The 1981 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
1981 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 13th season 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 of ...
, the Wolverines compiled a 9–3 record (6–3 against conference opponents) and outscored all opponents by a total of 355 to 162. Ranked No. 1 by both the
AP and
UPI
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 c ...
in the preseason polls, Michigan lost to
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 ...
in its season opener, then defeated No. 1
Notre Dame the following week, and ended its season with a victory over
UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
in the
Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl. The Wolverines were ranked No. 10 in the final UPI poll and No. 12 in the AP Poll.
Running back
Butch Woolfolk was selected as the team's most valuable player. The team's statistical leaders included Woolfolk with a school record 1,459 rushing yards, wide receiver
Anthony Carter with 952 receiving yards, and quarterback
Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to:
Academics
* Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager
* Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
with 1,661 passing yards, 2,335 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 ...
, and 72 points scored.
Five Michigan players, all on offense, received first-team All-America honors: Anthony Carter (consensus); offensive guard
Kurt Becker
Kurt Frank Becker (born December 22, 1958) is a former American football player. He played college football as an offensive guard at the University of Michigan from 1978 to 1981, was selected as a first-team All-American in 1981, and played profe ...
(consensus); offensive tackle
Ed Muransky
Edward William "Ed" Muransky (born January 20, 1960) is a former professional American football offensive tackle who played for the Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) and Orlando Renegades of the United States Football Lea ...
(consensus); offensive tackle
Bubba Paris
William "Bubba" Paris (born October 6, 1960) is a former professional American football offensive tackle who played for the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL from 1983 to 1990 and for the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions in 1991. He was a member ...
; and Butch Woolfolk. Thirteen Michigan players were named to the
1981 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
Schedule
Season summary
At Wisconsin
On September 12, 1981, Michigan, ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP and UPI polls, opened its season losing to unranked
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 ...
by a 21–14 score in front of a crowd of 68,733 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 ...
. Wisconsin had not scored a point against Michigan since 1976, and it was Michigan's first loss to Wisconsin since 1962.
In his first start, Michigan's sophomore quarterback
Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to:
Academics
* Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager
* Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
completed only three of 18 passes for 39 yards and was intercepted three times by Wisconsin safety Matt Vanden Boom. After a scoreless first quarter, Dave Keeling of Wisconsin fumbled a punt and Michigan drove 33 yards for the touchdown, a four-yard run by Smith. Wisconsin followed with two second quarter touchdowns in the final four minutes of the half to take a 14-7 lead.
[
With nine minutes remaining in the third quarter, Butch Woolfolk ran 89 yards for a touchdown on an off-tackle play to tie the game at 14–14. Wisconsin retook the lead on a 71-yard touchdown pass from Jess Cole to John Williams. Neither team was able to score in the fourth quarter.]
After the game, Schembechler told reporters: "Our offense wasn't any good; our defense wasn't any good; our kicking game wasn't any good, and our coaching was poor. It's a miracle we only lost by 7 points."
For the first time since 1945, Bob Ufer was not Michigan's radio play-by-play announcer. Ufer, who had announced 360 consecutive Michigan football games, was recovering from surgery to remove a blood clot and was also battling cancer. He was replaced by Frank Beckmann
Frank Carl Beckmann (November 3, 1949February 12, 2022) was a German-born American broadcaster and talk radio host on WJR in Detroit, Michigan. He also was the radio play-by-play announcer for University of Michigan football from 1981 to 2013. ...
. Ufer died the following month.
Notre Dame
On September 19, 1981, Michigan defeated Notre Dame, ranked No. 1 in both the AP and UPI polls, by a 25–7 score in front of a crowd of 105,888 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 ...
.
On the opening drive, Michigan drove to the Notre Dame 14-yard line, but Ali Haji-Sheikh
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...
missed a field goal. Notre Dame then drove to the Michigan five-yard line and faked a field goal attempt on fourth down. Notre Dame completed a pass, but the receiver fell down at the four-yard line, and Michigan took over on downs. After a scoreless first quarter, Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to:
Academics
* Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager
* Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
connected with Anthony Carter for a 71-yard touchdown pass—the fourth longest pass play in Michigan history. Michigan again drove deep into Notre Dame territory before the half, but the drive ended on an interception. Michigan led, 7-0, at halftime.
At the start of the third quarter, Michigan intercepted a Notre Dame pass, drove 52 yards down the field, and scored on a 15-yard pass from Smith to Carter. On the extra point attempt, the snap bounced off B. J. Dickey's head, and Ali Haji-Sheikh
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...
's pass attempt fell incomplete. Still in the third quarter, Michigan again drove downfield, took the ball at the one-yard line on a pass interference penalty, and scored on a one-yard run by Lawrence Ricks
Lawrence Tallmagde Ricks (born June 4, 1961) is a former American football player. He played college football as a tailback for the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1982 and was selected as a first-team running back on the 1982 All-Big Ten ...
. Michigan attempted a two-point conversion, but an end-around by Carter was stopped at the two-yard line.[
In the fourth quarter, Michigan mounted a 53-yard, six play touchdown drive capped by six-yard touchdown run by Smith, and Michigan led, 25–0. Notre Dame's only scoring drive began when Joe Johnson intercepted a Steve Smith pass at Michigan's 42-yard line. After a long completion from Tim Koegel to Tony Hunter, Koegel threw eight yards for a touchdown to Dan Masztak with 7:42 remaining in the game.][
Butch Woolfolk gained 139 yards on 23 carries. Aside from his two touchdown passes to Carter, Smith struggled in his second start, completing only four of 15 passes and throwing two interceptions. On defense, Michigan limited Notre Dame to 213 yards of total offense, and middle linebacker Mike Boren was selected by the ABC broadcasting crew as the Star of the Game.][
After the game, Michigan coach Schembechler dedicated the game ball to radio play-by-play announcer Bob Ufer who was dying of cancer. Schembechler praised his team's performance: "This was a great win for us, because we came back from our poorest performance I can ever remember. We're not there yet -- we've got a ways to go -- but that looked a whole lot better than a week ago." Michigan's 18-point margin of victory over top-ranked Notre Dame was one of the largest margins of victory over a No. 1 team to that point in history.
