1974 Michigan Wolverines Football Team
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The 1974 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 wi ...
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
1974 Big Ten Conference football season The 1974 Big Ten Conference football season was the 79th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1974 NCAA Division I football season. The 1974 Michigan Wolverines football team, und ...
. In their sixth year under head coach
Bo Schembechler Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler Jr. ( ; April 1, 1929 – November 17, 2006) was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University o ...
, the Wolverines compiled a 10–1 record, outscored opponents 324 to 75, and were ranked #3 in 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 br ...
. Michigan won the first ten games of the 1974 season in convincing fashion, including blowout victories over Colorado (31-0), Navy (52-0), Minnesota (49-0), and Purdue (51-0). In the final game of the season, #2 Michigan faced #3 Ohio State. The Wolverines lost by a score of 12-10, as place-kicker
Mike Lantry Mike Lantry (born c. 1948) is a former All-American football player. He was a left-footed place-kicker who played for Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan from 1972 through 1974. He was selected as a first-team All-American in 1973 and ...
missed a last-minute field goal that would have given Michigan a victory. On offense, the team was led by quarterback
Dennis Franklin Dennis E. Franklin (born August 24, 1953) is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for the NFL he played college football ...
who completed 58 of 104 passes for 933 yards and rushed 108 times for 209 yards. Three Michigan running backs combined for 2,510 rushing yards.
Gordon Bell Chester Gordon Bell (born August 19, 1934) is an American electrical engineer and manager. An early employee of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) 1960–1966, Bell designed several of their PDP machines and later became Vice President of Engi ...
led the way with 1,048 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
Rob Lytle Robert William Lytle (November 12, 1954 – November 20, 2010) was an American football player. Lytle played college football at the University of Michigan from 1973 to 1976. A running back, he broke Michigan's career record with 3,317 rushing ...
added 802 rushing yards, and
Chuck Heater Chuck Heater (born October 10, 1952) is an American football coach and former player. He was a running back for the University of Michigan from 1972 to 1974 and finished his playing career as the fifth all-time leading rusher in Michigan Wolverine ...
660 yards. Center Dennis Franks and end Dan Jilek were selected as All-Big Ten Conference players. On defense, the Wolverines held opponents to 75 points, an average of 6.8 points per game. Cornerback Dave Brown was selected as first-team All-American for the second straight year. Five Wolverine defenders were selected for the All-Big Ten Conference team, including Brown, middle linebacker
Steve Strinko Steven Douglas Strinko (born October 5, 1952) is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker for Coach Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan and was selected as the Most Valuable Player on the 1974 Michigan Wolverines ...
, wolfman
Don Dufek Donald Patrick Dufek Jr. (born April 28, 1954) is a former American football player who played safety and special teams for eight seasons with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He had previously played for the Michigan W ...
, left tackle Jeff Perlinger, and middle guard Tim Davis. Strinko led the team in total tackles for the second consecutive year and was selected as the team's most valuable player.


Schedule


Season summary


Pre-season

The 1973 Michigan football team compiled a 10–0–1 record. Several key offensive players from the 1973 team returned in 1974, including quarterback
Dennis Franklin Dennis E. Franklin (born August 24, 1953) is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for the NFL he played college football ...
, a trio of tailbacks in
Gordon Bell Chester Gordon Bell (born August 19, 1934) is an American electrical engineer and manager. An early employee of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) 1960–1966, Bell designed several of their PDP machines and later became Vice President of Engi ...
,
Chuck Heater Chuck Heater (born October 10, 1952) is an American football coach and former player. He was a running back for the University of Michigan from 1972 to 1974 and finished his playing career as the fifth all-time leading rusher in Michigan Wolverine ...
and
Rob Lytle Robert William Lytle (November 12, 1954 – November 20, 2010) was an American football player. Lytle played college football at the University of Michigan from 1973 to 1976. A running back, he broke Michigan's career record with 3,317 rushing ...
, wing back
Gil Chapman Gil Chapman (born August 23, 1953) is a former American football player, politician and businessman. Chapman became one of the leading scorers in the history of New Jersey high school football while playing for Thomas Jefferson High School in El ...
, end Jim Smith, and center
Dennis Franks Dennis John Franks (May 29, 1953 – October 16, 2021) was an American professional football player in the National Football League (NFL). He was a center and played on special teams for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976 to 1978 and for the Det ...
. Returning players on defense included safety Dave Brown (a 1973 All-American), defensive back
Don Dufek Donald Patrick Dufek Jr. (born April 28, 1954) is a former American football player who played safety and special teams for eight seasons with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He had previously played for the Michigan W ...
, and linebackers Carl Russ and
Steve Strinko Steven Douglas Strinko (born October 5, 1952) is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker for Coach Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan and was selected as the Most Valuable Player on the 1974 Michigan Wolverines ...
. Defensive tackle and 1973 All-American
Dave Gallagher David Thomas Gallagher (born September 20, 1960) is an American former professional baseball journeyman outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for seven teams, during his nine-year big league career (–). Early life Gallagher w ...
was lost to graduation. Perhaps the biggest story surrounding the Michigan football program in the interim between the 1973 and 1974 seasons was the appointment of former Michigan football player
Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. ( ; born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913December 26, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. He was the only president never to have been elected ...
as
Vice President of the United States The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice p ...
in December 1973 and his ascension to the
Presidency A presidency is an administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. Although often the executive branch of government, and often personified by ...
in August 1974. Ford drew attention to the program as he often had the Naval band play the University of Michigan fight song, ''
The Victors "The Victors" is the fight song of the University of Michigan. Michigan student Louis Elbel wrote the song in 1898 after the football team's victory over the University of Chicago, which clinched an undefeated season and the Western Conferen ...
'', before state events instead of ''
Hail to the Chief "Hail to the Chief" is the personal anthem of the president of the United States, adapted by James Sanderson from an original Scottish Gaelic melody. The song's playing accompanies the appearance of the president of the United States at many ...
''. During Ford's first foreign trip as President in November 1974,
Emperor Hirohito of Japan Emperor , commonly known in English-speaking countries by his personal name , was the 124th emperor of Japan, ruling from 25 December 1926 until his death in 1989. Hirohito and his wife, Empress Kōjun, had two sons and five daughters; he was ...
greeted Ford with a military band playing ''The Victors''.


