle *William J. Harris (No. 80), split end, junior,
Mt. Clemens, Michigan Mount Clemens is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 16,314 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. It is the county seat, seat of government of Macomb County, Michigan, Macomb County. History Mount Clemens was first s ...
*Preston Henry (No. 44), tailback, sophomore,
Flint, Michigan Flint is the largest city and seat of Genesee County, Michigan, United States. Located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the region known as Mid Michigan. At the 2020 census, Flint had a population of 8 ...
– started 2 games at right halfback *Jerry Imsland, split end, senior,
Northville, Michigan Northville is a city in Oakland and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,119 at the 2020 census. Northville is a suburb of Metro Detroit and is located about west of the city of Detroit and northeast of Ann Arbo ...
*Timothy Killian (No. 57), center, junior,
Lincoln Park, Michigan Lincoln Park is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 38,144 at the 2010 census, down from 40,008 at the 2000 census. With a population density of at the 2010 census, Lincoln Park is the second most-densely ...
– started 2 games at center *Joseph Lukz, offensive guard, senior,
Niles, Ohio Niles is a city in southern Trumbull County, Ohio, United States, situated at the confluence of the Mahoning River and Mosquito Creek. The city's population was 18,443 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb of the Youngstown–Warren metropolitan a ...
*
Jim Mandich James Michael Mandich (July 30, 1948 – April 26, 2011), also known as "Mad Dog", was an American football player. Mandich played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969 and was recognized as a consensus first-team t ...
(No. 88), tight end, senior,
Solon, Ohio Solon ( ) is a city in southeastern Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. A suburb of Cleveland, it is part of the Cleveland metropolitan area. According to the 2020 census, the population of Solon was 24,262. The city has been recognized by ''M ...
– started 8 games at left end * Reggie McKenzie (No. 65), offensive guard, sophomore,
Highland Park, Illinois Highland Park is a suburban city located in the southeastern part of Lake County, Illinois, United States, about north of downtown Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 30,176. Highland Park is one of several municipalities located o ...
*
Don Moorhead Don Moorhead (born October 11, 1948) is a former Canadian Football League quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the BC Lions from 1971 to 1975 and for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 1969 and 1970. He set 24 football record ...
(No. 27), quarterback, junior,
South Haven, Michigan South Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city is in Van Buren County, although a small portion extends into Allegan County. The population was 4,403 at the 2010 census. Because of its position on Lake Michigan, at the ...
– started all 11 games at quarterback *
Guy Murdock Guy Boyd Murdock (born June 27, 1950) is a former American football player. He played at the center position for the Houston Oilers during the 1972 NFL season and was named to the NFL All-Rookie team. He also played for the Chicago Fire and Ch ...
(No. 53), center, sophomore,
Barrington, Illinois Barrington is a village in Cook County and Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,722 at the 2020 census. A northwest suburb of Chicago, the area features wetlands, forest preserves, parks, and horse trails in a country-s ...
– started 7 games at center *Michael Oldham (No. 84), split end, sophomore, Cincinnati, Ohio *Robert Ritley, offensive tackle, senior,
Garfield Heights, Ohio Garfield Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Cleveland. The population was 28,849 at the time of the United States Census 2010, 2010 census. Geography Garfield Heights is located at ...
*Peter C. Sarantos, center, senior,
Elkhart, Indiana Elkhart ( ) is a city in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. The city is located east of South Bend, Indiana, east of Chicago, Illinois, and north of Indianapolis, Indiana. Elkhart has the larger population of the two principal cities of th ...
*Lance G. Scheffler, tailback, junior,
Trenton, Michigan Trenton is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States. At the 2010 census, the city population was 18,853. A Shawnee village was built in the area by war chief Blue Jacket after the 1795 Treaty of Greenville. The area later became the site ...
* Fritz Seyferth (No. 32), fullback, sophomore,
Darien, Connecticut Darien ( ) is a coastal town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. With a population of 21,499 and a land area of just under 13 square miles, it is the smallest town on Connecticut's Gold Coast. It has the youngest population of any n ...
– started 1 game at fullback * Paul Seymour (No. 85), split end, sophomore,
Berkley, Michigan Berkley 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) in southeastern Oakland County. The population was 15,194 as of the 2020 Census. History Prior to ...
*
Paul Staroba Paul Louis Staroba (born January 20, 1949) is a former American football wide receiver and punter. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970. During the 1970 season, he caught 35 passes for 519 yards and led ...
(No. 30), wingback, junior, Flint, Michigan – started 3 games at right end *
Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the a ...
(No. 42), tailback, sophomore,
Barberton, Ohio Barberton is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 26,550 at the 2010 census. Lying directly southwest of Akron, it is a suburb of the Akron metropolitan area. History Barberton was founded in 1891 by industrialist O. ...
– started 3 games at left halfback *Frank Titas (No. 64), offensive guard, senior, Cleveland, Ohio


