The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1194003
JANUARY 2020 THE WOLVERINE 9 BY AUSTIN FOX C halmers "Bump" Elliott passed away on Dec. 7 at the age of 94, after a successful career that saw him hold positions as a player, coach and athletics director. He first began his collegiate playing career at Purdue in 1943, competing for the Boilermakers for two years before serving as a marine in World War II. Elliott enrolled at Michi- gan once his military ser- vices were complete and played for the Maize and Blue from 1946-47, earning All-America honors from the American Football Coaches A s s o c i a t i o n a n d t a k i n g home the Big Nine Confer- ence MVP award in 1947. He led the league in scoring that year with 54 total points. Elliott also helped lead head coach Fritz Crisler 's 1947 club — dubbed the "Mad Magicians" — to a 10-0 record and national championship, capping the campaign with a 49-0 blow- out of No. 8 USC in the 1948 Rose Bowl. The gridiron standout ap- plied for a fifth season in 1948 due to the war-inter- rupted years that had lim- ited him to just nine games at Purdue, but it was denied and he subsequently began his coaching career. Elliott started out as Michigan's backfield coach in 1948, before moving on to Oregon State as an assistant from 1949-51, and then to Iowa in 1952. He remained with the Hawkeyes until 1956, before returning to Ann Arbor in 1957 to coach the Wolverines' backfield once again under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan. Oosterbaan stepped down as U-M's head man follow- ing the 1958 campaign and Elliott was named his succes- sor, becoming the school's 13th head coach and holding the position until 1968. Elliott led the Maize and Blue to a 51-42-2 record during his 10 years on the job, with his best season standing as the 1964 campaign. The Wolverines compiled a 9-1 record and won the Big Ten championship that year, and capped it all off with a 34-7 victory over No. 8 Oregon State in the Rose Bowl to finish with a No. 4 ranking in the Associated Press poll. Michigan produced five All-Americans during El- liott's 10 years at the helm — quarterback Bob Timber- lake in 1964, defensive end Bill Yearby in 1964-65, wide receiver Jack Clancy and safety Rick Volk in 1966, and running back Ron Johnson in 1968. Elliott resigned as Michi- gan's coach following the 1968 season and proceeded to serve as the school's asso- ciate athletics director from 1969-70. He then took over as Iowa's athletics director on July 1, 1970, and held that role until Aug. 1, 1991. I o w a ' s a t h l e t i c t e a m s won 34 Big Ten titles and 11 NCAA championships under Elliott, who was also credited with hiring legend- ary Hawkeyes football coach Hayden Fry in 1979. Fry coached Iowa from 1979-98, and posted a 143-89 overall record during his time in Iowa City. Elliott was elected into the Michigan Athletics Hall of Honor in 1986, the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989 and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997. "Bump Elliott was one of the great gentlemen in the history of the game," former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr (1995-2007) said in a statement following Elliott's passing. "He was one of the legendary players that repre- sented the University of Michigan as a player and coach. He was a beloved figure who was admired and respected by all who knew him. He will be missed!" ❑ Inside Michigan ATHLETICS Former Michigan Football All-American And Head Coach Bump Elliott Passes Away At 94 Elliott was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989 and inducted into the Michigan Athletics Hall of Honor in 1986. PHOTO COURTESY U-M PHOTOGRAPHY/MICHIGAN ATHLETICS