The 1970 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 1970 Big Ten Conference football season. In their second season under head coach Bo Schembechler, the Wolverines compiled a 9–1 record, tied for second place in the conference, and outscored opponents by a total of 288 to 90. Michigan's victories included intersectional contests with

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

(20–9),

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

(17–3), and

Texas A&M Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...

(14–10). The team won its first nine games before losing to rival

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 ...

and was ranked No. 7 in the final UPI Poll and No. 9 in the final

AP Poll The Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broad ...

Quarterback

Don Moorhead Don Moorhead (born October 11, 1948) is a former Canadian Football League quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the BC Lions from 1971 to 1975 and for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 1969 and 1970. He set 24 football record ...

and middle guard

Henry Hill Henry Hill Jr. (June 11, 1943 – June 12, 2012) was an American mobster who was associated with the Lucchese crime family of New York City from 1955 until 1980, when he was arrested on narcotics charges and became an FBI informant. Hill testi ...

were selected as the team's most valuable players. The team's statistical leaders included Moorhead with 1,167 passing yards, tailback

Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the a ...

with 911 rushing yards and 66 points scored, and split end

Paul Staroba Paul Louis Staroba (born January 20, 1949) is a former American football wide receiver and punter. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970. During the 1970 season, he caught 35 passes for 519 yards and led ...

with 519 receiving yards. Offensive tackle

Dan Dierdorf Daniel Lee Dierdorf (born June 29, 1949) is an American sportscaster and former football offensive tackle. A native of Canton, Ohio, Dierdorf played college football for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970 and was selected as a conse ...

was a consensus first-team choice for the 1970 All-America team. Henry Hill received first-team All-America honors from the Central Press Association, and linebacker

Marty Huff Ralph Martin Huff (December 19, 1948 – June 29, 2023) was an American football linebacker. He played for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970. As a senior, he was selected as a first-team All-American by the American Football Coac ...

was similarly honored by the

American Football Coaches Association The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) is an association of over 11,000 American football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "mainta ...

. In addition, 10 Michigan players received first-team honors on the 1970 All-Big Ten Conference football team. The Wolverines entered the season knowing they would not play in a bowl game. Big Ten rules in place until 1975 allowed only the team representing the conference in the Rose Bowl to participate in the postseason; additionally, the Big Ten had a "no repeat" rule barring appearances in consecutive Rose Bowls until 1972.

Schedule

Season summary

Preseason

The 1969 Michigan team compiled an 8–3 record (6–1 Big Ten), won the Big Ten championship, and was ranked No. 9 in the final

. Key players from the 1969 team who did not return in 1970 included All-American tight end

Jim Mandich James Michael Mandich (July 30, 1948 – April 26, 2011), also known as "Mad Dog", was an American football player. Mandich played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969 and was recognized as a consensus first-team t ...

, All-American defensive back Tom Curtis, and fullback

Garvie Craw Garvie Craw (January 25, 1948 – July 27, 2007) was an American football player. Craw played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969. In October 1969, he scored four touchdowns in a 57-0 victory over Illinois. In M ...

. Most key letter winners from the 1969 team did return in 1970, including quarterback

, offensive tackles

and Jack Harpring, middle guard

, linebacker

, wolfman

Thom Darden The surname Thom is of Scottish origin, from the city of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Angus, and is a sept of the Clan MacThomas. Thom is also a first name variant of the abbreviation " Tom" of "Thomas" that holds the "h". People with the sur ...

, and running backs

and Glenn Doughty. Jim Betts, backup quarterback in 1969, was moved to defensive back for the 1970 season. In June 1970, Michigan hired Tirrel Burton as an assistant coach. He began in 1970 as the coach of the freshman football team, later coached receivers from 1972 to 1980 and then took over as the running backs coach from 1980 to 1992. Michigan's 1970 recruiting class included

Dave Brandon David Allen Brandon (born May 15, 1952) is an American businessman. He is the former chief executive officer of Toys "R" Us. From 1999 to 2009, he served as the president and chief executive officer of Domino's, and from 2010 to 2014, he was th ...

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 ...

, Clint Haslerig,

Mike Hoban Michael Angelus Hoban (born January 9, 1952) is a former American football player. A native of Chicago, Illinois, Hoban played high school football for Gordon Tech High School. He played college football as an offensive guard for the University ...