Defensive letter winners

The following players received varsity letters for their participation on the defensive unit of the 1969 Michigan football team. Players who were starters in the majority of Michigan's games are displayed in bold. *
Tom Beckman Thomas Clare Beckman (born September 21, 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan) is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1971 under head coach Bo Schembechler. He played professional foo ...
, defensive tackle, sophomore,
Chesaning, Michigan Chesaning ( ) is a village in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,394 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Chesaning Township. History The first mention of Chesaning in the written pages of history i ...
*Richard W. Brown, middle guard, senior,
Auburn, Michigan Auburn is a city in Bay County, Michigan, United States. The city's population was 2,087 at the 2010 Census. It is included in the Saginaw, Midland, and Bay City metropolitan area. History It was first settled in 1854. On February 26, 1869, th ...
*Al Carpenter, defensive end, sophomore, Flint, Michigan – started 1 game at offensive right guard *Dana Coin, defensive end and place-kicker, sophomore,
Pontiac, Michigan Pontiac ( ') is a city in and the county seat of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 61,606. A northern suburb of Metro Detroit, Pontiac is about northwest of Detroit. Founde ...
* Tom Curtis (No. 25), defensive back, senior,
Aurora, Ohio Aurora is a city in Portage County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Cleveland and Akron, Ohio, and is co-extensive with, and formed from, the former township of Aurora, which was formed from the Connecticut Western Reserve. It is part of ...
– started all 11 games at safety *
Thom Darden The surname Thom is of Scottish origin, from the city of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Angus, and is a sept of the Clan MacThomas. Thom is also a first name variant of the abbreviation " Tom" of "Thomas" that holds the "h". People with the sur ...
(No. 35), defensive back, sophomore,
Sandusky, Ohio Sandusky ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Erie County, Ohio, Erie County, Ohio, United States. Situated along the shores of Lake Erie in the northern part of the state, Sandusky is located roughly midway between Toledo, Ohio, Toledo ( wes ...
– started 10 games at wolfman (also started 1 game at left halfback on offense) *Bruce Elliott, defensive back, sophomore,
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 ...
– started 1 game at right halfback *Alan Francis, middle guard, senior,
Euclid, Ohio Euclid is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is an inner ring suburb of Cleveland. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 49,692. History The City of Euclid was originally a part of Euclid Township, first map ...
* Fred Grambau (No. 92), defensive tackle, sophomore,
Ossineke, Michigan Ossineke is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Alpena County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 938 at the 2010 census. The community is located within Sanborn Township, several miles south of Alpena on ...
– started all 11 games at left defensive tackle (also started 2 games at left tackle on offense) *Frank Gusich, defensive back, sophomore,
Garfield Heights, Ohio Garfield Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Cleveland. The population was 28,849 at the time of the United States Census 2010, 2010 census. Geography Garfield Heights is located at ...
– started 1 game at wolfman *Brian Healy (No. 24), defensive back, senior, Sandusky, Ohio – started all 11 games at defensive halfback (also started 2 games at right halfback on offense) *
Henry Hill Henry Hill Jr. (June 11, 1943 – June 12, 2012) was an American mobster who was associated with the Lucchese crime family of New York City from 1955 until 1980, when he was arrested on narcotics charges and became an FBI informant. Hill testi ...