Week 1: Iowa

On September 14, 1974, Michigan opened its season with a 24 to 7 victory over
Iowa Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, 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: Wiscon ...
. Michigan rushed for 315 yards in the game, led by
Rob Lytle Robert William Lytle (November 12, 1954 – November 20, 2010) was an American football player. Lytle played college football at the University of Michigan from 1973 to 1976. A running back, he broke Michigan's career record with 3,317 rushing ...
(86 yards on 14 carries),
Chuck Heater Chuck Heater (born October 10, 1952) is an American football coach and former player. He was a running back for the University of Michigan from 1972 to 1974 and finished his playing career as the fifth all-time leading rusher in Michigan Wolverine ...
(62 yards on 17 carries and a two-yard touchdown run in the first quarter), and
Gil Chapman Gil Chapman (born August 23, 1953) is a former American football player, politician and businessman. Chapman became one of the leading scorers in the history of New Jersey high school football while playing for Thomas Jefferson High School in El ...
(55 yards on 6 carries). Michigan quarterback
Dennis Franklin Dennis E. Franklin (born August 24, 1953) is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for the NFL he played college football ...
did not appear in the game due to illness and was replaced by Mark Elzinga, who completed 2 of 11 passes for 34 yards. One of Elzinga's two completions was caught by Gil Chapman for a touchdown in the third quarter. Elzinga also ran one yard for Michigan's second touchdown in the first quarter. Kicker
Mike Lantry Mike Lantry (born c. 1948) is a former All-American football player. He was a left-footed place-kicker who played for Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan from 1972 through 1974. He was selected as a first-team All-American in 1973 and ...
kicked a 30-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and converted all three extra points. Iowa's only touchdown was scored in the final minute of the fourth quarter.


Week 2: Colorado

On September 21, 1974, Michigan defeated
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...
by a 31 to 0 score before a crowd of 91,203 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 game matched
Bo Schembechler Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler Jr. ( ; April 1, 1929 – November 17, 2006) was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University o ...
against Colorado head coach
Bill Mallory William Guy Mallory (May 30, 1935 – May 25, 2018) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Miami University (1969–1973), the University of Colorado at Boulder (1974–1978), Northern Illinois Universi ...
. Both had coached 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 ...
at Ohio State, and Mallory had taken Schembechler's place as head coach at Miami (OH) in 1969. Michigan defensive back Dave Brown opened the scoring two minutes into the game by returning a punt 88 yards from the 12-yard line for a touchdown. After being discharged from the hospital four days before the game, quarterback
Dennis Franklin Dennis E. Franklin (born August 24, 1953) is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for the NFL he played college football ...
returned against Colorado. Franklin completed 11 of 16 passes for 115 yards with one touchdown (a five-yard pass caught by Greg DenBoer in the fourth quarter) and no interceptions. Franklin also rushed for 69 yards on 13 carries and scored a touchdown in the second quarter after recovering
Rob Lytle Robert William Lytle (November 12, 1954 – November 20, 2010) was an American football player. Lytle played college football at the University of Michigan from 1973 to 1976. A running back, he broke Michigan's career record with 3,317 rushing ...
's fumble in the end zone. After the game, head coach
Bo Schembechler Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler Jr. ( ; April 1, 1929 – November 17, 2006) was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University o ...
said, "I told you guys he was a decent quarterback didn't I? And this was after only three days of practice after lying on his back for 10 days. I thought his performance was remarkable. Why, it was almost an aerial circus!" Michigan also gained 273 rushing yards.
Chuck Heater Chuck Heater (born October 10, 1952) is an American football coach and former player. He was a running back for the University of Michigan from 1972 to 1974 and finished his playing career as the fifth all-time leading rusher in Michigan Wolverine ...
led the Wolverines in rushing with 74 yards on 16 carries, including a five-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Lytle added 66 yards on 13 carries and Gordon Bell 49 yards on six carries. Kicker
Mike Lantry Mike Lantry (born c. 1948) is a former All-American football player. He was a left-footed place-kicker who played for Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan from 1972 through 1974. He was selected as a first-team All-American in 1973 and ...
recovered a fumble on a kickoff, kicked a 19-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and converted all three extra points. Michigan's defense held Colorado to 44 rushing yards on 30 carries.


Week 3: Navy

On September 28, 1974, Michigan defeated George Welsh's
Navy Midshipmen The Navy Midshipmen are the athletic teams that represent the United States Naval Academy. The academy sponsors 33 varsity sports teams and 12 club sport teams.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 ...
before a crowd of 104,232, which included thousands of high school band students participating in the annual band day celebration. Michigan's backs dominated, rushing for 340 yards and six touchdowns on 67 carries. Gordon Bell rushed for 57 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries,
Chuck Heater Chuck Heater (born October 10, 1952) is an American football coach and former player. He was a running back for the University of Michigan from 1972 to 1974 and finished his playing career as the fifth all-time leading rusher in Michigan Wolverine ...
gained 61 yards and two on 13 carries, and
Rob Lytle Robert William Lytle (November 12, 1954 – November 20, 2010) was an American football player. Lytle played college football at the University of Michigan from 1973 to 1976. A running back, he broke Michigan's career record with 3,317 rushing ...
rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.
Dennis Franklin Dennis E. Franklin (born August 24, 1953) is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for the NFL he played college football ...
completed five of six passes for 85 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jim Smith in the third quarter.
Mike Lantry Mike Lantry (born c. 1948) is a former All-American football player. He was a left-footed place-kicker who played for Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan from 1972 through 1974. He was selected as a first-team All-American in 1973 and ...
kicked a 31-yard field goal and converted all seven extra points.


Week 4: at Stanford

On October 5, 1974, Michigan defeated
Stanford Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is considere ...
by a 27-16 score at
Stanford Stadium Stanford Stadium is an outdoor college football stadium on the west coast of the United States, located on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California. It is the home of the Stanford Cardinal and hosts the university's commencemen ...
. Stanford took a 9-6 lead at halftime as Mike Langford kicked three field goals, and the Stanford defense did not allow a first down during the first quarter. In the second quarter, Gordon Bell scored on a one-yard run, but the kick for extra point failed. Also in the second quarter, Stanford intercepted a pass by
Dennis Franklin Dennis E. Franklin (born August 24, 1953) is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for the NFL he played college football ...
, marking Michigan's first turnover in 255 plays during the 1974 season. In the third quarter, Franklin rushed for two touchdowns to give Michigan a 20-9 lead. The teams traded touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including a two-yard run by Michigan backup Scott Corbin. Stanford quarterback Jerry Waldvogel completed 21 of 40 passes and 229 yards. The Wolverines rushed for 317 yards on 66 carries, including 96 yard for
Rob Lytle Robert William Lytle (November 12, 1954 – November 20, 2010) was an American football player. Lytle played college football at the University of Michigan from 1973 to 1976. A running back, he broke Michigan's career record with 3,317 rushing ...
and 72 yards each for Franklin and Gordon Bell.


