The Wolverine

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? for Notre Dame that year was Tony Furjanic, who played linebacker and was my captain in high school. He was my idol. Bo gave me the shot to start and play against Tony." Quarterback Jim Harbaugh took it one step further. "Our first play, I remember it like it was yesterday, Bo called either an off tackle or a sweep play," Husar re- called. "Jimmy changed the play in the huddle to an iso so I could isolate myself on Furjanic one on one." Husar got the better of Furjanic on that play and many others in an outstanding showing, only a year re- moved from a season-ending injury that cost him the 1984 season. The Wolverines, meanwhile, controlled the line of scrimmage in winning the first of two straight against the Irish, 20-12. Husar held his own, too, the follow- ing year in a 24-23 victory at Notre Dame, in head coach Lou Holtz's first year with the Irish. Playing tackle that day, he went head to head with one of the biggest players in college foot- ball in defensive tackle Wally Kleine, brother of former NBA player Joe Kle- ine. Husar remembers the 6-9 behe- moth as a 370-pounder — and a load. "He was a bear," Husar recalled. "He made it interesting. It was a fight. He had the longest arms in the world. You have full extension pass protec- tion and the guy's arms are on the back of your jersey pulling you out of the way. "I spent the whole game just trying to just stay in front of him, because The Mike Husar File … Two time All-Big Ten selection (1987, '88) and Big Ten champion (1986, '88) … Starter on the nation's No. 2 team in 1985, a 10-1-1 Fiesta Bowl champion … Rose Bowl cham- pion, 1989 … Started 41 games over four seasons … Played every position on the line except center … Won three bowl games in his four years. Professional Accomplishments: Husar signed with Chi- cago in 1989, but was among the last cuts. He made the Philadelphia Eagles' roster a year later, only to be released Friday before the first game, and was once again among the last to be released by Chicago the following season. Michigan Memory: Running on to the field through the tunnel and touching the banner for the first time remains Husar's fondest memory in a Michigan uniform, but his indoctrination into the U-M family started when Bo Schem- bechler first visited his house on a recruiting visit. "Anyone with that kind of know how staring at you through those glasses that turn into sunglasses — that's Michigan Accomplishments: Four-year starter, 1985-88 pretty intimidating," Husar recalled. "I had coaches that were just like him I grew up with, so I fell in love with him right away. My mom and dad loved him and everything about the whole program." Fortunately for the Wolverines, Husar had his mind all but made up before he made it to campus. "I probably had my worst visit at Michigan," he recalled with a laugh. "It was Tuesday and Wednesday visit during finals week and they were getting ready to play Auburn in the Sugar Bowl. I sat in a room and watched Jumbo Elliott and Russ Rein study and then left the next day. But I knew as soon as I came that I was going to go there. Electric out of Chicago, working in the drilling division. Hu- sar has been with the company for 20-plus years. Family Ties: Husar's son, Mike Jr., is a center for Air Force, though out for the year with a knee injury. He's working on a degree in biology with plans for either med school or pharmacy. Current Occupation: Field superintendent for Aldridge " OCTOBER 2012 THE WOLVERINE 85 were memorable, and enough before he called it a career. Husar has spent more than 20 years work- ing in the construction business, serving as a field superintendent for Aldridge Electric in Chicago. PHOTO COURTESY BENTLEY HISTORICAL LIBRARY you could barely move him. You just try to keep your body in front and hope to God he wouldn't reach out and grab the backs when they ran by." Husar earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in both 1987 and '88, ending his career with a Rose Bowl win over USC. He went undrafted but tried out for Chicago in 1989, making it to the last day before being released. He originally made the roster in Phila- delphia in 1990 before a late signing bumped him two days before the sea- son started, and he made it to final cuts with the Bears again a year later before moving on. Two years with New York in the now defunct World Football League "It was like playing in college again; a bunch of guys you played against and knew about," Husar recalled. "Mouse Davis was our head coach and we had a great owner. A guy that recruited me to play at Houston was my line coach. "They treated us like kings. They put everybody up in hotels, gave every- body rental cars, took everybody out to dinner in New York City every night and gave us Hugo Boss suits to travel in. It wasn't great money — $45,000 to $50,000 for a few months — but we were doing something we loved. We got to spend three weeks in Europe, too, in London, Barcelona and Frank- fort, so I got to see part of the world." Husar started his post-football ca- reer with a "suit and tie" gig before entering the constructions business with Chicago-based Aldridge Electric. He's now a field supervisor, having been with the company for 20-plus years. He's always watching when U-M is playing, and he'll be back in Ann Arbor at least once this fall for a game with his own fond memories in tow. mates, meanwhile, will always re- member him as a workhorse who left everything on the field every time he played. His Michigan coaches and team- "I played every position on the line but center when I was there," Husar said. "I wasn't the biggest tackle in the world, but I tried my best to do whatever they wanted me to do." u

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