Paul Seal Paul Nathan Seal (born February 27, 1952) is a former American football player. He played college football as a tight end for the University of Michigan from 1971 to 1973 and professional football as a tight end in the National Football League ...

Ed Shuttlesworth Ed Shuttlesworth (born June 4, 1952) is a former American football fullback. He played for the University of Michigan from 1971 to 1973. He was the leading rusher for Michigan's 1972 and 1973 teams that compiled a combined record of 20&ndas ...

Tom Slade Thomas A. Slade (April 6, 1952 – November 12, 2006) was an American football quarterback who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines football team from 1971 to 1973. Saginaw High School Slade was born in Manotick, Michigan, but wa ...

, and

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 ...

Arizona

On September 19, Michigan opened its 1970 season with a 20–9 victory over

, before a crowd of 80,386 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 ...

. Michigan took a 10–0 lead in the first quarter on a 42-yard field goal from Dana Coin and a touchdown pass from

covering 29 yards. Michigan's offense stalled in the second and third quarters, and Arizona closed the gap to one point (10–9) on three Steve Hurley field goals. Michigan extended the lead in the fourth quarter on a second field goal from Dana Coin and a touchdown run by Lance Scheffler. Michigan's defense also intercepted four of Brian Linstrom's passes. Despite the win, Michigan's offense was criticized for its inconsistent play. Michigan gained only 186 rushing yards and had two drives stall inside Arizona's 25-yard line with no points scored. On another drive, Michigan had a first down at Arizona's five-yard line and was forced to settle for a field goal. Coach Schembechler acknowledged: "Our running game especially was a disappointment. We just weren't blocking. We've got a lot of work to do. But don't underestimate the fact that we won. That's the important thing." A Michigan field goal was also blocked, and a punt was fumbled by Michigan's returner. In response to coach Schembechler's play calling, the crowd at Michigan Stadium began booing, mostly from the student section, in the third and fourth quarters. After the game, coach Schembechler responded: "Yeah, I heard them boo me. But if you think it bothered me, you're wrong. I may not be a very good coach but I'm a lot smarter than they are."

Washington

On September 26, 1970, Michigan, ranked No. 10 in the UPI poll, defeated

Jim Owens James Donald Owens (March 6, 1927 – June 6, 2009) was an American football player and coach. He was the head coach at the University of Washington from 1957 to 1974, compiling a record of in 18 seasons. Owens played college football at the U ...

' No. 19

Washington Huskies The Washington Huskies are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Washington, located in Seattle. The school competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Pac-1 ...

by a 17–3 score before a crowd of 57,500 at Husky Stadium in

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

. The Huskies had beaten Michigan State, 42–16, the week before. Washington out-gained Michigan in the first half by 145 yards to 56 yards. Steve Wiezbowksi kicked a 35-yard field goal for a 3–0 lead at halftime. The deficit would have been greater were it not for three interceptions of passes from Washington's highly-touted Native American quarterback

Sonny Sixkiller Alex L. "Sonny" Sixkiller (born September 6, 1951) is a former American football player and sports commentator. He is currently a senior manager for business development for Huskies Sports Properties, the rights-holder for University of Washing ...

. With Michigan tailback Glenn Doughty ineffective (13 yards on seven carries) and Lance Scheffler sidelined by injury, coach Schembechler sent third-string tailback Preston Henry into the game for the second half. Henry rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Dana Coin also kicked a 39-yard field goal. The defense also stiffened in the second half, as the Wolverines out-gained the Huskies, 226 yards to 56 yards.

led the defense with 10 solo tackles and two assists.

Texas A&M

On October 3, 1970, Michigan defeated

Gene Stallings Eugene Clifton Stallings Jr. (born March 2, 1935) is a retired American football player and coach. He played college football at Texas A&M University (1954–1956), where he was one of the "Junction Boys", and later served as the head coach at ...

Texas A&M Aggies Texas A&M Aggies refers to the students, graduates, and sports teams of Texas A&M University. The nickname " Aggie" was once common at land-grant or "ag" (agriculture) schools in many states. The teams are also referred to as "A&M" or "Texas Agg ...

by a 14–10 score before a crowd of 71,732 at

. One week earlier, Texas A&M was beaten by Ohio State, 56–13, but Michigan's offense was unable to move the ball effectively against the Aggies. Texas A&M, which stunned eventual

Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities of ...

champion

LSU Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...

