Girish Mahajan (Editor)

1978 Michigan Wolverines football team

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Conference
  
Big Ten Conference

AP
  
No. 5

MVP
  
Rick Leach

Coaches
  
No. 5

1978 record
  
10–2 (7–1 Big Ten)

Head coach
  
Bo Schembechler (10th year)

The 1978 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head coach was Bo Schembechler. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium.

Contents

Offense

  • John Arbeznik, offensive guard, senior, University Heights, Ohio - started 9 games at left offensive guard
  • Greg Bartnick, offensive guard, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started all 12 games at right offensive guard
  • Kurt Becker, offensive guard, sophomore, Aurora, Illinois
  • Jim Breaugh, quarterback, sophomore, West Bloomfield, Michigan
  • David Brewster, fullback, freshman, Grafton, Wisconsin
  • Ralph Clayton, wing back, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 10 games at wing back
  • Michael Davis, fullback, junior, Woodbridge, Virginia
  • Russell Davis, fullback, senior, Woodbridge, Virginia - started all 12 games at fullback
  • B. J. Dickey, quarterback, sophomore, Ottawa, Ohio
  • Bill Dufek, offensive tackle, senior, East Grand Rapids, Michigan - started 3 games at right offensive tackle
  • Stanley Edwards, tailback, sophomore, Detroit, Michigan
  • Rodney Feaster, wide receiver, sophomore, Flint, Michigan - started 7 games at wide receiver
  • Jon Giesler, offensive tackle, senior, Woodville, Ohio - started all 12 games at left offensive tackle
  • Harlan Huckleby, tailback, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 9 games at tailback
  • Gene Johnson, tight end, senior, Flint, Michigan - started 7 games at tight end, 1 game at wide receiver
  • Ed Kasparek, wide receiver, senior, Dearborn, Michigan - started 1 game at wide receiver
  • Rick Leach, quarterback, senior, Flint, Michigan - started all 12 games at quarterback
  • Gary Lee, quarterback, freshman, Flint, Michigan
  • Mike Leoni, offensive tackle, junior, Flint, Michigan - started 5 games at right offensive tackle
  • Tony Leoni, tailback, junior, Flint, Michigan
  • George Lilja, center, junior, Palos Park, Illinois
  • Rock Lindsay, offensive guard, senior, Lapeer, Michigan
  • Doug Marsh, tight end, junior, Akron, Ohio - started 5 games at tight end
  • Alan Mitchell, wide receiver, sophomore, Detroit, Michigan - started 3 games at wide receiver, 1 game at wing back
  • Ed Muransky, offensive tackle, freshman, Youngstown, Ohio
  • Steve Nauta, center, senior, Norristown, Pennsylvania - started all 12 games at center
  • Jim Paciorek, quarterback, freshman, Orchard Lake, Michigan
  • Craig Page, tailback, senior, Saginaw, Michigan
  • Bubba Paris, offensive tackle, freshman, Louisville, Kentucky - started 1 game at right offensive tackle
  • Bernhardt "Chip" Pederson, tight end, senior, Bay City, Michigan
  • John J. Powers, offensive guard, junior, Oak Park, Illinois - started 3 games at left offensive guard, 3 games at right offensive tackle
  • Lawrence P. Reid, fullback, junior, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Mark Schmerge, tight end, senior, Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Kevin Smith, quarterback - free safety, freshman, Dallas, Texas
  • Roosevelt Smith, tailback, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 1 game at wing back, 1 game at tailback
  • John Wangler, quarterback, junior, Royal Oak, Michigan
  • Butch Woolfolk, tailback, freshman, Westfield, New Jersey - started 2 games at tailback

    • Defense

  • Gene Bell, safety, junior, East Liverpool, Ohio
  • Norm Betts, outside linebacker - tight end, freshman, Midland, Michigan
  • Mark Braman, defensive back, senior, Midland, Michigan - started 10 games at strong-side cornerback
  • Gasper Calandrino, defensive back, senior, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • Andy Cannavino, inside linebacker, sophomore, Cleveland, Ohio - started 6 games at inside linebacker
  • Mark DeSantis, outside linebacker, senior, Harper Woods, Michigan - started 4 games at inside linebacker
  • Gerald Diggs, defensive back, junior, Chicago, Illinois - started 1 game at strong-side cornerback
  • Chris Godfrey, defensive tackle, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 6 games at defensive tackle
  • Curtis Greer, defensive tackle, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started all 12 games at defensive tackle
  • Mike Harden, defensive back, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 10 games at safety
  • Stuart Harris, defensive back, sophomore, Chagrin Falls, Ohio - started 2 games at safety
  • Robert K. Holloway, outside linebacker, senior, West Bloomfield, Michigan
  • James N. Humphries, middle guard, junior, Detroit, Michigan
  • Tony Jackson, defensive back, freshman, Cleveland, Ohio
  • William Jackson, defensive tackle, senior, Richmond, Virginia
  • Mike Jolly, defensive back, junior, Melvindale, Michigan
  • Dale Keitz, middle guard - defensive tackle, senior, Columbus, Ohio - started all 12 games (6 at middle guard, 6 at defensive tackle)
  • Tom Keller, outside linebacker, junior, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • Timothy Malinak, inside linebacker, senior, Flemington, Pennsylvania
  • Thomas A. Melita, middle guard, senior, Penns Grove, New Jersey
  • Jerry Meter, inside linebacker, senior, Birmingham, Michigan - started all 12 games at outside linebacker
  • Dan Murray, wolf, junior, Ann Arbor, Michigan - started 1 game at strong-side cornerback
  • Ben Needham, outside linebacker, sophomore, Groveport, Ohio - started 2 games at outside linebacker
  • Mel Owens, inside linebacker, junior, DeKalb, Illinois - started 2 games at inside linebacker
  • Tom Seabron, outside linebacker, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 10 games at outside linebacker
  • Ron Simpkins, inside linebacker, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 11 games at inside linebacker
  • Mike Trgovac, middle guard, sophomore, Austintown, Ohio - started 6 games at middle guard
  • Gary Weber, defensive tackle, junior, Matawan, New Jersey

    • Kickers

  • Bryan Virgil, place-kicker, sophomore, Buchanan, Michigan
  • Greg Willner, punter - place-kicker, junior, Miami Beach, Florida

    • Awards

  • Captains: Russell Davis, Jerry Meter
  • All-Americans: Rick Leach
  • All-Conference: Rick Leach, Jon Giesler, John Arbeznik, Russell Davis, Curtis Greer, Ron Simpkins, Mike Jolly, Mike Harden
  • Most Valuable Player: Rick Leach
  • Meyer Morton Award: Gene Johnson
  • John Maulbetsch Award: Mike Trgovac
  • Frederick Matthei Award: Mike Jolly
  • Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: Mark DeSantis
  • Rick Leach was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the first round of the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft.

    • Coaching staff

  • Head coach: Bo Schembechler
  • Assistant coaches: Dennis Brown, Tirrel Burton, Jerry Hanlon, Jack Harbaugh, Bill McCartney, Don Nehlen, Paul Schudel, Milan Vooletich
  • Trainer: Lindsy McLean
  • Manager: Nicholas J. Uriah

    • References

    1978 Michigan Wolverines football team Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


    Similar Topics