Shane Morris will be only the third QB in Michigan Football history to start a bowl game as a true freshman

When Shane Morris leads the Wolverines today in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, it will mark only the third time in the 134 years of Michigan Football that a true freshman has started a bowl game at Quarterback.  In fact, only five other Michigan quarterbacks have ever started a game during their true freshman season. They are:



 

• Rick Leach- 1975: 11 games including the 1976 Orange Bowl
• Rich Hewlett- 1979: The M/OSU game
• Chad Henne- 2004: 12 games including the 2005 Rose Bowl
• Ryan Mallett- 2007: 3 games
• Tate Forcier- 2009: 12 games

It should be noted that of the two above-mentioned quarterbacks who started bowl games (Leach and Henne), neither were able to secure a victory.  Leach and the Wolverines lost in the 1976 Orange Bowl 14-6 to the eventual National Champion Oklahoma Sooners.  As for Henne, he and his teammates came up just short in a classic 38-37 battle against Texas in the Rose Bowl.  Therefore, if Morris can lead Team 134 to victory today in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, he will be the first true freshman in Michigan Football history to quarterback the Wolverines to a bowl game victory! Go Blue!!!

Dual Threat

The more things change, the more things stay the same. Back in the late 1970s, Rick Leach (1975-1978) was a dual-threat quarterback. During his career, Leach ran for 34 touchdowns (#5 on Michigan's all-time TD rushing list) and passed for 48 touchdowns (#4 on Michigan's all-time TD passing list). In the mid-1980s, Michigan switched to using tall, pocket passers in a pro-style offense. Now, however, thirty years after Leach's graduation, the Wolverines are back to playing a dual-threat quarterback in an option-style offense. Although the offensive system employed by Coach Rodriguez (i.e., the Spread Offense) is much more advanced than the old run-option of the 1970s, both systems rely on a quarterback who presents a dual-threat to the defense.

Coach Rod has repeatedly indicated that he will adapt to the talent (or lack thereof) that he has on the roster. Coach Rod inherited a Michigan team of pro-style quarterbacks that are somewhat ill-suited to run his spread offense. It has become apparent through his recruiting that Coach Rod prefers a run-first QB (in the Pat White mold) to run the Spread Offense. Coach Rodriguez has stated that he wants to carry five (5) quarterbacks. He has also stated it may take a couple of years to straighten out the numbers at each position as the transition to his regime is completed. The Wolverines currently have four potential quarterbacks on the roster for the upcoming season: Steven Threet (So./Fr.), Nick Sheridan (Jr./So.), Justin Feagin (Fr./Fr.), and David Cone (Jr./So.). Coach Rod wanted to sign two quarterbacks for the 2008 class but only came away with one (i.e., Feagin). His lack of success in recruiting the QB position was largely attributable to the late start he and his staff got due to the timing of his hiring at Michigan.

Coach Rodriguez has already received verbal committments from two dual-threat quarterbacks in the 2009 class: Kevin Newsome (five stars on Scout.com) and Shavodrick Beaver (four stars). These two top notch recruits are just the kind of quarterbacks that Coach Rod is looking to play. The problem is that they will not arrive for another year. The Wolverines will have to make due for the '08 season and even when Newsome and Beaver arrive, they might not be immediately ready to take over in '09 as true freshman. It would be helpful if one or both can early enroll at Michigan after the fall semester of their senior year in high school. Either way, the Wolverines may struggle at the QB position for awhile. Too bad Rick Leach used up all his eligibilty as the spread offense is tailor-made for him. Go Blue!

*Note: Sports Illustrated (9-6-76) cover photo of Rick Leach by Lane Stewart

Chad Henne looks to be the first Michigan QB to reach the big "4-0"

Chad Henne has started every single game at quarterback for Michigan since his true freshman season of 2004 and the team has amassed a fairly impressive 27-10 record during that era. The 27 wins rivals what the Wolverines accomplished during the first three seasons (1975-1977) they were led by QB Rick Leach (28-6-2). All told, the Wolverines amassed a total of 38 wins during Leach's four years at the controls of the Michigan offense as the maize and blue put together a 10-2 record and a Rose Bowl appearance during Leach's senior season. With thirteen games on the 2007 schedule (assuming a bowl), Henne has the opportunity to become the first Wolverine quarterback to guide Michigan to forty (40) career victories. To accomplish the feat, however, Michigan would have to "run the table" and go undefeated in 2007. This goal is not unreachable (at least it does not seem like it in June).

Even a repeat of last year's 11-2 record, would give Henne 38 all-time wins and put him in a tie with Leach for most wins by a quarterback at Michigan. However, Henne's legacy as one of the all-time greats at Michigan would not be secure just by tying the win record or breaking passing records. Henne's legacy is dependent on his ability to "win the big one" in 2007. Notably to some, the Wolverines are 0-3 vs. OSU and 0-3 in bowl games during the Henne era. Compared to Leach's stellar 3-1 record vs. OSU, Henne's record leaves something to be desired. To secure his legacy with fans, Henne has to find a way to win the final two games of his senior season (i.e., the OSU game and the bowl game). Go Blue!

*Note: Photo of Chad Henne (7) by David Guralnick/The Detroit News

Michigan legend Rick Leach to sign autographs next Saturday

Rick Leach, the best Michigan quarterback of all-time, will be signing autographs on Saturday, June 30, 2007 from 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. at the Gibraltar Trade Center-Mount Clemens. The price to obtain his autograph is only $5.00 for any item you would like him to sign. This is a prime opportunity to meet him if you have never done so before.