]
Navy
On September 26, 1981, Michigan defeated Navy, 21–16, before a crowd of 105,213 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 ...
.
In the first quarter, Michigan drove 46 yards on seven plays, with Anthony Carter taking the ball to the 10-yard line on a 22-yard reception. Butch Woolfolk ran four yards for the touchdown. Early in the second quarter, Michigan drove 66 yards on 11 plays, including several passes to Carter and Vince Bean. Quarterback Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to:
Academics
* Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager
* Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
scored on a two-yard option run. On Michigan's next drive, Smith was intercepted by Navy's Elliott Reagans, and Anthony Carter sustained a sprained right ankle colliding with Reagans. Carter did not return to the game. Later in the second quarter, Michigan's Tony Jackson fumbled a punt, and Navy recovered at Michigan's 35-yard line. Steve Fehr kicked a 46-yard field goal, and then a 31-yarder with 32 seconds left in the half, to narrow the lead to 14–6 at halftime.
Early in the third quarter, Evan Cooper intercepted a Navy pass and returned it to Navy's 34-yard line. Michigan scored on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Vince Bean. Navy responded with a 12-play, 94-yard drive ending with a 22-yard touchdown run by quarterback Marco Pagnanelli on the final play of the third quarter. Navy then drove 66 yards on its next possession, ending with a 45-yard field goal. Late in the fourth quarter, Navy drove 48 yards to Michigan's 22-yard line. With two minutes remaining in the game, Pagnanelli threw to a wide open Troy Mitchell in the end zone, but the pass was overthrown.[
After the game, coach Schembechler said: "I don't think we were ready to play. They were the better team today. This team has not performed like a Michigan team yet. They're not hungry, and unless they become that, I don't see us winning the championship."][
]
At Indiana
On October 3, 1981, 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 ...
, 38–17, before a crowd of 50,612 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 ...
.
On the opening possession, Michigan drove to the Indiana 29-yard line, but Stan Edwards
Stanley J. Edwards (born May 20, 1959) is a former American football running back. A native of Detroit, Edwards played college football at the University of Michigan from 1977 to 1981 and for six years in the National Football League (NFL) for t ...
fumbled, and Indiana recovered at its 36-yard line. Indiana quarterback Babe Laufenberg
Brandon Hugh "Babe" Laufenberg (born December 5, 1959) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the New Orleans Saints, San Diego Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Kansas City Chiefs. He also w ...
led a three-play, 65-yard touchdown drive capped by a 20-yard pass from Laufenberg to Bob Stephenson. On the next possession, Michigan drove 74 yards on 14 plays (including 55 yards by Butch Woolfolk), scoring on a three-yard run by quarterback Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to:
Academics
* Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager
* Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
. Indiana drove back down the field and kicked a 22-yard field goal to move back ahead, 10-7, at the end of the first quarter. Michigan pulled away with 17 unanswered points in the second quarter. Michigan's touchdowns were scored by Craig Dunaway
Craig Carter Dunaway (born March 27, 1961) is a former American football player. He played college football as a tight end for the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1982. In three years with Michigan, Dunaway caught 55 passes for 775 yards an ...
on a six-yard pass from Smith and Woolfolk on a one-yard run. Ali Haji-Sheikh
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...
added a 42-yard field goal on the last play of the half.[
Early in the third quarter, Indiana advanced to the Michigan five-yard line on drive that featured a 16-yard pass from tailback John Roggeman to Laufenberg. However, on third-and-goal, Laufenberg's pass was intercepted by Marion Body. Woolfolk scored on a 24-yard touchdown run, but the extra point failed due to a fumbled snap. Indiana responded with a 48-yard touchdown run on a reverse by wide receiver Duane Gunn. In the fourth quarter, Michigan drove 75 yards on 12 plays with ]Lawrence Ricks
Lawrence Tallmagde Ricks (born June 4, 1961) is a former American football player. He played college football as a tailback for the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1982 and was selected as a first-team running back on the 1982 All-Big Ten ...
scoring on a two-yard run. Smith then passed to Anthony Carter for a two-point conversion.[
Michigan out-gained Indiana by 597 yards to 316. Woolfolk rushed for 176 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. It was Woolfolk's sixth consecutive 100-yard game, tying a Michigan school record. Steve Smith completed 12 of 19 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 48 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.]
At Michigan State
On October 10, 1981, Michigan defeated Michigan State
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...
, 38–20, before a crowd of 77,923 at Spartan Stadium in 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 ...
. Michigan rushed for 445 yards, led by Butch Woolfolk with 253 yards on 39 carries. Michigan State quarterback Bryan Clark, the son of Detroit Lions head coach Monte Clark
Monte Dale Clark (January 24, 1937 – September 16, 2009) was an American football player who served as head coach for the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions. He played college football at USC.
Early years
Clark attended Kingsburg High S ...
, completed 21 of 38 passes for 316 yards and two touchdowns, but he was also intercepted three times (one each by Tony Jackson, Mike Boren, and Jerry Burgei).
Iowa
On October 17, 1981, Michigan lost to 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 ...
by a 9–7 score before a crowd of 105,915, the third largest in the history 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 ...
up to that time.[ It was Iowa's first win over Michigan since 1962.
Iowa's freshman place-kicker Tom Nichol accounted for all nine of Iowa's points, kicking two field goals in the first quarter and the game-winner in the third quarter. Nichol's first field goal was set up when Michigan's ]Evan Cooper
Evan Cooper (born June 28, 1962) is a former American football player. He played college football as a defensive back at the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1983. He played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) as a Saf ...
fumbled a punt that was recovered by Iowa at Michigan's 38-yard line. Michigan scored in the second quarter on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to:
Academics
* Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager
* Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
to Anthony Carter.[
Iowa's defense held Michigan to only 155 yards of total offense. Anthony Carter accounted for 91 of those yards on five catches. After the game, Iowa coach ]Hayden Fry
John Hayden Fry (February 28, 1929 – December 17, 2019) was an American college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Southern Methodist University (SMU) from 1962 to 1972, North Texas State University—now know ...
said: "Nobody expected us to win today except for those guys in the next room. Hell, before this year, Michigan didn't even know we existed."
