The 1983 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 1983 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 15th 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 (8–1 against conference opponents), lost to

Auburn Auburn may refer to: Places Australia * Auburn, New South Wales * City of Auburn, the local government area *Electoral district of Auburn *Auburn, Queensland, a locality in the Western Downs Region *Auburn, South Australia *Auburn, Tasmania *Aub ...

in the 1984 Sugar Bowl, and outscored all opponents by a total of 355 to 160. The team's statistical leaders included tailback

Rick Rogers Rick Rogers (born March 26, 1963) is an American former college football player who was a running back. He grew up in Inkster, Michigan, and attended Wayne Memorial High School. He played at the University of Michigan for the Wolverines from 1 ...

with 1,002 rushing yards, 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 1,420 passing yards and 2,087 yards of total offense, Sim Nelson with 494 receiving yards, and placekicker

Bob Bergeron Robert Damian Bergeron (born November 7, 1961) is a former American football placekicker. He grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and attended Bishop Luers High School. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1984. He w ...

with 76 points scored. Steve Smith was selected as the most valuable player on the Michigan team. Two Michigan offensive linemen, guard

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 ...

and center

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 ...

, received first-team All-America honors. Six Michigan players (Humphries, Dixon, defensive linemen Al Sincich and Kevin Brooks, defensive back

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 ...

, and placekicker

) received first-team honors on the

1983 All-Big Ten Conference football team The 1983 All-Big Ten Conference football team consists of American football players chosen by various organizations for All-Big Ten Conference teams for the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season, 1983 college football season. The 1983 Illinois Fi ...

. Prior to the season, head coach

delivered the famous "The Team" speech which would go on to become an integral part of Michigan football lore.

Schedule

Game summaries

Washington State

On September 10, 1983, Michigan, ranked No. 1 preseason by ''

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...

'', defeated

Washington State Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...

, 20–17, before a crowd of 103,256 at

Michigan Stadium Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is the largest stadium in the United States and the Western Hemisphere, the third largest stadium in the world, and the ...

. The game was played in extreme heat with the temperature reaching 100 degrees on the field. Washington State took a 17–14 lead with 9:42 left in the game after a 63-yard, 11-play drive capped by a two-yard touchdown run. The Wolverines responded with a 75-yard drive that included a 52-yard run by

. Rogers rushed for 124 yards on 19 carries. Quarterback David Hall scored the winning touchdown on a four-yard option run with 6:10 left in the game.

At Washington

On September 17, 1983, Michigan lost to

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 ...

, 25–24, before a crowd of 60,638 at

Husky Stadium Husky Stadium (officially Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium for sponsorship purposes) is an outdoor football stadium in the northwest United States, located on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. It h ...

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 ...

. After trailing 24-10 early in the fourth quarter, Washington scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns and successfully passed for a two-point conversion in the final minute of play. Washington quarterback Steve Pelluer completed 15 of 15 passes in the fourth quarter.

Todd Schlopy Robert Todd Schlopy (born June 17, 1961) is a motion picture cameraman and former American football placekicker. Born in Bradford, Pennsylvania and raised in Buffalo, NY, Schlopy attended Orchard Park High School in Orchard Park, New York. He ...

missed what would have been a game-winning 32-yard field goal with four minutes remaining in the game.

Wisconsin

On September 24, 1983, 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 ...

, 38–21, before a crowd of 77,708 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 ...

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 led, 32–7, at the end of the third quarter before Wisconsin mounted a fourth-quarter comeback. Michigan rushed for 351 yards in the game. Kerry Smith led with 107 yards on 22 carries. Brian Mercer added 64 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, and

rushed for 59 yards and two touchdowns. The Wolverines passed for only 42 yards on five completions.

also threw two interceptions.

Indiana

On October 1, 1983, Michigan defeated

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

, 43–18, before a crowd of 104,126 at

. Tailback Kerry Smith rushed for three touchdowns. Steve Smith rushed for 130 yards on 14 carries and completed six of 17 passes for 82 yards.

also rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Indiana quarterback Steve Bradley passed for 246 yards, but he also gave up four interceptions.

Michigan State

On October 8, 1983, Michigan defeated Michigan State, 42–0, before a crowd of 78,033 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 ...