(No. 39), middle guard, junior, Detroit – started all 11 games at middle guard (also started 2 games at left guard and 1 at right guard on offense) *
Marty Huff Ralph Martin Huff (December 19, 1948 – June 29, 2023) was an American football linebacker. He played for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970. As a senior, he was selected as a first-team All-American by the American Football Coac ...
(No. 70), linebacker, junior,
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 ...
– started all 11 games at linebacker (also started 2 games at right tackle and 1 at left halfback on offense) *Joseph M. Jones, linebacker, senior,
Evanston, Illinois Evanston ( ) is a city, suburb of Chicago. Located in Cook County, Illinois, United States, it is situated on the North Shore along Lake Michigan. Evanston is north of Downtown Chicago, bordered by Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, Wil ...
*
Mike Keller Michael F. Keller (born December 13, 1949) is a former American football linebacker and football executive in the National Football League. He played professional football for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of M ...
(No. 90), defensive end, sophomore,
Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the List of municipalities in Mi ...
– started all 11 games at left defensive end (also started 2 games at left end on offense) *Richard McCoy, Jr., defensive tackle, junior,
Alliance, Ohio Alliance is a city in eastern Stark County, Ohio, United States. With a small district lying in adjacent Mahoning County, the city is approximately northeast of Canton, southwest of Youngstown and southeast of Cleveland. The population was 21 ...
*Edward M. Moore (No. 97), linebacker, junior,
Youngstown, Ohio Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
– started 10 games at linebacker (also started 2 games at right end on offense) *
Pete Newell Peter Francis Newell (August 31, 1915 – November 17, 2008) was an American college men's basketball coach and basketball instructional coach. He coached for 15 years at the University of San Francisco, Michigan State University, and the Univer ...
(No. 82), defensive tackle, junior,
Park Ridge, Illinois Park Ridge is a city in Cook County, Illinois, Cook County, Illinois, United States, and a Chicago suburb. Per the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 39,656. It is located northwest of downtown Chicago. It is close to O' ...
– started all 11 games at right defensive tackle (also started 2 games at center and 1 at right tackle on offense) *Daniel Parks, defensive tackle, junior,
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 c ...
*Barry Pierson (No. 29), defensive back, senior,
St. Ignace, Michigan St. Ignace is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Mackinac County. The city had a population of 2,452 at the 2010 census. St. Ignace Township is located just to the north of the city, but the two are administered autono ...
– started all 11 games at defensive halfback (also started 1 game at left halfback on offense) * Cecil Pryor (No. 55), defensive end, senior,
Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi (; Ecclesiastical Latin: "'' Body of Christ"'') is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patrici ...
– started all 11 games at right defensive end (also started 1 game at left end and 1 at right end on offense) *Thomas Takach, defensive end, senior, Detroit * Mike Taylor, linebacker, sophomore, Detroit – started 1 game at linebacker *Timothy Wadhams, defensive back, senior, Ann Arbor, Michigan *Mark Werner, defensive back, senior,
Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
*Robert E. White, defensive back, senior,
Middleville, Michigan Middleville is a village in Thornapple Township, Barry County, in the U.S. state of Michigan and part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. The population was 4,295 at the 2020 census. History The first white settler to own land in the vil ...
*George Zuganellis, linebacker, senior, Chicago