Northwestern
On October 24, 1981, Michigan defeated Northwestern, 38–0, before a crowd of 104,361 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 ...
. Quarterback Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to:
Academics
* Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager
* Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third touchdown. Lawrence Ricks
Lawrence Tallmagde Ricks (born June 4, 1961) is a former American football player. He played college football as a tailback for the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1982 and was selected as a first-team running back on the 1982 All-Big Ten ...
rushed for 126 yards on 13 carries and scored two touchdowns, including a 60-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Butch Woolfolk rushed for 106 yards on 18 carries to break 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 Michigan career record of 3,317 rushing yards.
At Minnesota
On October 31, 1981, 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 ...
, 34–13, before a crowd of 52,875 at Memorial Stadium in Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
.
Minnesota played nine men on the defensive line, seeking to stop Michigan's run game but leaving single coverage on Michigan wide receivers Anthony Carter and Vince Bean. Quarterback Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to:
Academics
* Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager
* Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
completed 13 of 20 passes for 237 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions. Carter caught eight passes for 154 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. Butch Woolfolk added 84 rushing yards on 17 carries. Stan Edwards
Stanley J. Edwards (born May 20, 1959) is a former American football running back. A native of Detroit, Edwards played college football at the University of Michigan from 1977 to 1981 and for six years in the National Football League (NFL) for t ...
caught two touchdown passes and rushed for 55 yards on 13 carries. Ali Haji-Sheikh
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...
also kicked two field goals. On defense, Michigan defensive backs Keith Bostic and Tony Jackson intercepted Mike Hohensee
Michael Louis Hohensee (born February 22, 1961) is a former professional football quarterback who played in the United States Football League, Canadian Football League, National Football League and Arena Football League. He most recently the hea ...
passes in the first half.
Illinois
On November 7, 1981, Michigan defeated Illinois by a 70–21 score before a crowd of 105,570 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 ...
. Illinois took a 21-7 lead in the first quarter, but Michigan scored nine unanswered touchdowns in the remainder of the game. Anthony Carter caught six passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Steve Smith rushed 15 times for 116 yards and also completed 9 of 15 passes for 224 yards.
At Purdue
On November 14, 1981, 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 ...
, 28–10, before a crowd of 69,736 at Ross–Ade Stadium
Ross–Ade Stadium is a stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana, on the campus of Purdue University. It is the home field of Purdue Boilermakers football. The stadium was dedicated on November 22, 1924, and named in honor of Purdue alumni George Ade ...
in West Lafayette, Indiana
West Lafayette () is a city in Wabash Township, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, about northwest of the state capital of Indianapolis and southeast of Chicago. West Lafayette is directly across the Wabash River from its sister city, ...
. The Wolverines had lost three of their last four games at Ross–Ade.
Purdue quarterback Scott Campbell fumbled on the opening drive, with Jerry Burgei recovering for Michigan. On the next play, Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to:
Academics
* Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager
* Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
threw an interception, Purdue took over at Michigan's 30-yard line, and Michigan's defense held. Later in the quarter, Purdue recovered a Steve Smith fumble at Michigan's 42-yard line and took the lead on a 26-yard field goal by Tim Clark, a kicking specialist who lost all the toes on his kicking foot in a childhood lawnmower accident. After the field goal, Michigan drove 66 yards, ending with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Craig Dunaway
Craig Carter Dunaway (born March 27, 1961) is a former American football player. He played college football as a tight end for the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1982. In three years with Michigan, Dunaway caught 55 passes for 775 yards an ...
who was wide open at the two-yard line, aided by double-coverage on Anthony Carter. Michigan led, 7-3, at halftime.[
Halfway through the third quarter, Purdue recovered a Butch Woolfolk fumble and drove 65 yards on 11 plays and retook the lead on a five-yard touchdown run by tailback Jeff Feulner. Haji-Sheikh missed a 39-yard field goal in the third quarter. Trailing at the start of the fourth quarter, Michigan rallied for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Early in the quarter, Steve Smith ran 26 yards for a touchdown. Woolfolk than scored on a one-yard run to cap a 13-play drive. On the next series, Keith Bostic intercepted a Campbell pass, and ]Lawrence Ricks
Lawrence Tallmagde Ricks (born June 4, 1961) is a former American football player. He played college football as a tailback for the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1982 and was selected as a first-team running back on the 1982 All-Big Ten ...
scored on a five-yard run with 3:26 left in the game.[
Steve Smith completed 12 of 20 passes for 196 yards with a touchdown and an interception; he also rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Carter caught seven passes for 103 yards, and Woolfolk rushed for 82 yards on 22 carries. For Purdue, Feulner rushed for 106 yards on 24 carries.]
Ohio State
On November 21, 1981, Michigan lost to 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 ...
, 14–9, in front of a crowd of 106,043 persons, the second largest crowd up to that point in the history 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 ...
. Michigan had been favored in the game by eight points.[ The game was played in snow, and the Michigan student section entertained itself throwing snowballs at the Ohio State band.
Anthony Carter returned the opening kickoff 54 yards and nearly broke free for a touchdown. Michigan drove to the Ohio State 25-yard line, but ]Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to:
Academics
* Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager
* Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
's pass was then intercepted by Doug Hill. Michigan's defense held, and Anthony Carter returned the Buckeyes' punt 18 yards to the Ohio State 29-yard line. Michigan drove inside the 10-yard line but settled for a 19-yard field goal by Ali Haji-Sheikh
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...
