The 1984 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 1984 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 16th 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 6–6 record (5–4 against conference opponents) and outscored opponents by a total of 214 to 200. It was the only team in Michigan's 21 seasons under coach Schembechler that did not finish its season with a winning record. Michigan began the season under quarterback

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 ...

. The Wolverines went 3–1 in their first four games under Harbaugh, but Harbaugh's season ended with a broken arm in a loss to

Michigan State Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...

. Michigan next turned to Russ Rein who started two games, including a 26–0 loss to

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

, the worst loss for a Michigan team since Schembechler took over as head coach. Chris Zurbrugg took over as quarterback for the remaining five games in which the Wolverines won two and lost three. In the 1984 Holiday Bowl, Michigan lost to national champion

BYU Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day S ...

. BYU quarterback

Robbie Bosco Robbie Bosco (born January 11, 1963) is a former American football quarterback who played college football at Brigham Young University (BYU). He is a native of Roseville, California. College career In 1984, Bosco took over as starting quarterb ...

led a fourth-quarter comeback with two touchdown passes, including the game winner with 83 seconds remaining in the game. 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 ...

was selected as the most valuable player on the Michigan team. The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Jim Harbaugh with 718 passing yards, tailback

Jamie Morris James Walter Morris (born June 6, 1965) is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins and a record-setting running back in college for the University of Michigan Wolverine ...

with 573 rushing yards, tight end Sim Nelson with 459 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 60 points scored.

Schedule

Season summary

Preseason

The 1983 Michigan Wolverines football team had compiled a 9–3, lost to Auburn in the Sugar Bowl, and was ranked No. 8 in the final AP poll. Several key players from the 1983 team did not return in 1984, including

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, ...

, a three-year starter at quarterback, and All-American offensive linemen

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

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 ...

. In preseason competition,

won the starting quarterback position over Bo Rein and Chris Zurbrugg. Offensive guard Doug James and linebacker

were selected as the team co-captains.

Miami (FL)

On September 8, 1984, Michigan defeated Jimmy Johnson's

Miami Hurricanes The Miami Hurricanes (known informally as The U, UM, or The 'Canes) are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. The Hurricanes compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic A ...

, the defending national champions who were ranked No. 1 by both the AP and UPI in preseason polls. The Wolverines prevailed by a 22–14 score before a crowd of 105,403 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 victory broke Miami's 13-game winning streak. Michigan's first scoring drive began when Rodney Lyles forced a Don Oliver fumble and Michigan recovered at its 45-yard line. Quarterback

, making his first start for Michigan, led the Wolverines 55 yards down the field with

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 ...

scoring on six-yard run.

missed the extra point. Michigan's defense dominated in the first half, holding Miami scoreless, and the Wolverines led 6–0 at halftime. In the third quarter, Miami quarterback

Bernie Kosar Bernard Joseph Kosar Jr. (born November 25, 1963) is a former American football quarterback who played collegiately at the University of Miami where he led the team to a national championship in 1983. He subsequently played professionally in ...

threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Eddie Brown, and Miami took a 7–6 lead. Michigan responded with two drives capped by Perryman touchdowns and led 19–7 with seven minutes remaining in the game. Kosar then connected with Stanley Shakespeare for a 44-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to five points. On Miami's next possession, Rodney Lyles intercepted a Kosar pass deep in Miami territory, and

kicked a 27-yard field goal to extend Michigan's lead to eight points. When Miami regained possession for its final drive, Lyles made his third interception of the game. Michigan intercepted a total of six passes off Kosar (three by Lyles, one each by Doug Mallory,

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 ...

, and Mike Hammerstein), sacked Kosar five times, and forced two fumbles. Kosar completed 16 of 38 passes for 228 yards. Harbaugh completed 11 of 21 passes for 163 yards. Tailback

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 ...

rushed for 89 yards on 27 carries, while Perryman scored three touchdowns and ran for 79 yards. Miami's

Alonzo Highsmith Alonzo Walter Highsmith, Sr. (born February 26, 1965) is an American football executive, former fullback, and former boxer. He is a General Manager for the University of Miami. He served as the vice president of player personnel for the Clevel ...

was the leading ground-gainer with 126 yards.