Leach, as all Wolverine faithful already know, was the first true freshman at Michigan to start at quarterback in a season opener. Leach went on to guide the Wolverines to an astounding 38-8-2 record during his four years (1975-78) with Michigan including three consecutive wins over Ohio State, three Big Ten Championships, three Rose Bowl game appearances plus an Orange Bowl game berth during his freshman season. To learn more about the greatest quarterback to ever don the maize and blue, you can go to the website Guts 'n Glue created in Leach's honor by a guy who is an even bigger Leach fan than me. There you will learn more about Leach's Michigan career than you could ever remember. Go Blue!

*Note: Photo of Rick Leach (7) from 1977 from the website Guts 'n Glue.

Michigan quarterbacks' record vs. OSU

The 2007 season will be the fourth and final season of a stellar college career for quarterback Chad Henne. He has started every game (37) the Wolverines have played since he arrived on campus in 2004 and he is set this season to break most of the all-time Michigan passing records. However, during his three years as starting quarterback, the Wolverines are 0-3 versus the Ohio State Buckeyes in their regular season-ending showdown. Although Henne has arguably performed rather well in these games, he is often singled out as the player who has never beaten the Buckeyes. The November 17th game in The Big House will be Henne's last opportunity to score a victory over the rival Buckeyes before he graduates. Although the Wolverines win as a team and lose as a team, a Michigan quarterback's legacy is often significantly impacted by Michigan's won/loss record vs. Ohio State during his tenure as starting quarterback. Following is a look at the legacies of some of Michigan's modern-era quarterbacks (1969-present) and how they each fared in their respective battles against the Buckeyes:

Dennis Franklin (1972-1974)

Michigan compiled an outstanding 30-2-1 record during Dennis Franklin's three-year tenure as the Wolverines' starting quarterback from 1972-1974. The problem was that the two losses and the tie during that era all came at the hands of the Ohio State Buckeyes. As a consequence of the two season-ending road losses (1972 and 1974) and the home game that ended in a tie versus the rival Buckeyes (1973), the Wolverines did not advance to a bowl game in any of the three seasons despite the fact that Michigan was co-Big Ten Conference Champions each of those years. It was not until 1975 that the Big Ten modified its Rose Bowl-only policy. Consequently, Dennis Franklin never played in a bowl game despite leading Michigan to three co-Big 10 titles. At the time Franklin played, it was still the Rose Bowl or nothing and to advance to the Rose Bowl, Michigan had to beat Ohio State. Unfortunately, Michigan came up just short each year in three classic contests.

In 1972, Dennis Franklin led his #3 ranked Wolverines (10-0) down to Columbus, Ohio for a battle with the #9 ranked Buckeyes (8-1) with the winner going to the 1973 Rose Bowl game. Franklin, who had not thrown more than 15 passes in a game all season, completed 13 of 23 passes for 160 yards. He also rushed for 30 yards. Michigan fell behind 14-3 in the third quarter when Buckeyes' freshman RB Archie Griffin ripped off a 30-yard touchdown run. Franklin led the Wolverines back and fullback Ed Shuttlesworth scored on a 1-yard touchdown run on fourth down to make the score 14-9 in favor of OSU. Coach Schembechler decided to go for the two-point conversion and QB Dennis Franklin found Clint Haslerig with a pass to cut the Buckeyes' lead to 14-11. Wolfman Randy Logan intercepted a pass late in the game and gave Michigan a chance to score the tying or go-ahead points. On third-and-goal from the one it appeared that tailback Harry Banks scored but the officials ruled that the ball had not crossed the goal line. On fourth down, Coach Schembechler had to make one of the biggest decisions of his coaching career. He had to decide whether to go for the tie and kick the field goal (that might send Michigan to the Rose Bowl) or go for the win with the touchdown (that WOULD send Michigan to the Rose Bowl---IF they scored!). Coach Schembechler chose to go for it and he called upon Dennis Franklin to be the ball carrier. On the fourth down play, Franklin valiantly attempted the quarterback sneak but the Buckeye defense held and Michigan lost 14-11.

In 1973, the Ohio State Buckeyes (9-0) were ranked #1 in the nation when they traveled to Ann Arbor, Michigan to take on the #4 ranked Wolverines (10-0) before a then-NCAA record crowd of 105,233 at Michigan Stadium. Ohio State raced to an early 10-0 lead by halftime. However, Franklin led the Wolverines back in the fourth quarter. Michigan quarterback Dennis Franklin had not thrown double-digit passes in a game all season but on this day he attempted 11 throws (completing seven for 99 yards). In the fourth quarter, the Wolverines scored on a 30-yard field goal by Mike "Super Toe" Lantry and a 10-yard scoring run by Franklin on a fourth down play. With the score tied at 10 late in the game, Franklin had the Wolverines on the move once again as he engineered a drive from Michigan's own 11 to Ohio's 49. That is when Franklin was hit while trying to throw to fullback Ed Shuttlesworth and Franklin landed on his right shoulder and suffered a broken collar bone. Two plays later (with 1:06 remaining), kicker Mike "Super Toe" Lantry attempted a 58-yard field goal aided by a 20-mph wind. Lantry's kick sailed just inches wide of the left goalpost. Michigan got the ball back one more time thanks to an interception by Tom Drake who returned the ball to the Ohio 33. On third down with the ball on the 28, Michigan called timeout with :28 seconds remaining. Michigan kicker Mike "Super Toe" Lantry came on to attempt a 44-yard field goal. If he made it, Michigan would win the Big Ten Championship outright and advance to the Rose Bowl game. Lantry's kick was wide right and Michigan's Rose Bowl dreams were dashed as the game ended in a 10-10 tie. The next day the Big Ten Athletic Directors voted 6-4 to send Ohio State to the 1974 Rose Bowl game. Purportedly, the injury to Franklin was a decisive factor in the Athletic Directors' decision to send OSU over Michigan.