. Late in the first half, Ohio State linebacker Marcus Marek
Markus Marek (born January 8, 1961) is a former American football linebacker who played three seasons with the Boston/New Orleans/Portland Breakers of the United States Football League. He played college football at Ohio State University. and at ...
intercepted a second pass by Smith, this time at the Ohio State 18-yard line. After the interception, Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter
Arthur Ernest Schlichter (, born April 25, 1960) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons with the Colts franchise. He also played one Canadian Football League (CFL) season wit ...
led the Buckeyes on an 82-yard drive ending in a one-yard quarterback sneak by Schlichter. Ohio State led, 7-3, at halftime.[
In the third quarter, Michigan mounted two drives inside Ohio State's 10-yard line, but in both cases settled for Haji-Sheikh field goals. At the start of the fourth quarter, Michigan led by a 9-7 score. In the fourth quarter, Michigan drove down the field and had a first-and-goal from the eight-yard line, but Smith's pass on third down was intercepted by Kelvin Bell of Ohio State. After the interception, Schlichter led Ohio State on an 80-yard drive, ending with a six-yard touchdown scramble by Schlichter with 2:50 left in the game.] At the end of the game, the Ohio State carried coach Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce (March 8, 1931 – April 20, 2018) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Tampa (1972), Iowa State University (1973–1978), Ohio State University (1979–1987), the University of N ...
off the field.
Michigan out-gained Ohio State by 367 yards to 257, but failed to convert on key scoring opportunities. After the game, coach Schembechler said: "We just haven't done a good job offensively. We played hard and the defense played well. They only had two drives on us. Other than that, they didn't do anything. We shouldn't have lost. This is one game we should have won."[
Schlichter, in his final game for Ohio State, completed 12 of 24 passes with two interceptions and had the two rushing touchdowns, while Steve Smith completed only 9 of 26 passes and threw three interceptions, each time after Michigan had driven deep into Ohio State territory. Butch Woolfolk totaled 84 rushing yards on 18 carries, but was responsible for a turnover on a third-quarter fumble. Tim Spencer led the Ohio State backs with 110 yards on 25 carries. Anthony Carter caught four passes for 52 yards. Linebacker ]Marcus Marek
Markus Marek (born January 8, 1961) is a former American football linebacker who played three seasons with the Boston/New Orleans/Portland Breakers of the United States Football League. He played college football at Ohio State University. and at ...
led the Ohio State defense with 12 solo tackles and an interception.[
]
Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl
On December 31, 1981, Michigan, ranked No. 16 in the AP Poll, defeated No. 19 UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
, 33–14, in the 1981 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl, played before a crowd of 40,309 at the Houston Astrodome
The NRG Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas. It was financed and assisted in development by Roy Hofheinz, mayor of Houston ...
. The Wolverines won their second bowl game of 1981, having earlier defeated Washington in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.
In the first quarter, Butch Woolfolk ran for 52 yards to the UCLA 25-yard line and then drove to the seven-yard line. The drive ended with 24-yard field goal by Ali Haji-Sheikh
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...
. On the next Michigan possession, quarterback Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to:
Academics
* Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager
* Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Carter. Michigan's defense was otherwise stymied in the first half by a record 12 penalties for 118 yards, including an unsportsmanlike conduct infraction against the Michigan bench (announced in the press box as "illegal use of the mouth"). Michigan's defense held UCLA to a total of 58 yards (only five rushing) in the first half, and Paul Girgash intercepted a Tom Ramsey
Tom Ramsey (born July 9, 1961) is a former professional American football quarterback, who played five seasons in the NFL for the New England Patriots and one season for the Indianapolis Colts. Earlier he played for the Los Angeles Express and ...
pass. Both team missed field goals in the half, including a 53-yard attempt by Haji-Sheikh as the half ended. Michigan led, 10–0, at halftime.
Early in the third quarter, Anthony Carter fumbled a punt, and UCLA's Don Rogers recovered the ball at the Michigan 19-yard line. Ramsey threw a 17-yard pass to JoJo Townsell
Joseph Ray Townsell (born November 4, 1960) is a former National Football League (NFL) wide receiver. He played for the New York Jets from 1985-1990. Previously, he played with the USFL
The United States Football League (USFL) was a professi ...
, and Michigan's lead was narrowed to 10-7. Shortly thereafter, Haji-Sheikh kicked a 47-yard field goal for Michigan. At the start of the fourth quarter, Michigan drove 74 yards capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Woolfolk. Michigan's two-point conversion failed, and the Wolverines led, 19-7. With seven-and-a-half minutes left in the game, Ramsey threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Tim Wrightman to narrow the lead to five points. On the next drive, Steve Smith ran nine yards for a touchdown on a bootleg to extend the lead to 26-14. Michigan scored a final touchdown on a five-yard run by backup quarterback B. J. Dickey.[
In his final game for Michigan, Woolfolk rushed for 186 yards on 27 carries and was selected as the game's Most Valuable Player. The ''Los Angeles Times'' wrote: "Michigan's dominance along both the offensive and defensive lines was near total."][ Quarterback Steve Smith completed 9 of 15 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown. Anthony Carter caught six passes for 127 yards. On defense, the Wolverines held UCLA to only 33 rushing yards. Overall, the Wolverines out-gained the Bruins by 483 yards to 195 yards.][
]
Award season
Michigan led the nation with five of its players, all on offense, receiving first-team honors from one or more of the selectors on the 1981 All-America college football team. The honorees were:
* Wide receiver Anthony Carter was a consensus All-American, having received first-team honors from 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 ...
(AFCA), 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), 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 ...
, 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 ...
, ''Football News'' (FN), Gannett News Service (GNS), Newspaper Enterprise Association
The Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) is an editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States and established in 1902. The oldest syndicate still in operation, the NEA was originally a secondary news ...
(NEA), ''The Sporting News'', 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 ...
(WCFF).
* Offensive guard Kurt Becker
Kurt Frank Becker (born December 22, 1958) is a former American football player. He played college football as an offensive guard at the University of Michigan from 1978 to 1981, was selected as a first-team All-American in 1981, and played profe ...
was a consensus All-American, having received first-team honors from AFCA, AP,[ FN, GNS, and NEA.
* Offensive tackle ]Ed Muransky
Edward William "Ed" Muransky (born January 20, 1960) is a former professional American football offensive tackle who played for the Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) and Orlando Renegades of the United States Football Lea ...
was a consensus All-American, having received first-team honors from both the AP and UPI.[ Muransky was also recognized as a first-team ]Academic All-American
The Academic All-America program is a student-athlete recognition program. The program selects an honorary sports team composed of the most outstanding student-athletes of a specific season for positions in various sports—who in turn are giv ...