Week 5: Michigan State

On October 12, 1974, Michigan defeated
Denny Stolz Dennis Earl Stolz (born September 12, 1934) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Alma College (1965–1970), Michigan State University (1973–1975), Bowling Green State University (1977–1985), and San ...
'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 21-7 score. The game, played 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 ...
, attracted a crowd of 104,682, reported to be "the second largest crowd in modern N.C.A.A. history" behind the 1973 Michigan-Ohio State game. Gordon Bell led Michigan's rushing attack with 73 yards on 16 carries, including a 13-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
Dennis Franklin Dennis E. Franklin (born August 24, 1953) is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for the NFL he played college football ...
completed five of nine passes for 84 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown pass to Jim Smith in the second quarter, but left the game in the third quarter with bruised ribs. Linebacker
Dan Jilek Daniel Douglas Jilek (December 3, 1953 – March 6, 2002) was an American football player. He played professional football as a linebacker for the Buffalo Bills from 1976 to 1979. He was drafted by the Bills in the fourth round, as the 109th ...
also scored in the second quarter when he forced a fumble on a punt attempt and then recovered it in the end zone.


Week 6: at Wisconsin

On October 19, 1974, Michigan defeated John Jardine's
Wisconsin Badgers The Wisconsin Badgers are the athletic teams representing the University of Wisconsin–Madison (University of Wisconsin). They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level (Football Bowl Subdivisi ...
by a 24–20 score. The game was played to a record crowd of 78,911 at
Camp Randall Stadium Camp Randall Stadium is an outdoor stadium in Madison, Wisconsin, located on the campus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Wisconsin. It has been the home of the Wisconsin Badgers football team in rudimentary form since 1895 ...
in
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 ...
. Michigan gained 265 rushing yards led by
Chuck Heater Chuck Heater (born October 10, 1952) is an American football coach and former player. He was a running back for the University of Michigan from 1972 to 1974 and finished his playing career as the fifth all-time leading rusher in Michigan Wolverine ...
who had 101 yards on 20 carries and a 22-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Dennis Franklin Dennis E. Franklin (born August 24, 1953) is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for the NFL he played college football ...
completed five of seven passes for 71 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown pass to Greg DenBoer in the third quarter. Gordon Bell scored Michigan's third touchdown on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Mike Lantry Mike Lantry (born c. 1948) is a former All-American football player. He was a left-footed place-kicker who played for Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan from 1972 through 1974. He was selected as a first-team All-American in 1973 and ...
kicked a 31-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and converted all three extra points. Michigan gave up 206 rushing yards to Wisconsin, prompting coach Schembechler to say, "That's the most anyone has run on us in years. I was surprised they could do that well against us, but their offense is very, very good."


Week 7: Minnesota

On October 26, 1974, 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 49-0 score. The game was played at Michigan Stadium before a crowd of 96,284. Michigan rolled to over 600 yards in the game. On the ground, the Wolverines totaled 521 rushing yards, led by
Rob Lytle Robert William Lytle (November 12, 1954 – November 20, 2010) was an American football player. Lytle played college football at the University of Michigan from 1973 to 1976. A running back, he broke Michigan's career record with 3,317 rushing ...
(158 yards on 20 carries) and Gordon Bell (134 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries).
Gil Chapman Gil Chapman (born August 23, 1953) is a former American football player, politician and businessman. Chapman became one of the leading scorers in the history of New Jersey high school football while playing for Thomas Jefferson High School in El ...
gained 41 yards and scored two touchdowns on six carries. Chuck Heater, Mark Elzinga and Scott Corbin also scored rushing touchdowns. Franklin completed six of seven passes for 99 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown pass to Jim Smith in the third quarter.


Week 8: Indiana

On November 2, 1974, Michigan defeated
Lee Corso Lee Richard Corso (born August 7, 1935) is an American sports broadcaster and football analyst for ESPN and a former coach. He has been a featured analyst on ESPN's '' College GameDay'' program since its inception in 1987. Corso served as the he ...
's
Indiana Hoosiers The Indiana Hoosiers are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of Indiana University Bloomington, named after the colloquial term for people from the state of Indiana. The Hoosiers participate in NCAA Division I, Division I of the Nationa ...
by a 21–7 score at Memorial Stadium in
Bloomington, Indiana Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County, Indiana, Monroe County in the central region of the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the List of municipalities in Indiana, seventh-largest city in Indiana and the fourth-largest outside ...
. After Gordon Bell returned the opening kickoff to the 45-yard line, Michigan drove to Indiana's 13-yard line, but
Rob Lytle Robert William Lytle (November 12, 1954 – November 20, 2010) was an American football player. Lytle played college football at the University of Michigan from 1973 to 1976. A running back, he broke Michigan's career record with 3,317 rushing ...
's fumble ended the drive. In all the Wolverines turned the ball over three times, twice on fumbles by Lytle and once on an interception of a
Dennis Franklin Dennis E. Franklin (born August 24, 1953) is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for the NFL he played college football ...
pass. Neither team scored in the first quarter, but Gordon Bell ran for two touchdowns in the second quarter to give Michigan a 14-0 lead at halftime. Michigan totaled 344 rushing yards in the game with gaining 159 yards on 23 carries,
Chuck Heater Chuck Heater (born October 10, 1952) is an American football coach and former player. He was a running back for the University of Michigan from 1972 to 1974 and finished his playing career as the fifth all-time leading rusher in Michigan Wolverine ...
contributing 97 yards on 16 carries, and Lytle rushing for 63 yards on 11 carries. Indiana scored in the fourth quarter to cut Michigan's lead to seven points, but
Gil Chapman Gil Chapman (born August 23, 1953) is a former American football player, politician and businessman. Chapman became one of the leading scorers in the history of New Jersey high school football while playing for Thomas Jefferson High School in El ...
scored with 36 seconds remaining in the game to extend the score to 21-7.


