Category: Looking Back

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Looking Back — Michigan Football Season Openers – 2017 Florida

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins

The final look back to season openers takes us to 2017. This season signified a passing of the touch among the Michigan players. Leaders such as Jabrill Peppers, Chris Wormley and Taco Charlton were gone, but names such as Khaleke Hudson, Rashan Gary and Chase Winovich were eager to take their place.

For the second time, Michigan traveled to Dallas for its season opener. This time, the Wolverines were facing a Florida team coached by Jim McElwain. Simply put, if Wilton Speight had not thrown two interceptions, Michigan would have won by 30 points.

As it was, the Wolverines dominated Florida far more than the final score would indicate. Devin Bush immediately showed he would be a linebacker for the ages, flying all over the field at warp speed to track down ballcarriers. Chase Winovich and Rashan Gary proved that they were certainly capable of replacing Wormley and Charlton. And then there was the offense. Ty Isaac, Chris Evans and Karan Higdon pounded the Gators relentlessly, and head coach Jim Harbaugh exploited Florida’s lengthy defensive huddles by snapping the ball quickly, springing running backs for sizable gains.

Freshman receiver Tarik Black, who wouldn’t spend much time in a winged helmet, made his presence felt with several big receptions. Still, Florida managed to hang around, largely limiting Michigan to a bunch of Quinn Nordin field goals. At halftime, Florida actually led by four points, and for Michigan fans, their fears of speedy teams from the south were as prevalent as ever.

That changed dramatically in the second half. In addition to the dominance of Michigan’s skill players, the linemen in maize and blue started to impose their will. Facing a 4th down and 1 yard to go, Michigan snapped the ball early and Isaac gained 18 yards over the left side of the line. From that point, momentum put on a maize Michigan jersey. Yes, you read that correctly. Michigan wore maize jerseys and pants for the first time in many decades.

But if the Michigan uniforms were new, their style of play was as old school as it gets. Michigan went back to trap blocking, pulling guards and opening up huge holes for its running backs. On second down and goal from the Florida 3-yard line, Speight handed the ball to Higdon, who rumbled into the end zone almost untouched, and Michigan never looked back. As the game wore on, it was obvious that Michigan’s players were in considerably better physical condition than Florida’s players, and the Wolverines played at a much quicker tempo. The back breaker came when Winovich sacked Florida QB Malik Zaire in the end zone, stripping the ball in the process. Linebacker Noah Furbush fell on the loose ball for Michigan, and the Wolverines had a satisfying 33-17 win over Florida at a neutral site to start the season. Not bad at all for the folks from Ann Arbor.

How will the 2022 version of the Wolverines fare in their season opener? We’ll find out soon enough. Thanks to Fox Sports, YouTube, and YouTube poster parkinggod for the following highlight video. As always, neither I nor anyone involved with umgoblue.com profit from this blog post in any way. Enjoy!

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Looking Back — Michigan Football Season Openers – 2015 Utah

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins

In 2015, Michigan welcomed a familiar name back as its new head coach. Jim Harbaugh led the Wolverines to Utah for their season opener against the Utes of Utah.

There was considerable fanfare following Harbaugh’s hiring. Fans felt a renewed confidence in the program, and many traveled to Utah for the opening game, where there reports of fans in the maize and blue spending early and often at Salt Lake City eateries. For one week, the Wolverine fans and alumni pumped up the local economy, as well as the volume. Michigan people almost seemed to outnumber Utah faithful. Of course, that all changed once the teams entered Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Harbaugh managed to keep the starting quarterback a secret until game time. Once the game began, Iowa graduate transfer Jake Rudock stepped under center to play quarterback for the Wolverines. It was obvious from the start that Rudock had potential, but he and his receivers seemed to be on different pages in the beginning, allowing the Utes to grab the early lead. In the third quarter, Michigan was trailing, 17-3, when Rudock connected with tight end Jake Butt for the first Michigan touchdown of the season. Rudock found Amara Darboh for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough, as the Wolverines fell to Utah, 24-17.

In spite of the result, playing the first game on the road toughened up the Wolverines, who went on to finish 10-3. Had Michigan faced Utah in Utah just four weeks later, the result would probably have been a Michigan victory.

Thanks to Fox Sports, YouTube, and YouTube poster JazzyUte for the video of this game. As always, neither I nor anyone involved with umgoblue.com profit in any way off this blog post, which is presented strictly for the enjoyment of readers.

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Looking Back — Michigan Football Season Openers – 1986 Notre Dame

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins

Starting a season on the road represents an interesting challenge for many teams. Most prefer to start the season at home, in the comfort of their own stadium, in front of their own fans. But for the teams that go on the road and win, an opening day victory on the road can pay tremendous dividends.

Michigan started the 1986 season on the road, in a place as familiar as it is hostile, South Bend, Indiana, home of the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. The Wolverines were coming off a monster season; their 1985 team fielded a defense for the ages. Still, Notre Dame isn’t an easy place to win, under any circumstances.

Michigan entered the ’86 opener with Jim Harbaugh at quarterback, and the tenacious Jamie Morris at running back, running behind an offensive line anchored by tackle Jumbo Elliott. On defense, the Wolverines were led by All-America defensive back Garland Rivers, and defensive tackle Mark Messner was a tackling machine.