. It was

's 100th Big Ten coach victory and

George Perles George Julius Perles (July 16, 1934 – January 7, 2020) was an American football player and coach. He was a defensive line coach, defensive coordinator, and assistant head coach for the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers from 1972 to ...

' first year as head coach of the Spartans.

Northwestern

On October 15, 1983, Michigan defeated Northwestern, 35–0, before a crowd of 103,914 at

scored two rushing touchdowns.

also rushed for two touchdown and threw for another on a two-yard pass to Dan Rice.

Iowa

On October 22, 1983, Michigan, ranked No. 10, defeated No. 12

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 ...

, 16–13, before a homecoming crowd of 104,559 at

kicked three field goals, including the game-winning 45-yard field with eight seconds left in the game. The game-winning drive began when Michigan linebacker Rodney Lyles recovered an

Owen Gill Owen Gill (born February 19, 1962) is a former American football running back who played professionally in the National Football League. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2nd round (53rd overall pick) of the 1985 NFL Draft out of ...

fumble with 90 seconds left in the game.

also scored a touchdown on a four-yard run in the third quarter.

Illinois

On October 29, 1983, Michigan lost to

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 ...

, 16–6, before a crowd of 76,127 at Memorial Stadium in

Champaign, Illinois Champaign ( ) is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 88,302 at the 2020 census. It is the tenth-most populous municipality in Illinois and the fourth most populous city in Illinois outside the Chicago metropo ...

. It was the first time Illinois had beaten Michigan since 1966. Illinois quarterback

Jack Trudeau Jack Francis Trudeau (born September 9, 1962) is a former professional American football player and morning show co-host on Fox Sports Radio. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the 1986 NFL Draft. A quarterback from ...

completed 21 of 37 passes for 271 yards, including touchdown passes of nine yard to Thomas Rooks and 46 yards to David Williams. Steve Smith completed 12 of 25 for 111 yards. Michigan was limited to two field goals by

. Illinois went on to win the Big Ten championship.

Purdue

On November 5, 1983, 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 ...

, 42–10, before a crowd of 104,946 at

completed 11 of 13 passes for 159 yards, and also rushed for 126 yards on 12 carries. Purdue's quarterback Scott Campbell was held to 118 passing yards and was intercepted three times.

Minnesota

On November 12, 1983, 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 ...

, 58–10, before a crowd of 40,945 at the

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (commonly called the Metrodome) was a domed sports stadium located in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It opened in 1982 as a replacement for Metropolitan Stadium, the former home of the National Football League ...

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 ...

. Despite being pulled early in the third quarter,

accounted for six touchdowns (three rushing, three passing) and compiled 327 yards in total offense (147 rushing, 180 passing).

Ohio State

On November 19, 1983, Michigan defeated

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 ...

, 24–21, before crowd of 106,115 at

ran for a touchdown and passed for two others, a 67-yard completion to Triando Markray in the first quarter and an eight-yarder to tight end

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 ...

in the fourth quarter. Ohio State turned the ball over four times. Michigan drove to the one-yard line in the second quarter, but the Ohio State defense held, and Michigan missed a field goal attempt on fourth down. The Wolverines trailed at the start of the fourth quarter, but rallied for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The go-ahead touchdown followed a

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 ...

interception at midfield which he returned to Ohio State's 28-yard line.

1984 Sugar Bowl

On January 2, 1984, Michigan lost to

, 9–7, in the 1984 Sugar Bowl, played before a crowd of 77,893 at the Louisiana Superdome in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

. Michigan took the lead on a four-yard touchdown run by

in the first quarter. Michigan was unable to score again, and Auburn came back on three field goals by

Al Del Greco Albert Louis Del Greco (born March 2, 1962) is a former American football placekicker and a current sports radio personality. After eight years as golf coach at Spain Park High School in Hoover, Alabama, Del Greco was named the head coach of the ...

. Del Greco's final field goal occurred with 23 seconds remaining in the game.

Bo Jackson Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson (born November 30, 1962) is an American former professional baseball and American football player. He is the only professional athlete in history to be named an All-Star in both baseball and football. Jackson's el ...

rushed for 130 yards on 22 carries and was selected as the game's most valuable player.

