Tag: Scott Dreisbach

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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.

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Michigan vs Ohio State Football – Looking Back – 1995

Looking Back is a Special Feature Highlighting
Key Rivalry Games by Jeff Cummins

The first installment of this year’s series looking back at the football series between Michigan and Ohio State takes us back to 1995. Most people still had not heard of the Internet, Bill Clinton was the president, and the national economy was just about to take off. For the Michigan football team, 1995 was “The Tale of Two Cities.” “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

The worst of times came in the offseason, when head coach Gary Moeller had an incident at a local restaurant and was subsequently removed from his job. It was the best of times because Lloyd Carr, a little known defensive coordinator, was named the interim head caoch.

Let the record show that Lloyd Carr is probably among the best “interim” hires of all time.

In Carr’s first game, Michigan trailed almost the entire game until Scott Dreisbach found Mercury Hayes in the corner of the north end zone for a last-second touchdown pass to give Michigan an 18-17 win. After that, Michigan played classic mid-90s Wolverine football for most of the season. As usual, the week leading up to the Michigan-Ohio State game proved to be the most interesting week of the season.

Ohio State had won the previous season, and reporters asked Ohio State receiver Terry Glenn what he thought of the team’s chances against Michigan. Glenn, a former walk-on, was enjoying a breakout season in 1995, but his quote fueled Michigan’s pregame fire. Then Tim Biakabutuka proved to be the catalytic converter.

Biakabutuka had assured Carr in a midweek conversation that the Wolverines would be ready for Ohio State, and he delivered in legendary fashion. “Touchdown Tim” spent much of the afternoon bouncing off would-be tackles, and turning single-digit gains into gains of double-digit yardage. The Buckeyes fought back valiantly, but every time they came back, Michigan had the right answer for them.

Early in the game, Ohio State tested Michigan’s freshman cornerback, Charles Woodson. As the game wore on, that strategy backfired for the Buckeyes. Woodson had two interceptions on the day, the second coming when he outjumped Glenn for the ball and returned it 23 yards, allowing Michigan to line up in victory formation and run out the clock.

Woodson’s interception completed a 31-23 win for the Wolverines, who finished the regular season with nine wins and three losses. But when you beat Ohio State, few people are really thinking about the losses.

Many thanks to ABC, which owns all the rights to this game. As always, we own nothing and do not profit in any way from this blog post, which is intended purely for the enjoyment of readers.