The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1133482
Brady was 20-5 as a starter at Michigan during the 1998 and '99 seasons, and passed for 5,351 yards (eighth in school history) and 35 touchdowns (ninth) in his college career. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY Brady wasn't alone in those conflicted feelings. "Aaron Shea, Tai Streets and Tom Brady were all homesick and getting ready to leave," Flannelly explained. "Joe used to go up to the dorm and talk them down, have them stay. If he didn't go, he'd call me and ask me to go up there. "According to one of the three guys, if it wasn't for Joe, Tom Brady, Aaron Shea and Tai Streets would have left. Two Chicago guys and a California guy." All three navigated past those initial rough waters in 1995, aided by a team captain. Many more difficult surges loomed ahead for Brady, given the competition all around him. The Wolverines in those days attracted no lack of quarterback talent, with Elvis Grbac and Todd Collins directing the team through the first half of the decade. Brady came in on the next wave, facing an uphill climb with Scott Dreisbach and Brian Griese already on hand. "You knew there was something special if you were recruited as a quarterback to play at Michigan," Jansen recalled. "Tom came in, and he had all of the tools. He had a strong arm, and he had the height. You knew he was a smart kid. You knew there was a chance he could be a good player." The best that ever took the field? Not a chance. DIVISION TITLES BY A STARTING QUARTERBACK 16 30 10 109 CONSECUTIVE DIVISION CROWNS BY A STARTING FIELD GENERAL OLDEST SIGNAL-CALLER EVER TO LEAD THE NFL IN PASSING YARDS IN A CAMPAIGN (IN 2017, WHEN HE WAS 40 YEARS OLD) WINS BY A STARTING QUARTERBACK THROUGH THEIR FIRST 200 CAREER STARTS VICTORIES BY A STARTING QUARTERBACK AGAINST A SINGLE OPPONENT CAREER NFL PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDS TOUCHDOWN PASSES IN A SINGLE SEASON BY A PLAYER 40 YEARS OR OLDER (IN 2017 WHEN HE WAS 40) ONLY SIGNAL-CALLER WITH AT LEAST 100 VICTORIES IN ONE VENUE AGAINST THE NEW YORK JETS 30 155 2009-PRESENT TRIUMPHS AT GILLETTE STADIUM 4,577 32 THE WOLVERINE 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 27