Week 9: Illinois

On November 9, 1974, 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 ...
by a 14–6 score 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 Illini played the game in mourning as 20-year-old defensive end Greg Williams was fatally shot at 2:30 a.m. during an altercation at a fraternity party and died eight hours later on the morning of the game. Michigan dominated the first half, scoring twice on runs by Gordon Bell and Dennis Franklin, and out-gaining the Illini, 259 yards to 25. Illinois' defense tightened in the second half. Illini co-captain Revie Sorey noted, "We didn't feel like playing football at first. Then - quietly, without much talk - we tried at halftime to find our hearts for Greg." Michigan did not score in the second half, and Illinois cornerback Mike Gow returned a punt 45 yards for a touchdown with 2 minutes and 10 second remaining in the fourth quarter. After Gow's touchdown, Illinois succeeded in recovering an
onside kick In gridiron football, an onside kick is a kickoff deliberately kicked short in an attempt by the kicking team to regain possession of the ball. This is in contrast with a typical kickoff, in which the kicking team intends to give the ball to the ...
and drove to Michigan's 16-yard line before Michigan's defense held. Ohio State lost to Michigan State, leaving Michigan in sole possession of first place in 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 ...
.


Week 10: Purdue

On November 16, 1974, Michigan defeated
Purdue Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...
by a 51-0 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 game was Purdue's most lopsided defeat in over 50 years. Michigan gained 581 yards of total offense on 396 rushing yards and 185 passing yards. Gordon Bell led the running game with 166 rushing yards and one touchdown on 23 carries.
Rob Lytle Robert William Lytle (November 12, 1954 – November 20, 2010) was an American football player. Lytle played college football at the University of Michigan from 1973 to 1976. A running back, he broke Michigan's career record with 3,317 rushing ...
added 66 yards and a touchdown, and
Chuck Heater Chuck Heater (born October 10, 1952) is an American football coach and former player. He was a running back for the University of Michigan from 1972 to 1974 and finished his playing career as the fifth all-time leading rusher in Michigan Wolverine ...
contributed 48 yards and a touchdown.
Dennis Franklin Dennis E. Franklin (born August 24, 1953) is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for the NFL he played college football ...
completed 7 of 12 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns, as Michigan played with three wide receivers. Backup quarterback Mark Elzinga also threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Lytle. After the game, Purdue coach
Alex Agase Alexander Arrasi Agase (March 27, 1922 – May 3, 2007) was an American football guard and linebacker who was named an All-American three times in college and played on three Cleveland Browns championship teams before becoming head football coac ...
said, "Michigan was a great team today. They killed us with skill."


Week 11: Ohio State

On November 23, 1974, with the Big Ten championship and a berth in the
1975 Rose Bowl The 1975 Rose Bowl was the 61st edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Wednesday, January 1. The fifth-ranked USC Trojans of the Pacific-8 Conference defeated #3 Ohio State Bucke ...
at stake, Michigan played the
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 ...
in the sixth year of
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. ...
between head coaches
Bo Schembechler Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler Jr. ( ; April 1, 1929 – November 17, 2006) was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University o ...
and
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 ...
. Prior to the game, Michigan was ranked #2 in the Coaches Poll with Ohio State ranked #3. The game was played at
Ohio Stadium Ohio Stadium is an American football stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on the campus of Ohio State University. It primarily serves as the home venue of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team and is also the site for the university's Spring Commencement c ...
in
Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...
, before a crowd of 88,243 spectators. Michigan jumped to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter on a 42-yard touchdown pass from
Dennis Franklin Dennis E. Franklin (born August 24, 1953) is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for the NFL he played college football ...
to
Gil Chapman Gil Chapman (born August 23, 1953) is a former American football player, politician and businessman. Chapman became one of the leading scorers in the history of New Jersey high school football while playing for Thomas Jefferson High School in El ...
and a 37-yard field goal by
Mike Lantry Mike Lantry (born c. 1948) is a former All-American football player. He was a left-footed place-kicker who played for Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan from 1972 through 1974. He was selected as a first-team All-American in 1973 and ...
. Ohio State did not score a touchdown against Michigan, but Tom Klaban kicked three field goals in the second quarter and another in the third quarter to give Ohio State a 12-10 lead. Michigan drove inside Ohio State's 20-yard line in the closing minutes of the game. With 18 second remaining, Lantry attempted a 33-yard field goal which was called wide left by the officials. Ohio State won 12 to 10, and the two teams finished in a tie for the Big Ten championship.