Franklin's senior season of 1974 represented his last opportunity to defeat the Buckeyes. Franklin had led the #3 ranked Wolverines (10-0) to another undefeated record heading into the season-ending showdown with the #4 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes (9-1). For the third consecutive year, however, Franklin and the Wolverines could not get past the Buckeyes to get to the Rose Bowl. Franklin (5/14 att., 96 yds., 1 td., 2 ints.) hit Gil Chapman with a 37-yard touchdown pass and Mike Lantry booted a 37-yard field goal to put the Wolverines up 10-0 in the first quarter. However, Ohio State kicker Tom Klaban wound up kicking four field goals to give the Buckeyes a 12-10 lead. Michigan had one final chance to win the game when it set up for a 33-yard field goal attempt with :18 seconds left in the game. Michigan kicker Mike Lantry's kick was ruled "no good" and the miss gave the Buckeyes another victory and meant the Wolverines season was over as the Big Ten's Rose Bowl-only-policy was still in effect.

The loss in 1974 meant that QB Dennis Franklin finished 0-2-1 in his career versus Ohio State and that he never qualified to participate in a bowl game. This legacy should not overshadow the fact that Michigan was 30-0 in non-Ohio State games during his three years as Michigan's starting quarterback from 1972-1974. Franklin had an outstanding career at Michigan and he performed well in each of the three Michigan/Ohio State games in which he played. Nevertheless, because the Wolverines came up short in these classic contests, Franklin is sometimes erroneously remembered as a quarterback who could not win the big one.

Rick Leach (1975-1978)

Quarterback Rick Leach led the Wolverines to a 38-8-2 record, 3 wins over Ohio State, 3 Big Ten Championships, 3 Rose Bowl trips and a berth in an Orange Bowl game. Leach, arguably the most successful Wolverine quarterback of all-time, was 3-1 in Ohio State games. The only loss occurred during his true freshman season of 1975 followed by three consecutive victories over the rival Buckeyes. In 1975, the #4 ranked Wolverines (8-0-2) hosted the #1 ranked Buckeyes (10-0). A touchdown run by Leach put Michigan ahead 14-7 but the Buckeyes rallied and scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to defeat the Wolverines 21-14. Leach then proceeded to lead the Wolverines to three consecutive victories over the Buckeyes starting with the Wolverines 22-0 thrashing of Ohio State in 1976. In 1977, the #4 ranked Buckeyes came to Ann Arbor looking for revenge against the #5 ranked Wolverines (9-1) with a Rose Bowl trip on the line. Leach scored one of Michigan's two touchdown runs as he led the Wolverines to a 14-6 victory. In 1978, Leach took #6 Michigan (9-1) to Columbus, Ohio for his final Michigan/Ohio State game and again a Wolverine victory would put Michigan in the Rose Bowl. Leach, of course, delivered as he led the Wolverines to a 14-3 victory and their third consecutive trip to the Rose Bowl.

Leach set the standard for all Wolverine quarterbacks (read Ryan Mallett) to follow when he engineered three consecutive victories over the Buckeyes. His clutch performances in the rivalry games cemented his position in Wolverine lore as one of the greatest players to ever don the Maize and Blue.

Jim Harbaugh (1985-1986)

Quarterback Jim Harbaugh missed the 1984 Michigan/Ohio State game with an injury but he returned to lead the Wolverines to back-to-back victories in 1985(27-17) and 1986(26-24). In 1985, Harbaugh torched the Ohio State secondary as he completed 16 of 19 passes for 230 yards and 3 touchdowns. Famously, Harbaugh guaranteed victory over Ohio State prior to the 1986 game and then he went out and delivered. Harbaugh completed 19 of 29 passes for 261 yards, 0 tds., 2 ints. in leading the Wolverines to the win and a berth in the 1987 Rose Bowl game. Harbaugh's clutch performances against Ohio State secured his place among the elite Michigan quarterbacks of all-time.

Chad Henne (2004-present)

Quarterback Chad Henne is 0-3 versus the Buckeyes and he has one more chapter to write before the book is closed on his story. He wants to avoid having an "0-fer" legacy and the game November 17th against the Buckeyes will also be his final game in Michigan Stadium. Henne is likely to have a big game against Ohio State so he goes out on a high note. In fact, he has played well in each of the previous contests but he and his teammates have nonetheless been on the short end of the score each of the past three seasons. In 2004, Henne was 27/54 for 328 yards, 2 tds, 2 ints. in the losing effort. In 2005, Henne completed 25 of 36 for 223 yds. and 1 touchdown. In 2006, Henne was 21 of 35 for 267 yds. and 2 touchdowns. Although Henne has played well, the team has not found a way to win and that has hurt the perception of Henne's performance. Hopefully, everything will come together on November 17th and Henne can take his place alongside Leach and Harbaugh. Go Blue!