Award season

Two Michigan players received first-team honors on the 1983 All-America team: * Offensive guard

received first-team honors from the

Football Writers Association of America The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) is an organization of college football media members in the United States founded in 1941. It is composed of approximately 1,200 professional sports writers from both print and Internet media out ...

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 ...

, and ''The Sporting News''. He also received second-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 ...

, Gannett News Service, and

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 ...

. * Center

received first-team honors from the

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

, and ''The Sporting News''. Six Michigan players received first-team honors from the

(AP) and/or

(UPI) on the

: offensive guard Stefan Humphries (AP-1, UPI-1), center Tom Dixon (AP-1, UPI-1), placekicker

(AP-1), defensive lineman Kevin Brooks (AP-2, UPI-1), defensive lineman Al Sincich (AP-1, UPI-2), and defensive back

(AP-1, UPI-2). Four others received second-team honors: linebacker

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 ...

(AP-2, UPI-2); linebacker Carlton Rose (AP-2, UPI-2); running back

(UPI-2); and offensive guard

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 ...

(AP-2). Team awards were presented as follows: *Most Valuable Player: Steve Smith *Meyer Morton Award: Steve Smith *John Maulbetsch Award:

Bob Perryman Robert Lewis Perryman Jr. (October 16, 1964 – February 23, 2023) was an American football player. He played college football as a fullback for the University of Michigan from 1983 to 1986. He played professional football, principally as a fu ...

*Frederick Matthei Award: Al Sincich *Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: Stefan Humphries *Dick Katcher Award: Carlton Rose *Robert P. Ufer Award: Jeff Cohen

Personnel

Offense

*Greg Armstrong, fullback, senior,

Middletown, Ohio Middletown is a city located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio, about 35 miles (47 km) north of Cincinnati. The population as of the 2020 census was 50,987. It is part of the Cincinnati metropo ...

- started 4 games at fullback *Art Balourdos, center, junior,

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

, Illinois *Vincent Bean, split end, senior,

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 *

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, senior,

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 ...

*Dan Decker, quarterback, sophomore,

Roseville, Michigan Roseville is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a part of the Metro Detroit area. The population was 47,299 at the 2010 census. Until 1958, Roseville was a part of Erin Township. History The first permanent post o ...

, offensive guard, 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 left offensive guard *

, center, senior,

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 * Jumbo Elliott, offensive tackle, freshman,

Lake Ronkonkoma, New York Lake Ronkonkoma is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Suffolk County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 20,155 at the 2010 census. Lake Ronkonkoma is mainly located in the Town of Brookhaven, but has ...

*Eddie Garrett, fullback, sophomore,

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...

- started 6 games at fullback *David Hall, quarterback, senior,

Livonia, Michigan Livonia is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 95,535 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, which ranked it as Michigan's ninth most-populated municipality. Livonia is a part ...

- started 1 game at quarterback *Mark Hammerstein, offensive line, sophomore,

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 ...

Jim Harbaugh James Joseph Harbaugh (; born December 23, 1963) is an American football coach and former quarterback, who is the current and 20th head football coach of the Michigan Wolverines. He played college football at Michigan from 1983 to 1986. He play ...

, quarterback, sophomore,

Palo Alto, California Palo Alto (; Spanish language, Spanish for "tall stick") is a charter city in the northwestern corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a Sequoia sempervirens, coastal redwood tree kno ...

*Ken Higgins, wide receiver, freshman,

Battle Creek, Michigan Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, Michigan, Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo River, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek River, Battle Creek rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle C ...

- started 1 game at flanker *

, offensive guard, senior, Broward, Florida - started all 12 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, senior,

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 ...

*Doug James, offensive guard, 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 right offensive tackle *Gilvanni Johnson, wide receiver, sophomore, Detroit, Michigan - started 4 games at flanker *

, tight end, junior, Cincinnati, Ohio *Ben Logue, running back, sophomore,

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

*Triando Markray, wide receiver, sophomore, Detroit, Michigan - started 7 games at flanker *Brian Mercer, tailback, junior, Cincinnati, Ohio *Clay Miller, offensive tackle, junior,

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 all 12 games at left offensive tackle *Sim Nelson, tight end, junior,

- started all 12 games at tight end *

, running back, sophomore,

Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts Buzzards Bay is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Bourne in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The population was 3,859 at the 2010 census. It is the most populous of the five CDPs in Bourne. Geography Buzzards Bay is located at (4 ...