Players


Offense

* James Armour, offensive guard, senior,
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 ...
, Michigan - started 3 games at left offensive guard *
Gordon Bell Chester Gordon Bell (born August 19, 1934) is an American electrical engineer and manager. An early employee of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) 1960–1966, Bell designed several of their PDP machines and later became Vice President of Engi ...
, tailback, junior,
Troy, Ohio Troy is a city in and the county seat of Miami County, Ohio, Miami County, Ohio, United States, located north of Dayton, Ohio, Dayton. The population was 26,305 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the largest city in Miami Cou ...
- started 3 games at tailback *
Gil Chapman Gil Chapman (born August 23, 1953) is a former American football player, politician and businessman. Chapman became one of the leading scorers in the history of New Jersey high school football while playing for Thomas Jefferson High School in El ...
, wing back, senior,
Elizabeth, New Jersey Elizabeth is a city and the county seat of Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.New J ...
- started all 11 games at fullback * Scott Corbin, fullback, freshman, Cincinnati, Ohio * James C. Czirr, center, junior,
St. Joseph, Michigan St. Joseph, colloquially known as St. Joe, is a city and the county seat of Berrien County, Michigan. It was incorporated as a village in 1834 and as a city in 1891. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,365. It lies on the shore o ...
* Greg DenBoer, tight end, senior,
Kentwood, Michigan Kentwood is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 54,304 as of the 2020 census. The city is bordered on the northwest by Grand Rapids and is the third most-populated municipality in the Grand Rapids metropolitan ...
- started all 11 games at tight end *
Mark Donahue Mark Joseph Donahue (born January 28, 1956) is a former American football player. He played college football as an offensive guard for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1975 to 1977. He was a consensus All-American in both 1976 and 1977 ...
, offensive guard, freshman,
Oak Lawn, Illinois Oak Lawn is a Village (Illinois), village in Cook County, Illinois, Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 58,362 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Oak Lawn is a suburb of Chicago, located southwest of the city. It ...
*
Walt Downing Walt Downing (born June 11, 1956) is a former American football player. He played professional football as an offensive guard for the San Francisco 49ers from 1978 to 1983. He played for Bill Walsh (American football coach), Bill Walsh and was a ...
, tackle, freshman,
Coatesville, Pennsylvania Coatesville is a city in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 13,350 at the 2020 census. Coatesville is approximately 39 miles west of Philadelphia. It developed along the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike beginning ...
* Bill Dufek, tackle, freshman,
East Grand Rapids, Michigan East Grand Rapids is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,694. The city is part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area and is surrounded by Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Township, ...
* Mark Elzinga, quarterback, junior,
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 ...
- started 2 games at quarterback *
Dennis Franklin Dennis E. Franklin (born August 24, 1953) is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for the NFL he played college football ...
, quarterback, senior,
Massillon, Ohio Massillon is a city in Stark County, Ohio, Stark County in the U.S. state of Ohio, approximately west of Canton, Ohio, Canton, south of Akron, and south of Cleveland. The population was 32,146 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Mass ...
- started 9 games at quarterback *
Dennis Franks Dennis John Franks (May 29, 1953 – October 16, 2021) was an American professional football player in the National Football League (NFL). He was a center and played on special teams for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976 to 1978 and for the Det ...
, center, senior,
Bethel Park, Pennsylvania Bethel Park, officially the Municipality of Bethel Park, is a borough with home rule status in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, located approximately southwest of Pittsburgh. The pop ...
- started all 11 games at center * James D. Hall, offensive tackle, sophomore,
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, and ...
- started 1 game at right offensive tackle *
Chuck Heater Chuck Heater (born October 10, 1952) is an American football coach and former player. He was a running back for the University of Michigan from 1972 to 1974 and finished his playing career as the fifth all-time leading rusher in Michigan Wolverine ...
, tailback, senior,
Tiffin, Ohio Tiffin is a city in and the county seat of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. Developed along the Sandusky River, which flows to Lake Erie, Tiffin is about 55 miles southeast of Toledo. The population was 17,963 at the 2010 census.Springfield, Illinois Springfield is the capital of the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat and largest city of Sangamon County. The city's population was 114,394 at the 2020 census, which makes it the state's seventh most-populous city, the second largest o ...
* Keith Johnson, split end, junior,
Munster, Indiana Munster is a suburban town in North Township, Lake County, Indiana, United States. It is in the Chicago metropolitan area, approximately southeast of the Chicago Loop, and shares municipal boundaries with Hammond to the north, Highland to th ...
* R. Steven King, senior,
Tiffin, Ohio Tiffin is a city in and the county seat of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. Developed along the Sandusky River, which flows to Lake Erie, Tiffin is about 55 miles southeast of Toledo. The population was 17,963 at the 2010 census.Mike Lantry Mike Lantry (born c. 1948) is a former All-American football player. He was a left-footed place-kicker who played for Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan from 1972 through 1974. He was selected as a first-team All-American in 1973 and ...
, place-kicker, senior,
Oxford, Michigan Oxford is a village in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,436 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Oxford Township. Located about north of Detroit, it is a northern suburb of the Metro Detroit r ...
* Kirk Lewis, offensive guard, junior,
Garden City, Michigan Garden City is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,692. The city is part of the Metro Detroit region and is approximately west of the city of Detroit. M-153 (Ford Road) ...
*
Rob Lytle Robert William Lytle (November 12, 1954 – November 20, 2010) was an American football player. Lytle played college football at the University of Michigan from 1973 to 1976. A running back, he broke Michigan's career record with 3,317 rushing ...
, tailback, sophomore,
Fremont, Ohio Fremont is a city in and the county seat of Sandusky County, Ohio, United States, located along the banks of the Sandusky River. It is about 35 miles from Toledo and 25 miles from Sandusky. It is part of the Toledo metropolitan area. The populat ...
- started 8 games at tailback * David F. Metz, offensive guard, senior,
Harrison, Ohio Harrison is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The city is located in the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky metropolitan area. The population was 9,897 at the 2010 census, and was estimated in 2019 to be 11,896. History Harrison was l ...
- started 9 games at left offensive guard *
Les Miles Leslie Edwin Miles (born November 10, 1953) is a former American football coach. He most recently served as the head coach at Kansas. His head coaching career began with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, where he coached from 2001 to 2004. Following t ...
, offensive guard, junior,
Elyria, Ohio Elyria ( ) is a city in the Greater Cleveland metropolitan statistical area and the county seat of Lorain County, Ohio, United States, located at the forks of the Black River in Northeast Ohio 23 miles southwest of Cleveland. As of the 2020 cen ...
* Steve Nauta, center freshman,
Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania Plymouth Meeting is a census-designated place (CDP) that straddles Plymouth Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Plymouth and Whitemarsh Township, Pennsylvania, Whitemarsh Townships in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Montgomery County, Penns ...
* George Przygodski, tight end, junior,
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 ...
* Max Richardson, tailback, freshman,
Fort Wayne, Indiana Fort Wayne is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Indiana, United States. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 as of the 2020 Censu ...
* Jim Smith, split end, sophomore,
Blue Island, Illinois Blue Island is a city in Cook County, Illinois, located approximately south of Chicago's Loop. Blue Island is adjacent to the city of Chicago and shares its northern boundary with that city's Morgan Park neighborhood. The population was 22,558 ...
- started all 11 games at left end * Jeff Spahn, quarterback, senior,
Steubenville, Ohio Steubenville is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Ohio, United States. Located along the Ohio River 33 miles west of Pittsburgh, it had a population of 18,161 at the 2020 census. The city's name is derived from Fort Steuben, a 1 ...
* Curt Stephenson, split end, sophomore,
La Jolla, California La Jolla ( , ) is a hilly, seaside neighborhood within the city of San Diego, California, United States, occupying of curving coastline along the Pacific Ocean. The population reported in the 2010 census was 46,781. La Jolla is surrounded on ...
* Pat Tumpane, offensive tackle, senior,
Midlothian, Illinois Midlothian () is a village in Bremen Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a southwestern suburb of Chicago. As of the 2020 census the population was 14,325. History Like many southwest suburbs of Chicago in the 1800s and ear ...
- started all 11 games at left tackle * Jerry Vogele, fullback, sophomore, Cincinnati, Ohio