*Note: Photo of Dennis Franklin (9) from Michigan Athletic Department.

*Note 2: Photo of Rick Leach on Sports Illustrated cover of 9-6-76 by Lane Stewart.

*Note 3: Photo of Chad Henne (7) by Ankur Dholakia/The Detroit News from the 11/18/06 M/OSU game.

Spring Football commences March 17th and fans are ready for Ryan Mallett-era to begin

Michigan has had a string of successful quarterbacks (Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac, Todd Collins, Scott Dreisbach, Brian Griese, Tom Brady, Drew Henson, and John Navarre) that have gone on to play in the NFL. However, few Wolverine QB's have come to Michigan with as much hype and anticipation surrounding their arrival as Ryan Mallett has met with this year. The only quarterbacks in modern Michigan Football history (1969-present) to have endured anything comparable to what Mallett is going through are Rick Leach (1975 from Flint Southwestern H.S.), Drew Henson (1998 from Brighton H.S.), and Chad Henne (2004 from Wilson (Pa.) H.S.). Incidentally, each member of this triumvirate wore the number #7 on his jersey.

Mallett (6' 6 3/4", 235 lbs.) is a five-star prospect from Texarkana (TX) Texas High School. He comes in as the second ranked quarterback in the nation behind only Jimmy Clausen who committed to Notre Dame. Mallett early enrolled at Michigan and has been on campus since January, 2007. As an early enrollee, Mallett is eligible to participate in Spring Football Practice which begins March 17th. Mallett will play his true freshman campaign with an established starter (Chad Henne) ahead of him on the depth chart. He will have a year to work with Quarterbacks Coach Scot Loeffler and to observe Henne before he takes over the reins of the offense in 2008. That does not mean, however, that Mallet will redshirt in 2007. Coach Carr's plans appear to be for Mallett to compete for the backup quarterback spot and see whatever playing time comes his way in 2007.

Gradual development was not a luxury that was afforded to Leach or Henne. Those two share the distinction of being the only Wolverine quarterbacks in history to start the first game of their true freshman seasons. In fact, Leach and Henne were the starters throughout their respective true freshman seasons. (Note: Henne started all 12 games of his true freshman season of 2004; Leach started 11 of 12 games of his true freshman season of 1975 as he did not technically start game #3 versus Baylor although he did play the majority of the game). It was expected when the extraordinarly talented Leach arrived on campus that he in fact would be the starter. Henne's route to the starting job was a little more indirect. Henne arrived (like Mallett) as a five-star high school prospect. Henne was ranked by recruiting guru Tom Lemming as the nation's #7 player and the #3 quarterback. However, Coach Carr was expected to name Matt Gutierrez (So./Fr.) as the starter. When Gutierrez suffered a sore shoulder in the week leading up to the opening game, Coach Carr switched and named Henne the starter. Henne never looked back as he has started 37 consecutive games for the Wolverines.

Henne and Leach each had outstanding true freshman campaigns. Henne guided the Wolverines to a Big 10 Conference co-Championship and a berth in the 2005 Rose Bowl while Leach led the '75 Wolverines to a berth in the Orange Bowl against the eventual National Champion Oklahoma Sooners. Leach went on to an outstanding career that included guiding Michigan to three consectutive victories over Ohio State, three consecutive Big 10 Championships, and three consecutive Rose Bowl trips. He also finished third in the Heisman Trophy balloting in his senior year of 1978. The last chapter has yet to be written in Henne's saga but he has already led Michigan to a 27-10 record in three years including a Big Ten co-Championship and two Rose Bowl trips.

However, not every highly recruited prep star who played QB at Michigan while wearing #7 had an outstanding career. Drew Henson arrived at Michigan as a heralded two-sport athlete in 1998, the year following Michigan's National Championship season in football. Coming out of high school, Henson was rated the No. 3 player and No. 1 pro-style quarterback in the nation by Prep Football Report. He also was named to the Parade All-American team as quarterback. However, when he arrived as a true freshman, he found Tom Brady (Sr./Jr.) ahead of him on the depth chart. Henson only saw limited action in his initial season as he got into 8 games and was 21/47 for 254 yards and 3 touchdowns on the season. Henson remained stuck behind Brady on the depth chart in 1999 as Brady started all 12 games. Henson saw action in 10 of 12 games and completed 47 of 90 passing attempts for 546 yards and 3 touchdowns on the season. It was not until 2000 that Henson would assume the starting job and he missed the first three games of the season due to having surgery on his right foot. Ultimately, Henson played in 9 games (starting eight) and he earned All-Big 10 Conference Honorable Mention honors. On the season, he completed 146 of 237 passes for 2,146 yards and 18 touchdowns. Ultimately, Henson chose not to return to Michigan for his senior season as he opted to sign a contract with the New York Yankees to play baseball instead. In retrospect, the highly regarded Henson never really panned out as a successful quarterback for the Wolverines.