*Dan Rice, running back, sophomore,

Roxbury, Massachusetts Roxbury () is a Neighborhoods in Boston, neighborhood within the City of Boston, Massachusetts. Roxbury is a Municipal annexation in the United States, dissolved municipality and one of 23 official neighborhoods of Boston used by the city for n ...

- started 2 games at fullback *Rick Rogers, running back, junior,

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 ...

- started 11 games at tailback *Kerry Smith, running back, senior,

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the List of municipalities in Mi ...

- started 1 game at tailback *

, quarterback, senior,

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 09 games at quarterback *Larry Sweeney, center, senior,

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 ...

Gerald White Gerald Eugene White (born December 9, 1964) is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of Michigan. Early years White began his football caree ...

, running back, freshman,

Titusville, Florida Titusville is a city in eastern Florida and the county seat of Brevard County, Florida, United States. The city's population was 43,761 as of the 2010 United States Census. Titusville is located along the Indian River (Florida), Indian River, west ...

Thomas Wilcher Thomas Wilcher is a high school athletic coach and teacher who was previously a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I track and field national champion in the indoor 55 m hurdles and a three-time NCAA All-American in tra ...

, tailback, sophomore, Detroit, Michigan *Dan Yarano, offensive guard, senior,

Zanesville, Ohio Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. It is located east of Columbus and had a population of 24,765 as of the 2020 census, down from 25,487 as of the 2010 census. Historically the state capita ...

Defense

*Jeffery Akers, outside linebacker, junior,

Lynn, Massachusetts Lynn is the eighth-largest municipality in Massachusetts and the largest city in Essex County. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Boston city line at Suffolk Downs, Lynn is part of Greater Boston's urban inner core. Settled by E ...

*Timothy Anderson, inside linebacker, 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 6 games at inside linebacker * Mike Boren, inside linebacker, 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 4 games at inside linebacker * Kevin Brooks, defensive tackle, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started all 12 games at defensive tackle *Fritz Burgess, defensive back, senior,

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district. I ...

, defensive back, junior,

Royal Oak, Michigan Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring suburb of Detroit, Royal Oak is about north of Detroit's city limits. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 57,236. Royal Oak is located along th ...

- started all 12 games at strong-side cornerback *Jeff Cohen, defensive back, senior,

Farmington Hills, Michigan Farmington Hills is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Part of the affluent suburbs northwest of Detroit, Farmington Hills is the second most-populated city in Oakland County, after Troy, with a population of 83,986 at the 20 ...

, defensive back, senior,

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 all 12 games (8 at strong safety, 4 at free safety) *Vincent DeFelice, defensive tackle, 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 11 games at defensive tackle *John Ferens, defensive back, 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 ...

*Tony Gant, linebacker, sophomore,

Fremont, Ohio Fremont is a city in and the county seat of Sandusky County, Ohio, United States, located along the banks of the Sandusky River. It is about 35 miles from Toledo and 25 miles from Sandusky. It is part of the Toledo metropolitan area. The populat ...

- started 8 games at free safety *Joe Gray, linebacker, junior, Detroit, Michigan * Mike Hammerstein, defensive tackle, junior,

- started 1 game at defensive tackle *Thomas J. Hassel, outside linebacker, senior, Cincinnati, Ohio - started 6 games at outside linebacker *Dieter Heren, defensive back, sophomore,

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 th ...

, inside linebacker, senior,

Dearborn Heights, Michigan Dearborn Heights is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. With a population of 63,292 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census., Dearborn Heights is part of the Detroit metropolitan area, and is consid ...

*Rich Hewlett, defensive back, senior,

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 ...

- started 4 games at strong safety *John Lott, defensive back, senior,

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 ...

- started all 12 games at weak-side cornerback *Rodney Lyles, outside linebacker, senior,

- started 11 games at outside linebacker * Doug Mallory, defensive back, 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 ...

