The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The runaway score opened the door. "I wasn't expecting this," Wilhite said. "I go out there, set the ball up, race toward it, and do the one thing ev- ery coach tells you that you shouldn't do, and the first thing you tell yourself you shouldn't do — and that is, look where the ball is going, rather than where it is. "I topped the kick, but it wasn't too damaging, since the trajectory of the ball surprised the Oregon State play- ers as well. The ball bounced in such a way that we ended up downing it where it could do no harm." More than a little good fortune graced that special holiday period, Wilhite reflected. With tears brimming in his eyes, he spoke of blessings be- yond a New Year's Day triumph. "My mother had never been west of the Mississippi," Wilhite offered. "She'd never been on an airplane. For her to be able to come out, and my younger brother and sister were there … it was really an emotional time for all of us." Wilhite faced emotional tests there- after, starting a half-dozen contests in a disappointing 4-6 follow-up to the luminous '64 campaign. A lofty pre- season ranking quickly evaporated. "You look at the wreckage of that season," Wilhite said. "We lost 15 kids to injury, who were at one time start- ers during that season. We went to North Carolina for our first game and we won, but we lost three of our start- ers to knee injuries. Some didn't come back for the rest of the year." The following season, Wilhite won- dered about coming back himself. A stunning development awaited him the morning of the first day of double- sessions practice prior to the 1966 sea- son. The Wolverines dressed in what is now Yost Ice Arena. When they arrived at their lockers before the first practice, a color-keyed jersey awaited — blue for starters, white for second-team per- sonnel, gold for third, green for fourth, red for fifth. "I opened the locker up, and there was a red or green jersey," Wilhite re- called, with a hint of a cringe. "No one had said anything to me. I, of course, was stunned about it. I was embar- rassed, because my friends were there. I was very close with Nunley and Rick Volk, Stan Kemp. "Over the course of the next couple of days, I was really toying with quit- ting. I remember very little about the conversation, but I remember going in to Bump and sitting down with him. He obviously was in on the decision." To this day, Wilhite deeply respects Elliott, a coach whom he insists truly cared about his players. The ensuing conversation confirmed it. Wilhite recalled Elliott telling him he was a talented athlete, who in the long run would be glad if he stayed. Elliott also acknowledged the im- portance of academics to his senior and stressed that he would cherish a Michigan degree even without football in that final season. The head coach then reiterated the hope Wilhite would stay on. "That, to me, was a very clear mes- sage," Wilhite said. "I was convinced that whether I was an All-American or