Mallett's story has yet to unfold but it all starts with his first official practice as a Wolverine which will take place on March 17th. The spring "game" on April 14th is open to the public and fans are anxiously awaiting their first opportunity to watch Mallett workout in a Maize and Blue uniform. Coach Carr has seen highly touted prospects both boom and bust during his tenure and thus he knows he has to be careful how he brings Mallett along. With Coach Carr and Coach Loeffler guiding Mallett (and maybe with a little help from the senior Henne), fans can look forward to a bright future with the big Texan as the Wolverines' signal-caller. Go Blue!

*Note: Photo of Ryan Mallett (top) by Evan Lewis/The Texarkana Gazette
*Note 2: Photo of Chad Henne (2nd photo) by David Guralnick/The Detroit News
*Note 3: Photo of Rick Leach on Sports Illustrated cover of 9-6-76 (3rd photo) by Lane Stewart
*Note 4: Photo of Drew Henson (4th photo) by Andy Lyons/Allsport

Passing the torch: From one All-American QB to another

Michigan is known as "Quarterback U" and has produced many NFL signal-callers (Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac, Todd Collins, Scott Dreisbach, Brian Griese, Tom Brady, Drew Henson, and John Navarre) in succession. However, for all the success that the Wolverines' quarterbacks have enjoyed in the modern era (1969-present), only two Michigan quarterbacks achieved All-American status during their college careers- Rick Leach (1978) and Jim Harbaugh (1986). These two All-America quarterbacks share a special bond. During Rick Leach's playing days in the mid-1970's (1975-1978), Jim Harbaugh served as a ball boy for the Wolverine football team starting when he was nine-years-old. Jim's dad, Jack Harbaugh, was an Assistant Football Coach under Coach Schembechler from 1972-1979 and a young Jim Harbaugh had an all-access pass to Michigan games and practices because of his dad. Jim Harbaugh's favorite player was Rick Leach. Harbaugh was able to observe the All-American Leach and how he led the Michigan team. Among his other accomplishments, Leach led the Wolverines to three consecutive victories over Ohio State and he finished third in the Heisman Trophy balloting his senior year. Several years later, Harbaugh committed to Michigan and he had the chance himself to play quarterback for Coach Schembechler and lead the Wolverines. Like his boyhood hero Leach, Harbaugh was an inspirational team leader. Harbaugh guided the Wolverines to back-to-back victories over Ohio State in 1985 and 1986. Additionally, the All-American Harbaugh also finished third in the Heisman Trophy balloting his senior year just as Leach had done. Of all the stories in Michigan Football history about great quarterbacks, this tale of the connection between Leach and Harbaugh (the two most recent All-American quarterbacks) deserves a special place in Wolverine lore. Go Blue!

*Note: Photo of ball boy Jim Harbaugh congratulating QB Rick Leach (7) on scoring a touchdown from Guts 'n Glue website.

*Note 2: Photo of Jim Harbaugh (4) from 10/25/86 Homecoming game against Indiana. Picture by Brad Mills who was a U-M student photographer.

1978 team: Wolverines captured third straight Big 10 title

The 1978 team was looking to capture its third consecutive Big Ten Conference title and advance to the Rose Bowl for the third time in as many years. The offense was led by senior All-American quarterback Rick Leach while the defense was paced by All-Big 10 performers Curtis Greer (Def. Tackle) and Ron Simpkins (Inside Linebacker). The Wolverines opened the season with a conference home game versus Illinois and scored a convincing 31-0 victory. The next week Michigan traveled to South Bend, Indiana to take on Notre Dame for the first meeting between the two teams since 1943. Notre Dame, the defending National Champions, were led by their quarterback Joe Montana. However, it was Michigan's quarterback Rick Leach who had a big day. Leach passed for 3 touchdowns and ran for another in leading the Wolverines to a 28-14 victory over the Fighting Irish in the renewed rivalry. The Wolverines notched two more non-conference victories (Duke 52-0; Arizona 21-17) in the following weeks before hosting in-state rival Michigan State. The Spartans spoiled Michigan's bid for a perfect season as Michigan State defeated the Wolverines 24-15. Michigan responded by winning their next four games by wide margins (i.e., Wisconsin 42-0; Minnesota 42-10; Iowa 34-0; Northwestern 59-14). The Wolverines then played host to the #15 ranked Purdue Boilermakers in what was senior Rick Leach's last game in Michigan Stadium. Leach passed for 2 touchdowns and rushed for 90 yards on 18 carries against Purdue while spearheading a 24-6 Michigan victory in his final home contest. The #6 ranked Wolverines (9-1) then traveled to Columbus, OH for their annual showdown with the Ohio State Buckeyes who were ranked #16 in the nation. Michigan came away with a 14-3 victory and its third consecutive Big Ten title and trip to the Rose Bowl.

The end of the "Ten Year War"
Coach Schembechler's victory over Ohio State in 1978 ran his record to 5-4-1 in games versus the Buckeyes. Unbeknownst to everyone at the time, this was the last time that Bo would coach against Woody Hayes. Coach Hayes was dismissed from his position as Ohio State's Head Football Coach a few months later after he punched a Clemson player (Charlie Bauman) following an interception in the 1978 Gator Bowl game. The ten years that Bo coached against Woody (1969-1978) would later become known as "The Ten Year War."