Washington

On September 15, 1984, 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 ...

, 20–11, before a crowd of 103,072 at

in Ann Arbor. In his second start for Michigan,

completed 17 of 37 passes for 183 yards and three interceptions. Michigan turned the ball over twice on fumbles.

Wisconsin

On September 22, 1984, Michigan beat

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 ...

, 20–14, before a crowd of 104,239 at

. Wisconsin out-gained the Wolverines, 162 yards to nine, in the first quarter, but was unable to score. Michigan led 10–0 at halftime. Six Wisconsin turnovers (five fumbles and an interception) helped Michigan. Wisconsin came back in the second half. A blocked Michigan punt at the Wolverines 14-yard line resulted in the Badgers' final touchdown.

completed 11 of 21 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown.

rushed for 138 yards on 28 carries. Wisconsin back Larry Emery rushed for 185 yards on 17 carries.

kicked two field goals, including a 50-yarder in the fourth quarter.

Indiana

On September 29, 1984, 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 ...

, 14–6, before a crowd of 38,729 at Memorial Stadium in

Bloomington, Indiana Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County, Indiana, Monroe County in the central region of the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the List of municipalities in Indiana, seventh-largest city in Indiana and the fourth-largest outside ...

gained 86 yards on 19 carries.

completed 14 of 18 passes for 135 yards.

Michigan State

On October 6, 1974, Michigan lost to

, 19–7, before a crowd of 105,612 at

in Ann Arbor.

Bobby Morse Robert J. "Bobby" Morse (born October 3, 1965) is a former professional American football running back and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, and the New Orleans Saints. He w ...

returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown to give the Spartans a 13–0 lead in the second quarter. Michigan quarterback

then led the Wolverines down the field on a drive capped by a one-yard Eddie Garret touchdown run. In the third quarter, Harbaugh collided with Spartan linebacker Thomas Tyree as they went after a loose ball. Harbaugh's arm was broken, and he was carried off the field on a stretcher. Harbaugh had completed seven of 14 passes for 101 yards to that point. Russ Rein and Chris Zurbrugg, playing in place of Harbaugh, were unable to move the team effectively and combined for three interceptions.

Northwestern

On October 13, 1984, Michigan defeated Northwestern, 31–0, before a homecoming crowd of 102,245 at

. The game was played at the same time that Game 5 of the

1984 World Series The 1984 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1984 season. The 81st edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Detroit Tigers and the Nationa ...

was being played an hour down the freeway in

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 ...

, leaving many fans to listen to the baseball game on pocket radios while attending the football game. Alan Trammell hit two home runs for the Tigers, and

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 ...

gained 139 yards for the Wolverines on 27 carries. Russell Rein started at quarterback for Michigan after

broke his arm one week earlier against Michigan State. Rein completed eight of 11 passes for 81 yards, including a five-yard touchdown pass to

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 ...

. On the opening kickoff of the second half,

returned the kick 80 yards to Northwestern's 20-yard line.

Iowa

On October 21, 1984, Michigan lost to

, 26-0, before a crowd of 66,025 at

Kinnick Stadium Nile Kinnick Stadium is a stadium located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the home stadium of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes football team. First opened in 1929 as Iowa Stadium to replace Iowa Field, it currently holds up to 69,250 peo ...

Iowa City Iowa City, offically the City of Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is the home of the University of Iowa and county seat of Johnson County, at the center of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the time ...