Defense

*
John Anderson John Anderson may refer to: Business *John Anderson (Scottish businessman) (1747–1820), Scottish merchant and founder of Fermoy, Ireland * John Byers Anderson (1817–1897), American educator, military officer and railroad executive, mentor of ...
, outside linebacker, freshman,
Waukesha, Wisconsin Waukesha ( ) is the county seat of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. Its population was 71,158 at the 2020 census. The city is adjacent to the Village of Waukesha. History The area that ...
* Harry Banks, defensive back, senior,
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 all 11 games at strong side defensive halfback * Larry Banks, defensive end, senior, Cleveland, Ohio - started 8 games at right defensive end, 1 game at left defensive end * Jim Bolden, defensive back, sophomore,
Akron, Ohio Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County, Ohio, Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 C ...
* Dave Brown, safety, senior,
Akron, Ohio Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County, Ohio, Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 C ...
- started all 11 games at safety * Tim Davis, middle guard, junior,
Warren, Ohio Warren is a city in and the county seat of Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. Located in northeastern Ohio, Warren lies approximately northwest of Youngstown and southeast of Cleveland. The population was 39,201 at the 2020 census. The his ...
- started 6 games at middle guard * David Devich, linebacker, junior, Highland, Indiana * Thomas E. Drake, defensive back, senior,
Midland, Michigan Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Michigan. The city's population was 42,547 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Midland Micropolitan Statistical Area, part of the larger Saginaw-Midland-Bay City Comb ...
- started 6 games at weak-side defensive halfback *
Don Dufek Donald Patrick Dufek Jr. (born April 28, 1954) is a former American football player who played safety and special teams for eight seasons with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He had previously played for the Michigan W ...
, wolfman, junior,
East Grand Rapids, Michigan East Grand Rapids is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,694. The city is part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area and is surrounded by Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Township, ...
- started all 11 games at wolfman * Dave Elliott, defensive back, senior,
Coral Gables, Florida Coral Gables, officially City of Coral Gables, is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city is located southwest of Downtown Miami. As of the 2020 U.S. census, it had a population of 49,248. Coral Gables is known globally as home to the ...
- started 5 games at weak-side defensive halfback * John Hennessy, defensive tackle, sophomore, Chicago, Illinois *
Dwight Hicks Dwight Hicks (born April 5, 1956) is a former professional American football player who played safety for the Toronto Argonauts in 1978, the San Francisco 49ers from 1979 to 1985, and for the Indianapolis Colts in 1986. High school and college ...
, defensive back-running back, freshman,
Pennsauken, New Jersey Pennsauken Township is a township in Camden County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the township's population was 37,074, reflecting an increase of 1,189 (+3.3%) from the 35,885 count ...
* Bill Hoban, defensive tackle, senior, Chicago, Illinois * Michael G. Holmes, defensive end, junior
Akron, Ohio Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County, Ohio, Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 C ...
* Derek Howard, wide receiver - defensive back, freshman, Hamilton, Ohio * Mark Jacoby, wolf, senior,
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 ...
*
Dan Jilek Daniel Douglas Jilek (December 3, 1953 – March 6, 2002) was an American football player. He played professional football as a linebacker for the Buffalo Bills from 1976 to 1979. He was drafted by the Bills in the fourth round, as the 109th ...
, defensive end, junior,
Sterling Heights, Michigan Sterling Heights is a city in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan, and one of Detroit's core suburbs. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a total population of 134,346. It is the second largest suburb in Metro Detroit, and the fourth la ...
- started all 11 games (10 at left defensive end, 1 at right defensive end) * Larry L. Johnson, defensive end, senior,
Munster, Indiana Munster is a suburban town in North Township, Lake County, Indiana, United States. It is in the Chicago metropolitan area, approximately southeast of the Chicago Loop, and shares municipal boundaries with Hammond to the north, Highland to th ...
- started 2 games at right defensive end * Kurt Kampe III, defensive back, senior,
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 ...
* Richard A. Koschalk, middle guard, junior, Toledo, Ohio - started 5 games at middle guard * Bob Lang, middle guard, sophomore, Chicago, Illinois * Greg Morton, defensive tackle, junior, Akron, Ohio - started all 11 games at right defensive tackle *
Calvin O'Neal Calvin O'Neal (born October 6, 1954) is a former professional American football linebacker who played for the Baltimore Colts in 1978 and was an All-American and team co-captain for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 1976. Amateur career ...
, linebacker, junior,
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 ...
- started 2 games at wide linebacker, 1 game at middle linebacker * Jeff Perlinger, defensive tackle, junior,
Crystal, Minnesota Crystal is a first-ring suburban city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States that is about 5 miles from Downtown Minneapolis. The population was 22,151 at the 2010 census. Minnesota State Highway 100 and County Road 81 are two of the mai ...
- started all 11 games at left defensive tackle * Carl Russ, linebacker, senior,
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 9 games at wide linebacker * Geoffrey Steger, wolf, senior,
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- ...
*
Steve Strinko Steven Douglas Strinko (born October 5, 1952) is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker for Coach Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan and was selected as the Most Valuable Player on the 1974 Michigan Wolverines ...
, linebacker, junior,
Middletown, Ohio Middletown is a city located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio, about 35 miles (47 km) north of Cincinnati. The population as of the 2020 census was 50,987. It is part of the Cincinnati metropo ...
- started 10 games at middle linebacker * Jerry Zuver, safety, sophomore,
Archbold, Ohio Archbold is a village in Fulton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,346 at the 2010 census. Archbold is home to Northwest State Community College. It was designated a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation in 1983. H ...