Non-letter winners

*Thomas A. Huiskens, tight end, sophomore,
Bay City, Michigan Bay City is a city and county seat of Bay County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and it is the principal city of the Bay City Metropol ...


Players in the NFL

The following players were claimed in the
1970 NFL Draft The 1970 National Football League Draft was the 35th National Football League Draft and the first of the league's modern era, following the merger of the National Football League with the American Football League. It was held on January 27–28, 1 ...
. Eighteen members of the 1969 team went on to play professional football. They are:
Tom Beckman Thomas Clare Beckman (born September 21, 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan) is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1971 under head coach Bo Schembechler. He played professional foo ...
(St.Louis Cardinals, 1972, Memphis Grizzlies, 1974–1975), Tom Curtis (Baltimore Colts, 1970–1971),
Thom Darden The surname Thom is of Scottish origin, from the city of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Angus, and is a sept of the Clan MacThomas. Thom is also a first name variant of the abbreviation " Tom" of "Thomas" that holds the "h". People with the sur ...
(Cleveland Browns, 1972–1981),
Dan Dierdorf Daniel Lee Dierdorf (born June 29, 1949) is an American sportscaster and former football offensive tackle. A native of Canton, Ohio, Dierdorf played college football for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970 and was selected as a conse ...
(St. Louis Cardinals, 1971–1983), Glenn Doughty (Baltimore Colts, 1972–1979), Fred Grambau (Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes);
Marty Huff Ralph Martin Huff (December 19, 1948 – June 29, 2023) was an American football linebacker. He played for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970. As a senior, he was selected as a first-team All-American by the American Football Coac ...
(San Francisco 49ers, 1972; Edmonton Eskimos, 1973; Charlotte Hornets, 1974–1975),
Mike Keller Michael F. Keller (born December 13, 1949) is a former American football linebacker and football executive in the National Football League. He played professional football for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of M ...
(Dallas Cowboys, 1972),
Jim Mandich James Michael Mandich (July 30, 1948 – April 26, 2011), also known as "Mad Dog", was an American football player. Mandich played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969 and was recognized as a consensus first-team t ...
(Miami Dolphins, 1970–1977; Pittsburgh Steelers, 1978), Reggie McKenzie (Buffalo Bills, 1972–1982; Seattle Seahawks, 1983–1984),
Guy Murdock Guy Boyd Murdock (born June 27, 1950) is a former American football player. He played at the center position for the Houston Oilers during the 1972 NFL season and was named to the NFL All-Rookie team. He also played for the Chicago Fire and Ch ...
(Houston Oilers, 1974; Chicago Fire/Winds, 1974–1975),
Pete Newell Peter Francis Newell (August 31, 1915 – November 17, 2008) was an American college men's basketball coach and basketball instructional coach. He coached for 15 years at the University of San Francisco, Michigan State University, and the Univer ...
(BC Lions, 1971); Cecil Pryor (Memphis Southmen), Fritz Seyferth (Calgary Stampeders, 1972); Paul Seymour (Buffalo Bills, 1973–1977),
Paul Staroba Paul Louis Staroba (born January 20, 1949) is a former American football wide receiver and punter. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970. During the 1970 season, he caught 35 passes for 519 yards and led ...
(Cleveland Browns, 1972; Green Bay Packers, 1973),
Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the a ...
(Calgary Stampeders, 1972), and Mike Taylor (New York Jets, 1972–73). Mandich was the starting tight end for the unbeaten
1972 Miami Dolphins The 1972 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's seventh season and third in the National Football League (NFL). The team was led by third-year head coach Don Shula and achieved the only perfect season in NFL history. They also led the league ...
who won
Super Bowl VII Super Bowl VII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Miami Dolphins and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington Redskins to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for ...
. Dierdorf would later be enshrined in the
Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coach ...
.


Coaching staff

*Head coach: Bo Schembechler *Assistant coaches: :*
Jim Young James Norman Young (born June 6, 1943) is a former professional American football and Canadian football player. Young played running back and wide receiver for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings for two seasons (1965–66), and the CFL's BC Lions f ...
- defensive coordinator and linebackers coach :*
Chuck Stobart Charles R. Stobart (October 27, 1932 – November 29, 2022) was an American college football player and coach. He played as a quarterback at Ohio University in the 1950s. He was a football coach at various schools for 42 years from 1959 to 20 ...
- offensive backfield coach :* Jerry Hanlon - offensive line coach :* Dick Hunter - defensive backfield coach :*
Frank Maloney Kellie Maloney (born Francis Maloney, 23 January 1953) is an English boxing manager and promoter, and television personality. She managed Lennox Lewis between 1989 and 2001, who earned the title of undisputed heavyweight championship of the wo ...
- defensive line coach :*
George Mans George W. Mans Jr. (January 31, 1940 – December 20, 2017) was an American college football player and coach and politician. He was the captain of the 1961 Michigan Wolverines football team, an assistant football coach at the University of Michig ...
- receivers coach :*
Gary Moeller Gary Oscar Moeller (; January 26, 1941 – July 11, 2022) was an American football coach best known for being head coach at the University of Michigan from 1990 to 1994. During his five seasons at Michigan, he won 44 games, lost 13 and tied 3 f ...
- defensive ends coach :* Larry Smith - offensive interior line coach :* Louie Lee - freshman coach *Trainer:
Lindsy McLean J. Lindsy McLean was an American football coach and athletic trainer for college and professional American football teams for nearly 50 years. McLean's college career began as a student athletic trainer at Vanderbilt University in 1956. In 1963, ...
*Manager: Robert Kohn


Statistics


Rushing


Passing


Receiving


Kickoff returns


Punt returns


References


External links


1969 Football Team – Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan Athletics History
{{Big Ten Conference football champions
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 Big Ten Conference football champion 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 ...