. It was the worst loss suffered by Michigan since

became the head coach in 1969. For Iowa,

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 ...

rushed for 85 yards and

Ronnie Harmon Ronnie Keith Harmon (born May 7, 1964) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). After a standout career at the University of Iowa in the Big Ten Conference, he played for 12 ...

for 63, and

Chuck Long Charles Franklin Long Jr. (born February 18, 1963) is a former American football player and coach who is the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Dallas Renegades of the XFL. He played quarterback in college at Iowa for Hayden F ...

completed 14 of 20 passes for 146 yards. Michigan was held to 187 yard of total offense, led by 55 rushing yards from

. Russell Rein started at quarterback, completing seven of 13 passes for only 40 yards and two interceptions. He was replaced by Chris Zurbrugg who completed only four of 12 passes for 43 yards win one interception.

Illinois

On October 27, 1984, Michigan defeated a favored

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 ...

team by a 26-18 score before a crowd of 104,916 at

. Chris Zurbrugg, in his first start as Michigan's quarterback, led an option offense in which he rushed for 76 yards and passed for 51.

added 95 rushing yards. Rodney Lyles set up Michigan's first touchdown with an interception on a tip from Kevin Brooks that Lyles returned to Illinois' 13-yard line.

and

also had interceptions, and Mike Hammerstein recovered an Illinois fumble that was caused by a hit from Jim Scarcelli. Illinois out-gained the Wolverines, 419 yards to 280. 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 26 of 41 passes for 269 yards, three interceptions and a touchdown. David Williams caught 12 passes for 132 yards, pushing him over 1,000 yards for the season. Fullback Thomas Rooks rushed for 110 yards on 26 carries.

Purdue

On November 3, 1984, Michigan lost to

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 ...

, 31–29, before a crowd of 60,159 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 city, ...

. Behind the passing of

Jim Everett James Samuel Everett III (born January 3, 1963) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the Los Angeles Rams. He played college football for the Purdue Boilerm ...

, Purdue dominated the game early, leading 24-0 at halftime and 31-7 with seven minutes remaining. Everett completed 23 of 32 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns. Michigan was held to 12 rushing yards and three first downs in the first half. After the game, coach

described the first half as "our poorest half ever at Michigan." In the second half, Michigan's defense took hold and the Wolverines outscored the Boilermakers, 29-7. Chris Zurbrugg threw four touchdown passes, including three in the final four minutes and seven seconds. Zurbrugg finished the game completing 21 of 30 passes for 259 yards and four touchdowns.

Minnesota

On November 10, 1984, Michigan defeated

Lou Holtz Louis Leo Holtz (born January 6, 1937) is an American former football player, coach, and analyst. He served as the head football coach at The College of William & Mary (1969–1971), North Carolina State University (1972–1975), the New York ...

Minnesota Golden Gophers The Minnesota Golden Gophers (commonly shortened to Gophers) are the college sports teams of the University of Minnesota. The university fields a total of 25 (12 men's, 13 women's) teams in both men's and women's sports and competes in the Big Te ...

, 31–7, before a crowd of 101,247 at

in Ann Arbor.

led the Wolverines with 125 rushing yards on 14 carries, including a 68-yard run. Chris Zurbrugg also completed seven of ten passes. The highlight of the game was a trick play in which Zurbrugg handed off to

who then handed the ball to Vince Bean on a reverse, with Bean then passing to Paul Jokisch for a 67-yard touchdown. In the third quarter, Michigan stopped Minnesota on three straight plays from the one-yard line, then drove 99 yards, culminating with an 11-yard touchdown run by Morris. Minnesota quarterback

Rickey Foggie Rickey Foggie (born July 15, 1966) is a former gridiron football quarterback. Foggie was the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Golden Gophers for four seasons, before going on to play professionally in the Canadian Football League and Arena ...

led Minnesota with 106 rushing yards and 94 passing yards.

Ohio State

On November 17, 1984, Michigan lost to

Ohio State The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...

, 21–6, before a crowd of 90,286 at

Ohio Stadium Ohio Stadium is an American football stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on the campus of Ohio State University. It primarily serves as the home venue of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team and is also the site for the university's Spring Commencement c ...