20-18 in Baton Rouge Sept. 19, took a 10–0 lead in the second quarter on a 10-yard touchdown run by Steve Burks and a 21-yard field goal by Pat McDermott. Michigan narrowed the gap in the second quarter after Texas A&M dropped a punt and Michigan recovered at the Aggies' eight-yard line.

scored on a one-yard run, and Texas A&M led, 10–7, at halftime. The defense held Texas A&M scoreless in the second half, led by Pete Newell with 15 solo tackles and linebacker

with 13 solo tackles. The offense continued to struggle in the second half, and quarterback

, who completed only three of 16 passes, was booed in the fourth quarter. Michigan won the game on a 62-yard drive with fullback Fritz Seyferth leading the way. For the game, Seyferth totaled 64 rushing yards on 11 carries. But it was Moorhead who silenced the critics by scoring the winning touchdown on a seven-yard run. Asked after the game if he heard the boos, Moorhead replied: "Yeah, I heard 'em. Let 'em boo. They booed Bo two weeks ago, but they don't know what's going on down there."

Purdue

On October 10, 1970, Michigan defeated Purdue, 29–0, before a crowd of 69,022 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 ...

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 cit ...

. Purdue had upset No. 3 Stanford with 26 points the prior week, and no Purdue team had been shut out since 1963. Michigan's

had played at fullback in the first three games and was moved to tailback against Purdue. He responded with 89 yards and a touchdown, though he also fumbled twice. Quarterback

, still sick with the flu, completed 9 of 17 passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns. After the game, coach Schembechler praised Moorhead: "He played today after being sick all week. He lost about seven pounds and was as weak as a baby, but he played quite a ballgame." On defense, Michigan held Purdue's star running back

Otis Armstrong Otis D. Armstrong (November 15, 1950 – October 13, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected in the first round with the ninth overall pick in the 1973 NFL ...

to 11 yards on 14 carries. The defense also intercepted three passes from Purdue quarterback Chuck Piebes.

Michigan State

On October 17, 1970, Michigan, ranked No. 6 in the AP poll, defeated

Duffy Daugherty Hugh Duffy Daugherty (September 8, 1915 – September 25, 1987) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Michigan State University from 1954 to 1972, compiling a record of 109–69–5. His 1965 and 1966 teams won ...

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 34–20 score at

. The crowd of 103,580 was the largest to see a

Michigan–Michigan State football rivalry The Michigan–Michigan State football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the University of Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State University Spartans. The teams first played in 1898 and have met 114 times. The game has ...

to that point. At the start of the game, Michigan State marched down the field on a drive back capped by a 42-yard touchdown run by

Eric Allen Eric Andre Allen (born November 22, 1965) is an American football coach and former cornerback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, and Oakland Raiders from 1988 to 2001. A six-time ...

. Allen finished the game with 156 yards. Michigan rebounded as

rushed for 149 yards and three touchdowns. Michigan quarterback

completed 12 of 19 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. Glenn Doughty added 85 rushing yards, 68 receiving yards, and a touchdown.

Minnesota

On October 24, 1970, 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 ...

, 39–13, in the annual Little Brown Jug game before a homecoming crowd of 83,496 at

. Quarterback

led the offense with 183 yards of total offense, 104 passing yards (7 of 18) and 79 rushing yards.

had 151 rushing yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, and fullback Fritz Seyferth added 76 yards and four touchdowns on 18 carries. On defense, Michigan held the Gophers to 69 rushing yards. Minnesota quarterback

Craig Curry Craig Anthony Curry (born July 20, 1961) is a former American football defensive back in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts. He was selected by the Colts in the fourth round of the 19 ...

came into the game as 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 ...

leader in

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 completed 16 of 37 passes for 214 yards and a touchdown. Michigan intercepted three of Curry' passes, one each by Bruce Elliott,

, and Jim Betts. Betts also tallied 12 solo tackles.

