The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MICHIGAN FOOTBALL first of their conference-leading 42 Big Ten championships. That game inspired Louis Elbel to pen "The Vic- tors," the song John Phillip Sousa dubbed "the greatest college fight song ever written." • 1900-01 — Likewise, the Wol- verines weren't poor in 1900, when Langdon "Biff" Lea guided them to a 7-2-1 record. But Lea couldn't compete with the coach he preceded. Fielding H. Yost took the Wolverines to an 11-0 record in 1901, outscor- ing opponents 550-0 and garnering Michigan's first national champion- ship. He'd wind up 55-1-1 over the next half-decade, with four national titles. • 1946-47 — Fritz Crisler experi- enced some heartbreak with the 6-2-1 '46 squad. But the following season, The Mad Magicians made all 10 foes disappear, including Ohio State (21- 0) and USC in the Rose Bowl, 49-0. The undefeated Wolverines claimed the national title in an unprecedented post-bowl Associated Press landslide vote. • 1963-64 — The '50s and '60s pro- duced some lean years from the Wol- verines. When the Bump Elliott's '63 squad muddled its way to a 3-4-2 record, few saw what was coming — namely, a 9-1 1964 team making the greatest leap forward, victory-wise, in Michigan history. The '64 squad earned the Big Ten championship and smashed Oregon State, 34-7, in the Rose Bowl. • 1967-68 — This strong improve- ment didn't result in a Big Ten cham- pionship, but helped set the table. Elliott's final two seasons as head coach saw his teams go from 4-6 in '67 to a solid 8-2 in '68. Plenty of tal- ent — talent angered by a season- ending 50-14 loss at Ohio State in El- liott's finale — returned for the new boss in '69. • 1984-85 — This one wouldn't be on the books at all had quarterback Jim Harbaugh not snapped his arm against Michigan State. But he did, and Bo Schembechler's squad pro- duced the poorest U-M record (6-6) in his 21 years at the helm. The Wol- verines came back furiously in '85, storming to a No. 2 final national ranking with a 10-1-1 campaign and 27-23 win over Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl. • 1996-97 — The '96 campaign represented the last of the "four-loss FoxSports.com has already tabbed junior quarterback Denard Robinson the No. 2 candi- date for the 2012 Heisman Trophy. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL HEISMAN HOPEFUL • FoxSports.com took a look at 16 candidates for the 2012 Heisman Trophy and ranked U-M's Denard Robinson No. 2. "Robinson won the September Heisman in each of the past two seasons. In 2012, if he can cut down on his interceptions, run for another 1,000 yards and take Michigan to the Big Ten title, he might be able to win it in December, too," the site wrote. "Interceptions have been the killer for Robinson in the Heisman chase, not looking the part of a polished passer when he needs to. "However, he didn't throw more than one pick in any game over the final six games of the year, and he was flawless against Ohio State completing 14 of 17 passes for 167 yards and three scores, to go along with 170 rushing yards and two scores. "He'll always be one of the most electrifying players in college football. After starting for two years, he needs to be more consistent. However, if he has a big game against Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl and leads the way to the program's first BCS game victory in a decade, he'll be the face of the resurgence of Michigan football into its spot among the leaders and best." JANUARY 2012 THE WOLVERINE 29 FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK A BRAND-NEW LOOK • For the third time this season, Michigan will sport a new uniform when it heads to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl Jan. 3. The white jersey (with maize pants) will feature the Allstate Sugar Bowl logo above the heart and a blue Block 'M' on the right upper chest. There will also be two blue stripes on both sleeves and the neckline will be blue. The face mask will also be gray. U-M previously unveiled new uniforms for the Under the Lights game against Notre Dame Sept. 10, and all white uniforms for a trip to Michigan State Oct. 15. MAYBE NEXT YEAR • LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis captured the Broyles Award given out to the top assistant coach in the country. Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison had been one of five finalists and was vying to become U-M's first recipient since Jim Herrmann in 1997. While with the Wolverines, Mattison was also a finalist in 1996. Running backs coach Fred Jackson was a finalist in 2000 and former offensive coordinator Terry Malone was a finalist in 2003.