Awards and honors

*
All-Americans The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
: Dave Brown (AP, UPI, NEA, WC, AFCA, FWAA, TSN, FN, Time) * All-Big Ten: Dave Brown (AP-1, UPI-1), Tim Davis (AP-1, UPI-1),
Steve Strinko Steven Douglas Strinko (born October 5, 1952) is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker for Coach Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan and was selected as the Most Valuable Player on the 1974 Michigan Wolverines ...
(AP-1, UPI-1),
Don Dufek Donald Patrick Dufek Jr. (born April 28, 1954) is a former American football player who played safety and special teams for eight seasons with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He had previously played for the Michigan W ...
(AP-2, UPI-1), Dennis Franks (AP-1, UPI-2), Jeff Perlinger (AP-1),
Dan Jilek Daniel Douglas Jilek (December 3, 1953 – March 6, 2002) was an American football player. He played professional football as a linebacker for the Buffalo Bills from 1976 to 1979. He was drafted by the Bills in the fourth round, as the 109th ...
(UPI-1),
Gordon Bell Chester Gordon Bell (born August 19, 1934) is an American electrical engineer and manager. An early employee of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) 1960–1966, Bell designed several of their PDP machines and later became Vice President of Engi ...
(AP-2, UPI-2),
Dennis Franklin Dennis E. Franklin (born August 24, 1953) is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for the NFL he played college football ...
(AP-2, UPI-2), Steve King (AP-2), and
Gil Chapman Gil Chapman (born August 23, 1953) is a former American football player, politician and businessman. Chapman became one of the leading scorers in the history of New Jersey high school football while playing for Thomas Jefferson High School in El ...
(UPI-2) *Most Valuable Player: Steve Strinko * Meyer Morton Award: Dennis Franklin *John Maulbetsch Award:
Rob Lytle Robert William Lytle (November 12, 1954 – November 20, 2010) was an American football player. Lytle played college football at the University of Michigan from 1973 to 1976. A running back, he broke Michigan's career record with 3,317 rushing ...
*Frederick Matthei Award: Kirk Lewis *Arthur Robinsion Scholarship Award: Larry Johnson


Professional football

The following 26 players from the 1974 Michigan football team were drafted to play and/or actually played professional football 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 ...
(NFL): # Linebacker
John Anderson John Anderson may refer to: Business *John Anderson (Scottish businessman) (1747–1820), Scottish merchant and founder of Fermoy, Ireland * John Byers Anderson (1817–1897), American educator, military officer and railroad executive, mentor of ...
was selected by the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
in the first round of the 1977 NFL Draft and played 12 seasons with the Packers from 1978 to 1989. He was later named to the
NFL 1980s All-Decade Team The NFL 1980s All-Decade Team was chosen by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The team was composed of outstanding performers in the National Football League in the 1980s. The squad consists of first- and second-team offensive, defensive and ...
. # Defensive back Harry Banks was selected by the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
in the seventh round of the
1975 NFL Draft The 1975 National Football League draft was held January 28–29, 1975, at the New York Hilton at Rockefeller Center in New York City, New York. With the first overall pick of the draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected quarterback Steve Bartko ...
. Banks was placed on waivers by the Bills in late July 1976. # Running back
Gordon Bell Chester Gordon Bell (born August 19, 1934) is an American electrical engineer and manager. An early employee of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) 1960–1966, Bell designed several of their PDP machines and later became Vice President of Engi ...
was selected by the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
in the fourth round of the
1976 NFL Draft The 1976 National Football League draft was an annual player selection meeting held April 8–9, 1976, at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, New York. The draft lasted 17 rounds, with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks m ...
and played three seasons in the NFL with the Giants and
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
. # Defensive back Dave Brown was selected by the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
in the first round of the
1975 NFL Draft The 1975 National Football League draft was held January 28–29, 1975, at the New York Hilton at Rockefeller Center in New York City, New York. With the first overall pick of the draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected quarterback Steve Bartko ...
and played 15 seasons in the NFL with the Steelers,
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
and
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
. # Wide receiver
Gil Chapman Gil Chapman (born August 23, 1953) is a former American football player, politician and businessman. Chapman became one of the leading scorers in the history of New Jersey high school football while playing for Thomas Jefferson High School in El ...
was selected by the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
in the seventh round of the
1975 NFL Draft The 1975 National Football League draft was held January 28–29, 1975, at the New York Hilton at Rockefeller Center in New York City, New York. With the first overall pick of the draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected quarterback Steve Bartko ...
and played one season in the NFL with the
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
. # Center Jim Czirr was selected by the Denver Broncos in the ninth round of the
1976 NFL Draft The 1976 National Football League draft was an annual player selection meeting held April 8–9, 1976, at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, New York. The draft lasted 17 rounds, with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks m ...
. In July 1976, Czirr announced that he would not report to the Broncos as he was opting not to continue playing football due to an arthritic vertebrae in his neck. # Tight end Greg DenBoer was selected by the
Baltimore Colts The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team that played in Baltimore from its founding in 1953 to 1984. The team now plays in Indianapolis, as the Indianapolis Colts. The team was named for Baltimore's history of horse breed ...
in the eighth round of the 1975 NFL Draft. # Offensive guard
Mark Donahue Mark Joseph Donahue (born January 28, 1956) is a former American football player. He played college football as an offensive guard for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1975 to 1977. He was a consensus All-American in both 1976 and 1977 ...
was selected by the
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
in the 11th round of the
1978 NFL Draft The 1978 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 2–3, 1978, at the Roosevelt Hote ...
and played two seasons in the NFL with the Bengals. # Offensive lineman
Walt Downing Walt Downing (born June 11, 1956) is a former American football player. He played professional football as an offensive guard for the San Francisco 49ers from 1978 to 1983. He played for Bill Walsh (American football coach), Bill Walsh and was a ...
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 ...
in the second round of the
1978 NFL Draft The 1978 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 2–3, 1978, at the Roosevelt Hote ...
and played six seasons in the NFL with the 49ers. # Defensive back Tom Drake was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the 11th round of the 1975 NFL Draft. He was cut by the Colts in mid-September 1975. # Defensive back
Don Dufek Donald Patrick Dufek Jr. (born April 28, 1954) is a former American football player who played safety and special teams for eight seasons with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He had previously played for the Michigan W ...
was selected by the
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
in the fifth round of the
1976 NFL Draft The 1976 National Football League draft was an annual player selection meeting held April 8–9, 1976, at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, New York. The draft lasted 17 rounds, with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks m ...
and played eight seasons with the Seahawks. # Quarterback
Dennis Franklin Dennis E. Franklin (born August 24, 1953) is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for the NFL he played college football ...
was selected by the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
in the sixth round of the
1975 NFL Draft The 1975 National Football League draft was held January 28–29, 1975, at the New York Hilton at Rockefeller Center in New York City, New York. With the first overall pick of the draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected quarterback Steve Bartko ...
and played two seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver for the Lions. # Center
Dennis Franks Dennis John Franks (May 29, 1953 – October 16, 2021) was an American professional football player in the National Football League (NFL). He was a center and played on special teams for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976 to 1978 and for the Det ...
was undrafted but played four seasons in the NFL with the
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 plays ...
and
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
. # Running back
Chuck Heater Chuck Heater (born October 10, 1952) is an American football coach and former player. He was a running back for the University of Michigan from 1972 to 1974 and finished his playing career as the fifth all-time leading rusher in Michigan Wolverine ...
was selected by the
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
in the tenth round of the 1975 NFL Draft. He was released by the Saints in early September 1975. # Linebacker John Hennessy was selected by the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
in the 10th round of the 1977 NFL Draft and played three seasons for the Jets. # Defensive back
Dwight Hicks Dwight Hicks (born April 5, 1956) is a former professional American football player who played safety for the Toronto Argonauts in 1978, the San Francisco 49ers from 1979 to 1985, and for the Indianapolis Colts in 1986. High school and college ...
was selected by the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
in the sixth round of the
1978 NFL Draft The 1978 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 2–3, 1978, at the Roosevelt Hote ...
and played eight seasons in the NFL with 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 ...
and
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
. # Defensive end
Dan Jilek Daniel Douglas Jilek (December 3, 1953 – March 6, 2002) was an American football player. He played professional football as a linebacker for the Buffalo Bills from 1976 to 1979. He was drafted by the Bills in the fourth round, as the 109th ...
was selected by the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
in the fourth round of the
1976 NFL Draft The 1976 National Football League draft was an annual player selection meeting held April 8–9, 1976, at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, New York. The draft lasted 17 rounds, with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks m ...
and played four seasons for the Bills. # Offensive tackle Steve King was selected by the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
in the fifth round of the 1976 NFL Draft. # Running back
Rob Lytle Robert William Lytle (November 12, 1954 – November 20, 2010) was an American football player. Lytle played college football at the University of Michigan from 1973 to 1976. A running back, he broke Michigan's career record with 3,317 rushing ...
was selected by the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
in the second round of the 1977 NFL Draft and played seven seasons with the Broncos. # Defensive tackle Greg Morton was selected by the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
in the eighth round of the 1977 NFL Draft and played one season for the Bills. # Linebacker
Calvin O'Neal Calvin O'Neal (born October 6, 1954) is a former professional American football linebacker who played for the Baltimore Colts in 1978 and was an All-American and team co-captain for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 1976. Amateur career ...
was selected by the
Baltimore Colts The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team that played in Baltimore from its founding in 1953 to 1984. The team now plays in Indianapolis, as the Indianapolis Colts. The team was named for Baltimore's history of horse breed ...
in the sixth round of the 1977 NFL Draft and played one season for the Colts. # Defensive tackle Jeff Perlinger was selected by the
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
in the 10th round of the 1976 NFL Draft. He later signed with
Calgary Stampeders The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third-old ...
but was cut in mid-July 1976. # Linebacker Carl Russ was selected by the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
in the 13th round of the
1975 NFL Draft The 1975 National Football League draft was held January 28–29, 1975, at the New York Hilton at Rockefeller Center in New York City, New York. With the first overall pick of the draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected quarterback Steve Bartko ...
and played three seasons in the NFL with the Falcons and
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
. # Wide receiver Jim Smith was selected by the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
in the third round of the 1977 NFL Draft and played seven seasons with the Steelers. # Linebacker
Steve Strinko Steven Douglas Strinko (born October 5, 1952) is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker for Coach Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan and was selected as the Most Valuable Player on the 1974 Michigan Wolverines ...
was selected by the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
in the ninth round of the 1975 NFL Draft. # Fullback Jerry Vogele was selected by the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
in the ninth round of the 1977 NFL Draft. Vogele sustained a knee injury in a pre-season game in September 1977 and was required to undergo surgery.