Wisconsin

On October 31, 1970, Michigan defeated

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

, 29–15, before a record crowd of 72,389 at

Camp Randall Stadium Camp Randall Stadium is an outdoor stadium in Madison, Wisconsin, located on the campus of the University of Wisconsin. It has been the home of the Wisconsin Badgers football team in rudimentary form since 1895, and as a fully functioning stadiu ...

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 jumped to a 21–0 lead on two touchdowns by fullback Fritz Seyferth and one by tailback Preston Henry. Wisconsin responded with 15 points in the second quarter on a 17-yard pass from Neil Graff to Alan "A-Train" Thompson, an 87-yard punt return for touchdown by Danny Crooks, and a Roger Jaeger field goal. Michigan led, 21–15, at halftime. Neither team scored in the third quarter, and Michigan extended its lead in the fourth quarter on a 21-yard touchdown pass from

. The Wolverines rushed for 227 rushing yards, and Moorhead completed 11 of 22 passes for 223 yards. Michigan's defense limited Wisconsin to 79 rushing yards and 168 passing yards.

Illinois

On November 7, 1970, 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 ...

, 42–0, before a crowd of 70,781 (the smallest of the season) at Michigan Stadium. Schembechler emptied the bench to avoid running up the score, using 54 players in the game. Tailback

and wingback Glenn Doughty scored two touchdowns each. Doughty had 81 receiving yards in addition to 40 rushing yards. Backup running back Lance Scheffler, a senior, rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Gerry Schumacher added a touchdown on a pass from

. Moorhead completed nine of 14 passes for 116 yards. On defense, Michigan held the Illini to 71 rushing yards and 101 passing yards and intercepted two Illinois passes.

Iowa

On November 14, 1970, Michigan, ranked No. 5 in the AP and UPI polls, defeated

Ray Nagel Raymond Robert Nagel (May 18, 1927 – January 15, 2015) was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He was the head football coach at the University of Utah from 1958 to 1965 and the University of Iowa from 1966 t ...

's Iowa Hawkeyes, 55–0, before a crowd of 66,189 at

. The win gave Michigan a 9–0 record for the first time since its 1948 national championship season. Michigan's offense gained 561 yards, the third highest total in school history to that point, including 468 rushing yards. Michigan punted on its first possession (the first of only two punts in the game), but Iowa's returner touched the ball with Michigan recovering at the three-yard line to set up the first Wolverine touchdown.

led the offense with 189 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries in the first three quarters. Quarterback

completed six of 11 passes for 88 yards and rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown. In his final home game for Michigan, Moorhead also passed

Bob Chappuis Robert Richard Chappuis ( ; February 24, 1923 – June 14, 2012) was an American football player who played halfback and quarterback for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 1942, 1946, and 1947. His college years were interrupted by servic ...

as the school's all-time leader in

. Glenn Doughty also totaled 61 yards (36 receiving, 25 rushing). On defense, Michigan held Iowa to 88 rushing yards and 34 passing yards. Iowa did not cross midfield until there were 25 seconds left in the game. The defense also recovered five Iowa fumbles, including a fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown by

Ohio State

On November 21, 1970, Michigan lost to

Woody Hayes Wayne Woodrow Hayes (February 14, 1913 – March 12, 1987) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University (1946–1948), Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (1949–1950), and Ohio State University (1951 ...

Ohio State Buckeyes The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Ohio State University, located in Columbus, Ohio. The athletic programs are named after the colloquial term for people from the state of Ohio and after the state tree ...

by a 20–9 score before a record crowd of 87,331 at Ohio Stadium 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 ...

. Both teams came into the game undefeated and were ranked No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, in the AP Poll. Michigan's Lance Scheffler fumbled the opening kickoff, and Ohio State recovered the ball at Michigan's 25-yard line. Ohio State's Fred Schram kicked a 28-yard field goal for an early lead. Michigan tied the game after Jim Betts intercepted a

Rex Kern Rex William Kern (born May 28, 1949) is a former American football player. He played professional football in the National Football League at defensive back for the Baltimore Colts and Buffalo Bills. In college, Kern was the quarterback for ...

pass and returned it to the Ohio State 18-yard line, setting up a 31-yard field goal by Dana Coin. Shortly before halftime, and after calling (and being granted) an extra fifth timeout, Ohio State took a 10–3 lead on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Kern to

Bruce Jankowski Bruce David Jankowski (born August 12, 1949) is a former American football wide receiver who played two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Ohio State University and attended Fair La ...

