The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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player) and extrinsic motivation (such as a team win over OSU or MSU in red-letter games) as powerful motiva- tors. Schembechler made it clear to his troops, "Do it my way or the high- way, and do it right the first time." His communications were clear, not ambiguous. He also was cognizant that success has a positive incentive value (it was important for the team, important for the coaches, important for the univer- sity, important for the tradition). It in- creased players' motivation and their behaviors associated with achieving the goal. Achievement and competi- tiveness were in the psychological DNA of the exceptional group of men that he was leading. He knew they would avoid failure at any cost. Another significant and important part of Bo's psychological genius was related to conditioning. Bo Schem- bechler believed that being in top physical condition resulted not only in intellectual growth, but also in the de- velopment of mental toughness. The young warriors realized that if they could survive Bo's practices during the spring and fall, game day would be a breeze. Perhaps Coach Schembechler 's most significant contribution to suc- cess was his ability to get the most out of his young players by changing their thought process. He did that by chal- lenging them, getting them to believe that the impossible was possible. His young men began to believe in him, in the team, and in themselves. The team mind-set changed, barriers and obsta- cles were overcome, and their on-field performance reached new heights. As these young men began to fulfill their football potential, their confidence soared. The sky was the limit. Bo was, simply, a master social psy- chologist, a teacher/sage/mentor to the group of the highly athletic and competitive young men recruited by his predecessor, Bump Elliott. The 1968 team, which had an 8–2 record, had promised a high probability of success for that 1969 season. And with the crystallization of the team's goal, the cohesiveness of personalities, and their commitment to one another, the outcome of success left little doubt. Indeed, the foundation of Wolverines football success was set in stone for years to come. Some argue that it was Bo who made the players successful. There are others who feel that the players, recruited by Bump, made Bo suc- cessful. After all, Bump Elliott was a football legend at the University of Michigan. The handsome former ma- rine lieutenant was likely one of the most respected of Michigan's many living legends. He was a well-spoken, intelligent, meticulously dressed, and caring individual with great interper- sonal skills. He knew football from a player's perspective — as a student from the University of Michigan — and was at ease with himself and his national recognition. If there was ever a spokesman for the University of Michigan, it was the unpretentious Elliott. Not only that, but his players loved him. Thomas Darden remembered the coach coming to his Sandusky, Ohio, home for a recruitment visit. The soft- spoken Elliott had such a great pres-