The 1937 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1937 Big Ten Conference football season. In their ninth and final season under head coach Harry Kipke, the Wolverines compiled a 4–4 record (3–3 against Big Ten opponents) and were outscored by all opponents by a combined total of 110 to 54. The team ranked 106th of 126 teams in major college football with an average of 6.8 points scored per game.
At the conclusion of the 1937 season, the Michigan players selected guard Ralph Heikkinen as the team's most valuable player and also selected tackle Fred Janke as the captain of the 1938 team. Heikkinen was also the only Michigan player to receive first-team honors on the 1937 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium.
The following 26 players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1937 Michigan football team. For players who were starters, the list also includes the number of games started by position.
William C. Barclay, quarterback, senior, Flint, Michigan - started 3 games at right halfbackJohn Brennan, guard, junior, Racine, Wisconsin - started 7 games at left guardRobert D. Campbell, halfback, senior, Ionia, MichiganDouglas Farmer, fullback, senior, Hinsdale, Illinois - started 8 games at quarterbackElmer Gedeon, end, junior, Cleveland, Ohio - started 2 games at left endRalph Heikkinen, guard, junior, Ramsay, Michigan - started 7 games at right guardFred Janke, fullback, junior, Jackson, Michigan - started 2 games at left tackleArchie Kodros, center/guard, sophomore, Alton, Illinois - started 7 games at centerLouis Levine, quarterback, junior, Muskegon Heights, MichiganEarl B. Luby, tackle, senior, Chicago, IllinoisGeorge A. Marzonie, guard, senior, Flint, Michigan - started 1 game at right guardJohn E. Nicholson, Jr., end, junior, Elkhart, Indiana - started 6 games at left end, 1 game at right endFrederick C. "Fred" Olds, guard/tackle, junior, East Lansing, Michigan - started 1 game at left guardErnest A. Pederson, guard, senior, Grand Blanc, MichiganNorm Purucker, halfback, Poland, Ohio - started 1 game at right halfbackHercules Renda, halfback, sophomore, Jochin, West Virginia - started 3 games at right halfbackJoseph M. Rinaldi, center, senior, Elkhart, Indiana - started 8 games at centerStark Ritchie, halfback, senior, Battle Creek, Michigan - started 1 game at center; 3 games at left halfbackRoland Savilla, tackle, sophomore, Gallagher, West Virginia - started 2 games at right tackleDonald J. "Don" Siegel, tackle, junior, Royal Oak, Michigan - started 6 games at left tackleDan Smick, end, junior, Hazel Park, Michigan - started 6 games at right endWilliam A. Smith, tackle, sophomore, Riverside, California - started 6 games at right tackleEdward Stanton, fullback, junior, Charleston, West Virginia - started 7 games at fullbackFred Trosko, halfback, sophomore, Flint, Michigan - started 5 games at left halfbackArthur Valpey, end, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 1 game at right endClarence H. Vandewater, guard, junior, Holland, MichiganThe following players were identified as varsity reserves on the roster of the 1937 Michigan football team.
Harold Floersch, end, junior, Wyandotte, MichiganR. Wallace Hook, Jr., halfback, junior, East Grand Rapids, MichiganJohn H. Kinsey, fullback, sophomore, Plymouth, Michigan - started 1 game at fullbackDennis A. Kuhn, tackle, sophomore, River Rouge, MichiganDerwood D. Laskey, halfback, sophomore, Milan, MichiganHarry K. Mulholland, fullback, sophomore, Bay City, MichiganNorman J. Nickerson, fullback, junior, Detroit, MichiganRobert P. Piotrowski, halfback, junior, Manistee, MichiganJoseph C. Rogers, end, sophomore, Royal Oak, MichiganHorace Tinker, center, sophomore, Battle Creek, MichiganFrederick C. Ziem, guard, senior, Pontiac, MichiganThe 1937 all-freshman team included a nucleus of players, including Tom Harmon and Forest Evashevski, that would propel Michigan to the top tier of college football programs when Fritz Crisler took over as head coach in 1938.
Pierce Barker, Detroit, MichiganRichard C. Bennett, Springfield, IllinoisIrwin S. Clamage, Detroit, MichiganGeorge L. Clark, Carthage, IllinoisEdward W. Czak, Elyria, OhioForest Evashevski, Detroit, MichiganThomas G. Ford, East Grand Rapids, MichiganHarlin E. Fraumann, Pontiac, MichiganRalph Fritz, New Kensington, PennsylvaniaWilliam H. Gambill, Centralia, IllinoisJack D. Grant, Chicago, IllinoisTom Harmon, Gary, IndianaWilliam J. Hermann, Detroit, MichiganRobert Horst, Detroit, MichiganReuben Kelto, Bessemer, MichiganThomas P. Kieckhefer, Milwaukee, WisconsinHarry E. Kohl, Dayton, OhioPaul Kromer, Lorain, OhioRobert E. Larkin, Oak Park, IllinoisBlaz A. Lucas, Jr., Gary, IndianaGeorge S. Manolakas, Detroit, MichiganHoward H. Mehaffey, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaJack Meyer, Elyria, OhioJames R. Miller, Highland Park, MichiganCharles E. Norton, Lawrenceburg, TennesseeArthur Paddy, Benton Harbor, MichiganLester Persky, Cleveland Heights, OhioRichard G. Pugh, Detroit, MichiganCharles R. Ross, Cambridge, MassachusettsRobert S. Ross, Menasha, WisconsinMelvin S. Schlemenson, Memphis, TennesseeRobert M. Seltzer, Chicago, IllinoisEdward Shelberg, Lansing, MichiganJacob Speelman, Jr., Lansing, MichiganDave Strong, Helena, MontanaGeorge S. Thomas, Detroit, MichiganWilliam E. Vollmer, Manistee, MichiganColin C. Weymouth, Detroit, MichiganAwards and honors
Captain: Joe RinaldiAll-Conference: Ralph HeikkinenMost Valuable Player: Ralph HeikkinenMeyer Morton Award: Fred TroskoHead coach: Harry KipkeAssistant coachesBackfield coach: Wally WeberLine coach: Heartley "Hunk" AndersonEnd coach: Bennie OosterbaanOther assistant coaches: Franklin CapponTrainer: Ray RobertsManager: Fred Colombo, assisted by John Fecknay, Ralph Dubois, Warren Slater, Philip Woodworth