. Midway through the third quarter, Michigan scored on a 13-yard touchdown pass from

. Michigan's kick for extra point was blocked by Mike Anderson, and Ohio State led by one point. In the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes extended their lead to four points on Fred Schram's second field goal. On the next drive, Ohio State linebacker Stan White intercepted Moorhead's pass at Michigan's 24-yard line and returned it to the nine-yard line, setting up a four-yard touchdown run by Leo Hayden. Michigan was unable to move the ball on the ground, gaining only 37 rushing yards on 30 carries.

led the Wolverines with 31 yards on 15 carries. After the game, coach Schembechler noted: "We didn't move on the ground. That was the ball game. I don't know why we couldn't move . . . We didn't seem to block very much." Forced to an air attack, Michigan quarterback Don Moorhead completed 12 of 26 passes for 118 yards. In his final game for Michigan, Moorhead established new Michigan career records for completions (199) and total passing yards (2,540). The Buckeyes, on the other hand, moved the ball effectively with running backs Leo Hayden (117 rushing yards on 28 carries) and

John Brockington John Stanley Brockington (born September 7, 1948) is a former American football player, a running back in the National Football League (NFL) with the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs. He was a first round draft choice out of Ohio State ...

(77 yards on 27 carries). Ohio State quarterback Rex Kern also completed eight of 12 passes for 87 yards. In his postgame interview, Ohio State coach

asked, "Is this our best team ever? Well, today it was. Today, this was the best we've ever been."

Award season

Two Michigan players received first-team honors on the 1969 All-America team * Offensive tackle

was a consensus first-team All-American, receiving first-team honors from the

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,

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

United Press International United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th ...

(UPI), ''Football News'', ''Pro Football Weekly'', ''Time'' magazine, and

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 ...

. * Linebacker

was selected as a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association. * Middle guard

was selected as a first-team All-American by the Central Press Association. Thirteen Michigan players received recognition from the AP and/or UPI on the 1970 All-Big Ten Conference football team:

at quarterback (AP-1, UPI-1),

at offensive end (AP-1, UPI-1), Dan Dierdorf at offensive tackle (AP-1, UPI-1),

Phil Seymour Philip Warren Seymour (May 15, 1952 - August 17, 1993) was an American drummer, singer, guitarist and songwriter, best known for the singles "I'm on Fire" (with The Dwight Twilley Band), his own solo hit "Precious to Me" and for providing backi ...

at defensive end (AP-1, UPI-1), Henry Hill at defensive tackle (AP-1, UPI-1 ie,

Pete Newell Peter Francis Newell (August 31, 1915 – November 17, 2008) was an American college men's basketball coach and basketball instructional coach. He coached for 15 years at the University of San Francisco, Michigan State University, and the Univer ...

at defensive tackle (AP-1, UPI-1), Reggie McKenzie at guard (AP-2, UPI-1), Marty Huff at linebacker (AP-2, UPI-1),

at halfback (AP-2, UPI-1),

Guy Murdock Guy Boyd Murdock (born June 27, 1950) is a former American football player. He played at the center position for the Houston Oilers during the 1972 NFL season and was named to the NFL All-Rookie team. He also played for the Chicago Fire and Ch ...

at center (UPI-1 ie, Mike Keller at defensive end (UPI-2), Jim Betts at defensive back (UPI-2), and Jack Harpring at tackle (AP-2). Team awards were presented at the end of the season as follows: *Most Valuable Player: Henry Hill, Don Moorhead *Meyer Morton Award: Jim Betts *John Maulbetsch Award: Tom Coyle *Frederick Matthei Award: Bruce Elliott *Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: John Harpring

Personnel

Full roster

Offensive starters

*William J. "Bill" Berutti, wingback, senior,

Franklin, Ohio Franklin is a city in Warren County, Ohio, United States. The population was 11,771 at the 2010 census. The Great Miami River flows through Franklin. Ohio State Routes 73, 123 and 741 pass through Franklin, while Interstate 75 passes on the ...

