The 1930 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1930 college football season. The head coach was former Michigan star, 31-year-old Harry Kipke, in his second year in the position.
The team went through the 1930 season with an undefeated 8-0-1 record, outscored opponents 111 to 23, and tied for the Big Ten Conference championship with Northwestern. The 1930 season marked the debut of Michigan's College Football Hall of Fame quarterback Harry Newman, who became a star in his first season leading the Wolverines' offense. In Newman's three years at Michigan, the Wolverines lost only one game, won three Big Ten Conference championships, and had a combined record of 24-1-2. Further, the 1930 team was the first of four consecutive Michigan teams coached by Harry Kipke to win or tie for the Big Ten championship, losing only one game from 1930 to 1933.
Right halfback James Simrall was the team captain, and left halfback Jack Wheeler was selected as the Most Valuable Player. Six players from the 1930 team were selected to All-Big Ten teams, and five went on to play in the National Football League.
Howie Auer, Bay City, Michigan - started 3 games at left tackle, 1 game at right tackleFrancis Cornwell, Grand Rapids, Michigan - started 7 games at right guard, 1 game at left guardRoderick Cox, Birmingham, Michigan - started 1 game at left end, 1 game at right endNorm Daniels, Detroit, Michigan, Southeastern H.S. - started 2 games at right endCharles DeBaker - halfbackLeslie H. Douglass, Gary, Indiana, Emerson H.S. - started 1 game at left guardLeo F. Draveling, Port Huron, Michigan - started 3 games at right tackle, 1 game at right endHarry Eastman, Jr. - halfbackWilliam Heston, Jr., Detroit, Michigan, Northwestern H.S. - started 3 games at left halfbackBill Hewitt, Bay City, Michigan - started 2 games at left endStanley Hozer, Muskegon, Michigan - started 4 games at left end, 2 games at left tackle, 2 games at left guardRoy Hudson, Girard, Ohio - started 8 games at fullbackOmer LaJeunesse, Iron Mountain, Michigan - started 5 games at left guard, 1 game at right guardWallace B. Miller - tackleRobert C. Morgan - tackleMaynard Morrison, Royal Oak, Michigan - starter at centerHarry Newman, Detroit, Michigan, Northern H.S. - started 5 games at quarterbackClaire Purdum, Warren, Ohio - started 2 games at left tackle, 2 games at right tackleTom Samuels, Canton, Ohio, McKinley H.S. - started 3 games at right tackle, 3 games at left tackleJames Simrall, Lexington, Kentucky - started 7 games at right halfback, 1 game at left halfbackEstel S. Tessmer, Ann Arbor, Michigan - started 3 games at quarterbackWilliam H. Unger - centerJack Wheeler, Bay City, Michigan - started 2 games at left halfback, 1 game at right halfback, 1 game at quarterbackIvan Williamson, Toledo, Ohio - started 5 games at right end, 1 game at left endLeslie C. Avery, South Haven, Michigan - started 1 game at right guardCarl A. Castle - centerRussell Damm - endWilliam H. Gitman, Dayton, Ohio - started 1 game at left tackleDuVal P. Goldsmith, Christiansburg, Virginia - started 1 game at fullbackAbe Marcovsky - guardWard H. Oehmann - guardKarl S. Richardson - guardSylvester C. Shea - endJay H. Sikkenga, Muskegon Heights, Michigan - started 1 game at left endCarlton Soelberg, Sioux City, Iowa - centerClaude R. Stoll, Ann Arbor, Michigan - started 2 games at left halfback, 1 game at right halfbackRalph Wills, Flint, Michigan - started 1 game at left halfbackFielding H. Yost, Jr. - halfbackFive starters and two reserve players from the 1930 Wolverines football team later played in the National Football League. End Bill Hewitt played nine years in the NFL for the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles and was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Quarterback Harry Newman played for the New York Giants, set an NFL single-season record for passing yards as a rookie, and threw the first touchdown pass in an NFL championship game in leading the Giants to the 1933 NFL Championship. Other starters from the 1930 Wolverines to play in the NFL are Maynard Morrison, who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Leo Draveling who played for the Cincinnati Reds, and Howie Auer who played for the Philadelphia Eagles. In addition, two freshmen who were included on the 1930 roster, Chuck Bernard and Fred Ratterman, also went on to play in the NFL.
Awards and honors
Captain: James SimrallMost Valuable Player: Jack WheelerMeyer Morton Award: Estil TessmerHead coach: Harry KipkeAssistant coaches: Jack Blott, Franklin Cappon, Ray Courtright, Cliff Keen, Bennie Oosterbaan, Wally WeberTrainer: Ray RobertsManager: Arthur W. Highfield, Austin Humber (assistant), William Burt (assistant), John Sauchuck (assistant), William Belknap (assistant) 