Heisman Trophy Voting

In his senior year of 1978, QB Rick Leach placed third in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Leach had put together another outstanding regular season as he led the Wolverines to a 10-1 record, a Big 10 title, a Rose Bowl game berth, and a #5 national ranking in the AP poll. Leach was 68/137, 1,146 yds., 16 tds., 4 int. through the air during the 1978 regular season. On the ground, Leach rushed the ball 133 times for 589 yards and 12 touchdowns. In recognition of his accomplishments, Leach was named an All-American in 1978.

Rose Bowl Game vs. USC (January 1, 1979)
After losing back-to-back Rose Bowls the previous two seasons, quarterback Rick Leach wanted to end his collegiate career with a victory in Pasadena, California. However, it was not meant to be as Southern California's star RB Charles White scored a "phantom touchdown" that proved to be the difference in the ballgame. With USC leading 7-3 in the second quarter, the Trojans had the ball on second down on the Wolverines' three-yard line. White took the handoff and jumped over the middle of the defense but lost the ball in the process. Although umpire Don Mason saw White fumble the ball that Outside Linebacker Jerry Meter recovered on the one-yard line, head linesman Gil Marchman ruled that White had crossed the goal line and scored a touchdown for USC. The controversial touchdown call stood and USC led 14-3. The Trojans added a field goal before halftime to go into the locker room with a 17-3 lead. In the second half, the Wolverines managed to cut the lead to seven when Leach threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Roosevelt Smith in the third quarter. However, neither team was able score after that and the Trojans were able to secure a 17-10 victory over the Wolverines. As an aside, Leach was named the game's co-MVP. The loss dropped Coach Schembechler's Rose Bowl record to 0-5. However, on a positive note, the 1978 Wolverines (10-2) finished with an AP ranking of #5 which marked the tenth consecutive year that Michigan finished the season ranked in the nation's top 10. Go Blue!

1977 team: Leach led Michigan to back-to-back Rose Bowl games

The 1977 team, led by junior QB Rick Leach, looked to repeat as Big Ten Champions and return to the Rose Bowl for a second straight year. Protecting Leach were All-American linemen Mark Donahue (Guard) and Walt Downing (Center). On the defensive side of the ball, the Wolverines were led by All-American linebacker John Anderson. The Wolverines opened the 1977 season with a 37-9 road victory over Illinois and found themselves ranked #1 in the nation heading into week two of the season. Michigan reeled off three straight home victories against non-conference opponents (versus Duke, Navy, and Texas A & M) before heading on the road to take on their in-state rivals- the Michigan State Spartans. The Wolverines defeated the Spartans 24-14 and Michigan returned home to Ann Arbor the following week and defeated the #14 ranked Wisconsin Badgers by the score of 56-0! At this point, the 6-0 Wolverines were ranked #1 and headed to Minnesota to take on the Golden Gophers. This turned out to be Michigan's "trap" game as the Wolverines fell 16-0 to unranked Minnesota. Michigan bounced back by racking up convincing victories over Iowa (23-6), Northwestern (63-20), and Purdue (40-7) over the next three weeks. That put the Wolverines at 9-1 and a #5 ranking with their rivals the Ohio State Buckeyes (ranked #4) coming to Ann Arbor on 11-19-77 to conclude the regular season. This game marked the 50th anniversary of the Michigan Stadium dedication. Touchdown runs by Roosevelt Smith and Rick Leach led the Wolverines to an exciting 14-6 victory over the Buckeyes and propelled the Wolverines to the Big 10 title and a Rose Bowl game berth for the second consecutive season!

Heisman Trophy Voting
Leach had an outstanding junior season in 1977 as Michigan's signal caller while leading the Wolverines to a 10-1 regular season record. He was 76/147 for 1,119 yards, 13 touchdowns and 7 interceptions during the regular season. He also rushed the ball 106 times for 370 yards and 7 touchdowns. For his efforts, Leach garnered enough votes to finish in the top 10 (8th place) in the balloting for the 1977 Heisman Trophy.

Rose Bowl Game vs. Washington (January 2, 1978)
The Wolverines found themselves down 24-0 in the third quarter to the #13 ranked Huskies before Leach rallied Michigan for a valiant comeback attempt. Leach (14/27, 239 yards, 2 tds., 2 ints.) threw for the most yards of any game in his entire college career as he launched an aerial assault to get Michigan back in the game. The comeback began when Leach connected with Curt Stephenson for a Rose Bowl record long touchdown pass of 76 yards. Washington countered with a field goal to make the score 27-7 as the game headed into the fourth quarter. However, the Wolverines kept coming. Leach led Michigan down the field by completing four straight passes and RB Russell Davis finished the drive off by running the ball in from the two-yard line. Later in the fourth quarter, Leach fired first down passes of 11 and 12 yards to WR Ralph Clayton and then Leach connected with RB Stanley Edwards for 32 yards and a touchdown. The Wolverines failed to convert the extra point because of a bobbled snap on the kick and remained down seven. With 2:46 to go and trailing 27-20, Leach engineered one more drive down the field. He led the Wolverines all the way down to the Huskies' eight-yard line where Michigan had the ball first and ten with about 1:30 remaining in the game. Leach's pass to Stanley Edwards bounced off the running back's shoulder pads and the ball was stripped away by a Washington defender leaving the Wolverines' amazing comeback just short. The loss dropped the Wolverines to 10-2 on the season and they finished ranked #9 in the AP poll and #8 in the UPI poll. Go Blue!