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 ...

Keith Byars Keith Alan Byars (born October 14, 1963) is an American sports broadcaster and former American football fullback in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and New York Jets. Early life ...

scored three touchdowns including two in the final six-and-a-half minutes.

1984 Holiday Bowl

On December 21, 1984, Michigan lost to No. 1

by a 24–17 score before a crowd of 61,243 in the 1984 Holiday Bowl played at

Jack Murphy Stadium San Diego Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium on the west coast of the United States, in San Diego, California. The stadium opened in 1967 as San Diego Stadium and was known as Jack Murphy Stadium from 1981 to 1997. From 1997 to 2017, the stadium ...

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

. With the victory, BYU secured the national championship with a No. 1 ranking in the AP and UPI polls. Michigan forced six turnovers and led, 17–10, early in the fourth quarter. BYU quarterback

sustained a knee injury in the first quarter on a play resulting in a roughing the passer penalty against Michigan. Bosco was carried off the field with his leg dangling, but returned in the second quarter with his knee heavily taped. Hobbling noticeably, Bosco led a fourth-quarter comeback, throwing touchdown passes of seven yards to

Glen Kozlowski Glen Kozlowski (born December 31, 1962) is a former professional American football wide receiver. He played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Bears. College Kozlowski, who wore number 7, was a standout wide rece ...

and 13 yards to Kelly Smith. He threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Kelly Smith with 83 seconds remaining in the game. Bosco completed 30 of 42 passes for 343 yards. BYU back Lakei Heimuli rushed for 82 yards on 16 carries. For Michigan,

rushed for 110 yards on 13 carries, and Chris Zurbrugg completed seven of 15 passes for 82 yards.

Awards and honors

For the first time since

took over as Michigan's head coach, no Michigan players were named to the 1984 All-America team. However, seven were recognized by 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) and/or

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) on the

1984 All-Big Ten Conference football team The 1984 All-Big Ten Conference football team consists of American football players chosen as All-Big Ten Conference players for the 1984 Big Ten Conference football season. The organizations selecting All-Big Ten teams in 1987 included the Ass ...

: linebacker

(AP-1, UPI-1); defensive tackle Kevin Brooks (UPI-1); offensive guard Doug James (AP-2, UPI-2); middle guard Al Sincich (AP-2, UPI-2); tight end Sim Nelson (AP-2); linebacker Rod Lyles (UPI-2); and defensive back

. Team awards were presented as follows: *Most Valuable Player: Mike Mallory *Meyer Morton Award:

*John Maulbetsch Award: Garland Rivers *Frederick Matthei Award: Tony Gant *Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: Mike Hammerstein *Dick Katcher Award: Clay Miller *Robert P. Ufer Award: Al Sincich

Personnel

Offense

*Greg Armstrong, fullback, senior,

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

*Art Balourdos, center, senior,

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 all 12 games at center *Vince 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 * Jumbo Elliott, offensive tackle, sophomore,

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 ...

– started 10 games at left offensive tackle *Rick Frazer, offensive line, junior,

Escanaba, Michigan Escanaba ( ), commonly shortened to Esky, is a port city in Delta County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on Little Bay de Noc in the state's Upper Peninsula. The population was 12,616 at the 2010 census, making it the third-largest city i ...

*Eddie Garrett, fullback, junior,

Milwaukee 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. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee is ...

– started 6 games at fullback *John Ghindia, offensive guard, 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 ...

*Mark Hammerstein, offensive tackle, junior,

Wapakoneta, Ohio Wapakoneta, (, ) is a city in and the county seat of Auglaize County, Ohio, United States, about north of Dayton and south of Toledo. The population was 9,957 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of and is included in the Wapakonet ...

– started 2 games at left offensive guard, 2 games at left offensive tackle *

, quarterback, junior,

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 ...