On this day, Michigan needed contributions from all three disciplines, offense, defense, and special teams. Twice, the Wolverines overcame a one-touchdown deficit, and in the final minutes, Bob Perryman fumbled the ball, forcing one more defensive stand from the Michigan defense.

Things didn’t start so well on that drive, as Notre Dame quarterback Steve Beuerlein connected with receiver Alvin Miller immediately, and the Irish were at the Michigan 40-yard line. The drive stalled at the Michigan 28, when John Carney attempted a 45-yard field goal for Notre Dame. Carney hooked the ball far to the left, and Michigan held on for a 24-23 win, proof that a tough road game on opening day can build mental toughness in a team. Michigan went 11-2 in the 1986 campaign, capturing a share of the Big Ten championship and a berth in the Rose Bowl, all sparked by that gutty performance on opening day in a win at Notre Dame.

Thanks to YouTube, ABC Sports, and YouTube poster RxWolverine for the video of this game. As always, neither I nor anyone involved with umgoblue.com profit off this blog post, which is presented strictly for the enjoyment of our readers.

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Looking Back — Michigan Football Season Openers – 1984 Miami

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins

In 1984 the national economy was roaring as hiring and production were both rising quickly. The United States of America was experiencing a new, flashy style, as boutique TV networks MTV and ESPN served specific segments of the marketplace.

The Miami Hurricanes represented that flashy new style as well as any team in college football. The Hurricanes had won the the national championship the year before, and they possessed speed and a high-powered offense, along with the attitude to go with it.

Sometimes, though, attitude can get you in trouble. The defending national champion Hurricanes brought an undefeated record into Michigan Stadium, along with a lot of swagger. Some players had Walkmans with them during warmups, and there were reports of players lying down on the brick wall surrouding the field, making sure they got some sun.

The Miami Hurricanes soon learned that teams should never enter Michigan Stadium expecting a day at the beach.

While Miami’s players warmed up at a leisurely pace, Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler approached the warmups with his traditional rigor, putting the first-string players against each other, and hitting at full speed. Once the game began, the swagger that Miami carried as defending national champions was eliminated pretty quickly. The great irony is that Miami quarterback Bernie Kosar, a native son of the midwest, hailing from Boardman, Ohio, was interceptepted three times by Michigan defensive back Rodney Lyles, a native of Miami, Fla. By the end of the game, the Wolverines had intercepted Kosar six times, sacked him five times, and forced two fumbles en route to a 22-14 Michigan victory. Despite all of Miami’s star power, the game had come down to fundamentals and intensity, and Schembechler outcoached Jimmy Johnson all day long.

As alway, neither I nor umgoblue.com profit in any way from this blog post, and we thank YouTube, Katz Sports, and YouTube poster Football Fury for the video below.

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Looking Back — Michigan Football Season Openers – 1995 Virginia

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins

College football is built on a season that builds to a crescendo. Still, there’s something about the opening game. No matter which teams are playing, there’s a sense of excitement that comes with the clean slate of a new season.

For Michigan, the most memorable opening day in recent memory occurred in 1995. The Wolverines had a new coach, Lloyd Carr, who was hired as an interim coach until the university could find someone more qualified to guide the football program. By the end of the first game, one thing was clear: Carr’s Michigan teams would certainly provide their moments of excitement.

The game started in ferociously hot weather, and for the first three quarters, most Michigan fans and alumni were hoping that then-athletic director Joe Roberson was poring through his Rolodex, looking for qualified candidates to replace Carr. It was also the first time that many fans saw the Barber twins, Ronde and Tiki. Suddenly, all the noise was about Virginia, and Michigan fans were getting just a little bit restless.

The game continued into the fourth quarter, and slowly, Michigan began to show a little fight. At the time, many people thought it was too late, but the Wolverines kept plugging away, one play at a time. Finally, the Wolverines were left with a 4th down and 10 yards to go from the Virginia 15-yard line, fully aware that they needed it all on the last play. For one play, quarterback Scott Dreisbach became a legend, even if it was only for a fleeting moment. Dreisbach faded back, and threw to receiver Mercury Hayes, who ran a buttonhook right into the northeast corner of the north end zone. Amazingly, Hayes caught the ball with his feet barely in bounds, and no time left on the clock. Having trailed virtually the entire game, Michigan took the lead at the only time it really mattered, at the end of the game. Virginia coach George Welsh had the option to make Michigan attempt the try for point after the touchdown, knowing that if Virginia blocked the kick and returned it all the way, the Cavaliers would get two points and the win, but Welsh opted to let the result stand. Michigan had completed arguably the most memorable comeback in its illustrious history, topping Virginia, 18-17.

Ironically, neither Hayes nor Dreisbach went on to distinguished careers. Lloyd Carr? Well, let’s just say that the “interim” tag was removed at the end of the season.

Thanks to ABC Sports, YouTube poster RxWolverine, and YouTube for the following broadcast. As always, neither umgoblue.com nor I own anything, and we do not profit off this blog post in any way.