1976 team: A Bicentennial Powerhouse

The 1976 team was a dominant squad and was ranked #1 in the nation for most of the season. The Wolverines began the year ranked #2 but after posting a 40-27 victory over Wisconsin in the season opener U of M ascended to the #1 ranking in the AP poll. The Wolverines offense featured sophmore sensation Rick Leach at quarterback, Heisman Trophy candidate Rob Lytle at running back, All-American Jim Smith at wingback, and All-American Mark Donahue at offensive guard. The defense was led by tri-captain and All-American middle linebacker Calvin O'Neal. As the #1 team in the nation, the Wolverines rolled to an 8-0 record. In those first eight games, U of M scored at least 31 points in each contest and the defense shut out the opponents in four of those first eight games. However, a tough 16-14 road loss to Purdue in the ninth game dashed U of M's dreams of an undefeated season and the National Championship.

The Wolverines resumed their winning ways the following week by drilling Illinois 38-7 which set U of M up for their annual season ending showdown with Ohio State. U of M was 0-3-1 against the Buckeyes over the previous four seasons and the Wolverines were looking to go to Columbus and come home with a victory. The talented Wolverines overwhelmed OSU and U of M pounded their way to a 22-0 win over the Buckeyes. This win propelled U of M back to the #2 ranking and into a spot in the Rose Bowl for the first time since the January 1, 1972 game. In a battle against the #3 ranked USC Trojans, the Wolverines fell 14-6 in a classic contest. The Wolverines finished the season with a 10-2 record and a season ending ranking of #3 in the AP poll. The top-3 finish marked the second time in 3 years that U of M finished in the top-3 (1974 & 1976). It was also the eighth consecutive year that U of M finished in the top-10 in the AP poll (1969-1976). Go Blue!

A Wolverine was in Top 10 in Heisman balloting 8 of 9 years from 1974-1982

One of the favorite topics of the college football preview magazines is the race for the Heisman Trophy. It is never too early for the Heisman hype to start. However, there is nary a mention of any of the Wolverines when it comes to talk of 2006 Heisman Trophy predictions. I figured that was fine for this year because unless you are USC, a school is not going to have a Heisman Trophy contender every single season. Or so I thought. I rationalized that Heisman Trophy candidates are rare players. They only come along once in awhile and I already feel spoiled by the fact that Michigan had two winners in the 90's in Desmond Howard (1991) and Charles Woodson (1997). However, then I came across the fact that there was a time under Bo when we did have a Heisman contender (almost) every single year. The Wolverines had a player finish in the Top 10 in the Heisman balloting eight times in the nine years from 1974 through 1982. Those Top 10 finishers were:

• 1974: Dennis Franklin, QB (6th)
• 1975: Gordon Bell, RB (8th)
• 1976: Rob Lytle, RB (3rd)
• 1977: Rick Leach, QB (8th)
• 1978: Rick Leach, QB (3rd)
• 1979: N/A
• 1980: Anthony Carter, WR (10th)
• 1981: Anthony Carter, WR (7th)
• 1982: Anthony Carter, WR (4th)

For Bo to have 5 different players at 3 different positions each finish in the top 10 in the Heisman balloting during this era is truly impressive. I think this feat matches the fact that U of M had the two Heisman winners only six years apart in the 1990's. The lack of a Heisman contender on the 2006 team is not necessarily a shortcoming but the run between 1974-1982 shows me that it is possible to have a Wolverine in Heisman contention (nearly) every year. Traditionally, Michigan has not made a big push for a player's Heisman candidacy. However, U of M receives so much national media exposure that a Wolverine can play himself into contention just by performing on the field. As for 2006, you can never count out a healthy Mike Hart from stepping up and running himself right into the Heisman race. Go Blue!

1975 team: Led by a Freshman Sensation

After three consecutive Big Ten co-Championships but no bowl trips, the 1975 team was primed to qualify for a post-season bowl game. The Big Ten Conference changed the antiquated Rose Bowl-only rule prior to the 1975 season meaning the Wolverines were eligible to play in a post-season bowl game other than the Rose Bowl. Nevertheless, U of M only had the Big Ten Championship and Pasadena on its mind when the season started. This despite the fact that Bo was starting a true freshman (Rick Leach) at quarterback. U of M was able to maintain its lofty goals despite having an inexperienced signal caller because Leach was that talented of a player. Bo's faith in his new quarterback proved to be well founded as Leach guided U of M to an 8-0-2 record heading into the final regular season game with the 10-0 OSU Buckeyes in a game that would once again decide the Big 10 title and the Rose Bowl berth. U of M led OSU 14-7 but two fourth quarter touchdowns by the Buckeyes gave OSU the 21-14 win, the Big Ten title and the Rose Bowl berth.

For the first time since the 1972 Rose Bowl game, however, U of M would be playing on New Year's Day rather than ringing in the new year at home. Unfortunately, it was in the Orange Bowl rather than the Rose Bowl but, Michigan was nevertheless glad to be back in a bowl game. Their opponent was the Oklahoma Sooners (10-1) and the game turned out to be a classic. It was a hard hitting contest and Leach sat out the 3rd quarter with a concussion and the Sooners ultimately pulled out a 14-6 victory over U of M. Oklahoma's Orange Bowl win coupled with Ohio State's Rose Bowl loss to UCLA earlier that New Year's Day gave Oklahoma the 1975 National Championship. Although U of M finished 8-2-2, the Wolverines still had a final poll ranking of #8 in the AP poll and they knew they had laid the foundation for success in the coming seasons. Go Blue!

