1978 Michigan Wolverines football team

Updated on Dec 17, 2024

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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.

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

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