The 1988 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 ...

as a member of 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 ...

during the

1988 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Notre Dame winning the national championship. The Fighting Irish won the title via a 34–21 defeat of previously unbeaten West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona. With 4 of the f ...

. In its 20th season under head coach Bo Schembechler, the team compiled a 9–2–1 record (7–0–1 against conference opponents), won the Big Ten championship, defeated USC in the

1989 Rose Bowl The 1989 Rose Bowl was the 75th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Monday, January 2. This year marked the 100th anniversary of the Tournament of Roses parade. The Michigan Wolverines of ...

, outscored opponents by a total of 361 to 167, and was ranked No. 4 in the final AP and UPI polls. The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Michael Taylor with 957 passing yards, tailback

Tony Boles Tony Boles (born December 11, 1967) is an American former professional football player who was a running back and kick returner who was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). After starring in college football fo ...

with 1,408 rushing yards, and split end

Greg McMurtry Gregory Wendell McMurtry (born October 15, 1967) is a former American football player. He played college football as a wide receiver for the University of Michigan from 1986 to 1989. He caught 111 passes for 2,163 yards and 15 touchdowns for ...

with 470 receiving yards, and placekicker Mike Gillette with 97 points scored. Two Michigan players received first-team honors on the 1988 All-America college football team: center John Vitale (consensus) and defensive tackle

Mark Messner Mark W. Messner (born December 29, 1965) is a former American football player who played in the National Football League (NFL) as a linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams during the 1989 NFL season. He sustained a serious knee injury in the 1989-9 ...

(consensus). Seven Michigan players received first-team honors on the

1988 All-Big Ten Conference football team The 1988 All-Big Ten Conference football team consists of American football players chosen as All-Big Ten Conference players for the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. The 1988 Michigan Wolverines football team captured seven of the first-t ...

Schedule

Rankings

Game summaries

at Notre Dame

Miami (FL)

Wake Forest

33 Rush, 213 Yds

Wisconsin

Michigan State

Kicker Mike Gillette scored on a 40-yard fake punt run, a play that was put in during halftime, and kicked a 30-yard field goal as Michigan's defense registered five sacks and an interception against the winless Spartans.

at Iowa

A 17-17 tie at Kinnick Stadium was the lone blemish on an otherwise perfect Big Ten season for the Wolverines.

Indiana

Northwestern

Minnesota

Illinois

Ohio State

vs. USC (Rose Bowl)

Players

Offense

– started 10 games at tailback (team's leading rusher in 1988 with 1,408 yards) *Demetrius Brown – started 3 games at quarterback (48 of 84 for 775 passing yards) *Jeffrey Brown – started 11 games at tight end *

Jarrod Bunch Jarrod Ray Bunch (born August 9, 1968) is a former American football player and actor, as well as the head coach of the Beverly Hills High School football team. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1986 to 1990. He wa ...

– started 5 games at fullback * Chris Calloway – started 5 games at flanker and 1 game at split end (led team with 4 touchdown catches) *Dave Chester – started 2 games at left guard *

Dean Dingman Dean Dingman (born September 27, 1968) is a former American football player. He was an All-American offensive guard who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines football team from 87 to 1990. He was drafted by in the eighth round of the ...

– started 12 games at right guard * Tom Dohring – started 10 games at left tackle *

Leroy Hoard Leroy J. Hoard (born May 15, 1968) is a former American football player. Hoard played professional football as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons for the Cleveland Browns from 1990 to 1995 and the Minnesota Viking ...

– started 6 games at fullback and 1 game at tailback (team's second leading rusher in 1988 with 752 yards) *Chris Horn – started 1 game at fullback *Mike Husar – started 10 games at left guard and 2 games at left tackle *John Kolesar – started 7 games at flanker (team's second leading receiver with 18 catches for 356 yards) *

– started 10 games at split end (team's leading receiver with 27 catches for 470 yards) *

Greg Skrepenak Gregory Andrew Skrepenak (born January 31, 1970) is an American former county commissioner in Pennsylvania and retired professional football player. He was an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for the Los Angeles/Oaklan ...

– started 12 games at right tackle * Michael Taylor – started 9 games at quarterback (65 for 122 for 957 passing yards) * John Vitale – started 12 games at center *

Derrick Walker Derrick Walker (born 8 April 1945 in Leven, Scotland) is a former British auto racing team owner. In May 2013 Walker became President of operations and competition of IndyCar until the finalization of the 2015 Indycar season. Career Formula ...

– started 1 game at tight end and 1 game at split end *Tracy Williams – started 1 game at tailback

Defense

* Bobby Abrams – started 12 games at outside linebacker *Erick Anderson – started 6 games at inside linebacker (led team with 77 tackles) *

David Arnold David Arnold (born 23 January 1962) is a British film composer whose credits include scoring five James Bond films, as well as ''Stargate'' (1994), '' Independence Day'' (1996), ''Godzilla'' (1998) and the television series ''Little Britain'' ...

– started 10 games at cornerback * Mike Evans – started 1 game at defensive tackle *J. J. Grant – started 9 games at inside linebacker (tied for second on the team with 72 tackles) *Mark Gutzwiller, defensive back *John Hermann – started 2 games at defensive tackle *David Key – started 12 games at cornerback (fifth on the team with 63 tackles) *Alex Marshall – started 9 games at outside linebacker *

– started 12 games at defensive tackle (fourth on the team with 70 tackles) *Anthony Mitchell – started 1 game at outside linebacker *Vada Murray – started 12 games at free safety (second on team with 4 interceptions) *T. J. Osman – started 12 games at middle guard *Todd Plate – started 2 games at cornerback *Marc Spencer – started 3 games at inside linebacker *

Tripp Welborne Sullivan Anthony "Tripp" Welborne III (born November 20, 1968) is a former American football player. Welborne played college football, principally as a safety and punt returner, from 1987 to 1990. He had five interceptions as a sophomore in 19 ...

– started 12 games at strong safety (led team with five interceptions; tied for second on the team with 72 tackles) *Brent White – started 9 games at defensive tackle *Tim Williams – started 2 games at outside linebacker

Special teams

*Tony Boles – kick off returns (14 returns for an average of 24.1 yards) * Mike Gillette – placekicker (18 of 27 on field goals) and punter (46 punts for an average of 39.9 yards) *Gulam Khan – placekicker (0 for 1 on field goals) *John Kolesar – kickoff returns (13 returns for an average of 23.5 yards); punt returns (17 returns for an average of 11.9 yards)

Awards and honors

*All-Americans:

, John Vitale *All-Conference: Mark Messner, John Vitale, Mike Husar, John Kolesar,

, Mike Gillette,

*Most Valuable Player: Mark Messner *Meyer Morton Award: John Vitale *John Maulbetsch Award: Tripp Welborne *Frederick Matthei Award: Warde Manuel *Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: David Weil *Dick Katcher Award: Mark Messner *Hugh Rader Jr. Award: Mark Messner *Robert P. Ufer Award: John Kolesar

Coaching staff

*Head coach: Bo Schembechler *Assistant coaches: Tirrel Burton,

Cam Cameron Malcolm "Cam" Cameron (born February 6, 1961) is an American football coach. He is the former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach of the LSU Tigers football program. Cameron attended Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and playe ...

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 ...

, Jerry Hanlon, Bill Harris,

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

, Bobby Morrison,

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 ...

*Trainer: Russ Miller *Manager: Pat Perkins, Scott Boyle

References

External links

1988 Football Team -- Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan Athletics History
{{Big Ten Conference football champions

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

Michigan Wolverines football seasons Big Ten Conference football champion seasons Rose Bowl champion seasons Michigan Wolverines football