Steve Smith: the forgotten link in the chain of great QBs

Maybe it is because his last name is Smith or maybe it is because he hails from a place called Grand Blanc. Whatever the reason, Steve Smith (starting QB from 1981-1983) is often completely overlooked in discussions about great Michigan quaterbacks of the modern era despite the fact that he had a rather stellar career. U of M was 26-10 during his three years as a starter and he led the Wolverines to a Rose Bowl berth (Big 10 Championship), a Sugar Bowl, and a Bluebonnet Bowl.

Smith was Bo's last great "running-offense" oriented QB. By 1984, when Jim Harbaugh was the starting QB, Bo's offense had been re-tooled to a more modern NFL-style passing offense as opposed to his old option-style offense that he ran with Rick Leach as his starter. In fact, with the new offense, Harbaugh led the nation in passing efficiency in 1985. However, Smith operated under a much different system. Although he was a decent passer, Smith was also employed as a primary ball carrier as is evidenced by the fact that that he is #24 on Michigan's career rushing yardage leaders.

Although Smith is not widely hailed as one of Michigan's elite quarterbacks, his statistics compare favorably with those of the greatest U of M QB (and my favorite player) of all-time Rick Leach. As you will certainly recall, Leach was a 4-year starter from 1975-1978. Leach led Michigan to three consecutive Big Ten Championships and, consequently, to three consecutive Rose Bowl Game appearances as well as an Orange Bowl game appearance. U of M was an astounding 38-8-2 during Leach's four years as a starter.

Here are the passing statistics for the two:

Leach: 250/537 46.6% 4,284 yds. 48 tds. 35 int.

Smith 324/648 50.0% 4,860 yds. 42 tds. 32 int.

The passing statistics are fairly close. Smith stacks up well. Now for the rushing statistics:

Leach: 487 att. 2,176 yds. 4.5 yds./att. 34 tds.

Smith: 329 att. 1,736 yds. 5.3 yds./att. 31 tds.

Again, Smith's statistics hold up well in a comparison against those of Rick "The Peach" Leach. The bottom line is that Smith deserves to be mentioned among the elite U of M quarterbacks of the modern era. Most conversations about U of M being "Quarterback U" start with Jim Harbaugh and proceed with the litany of NFL bound QBs including Elvis Grbac, Todd Collins, Scott Dreisbach, Brian Griese, Tom Brady, Drew Henson and John Navarre. Then some old school traditionalists throw in Rick Leach's name for his stand-out accomplishments and John Wangler for delivering Bo his first Rose Bowl win. Steve Smith earned the right to have his name mentioned in that conversation as well. Go Blue!

#7: Then and Now

My all-time favorite U of M player is QB Rick Leach, good ol' #7. As a 4-year starter from 1975-1978, Leach led Michigan to a 38-8-2 record, 3 Rose Bowls, an Orange Bowl, three consecutive wins over Ohio State and three Big Ten titles. That was then. This is now. Donning the legendary #7 maize and blue jersey these days is signal caller Chad Henne who is entering his third year under center. Like Leach, he has been the starter since the very first game of his freshman year. Henne is 16-8 as a two-year starter and has led Michigan to the Rose Bowl and the Alamo Bowl as well as one Big Ten title.

Although Leach was known (and deservedly so) as a great option quarterback, I've always felt that he was the first of Michigan's great passers as well. It is important to keep in mind that the time Leach played for Bo was the height of the three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust era. We probably pass twice as much, if not more, today then we did back then. With that in mind, I thought it would be interesting to compare the 4-year statistics of Leach with the two-year statistics of Henne that have been accumulated in this pass happy era.

Leach 250/537 46.6% 4,284 yds. 48 tds. 35 int. 17.1 yds. per comp.

Henne 463/781 59.3% 5,269 yds. 48 tds. 20 int. 11.4 yds. per comp.

I would say Henne obviously has the edge but Leach stacks up well when you just look at the passing statistics. However, that doesn't tell the whole story. I would be remiss if I didn't give you Leach's rushing statistics which is where he truly shined: 487 attempts for 2,176 yds. (4.5 yds. per carry) and 34 touchdowns. So not only did Leach pass for 48 tds. but he ran for 34 tds. himself!!! That's 492 offensive points for which he was directly responsible!

U-M enjoyed great success during Leach's 4 years due in large part to Leach's awesome abilities. As previously noted, U-M was 3-1 vs. OSU , won 3 Big Ten Titles and made 3 Rose Bowl trips. Henne is 0-2 vs. OSU but does have a Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl trip on his resume with 2 years remaining. For Henne to match Leach's success he will have to lead his team to back-to-back wins over OSU in 2006-2007 with successive Big Ten titles and Rose Bowl berths. That's a big task but nobody said it would be easy to try and match the greatest quarterback of all-time at Michigan. I hope Ryan Mallett is paying attention and is preparing himself for the challenge of his life when he gets here.

I think Henne has done the #7 jersey proud and he will have a banner year this year and next. Nevertheless, I still consider Leach the best of all-time. Go Blue!!!

*Note: Sports Illustrated (9-6-76) cover photo of Rick Leach by Lane Stewart

*Note 2: Photo of Chad Henne from 2006 Spring Practice by John T. Greilick/The Detroit News