.
* Offensive tackle Bubba Paris
William "Bubba" Paris (born October 6, 1960) is a former professional American football offensive tackle who played for the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL from 1983 to 1990 and for the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions in 1991. He was a member ...
received first-team honors from the WCFF.
* Running back Butch Woolfolk received first team honors from FN and second-team honors from the AP and UPI.[ Woolfolk led the Big Ten with 1,459 rushing yards, 5.8 rushing yards per attempt, and 1,514 yards from scrimmage.]
Thirteen Michigan players were selected by the AP and/or UPI as first or second-team players on the 1981 All-Big Ten Conference football team. They were: Anthony Carter at wide receiver (AP-1, UPI-1), Ed Muransky at offensive tackle (AP-1, UPI-1), Butch Woolfolk at running back (AP-1, UPI-1), Kurt Becker at offensive guard (AP-1, UPI-1), Bubba Paris at offensive tackle (AP-1, UPI-2), Stan Edwards
Stanley J. Edwards (born May 20, 1959) is a former American football running back. A native of Detroit, Edwards played college football at the University of Michigan from 1977 to 1981 and for six years in the National Football League (NFL) for t ...
at running back (AP-2, UPI-2), Keith Bostic at defensive back (AP-2, UPI-2), Tony Jackson at defensive back (AP-2, UPI-2), Paul Girgash at linebacker (AP-2), Don Bracken
Donald Craig Bracken (February 16, 1962 – October 29, 2014) was an American football punter.
After playing high school football in Thermopolis, Wyoming, Bracken played college football for the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1983. As a fr ...
at punter (AP-2), Norm Betts at tight end (UPI-2), Robert Thompson Robert or Bob Thompson may refer to:
Entertainment
* Bobby Thompson (comedian) (1911–1988), English comedian
* Bob Thompson (musician) (1924–2013), American orchestra leader, arranger, composer
* Robert E. Thompson (screenwriter) (1924–2004 ...
at defensive lineman (UPI-2), and Brian Carpenter at defensive back (UPI-2).
Team awards were presented as follows:
*Most Valuable Player: Butch Woolfolk
* Hustler of the Year: Tony Jackson[
* Champion of the Year: Brad Fischer][
*Meyer Morton Award: Stanley Edwards
*Frederick Matthei Award: ]Lawrence Ricks
Lawrence Tallmagde Ricks (born June 4, 1961) is a former American football player. He played college football as a tailback for the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1982 and was selected as a first-team running back on the 1982 All-Big Ten ...
*Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: Norm Betts
*John Maulbetsch Award: Tom Dixon Tom or Tommy Dixon may refer to:
*Tom Dixon (American football) (born 1961), American football player
* Tom Dixon (catcher) (1906–1982), Negro league baseball catcher
* Tom Dixon (pitcher) (born 1955), Major League Baseball pitcher
* Tom Dixon (C ...
Personnel
Full roster
Offense letter winners
*Art Balourdos, offensive line, freshman, Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
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, Illinois
*Vincent Bean, wide receiver, sophomore, Southfield, Michigan
Southfield is a city in Oakland County, Michigan, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, the city had a population of 76,618.
As a northern suburb of Detroit, Southfield shares part of its ...
- started all 12 games at split end
*Kurt Becker
Kurt Frank Becker (born December 22, 1958) is a former American football player. He played college football as an offensive guard at the University of Michigan from 1978 to 1981, was selected as a first-team All-American in 1981, and played profe ...
, offensive guard, senior, Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is a city in the Chicago metropolitan area located partially in DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage, Kane County, Illinois, Kane, Kendall County, Illinois, Kendall, and Will County, Illinois, Will counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Locat ...
- started all 12 games at left offensive guard
*Norm Betts, tight end, 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 all 12 games at tight end
*Fred Brockington, wide receiver, 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
* Anthony Carter, wide receiver, junior, Riviera Beach, Florida
Riviera Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States, which was incorporated September 29, 1922. Due to the location of its eastern boundary, it is also the easternmost municipality in the Miami metropolitan area, which was home ...
- started all 12 games at flanker
*Milt Carthens
Milton B. "Big Money" Carthens (December 22, 1960 - December 17, 2021) was an American football player.
Carthen was born in 1960 and graduated from Bloomfield Hills Lahser High School in 1980.
He enrolled at the University of Michigan and playe ...
, tight end, 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 ...
* B. J. Dickey, quarterback, senior, Ottawa, Ohio
Ottawa is a village and the county seat of Putnam County, Ohio, United States. It is located 51 miles southwest of Toledo, a major port city on the Maumee River. The population was 4,460 at the 2010 census.
History
The region was long inhabi ...
*Jerry Diorio
Gerald J. Diorio (born January 11, 1962) is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1983 as an offensive guard. He later played professional football in Italy and appeared in two ...
, offensive guard, sophomore, 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 4 games at right offensive guard
*Tom Dixon Tom or Tommy Dixon may refer to:
*Tom Dixon (American football) (born 1961), American football player
* Tom Dixon (catcher) (1906–1982), Negro league baseball catcher
* Tom Dixon (pitcher) (born 1955), Major League Baseball pitcher
* Tom Dixon (C ...
, center, sophomore, 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 ...
- started all 12 games at center
*Craig Dunaway
Craig Carter Dunaway (born March 27, 1961) is a former American football player. He played college football as a tight end for the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1982. In three years with Michigan, Dunaway caught 55 passes for 775 yards an ...
, tight end, senior, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
* Stanley Edwards, tailback, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 11 games at fullback
*Jeff Felten, center, senior, Centerville, Ohio
Centerville is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. A core suburb of Metro Dayton, its population was 24,240 as of the 2020 census.
Geography
Centerville is located at (39.638709, -84.148087). Although the city is located primar ...