, inside linebacker, junior, DeKalb, Illinois - started all 12 games at inside linebacker *Dave Meredith, defensive tackle, senior,

Sterling Heights, Michigan Sterling Heights is a city in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan, and one of Detroit's core suburbs. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a total population of 134,346. It is the second largest suburb in Metro Detroit, and the fourth la ...

* Andy Moeller, inside linebacker, sophomore, Ann Arbor, Michigan *Mike Reinhold, inside linebacker, sophomore,

Muskegon, Michigan Muskegon ( ') is a city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Muskegon County. Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, pleasure boating, and as a commercial and cruise ship port. It is a popular vacation destination because of the expa ...

- started 2 games at inside linebacker * Garland Rivers, defensive back, freshman,

Canton, Ohio Canton () is a city in and the county seat of Stark County, Ohio. It is located approximately south of Cleveland and south of Akron in Northeast Ohio. The city lies on the edge of Ohio's extensive Amish country, particularly in Holmes and ...

*Nathaniel Rodgers, middle guard, senior,

Warren, Ohio Warren is a city in and the county seat of Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. Located in northeastern Ohio, Warren lies approximately northwest of Youngstown and southeast of Cleveland. The population was 39,201 at the 2020 census. The his ...

* Carlton Rose, outside linebacker, senior,

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 6 games at outside linebacker *James Scarcelli, outside linebacker, junior,

Warren, Michigan Warren is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2020 Census places the city's population at 139,387, making Warren the largest city in Macomb County, the third largest city in Michigan, and Metro Detroit's largest suburb. T ...

- started 1 game at outside linebacker *Alan Sincich, middle guard, junior, Cleveland, Ohio - started all 12 games at middle guard *Michael Wilson, defensive tackle, senior, Detroit, Michigan

Kickers

, place-kicker, senior,

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, senior,

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 ...

, place-kicker, senior,

Orchard Park, New York Orchard Park is a town in Erie County, New York. It is an outer ring suburb southeast of Buffalo. As of the 2010 census, the population was 29,054, representing an increase of 5.13% from the 2000 census figure. The town contains a village als ...

Professional football

Fifteen members of the 1983 football team went on to play professional football. *

(Green Bay Packers 1985–90, Los Angeles Rams 1992-93) * Kevin Brooks (Dallas Cowboys 1985–88, Detroit Lions 1989-90) *

(Indianapolis Colts 1987) *

(Philadelphia Eagles 1984–87, Atlanta Falcons, 1988-89) *

(Detroit Lions 1987) * Jumbo Elliott (New York Giants 1988–95, New York Jets 1996–2000, 2002) * Mike Hammerstein (Cincinnati Bengals 1986-90) *

(Chicago Bears 1987–1993, Indianapolis Colts 1994–1997, Baltimore Ravens 1998, San Diego Chargers 1999–2000, Carolina Panthers 2001) *

(Chicago Bears 1984–86, Denver Broncos 1987-88) *

(Cincinnati Bengals 1986–91, New York Jets 1992) *

(New England Patriots 1987–90, Denver Broncos 1991-92) * Garland Rivers (Chicago Bears 1987, Albany Firebirds 1990–91, Arizona Rattlers 1992–93) * Carlton Rose (Washington Redskins 1987) *

(Dallas Cowboys 1987)

Coaching staff

*Head coach:

*Assistant coaches: :*

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 ...

- assistant head coach and 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 :* Jerry Hanlon - quarterbacks coach :* Tirrel Burton - running backs 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 :*

Elliot Uzelac Elliot Uzelac (born July 24, 1941) is an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Western Michigan University from 1975 to 1981 and the United States Naval Academy from 1987 to 1989, compiling a career college football c ...

- 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 interior line coach :*

Alex Agase Alexander Arrasi Agase (March 27, 1922 – May 3, 2007) was an American football guard and linebacker who was named an All-American three times in college and played on three Cleveland Browns championship teams before becoming head football coac ...

:* Bob Chmiel *Trainer: Russ Miller *Manager: Paul Gehkas, Douglans Ham, Kenneth Pefkins, Robert Reid

Statistics

Rushing

Passing

Receiving

Scoring

References

External links

1983 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 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 ...