– started 5 games at quarterback *Dave Herrick, offensive tackle – defensive tackle, freshman,

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 ...

*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 9 games at left offensive guard *Gilvanni Johnson, wide receiver, junior, Detroit, Michigan – started 2 games at flanker *Steve Johnson, wide receiver, junior,

Youngstown, Ohio Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...

– started 4 games at flanker *Paul Jokish, wide receiver, junior,

Clarkston, Michigan Clarkston is a city in Oakland County, Michigan, United States. A northern suburb of Detroit, located about northwest of downtown Detroit, Clarkston is surrounded by Independence Township, but administered independently since its incorporation ...

– started 1 game at flanker *

, tight end, senior,

Cincinnati 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 ...

*Ben Logue, running back, junior,

Atlanta 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 side receiver, junior, Detroit – started 5 games at flanker *Clay Miller, offensive tackle, senior,

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 right offensive tackle *

, tailback, freshman,

Ayer, Massachusetts Ayer () is a New England town, town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Originally part of Groton, Massachusetts, Groton, it was incorporated February 14, 1871, and became a major commercial railroa ...

– started 4 games at tailback *Sim Nelson, tight end, 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 tight end *

, fullback, junior,

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 ...

– started 6 games at fullback *Bob Popowski, offensive guard, senior, Chicago – started 1 games at left offensive guard * Jerry Quaerna, offensive tackle, junior,

Janesville, Wisconsin Janesville is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. It is the county seat and largest city in the county. It is a principal municipality of the Janesville, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Madison–Jane ...

*Russell Rein, quarterback, sophomore,

Oak Lawn, Illinois Oak Lawn is a Village (Illinois), village in Cook County, Illinois, Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 58,362 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Oak Lawn is a suburb of Chicago, located southwest of the city. It ...

– started 2 games at quarterback *Rick Rogers, running back, senior,

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 6 games at tailback *James Scarcelli, outside linebacker, senior, Warren, Michigan *Paul Schmerge, tight end, junior, Cincinnati, Ohio *Tim Schulte, outside linebacker, sophomore,

Villa Hills, Kentucky Villa Hills is a home rule-class city in Kenton County, Kentucky along the Ohio River. The population was 7,489 at the 2010 census. Geography Villa Hills is located at (39.059611, -84.591913). According to the United States Census Bureau, the ...

*Mike Sessa, wide receiver, senior,

St. Joseph, Michigan St. Joseph, colloquially known as St. Joe, is a city and the county seat of Berrien County, Michigan. It was incorporated as a village in 1834 and as a city in 1891. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,365. It lies on the shore o ...

*Dave Simon, center, senior,

Grosse Pointe, Michigan Grosse Pointe is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, the city had a population of 5,421. Grosse Pointe is an eastern suburb of Metro Detroit along Lake ...

*Bob Tabachino, offensive guard, senior, Youngstown, Ohio – started all 12 games at right offensive guard * John Vitale, offensive guard, freshman, Detroit *

, running back, sophomore,

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 ...

– started 2 games at tailback * Chris Zurbrugg, quarterback, sophomore,

Alliance, Ohio Alliance is a city in eastern Stark County, Ohio, United States. With a small district lying in adjacent Mahoning County, the city is approximately northeast of Canton, southwest of Youngstown and southeast of Cleveland. The population was 21 ...

– started 5 games at quarterback

Defense

*Jeffery Akers, inside linebacker,

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 ...

*Tim Anderson, inside linebacker, senior, Ann Arbor, Michigan – started all 12 games at inside linebacker *Allen Bishop, defensive back, sophomore,

Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

* Kevin Brooks, defensive tackle, senior, Detroit, Michigan – started 11 games at defensive tackle *

Erik Campbell John Erik Campbell (born January 21, 1966) is an American gridiron football coach and former player. He is currently the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach for the Bowling Green State University football team. Campbell played c ...