*Brad Fischer, quarterback, senior, Ortonville, Michigan
Ortonville is a village in north Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The village is within Brandon Township, although some development near the village lies within adjacent Oakland County, Groveland township and Lapeer County, Hadley t ...
*Tom Garrity, center, Grafton, Wisconsin
Grafton is a village in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. Located about north of Milwaukee and in close proximity to Interstate 43, it is a suburban community in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The village incorporated in 1896, and at ...
*Thomas J. Hassel, fullback, sophomore, 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 ...
*Rich Hewlett, quarterback, junior, Plymouth, Michigan
Plymouth is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States. The population was 9,370 at the 2020 census. The city of Plymouth is surrounded by Plymouth Township, but the two are administered autonomously. Plymouth is a western suburb of Metro ...
*Stefan Humphries
Stefan Govan Humphries (born January 20, 1962) is a former American football player. He played college football at the University of Michigan, principally as an offensive guard, from 1980 to 1983. He also played five seasons in the National ...
, offensive guard, sophomore, Broward, Florida - started 8 games at right offensive guard
*Jerald Ingram
Jerald Ingram (born December 24, 1960) is an American football coach and a former player who most recently served as the running backs coach for the New York Guardians of the XFL. He played college football at the fullback position for the Unive ...
, fullback, junior, Beaver, Pennsylvania
Beaver is a borough in and the county seat of Beaver County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is located at the confluence of the Beaver and Ohio Rivers, approximately northwest of Pittsburgh. As of the 2020 census, the borough population ...
- started 1 game at fullback
*Eric Kattus
Eric Kattus (born March 4, 1963) is a former professional American football tight end who played primarily for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He also played briefly with the New York Jets of the NFL. He had play ...
, tight end, freshman, 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 ...
*Ed Muransky
Edward William "Ed" Muransky (born January 20, 1960) is a former professional American football offensive tackle who played for the Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) and Orlando Renegades of the United States Football Lea ...
, offensive tackle, senior, 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 all 12 games at right offensive tackle
*Tom Neal, offensive tackle, senior, Orlando, Florida
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Greater Orlando, Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, acco ...
*Bubba Paris
William "Bubba" Paris (born October 6, 1960) is a former professional American football offensive tackle who played for the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL from 1983 to 1990 and for the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions in 1991. He was a member ...
, offensive tackle, senior, Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
- started all 12 games at left offensive tackle
*Lawrence Ricks
Lawrence Tallmagde Ricks (born June 4, 1961) is a former American football player. He played college football as a tailback for the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1982 and was selected as a first-team running back on the 1982 All-Big Ten ...
, tailback, junior, 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. ...
*Rick Rogers, running back, freshman, Inkster, Michigan
Inkster is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2010 census, the city population was 25,369.
History
The area was originally inhabited by Native Americans. It was settled by non-indigenous people in 1825. A post offi ...
*Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to:
Academics
* Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager
* Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
, quarterback, sophomore, Grand Blanc, Michigan
Grand Blanc is a city in Genesee County in the U.S. state of Michigan and a suburb of Flint. The population was 7,784 as of the 2020 US Census.
History
The unincorporated village of Grand Blanc, or Grumlaw, was a former Indian campground firs ...
- started all 12 games at quarterback
*Rich Strenger
Richard Gene Strenger (born March 10, 1960) is a former All-Big Ten American football offensive tackle who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines (1980–1982) and Detroit Lions (1983–1987). He is now working as a lawyer in Lake Orion ...
, offensive tackle, senior, Grafton, Wisconsin
Grafton is a village in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. Located about north of Milwaukee and in close proximity to Interstate 43, it is a suburban community in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The village incorporated in 1896, and at ...
*Larry Sweeney, center, sophomore, Alma, Michigan
Alma is the largest city in Gratiot County, Michigan, Gratiot County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 9,383 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. It was incorporated as the Village of Alma in 1872 and became a city in 1905 ...
* Butch Woolfolk, tailback, senior, Westfield, New Jersey
Westfield is a town in Union County, New Jersey, United States, located southwest of Manhattan. As of the 2010 United States census, the town's population was 30,316,[Marion Body
Marion Body (born c. 1960) is a retired American football cornerback. He played for the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1982 and in the USFL for the Michigan Panthers in 1983. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Body attended Kettering High Schoo ...]
, defensive back, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 4 games at short cornerback, 2 games at wide cornerback
* Mike Boren, linebacker, sophomore, 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 ...
- started all 12 games at inside linebacker
* Keith Bostic, defensive back, junior, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851. It is the principal city of the Ann Arbor ...
- started 11 games at strong safety
*Jerry Burgei, defensive back, junior, Ottawa, Ohio
Ottawa is a village and the county seat of Putnam County, Ohio, United States. It is located 51 miles southwest of Toledo, a major port city on the Maumee River. The population was 4,460 at the 2010 census.
History
The region was long inhabi ...
- started 6 games at short cornerback
* Brian Carpenter, defensive back, senior, 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 8 games at wide cornerback
*Winfred Carraway, middle guard, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 5 games at defensive tackle, 1 game at middle guard
*Brad Cochran
Bradley Cochran (born June 17, 1963) is a former American football player. He played college football as a defensive back for the University of Michigan from 1981 to 1985. As a senior, Cochran was recognized as a consensus first-team defensive b ...
, defensive back, freshman, 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 ...
*Cedric Coles, defensive tackle, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 6 games at defensive tackle
*Evan Cooper
Evan Cooper (born June 28, 1962) is a former American football player. He played college football as a defensive back at the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1983. He played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) as a Saf ...
, defensive back, sophomore, Miami, Florida
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
- started 2 games at wide cornerback, 2 games at short cornerback
*Mike Czarnota, inside linebacker, senior, Detroit, Michigan
* Paul Girgash, linebacker, junior, Lakewood, Ohio
Lakewood is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, on the southern shore of Lake Erie. Established in 1889, it is one of Cleveland's historical streetcar suburbs and part of the Greater Cleveland, Greater Clevelan ...