- started 1 game at fullback *Thomas J. Coyle, offensive guard, sophomore,

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, Illinois - started 8 games at right guard *

, offensive tackle, senior, Canton, Ohio - started all 10 games (9 at right tackle, 1 at left tackle) * Glenn Doughty, tailback, junior,

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 all 10 games (8 at left halfback, 1 at right halfback and 1 at fullback) *Werner W. Hall, offensive guard, senior,

Sandusky, Ohio Sandusky ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Erie County, Ohio, Erie County, Ohio, United States. Situated along the shores of Lake Erie in the northern part of the state, Sandusky is located roughly midway between Toledo, Ohio, Toledo ( wes ...

- started 2 games at right guard *Jack Harpring, offensive tackle, senior,

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

- started all 10 games (9 at left tackle, 1 at right tackle) *Preston Henry, wingback, junior, Flint, Michigan - started 1 game at right halfback *Timothy Killian, kicker and offensive guard, senior,

Lincoln Park, Michigan Lincoln Park is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 38,144 at the 2010 census, down from 40,008 at the 2000 census. With a population density of at the 2010 census, Lincoln Park is the second most-densely ...

- started 2 games at left defensive end * Reggie McKenzie, offensive guard, junior,

Highland Park, Michigan Highland Park is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,977 at the 2020 census. Along with its neighbor of Hamtramck, Highland Park is an enclave city surrounded by the city of Detroit. History The area tha ...

- started all 10 games at left guard *

, quarterback, senior,

South Haven, Michigan South Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city is in Van Buren County, Michigan, Van Buren County, although a small portion extends into Allegan County, Michigan, Allegan County. The population was 4,403 at the 2010 United ...

- started all 10 games at quarterback *

, center, junior, Barrington, Illinois - started all 10 games at center *Michael Oldham, split end, junior, Cincinnati, Ohio - started 2 games at wide linebacker *Lance G. Scheffler, tailback, senior,

Trenton, Michigan Trenton is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States. At the 2010 census, the city population was 18,853. A Shawnee village was built in the area by war chief Blue Jacket after the 1795 Treaty of Greenville. The area later became the site ...

- started 1 game at fullback * Fritz Seyferth, fullback, junior,

Darien, Connecticut Darien ( ) is a coastal town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. With a population of 21,499 and a land area of just under 13 square miles, it is the smallest town on Connecticut's Gold Coast. It has the youngest population of any ...

- started 7 games at fullback and 1 game at left halfback * Paul Seymour, tight end, junior,

Berkley, Michigan Berkley is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a northern suburb of Detroit located along the Woodward Corridor ( M-1) in southeastern Oakland County. The population was 15,194 as of the 2020 Census. History Prior ...

- started all 10 games (9 at tight end, 1 at split end) *

, split end, senior, Flint, Michigan - started all 10 games (9 games at split end, 1 at tight end) *

, fullback, 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 ...

- started 8 games at right halfback, 1 game at left halfback

Defensive starters

Tom Beckman Thomas Clare Beckman (born September 21, 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan) is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1971 under head coach Bo Schembechler. He played professional foo ...

, defensive tackle, junior,

Chesaning, Michigan Chesaning ( ) is a village in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,394 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Chesaning Township. History The first mention of Chesaning in the written pages of history ...

- started all 10 games (8 at left defensive tackle and 2 at right defensive end) * Jim Betts, safety, 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 10 games at safety *Alden J. Carpenter, defensive end, junior, Flint, Michigan - started 2 games at left defensive end *

, defensive back, junior,

- started 9 games at strong side defensive halfback *Donald R. Eaton, defensive back, sophomore,

Lancaster, Ohio Lancaster ( ) is a city in Fairfield County, Ohio, in the south-central part of the state. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 40,552. The city is near the Hocking River, about southeast of Columbus and southwest of Zanesville. It is ...

- started 1 game at wide linebacker *Bruce N. Elliott, defensive back, junior,

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...

- started 7 games at weak side defensive halfback *Frank Gusich, wolf, junior,

Garfield Heights, Ohio Garfield Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Cleveland. The population was 28,849 at the time of the 2010 census. Geography Garfield Heights is located at (41.421423, -81.602682). According to the Unit ...

- started all 10 games at cornerback *

, middle guard, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started all 10 games at middle guard *

, linebacker, 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 ...