, wide receiver, freshman,

Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city has been historically dominated by major industrial activity and is home to U.S. Steel's Gary Works, the largest steel mill complex in North America. Gary is located along the ...

– started 5 games at free safety *

, 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 ...

*Keith E. Cowan, outside linebacker, junior,

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

*Vincent DeFelice, defensive tackle, senior,

*Tony Gant, defensive back, junior,

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 3 games at free safety *Joe Gray, middle guard, senior, Detroit, Michigan – started 2 games at middle guard * Mike Hammerstein, defensive tackle, senior,

– started all 12 games at defensive tackle *Billy Harris, middle guard, sophomore,

Xenia, Ohio Xenia ( ) is a city in southwestern Ohio and the county seat of Greene County, Ohio, United States. It is east of Dayton and is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area, as well as the Miami Valley region. The name comes from the Greek l ...

*Dieter Heren, defensive back, junior,

– started 1 games at strong safety *Ivan Hicks, defensive back, junior,

Pennsauken, New Jersey Pennsauken Township is a township in Camden County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the township's population was 37,074, reflecting an increase of 1,189 (+3.3%) from the 35,885 count ...

– started 4 games at strong safety, 1 game at free safety *Phil Lewandowski, inside linebacker, senior,

Solon, Ohio Solon ( ) is a city in southeastern Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. A suburb of Cleveland, it is part of the Cleveland metropolitan area. According to the 2020 census, the population of Solon was 24,262. The city has been recognized by ''M ...

*Rodney Lyles, outside linebacker, senior,

Miami 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 at outside linebacker * Doug Mallory, defensive back, sophomore,

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 ...

– started 7 games at strong safety, 3 games at free safety *

, inside linebacker, senior, DeKalb, Illinois – started all 12 games at inside linebacker *Andree McIntyre, inside linebacker, sophomore, Chicago *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 ...

– started 1 games at 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 ...

, defensive line, freshman,

Milford, Michigan Milford is a village in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,175 at the time of the 2010 census. The village is located within Milford Township. The village is known for being the home of the Milford General Motors ...

* Andy Moeller, inside linebacker, junior, Ann Arbor, Michigan *Greg Randall, defensive back, junior,

Chagrin Falls, Ohio Chagrin Falls is a village in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States and is a suburb of Cleveland in Northeast Ohio's Cleveland-Akron-Canton metropolitan area, the 19th-largest Combined Statistical Area nationwide. The village was established and h ...

*Mike Reinhold, inside linebacker, junior,

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 ...

* Garland Rivers, defensive back, sophomore,

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 ...

– started all 12 games at strong side cornerback *Nathaniel "Nate" 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 ...

– started 2 games at middle guard *James Scarcelli – started 12 games at outside linebacker *Alan Sincich, middle guard, senior, Cleveland, Ohio – started 8 games at middle guard *Steven Thibert, outside linebacker, sophomore,

Union Lake, Michigan Union Lake is an unincorporated community in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located at the junction of four townships: Commerce, Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpi ...

Kicking

, place-kicker, senior,

*Mike McInyk, place-kicker, senior,

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 ...

Monte Robbins Dammond R. "Monte" Robbins (born September 19, 1964) is a former American football punter. He played for the University of Michigan from 1984 to 1987. He holds Michigan's all-time records for the longest punt (82 yards) and for average yards p ...

, punter, sophomore,

Great Bend, Kansas Great Bend is a city in and the county seat of Barton County, Kansas, United States. It is named for its location at the point where the course of the Arkansas River bends east then southeast. As of the 2020 census, the population of the ci ...

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 ...

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 ...

Coaching staff

*Head coach:

*Assistant coaches:

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 ...

, Tirrel Burton,

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,

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

, Milan Vooletich *Trainer: Russ Miller *Managers: Paul Ghekas, Michael Drews, Gregory Moriartey, Kenneth Perkins

Statistical leaders

Rushing

Passing

Receiving

Scoring

References

External links

1984 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 ...