- started all 12 games at inside linebacker
*Stuart Harris, defensive back, senior, Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Chagrin Falls is a village in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States and is a suburb of Cleveland in Northeast Ohio's Cleveland-Akron-Canton metropolitan area, the 19th-largest Combined Statistical Area nationwide. The village was established and h ...
* Mike Hammerstein, line, freshman, Wapakoneta, Ohio
Wapakoneta, (, ) is a city in and the county seat of Auglaize County, Ohio, United States, about north of Dayton and south of Toledo. The population was 9,957 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of and is included in the Wapakonet ...
- started 1 game at middle guard
*Jim Herrmann
James Herrmann (born December 8, 1960) is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the defensive coordinator for the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL and was recently the defensive coordinator for the New York Guardians of ...
, inside linebacker, junior, Dearborn Heights, Michigan
Dearborn Heights is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. With a population of 63,292 at the 2020 census., Dearborn Heights is part of the Detroit metropolitan area, and is considered a bedroom community.
History
Dearborn Heig ...
*Tony Jackson, 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 12 games at free safety
*Doug James, defensive tackle, sophomore, Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
- started 5 games at middle guard
*Louis Kovacs, defensive back, 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 ...
(father of 2012 team co-captain Jordan Kovacs
Jordan David Kovacs (born June 12, 1990) is a former American football safety who is currently an assistant linebackers coach for the Cincinnati Bengals. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He played college fo ...
)
*Mike Lemirande, outside linebacker, senior, Grafton, Wisconsin
Grafton is a village in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. Located about north of Milwaukee and in close proximity to Interstate 43, it is a suburban community in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The village incorporated in 1896, and at ...
- started 2 games at outside linebacker
*John Lott, defensive back, junior, Masury, Ohio
Masury is a census-designated place (CDP) in Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,618 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Youngstown– Warren– Boardman, OH- PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The commu ...
*Mike Mallory
Mike Mallory (born November 16, 1962) is an American football coach and a former player who is thSpecial Teams Coordinator for the Denver Broncos NFL football team in 2022. Before that, he most recently worked as assistant special teams coordin ...
, linebacker, freshman, DeKalb, Illinois
DeKalb ( ) is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 43,862 according to the 2010 census, up from 39,018 at the 2000 census. The city is named after decorated Franconian- French war hero Johann de Kalb, who died ...
*Clay Miller, defensive tackle, freshman, Norman, Oklahoma
Norman () is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, with a population of 128,097 as of 2021. It is the largest city and the county seat of Cleveland County, Oklahoma, Cleveland County, and the second-largest city in the Oklahoma C ...
- started 3 games at defensive tackle
*Ben Needham, inside linebacker, senior, Groveport, Ohio
Groveport is a city in Franklin County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Columbus. The population was 6,009 at the 2020 census.
Groveport was the hometown of John Solomon Rarey, a 19th-century horse whisperer, and developer of the Rare ...
- started 10 games at outside linebacker
*Tony Osbun, defensive tackle, senior, Kenton, Ohio
Kenton is a city in and the county seat of Hardin County, Ohio, United States, located in the west-central part of Ohio about 57 mi (92 km) northwest of Columbus and 70 mi (113 km) south of Toledo. Its population was 7,947 a ...
- started 10 games at defensive tackle
*Jeff Reeves, defensive back, senior, 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 ...
- started 1 game at strong safety
* Carlton Rose, linebacker, sophomore, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale () is a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Florida, north of Miami along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of and largest city in Broward County with a population of 182,760 at the 2020 census, making it the tenth ...
- started 4 games at outside linebacker
*Alan Sincich, middle guard - linebacker, freshman, Cleveland, Ohio - started 5 games at middle guard
*Kevin Smith, defensive back, senior, Dallas, Texas
Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County w ...
*Robert Thompson Robert or Bob Thompson may refer to:
Entertainment
* Bobby Thompson (comedian) (1911–1988), English comedian
* Bob Thompson (musician) (1924–2013), American orchestra leader, arranger, composer
* Robert E. Thompson (screenwriter) (1924–2004 ...
, outside linebacker, senior, 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 8 games at outside linebacker
*Sanford Washington, inside linebacker, senior, 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 ...
Kickers
*Don Bracken
Donald Craig Bracken (February 16, 1962 – October 29, 2014) was an American football punter.
After playing high school football in Thermopolis, Wyoming, Bracken played college football for the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1983. As a fr ...
, punter, sophomore, Thermopolis, Wyoming
Thermopolis is the county seat and largest town in Hot Springs County, Wyoming, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the town population was 2,725.
Thermopolis is Greek for "hot city." It is home to numerous natural hot springs, in which m ...
*Ali Haji-Sheikh
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...
, place-kicker, junior, Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Tarrant County. It forms part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and is a principal city of the metropolis and region. ...
*Karl Tech, place-kicker, punter, senior, Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan
Grosse Pointe Shores is a city in Macomb and Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,008 at the 2010 census.
Grosse Pointe Shores was incorporated as a village in 1911 and was part of Grosse Pointe Township in Wayne C ...
Professional football
The following players were claimed in the 1982 NFL Draft
The 1982 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 April 27–28, 1982, at the New York She ...
.
A total of twenty-three (23) members of the 1981 Michigan football team went on to play professional football. They are: Kurt Becker
Kurt Frank Becker (born December 22, 1958) is a former American football player. He played college football as an offensive guard at the University of Michigan from 1978 to 1981, was selected as a first-team All-American in 1981, and played profe ...
(Chicago Bears, 1982–88, 1990, Los Angeles Rams, 1989), Marion Body
Marion Body (born c. 1960) is a retired American football cornerback. He played for the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1982 and in the USFL for the Michigan Panthers in 1983. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Body attended Kettering High Schoo ...
(Michigan Panthers, 1983), Keith Bostic (Houston Oilers, 1983–88), Cleveland Browns, 1990), Don Bracken
Donald Craig Bracken (February 16, 1962 – October 29, 2014) was an American football punter.
After playing high school football in Thermopolis, Wyoming, Bracken played college football for the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1983. As a fr ...