- started all 10 games at middle linebacker *

Mike Keller Michael F. Keller (born December 13, 1949) is a former American football linebacker and football executive in the National Football League. He played professional football for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of M ...

, defensive end, junior,

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...

- started 7 games at right defensive end and 1 game at left defensive tackle *Edward M. Moore, 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 ...

- started 2 games at wide linebacker 1 game at left defensive tackle *

, defensive tackle, senior,

Park Ridge, Illinois Park Ridge is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States, and a Chicago suburb. Per the 2020 census, the population was 39,656. It is located northwest of downtown Chicago. It is close to O'Hare International Airport, major expressways, a ...

- started 9 games at defensive right tackle * Bo Rather, defensive back, sophomore, Sandusky, Ohio - started 2 games at weak side defensive halfback *Philip Seymour, defensive end, senior,

- started 7 games at defensive end *Tony L. Smith, defensive tackle, sophomore, Detroit, Michigan - started 1 game at right defensive tackle * Mike Taylor, linebacker, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 5 games at wide linebacker, 1 game at weak side defensive halfback and 1 game at strong side defensive halfback

Professional football

Fifteen members of the 1970 team went on to play professional football. They are:

(St.Louis Cardinals, 1972, Memphis Grizzlies, 1974-1975),

(Cleveland Browns, 1972-1981),

(St. Louis Cardinals, 1971-1983), Glenn Doughty (Baltimore Colts, 1972-1979),

(San Francisco 49ers, 1972; Edmonton Eskimos, 1973; Charlotte Hornets, 1974-1975),

(Dallas Cowboys, 1972), Reggie McKenzie (Buffalo Bills, 1972-1982; Seattle Seahawks, 1983-1984),

(Houston Oilers, 1974; Chicago Fire/Winds, 1974-1975),

(BC Lions, 1971); Bo Rather (Miami Dolphins, 1973, 1978; Chicago Bears, 1974-78); Fritz Seyferth (Calgary Stampeders, 1972); Paul Seymour (Buffalo Bills, 1973-1977),

(Cleveland Browns, 1972; Green Bay Packers, 1973),

(Calgary Stampeders, 1972), and Mike Taylor (New York Jets, 1972–73).

Coaching staff

*Head coach: Bo Schembechler *Assistant coaches: :*

Jim Young James Norman Young (born June 6, 1943) is a former professional American football and Canadian football player. Young played running back and wide receiver for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings for two seasons (1965–66), and the CFL's BC Lions f ...

- defensive coordinator :*

Chuck Stobart Charles R. Stobart (October 27, 1932 – November 29, 2022) was an American college football player and coach. He played as a quarterback at Ohio University in the 1950s. He was a football coach at various schools for 42 years from 1959 to 20 ...

- offensive backfield coach :* Jerry Hanlon - offensive line coach :* Dick Hunter - defensive backfield coach :*

Frank Maloney Kellie Maloney (born Francis Maloney, 23 January 1953) is an English boxing manager and promoter, and television personality. She managed Lennox Lewis between 1989 and 2001, who earned the title of undisputed heavyweight championship of the wo ...

- defensive line coach :*

George Mans George W. Mans Jr. (January 31, 1940 – December 20, 2017) was an American college football player and coach and politician. He was the captain of the 1961 Michigan Wolverines football team, an assistant football coach at the University of Michig ...

- offensive ends coach :*

Gary Moeller Gary Oscar Moeller (; January 26, 1941 – July 11, 2022) was an American football coach best known for being head coach at the University of Michigan from 1990 to 1994. During his five seasons at Michigan, he won 44 games, lost 13 and tied 3 f ...

- defensive ends coach :* Larry Smith - offensive interior line coach :* Tirrel Burton - freshman coach * Graduate assistants: Bob Baumgartner,

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 ...

, Don Busslow, Jeff Green, Mike Hankwitz, Paul Johnson, Jerry Miklos, and Tom Weinman *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, ...

*Assistant trainers: Mike Willie, Len Paddock, and Jack Redgren *Manager: Neil Hiller *Assistant managers: Chuck Quebberman, David Fish, Jerry Fine, Gary Johnson, John Levine

Statistical leaders

Rushing

Passing

Receiving

Kickoff returns

Punt returns

References

External links

1970 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 Michigan Wolverines football