Coaching staff

*Head coach:
Bo Schembechler Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler Jr. ( ; April 1, 1929 – November 17, 2006) was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University o ...
*Assistant coaches :* ''Offense'':
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), Tirrel Burton (offensive ends),
Elliott Uzelac Elliot Uzelac (born July 24, 1941) is an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Western Michigan University from 1975 to 1981 and the United States Naval Academy from 1987 to 1989, compiling a career college football coa ...
(offensive line), Jerry Hanlon (offensive line) :* ''Defense'':
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 coordinator),
Jack Harbaugh Jack Avon Harbaughhttp://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/%7Ebattle/celeb/harbaugh.htm (born June 28, 1939) is a former American football player and coach. He is known for being the longtime head coach at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers fo ...
(defensive backfield),
Jed Hughes Jed Hughes is a former American football coach. Hughes worked as a graduate assistant for Stanford University football program from 1972 to 1973. In 1974, he joined Bo Schembechler's staff at the University of Michigan as a linebacker coach. H ...
(linebackers),
Tom Reed Thomas or Tom Reed may refer to: Politicians and military * Thomas Buck Reed (1787–1829), senator from Mississippi * Thomas Reed (British Army officer) (1796–1883), British general * Thomas Brackett Reed (1839–1902), Speaker of the House of ...
(defensive line),
Bill McCartney William Paul McCartney (born August 22, 1940) is a former American football player and coach and the founder of the Promise Keepers men's ministry. He was the head coach at the University of Colorado Boulder for thirteen seasons (1982–1994), ...
(defensive ends) :* ''Other'':
Dennis Brown Dennis Emmanuel Brown CD (1 February 1957 – 1 July 1999) was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of lo ...
*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: Thomas Rasdale


Statistics


Rushing


Passing


Receiving


Kickoff returns


Punt returns


See also

*
1974 in Michigan Events from the year 1974 in Michigan. The Associated Press (AP) selected the top news stories of 1974 in Michigan as follows: # Gerald Ford's elevation to President of the United States after the resignation of Richard Nixon; # The decline of th ...


References


External links


1974 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 ...