(Green Bay Packers, 1985–90, Los Angeles Rams, 1992-93), Anthony Carter (Michigan Panthers, 1983–84, Oakland Invaders, 1985, Minnesota Vikings, 1985–93, Detroit Lions, 1994-95), Milt Carthens
Milton B. "Big Money" Carthens (December 22, 1960 - December 17, 2021) was an American football player.
Carthen was born in 1960 and graduated from Bloomfield Hills Lahser High School in 1980.
He enrolled at the University of Michigan and playe ...
(Indianapolis Colts, 1987), Evan Cooper
Evan Cooper (born June 28, 1962) is a former American football player. He played college football as a defensive back at the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1983. He played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) as a Saf ...
(Philadelphia Eagles, 1984–87, Atlanta Falcons, 1988-89), Jerry Diorio
Gerald J. Diorio (born January 11, 1962) is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1983 as an offensive guard. He later played professional football in Italy and appeared in two ...
(Detroit Lions, 1987), Tom Dixon Tom or Tommy Dixon may refer to:
*Tom Dixon (American football) (born 1961), American football player
* Tom Dixon (catcher) (1906–1982), Negro league baseball catcher
* Tom Dixon (pitcher) (born 1955), Major League Baseball pitcher
* Tom Dixon (C ...
(Michigan Panthers, 1984), Craig Dunaway
Craig Carter Dunaway (born March 27, 1961) is a former American football player. He played college football as a tight end for the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1982. In three years with Michigan, Dunaway caught 55 passes for 775 yards an ...
(Pittsburgh Steelers, 1983), Stanley Edwards (Houston Oilers, 1982–86, Detroit Lions, 1987), Paul Girgash (Michigan Panthers, 1984), Ali Haji-Sheikh
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...
(New York Giants, 1983–85, Atlanta Falcons, 1986, Washington Redskins, 1987), Mike Hammerstein (Cincinnati Bengals, 1986–90), Stefan Humphries
Stefan Govan Humphries (born January 20, 1962) is a former American football player. He played college football at the University of Michigan, principally as an offensive guard, from 1980 to 1983. He also played five seasons in the National ...
(Chicago Bears, 1984–86, Denver Broncos, 1987-88), Eric Kattus
Eric Kattus (born March 4, 1963) is a former professional American football tight end who played primarily for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He also played briefly with the New York Jets of the NFL. He had play ...
(Cincinnati Bengals, 1986–91, New York Jets, 1992), Ed Muransky
Edward William "Ed" Muransky (born January 20, 1960) is a former professional American football offensive tackle who played for the Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) and Orlando Renegades of the United States Football Lea ...
(Los Angeles Raiders, 1982–84, Orlando Renegades, 1985), Bubba Paris
William "Bubba" Paris (born October 6, 1960) is a former professional American football offensive tackle who played for the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL from 1983 to 1990 and for the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions in 1991. He was a member ...
(San Francisco 49ers, 1983–90, Indianapolis Colts, 1991, Detroit Lions 1991), Lawrence Ricks
Lawrence Tallmagde Ricks (born June 4, 1961) is a former American football player. He played college football as a tailback for the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1982 and was selected as a first-team running back on the 1982 All-Big Ten ...
(Kansas City Chiefs, 1983–84), Carlton Rose (Washington Redskins, 1987), Rich Strenger
Richard Gene Strenger (born March 10, 1960) is a former All-Big Ten American football offensive tackle who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines (1980–1982) and Detroit Lions (1983–1987). He is now working as a lawyer in Lake Orion ...
(Detroit Lions, 1983–87), Robert Thompson Robert or Bob Thompson may refer to:
Entertainment
* Bobby Thompson (comedian) (1911–1988), English comedian
* Bob Thompson (musician) (1924–2013), American orchestra leader, arranger, composer
* Robert E. Thompson (screenwriter) (1924–2004 ...
(Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1983–84, Detroit Lions, 1987), and Butch Woolfolk (New York Giants, 1982–84, Houston Oilers, 1985-86, Detroit Lions, 1987–88).
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 of ...
* Assistant coaches
:* 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 coordinator
:* Lloyd Carr
Lloyd Henry Carr Jr. (born July 30, 1945) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Michigan from 1995 through the 2007 season. Under Carr, the Michigan Wolverines compiled a record ...
- defensive backfield coach
:* Milan Vooletich - linebackers coach
:* Jerry Meter
Jerry Meter (born c. 1957) is a former American football player and coach.
Meter's father, Bernard Meter, played football for Notre Dame in the 1940s.
Jerry Meter attended Bloomfield Hills Andover High School where, at 6 foot, 4 inches, he wa ...
- defensive line 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 ...
- quarterbacks coach
:* Jerry Hanlon - offensive line coach
:* Paul Schudel
Paul Schudel (born July 2, 1944) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Ball State University from 1985 to 1994 and at Central Connecticut State University from 2001 to 2003, compiling a career col ...
- offensive line coach
:* 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 line coach
:* Tirrel Burton - offensive backfield coach
:* Bob Thornbladh
Robert N. M. "Blade" Thornbladh (born September 19, 1952 in Cleveland, Ohio) is a former American football player, coach and radio color commentator. He played for the Michigan Wolverines football team from 1971 to 1973 and was an assistant coa ...
- wide receivers coach
Michigan's assistant coaches in 1981 included six individuals who went on to success as head coaches—Miles (who won the 2007 national championship with LSU), Carr (who won the 1997 national championship with Michigan), McCartney (who led Colorado to a national title in 1990), Vanderlinden (head coach at Maryland for four years), Moeller (who led Michigan to three Big Ten championships and a No. 5 ranking in 1992), and Schudel (head coach at Ball State from 1985–1994).
*Trainer: Russ Miller
*Managers: John D. Carr, Charles Fromm, Thomas Luxton, Greg Pearlman, Fred Spademan, Randall Tharp
Statistics
Rushing
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Passing
[
]
Receiving
[
]
Scoring
[
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References
External links
1981 Football Team -- Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan Athletics History
{{Michigan Wolverines football navbox
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
Michigan Wolverines football seasons
Bluebonnet Bowl 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 ...