The 1989 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1989 NCAA Division I-A football season. Bo Schembechler served as the team's head coach for his 21st and final season. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium. The team won the second of five consecutive Big Ten Conference championships.
The Wolverines lost their season opener to Notre Dame but won ten consecutive games to finish the regular season. Highlights of the winning streak included the defeat of Minnesota by 34 points for the Little Brown Jug and a victory over Ohio State in their home finale.
The team leaders included running back Tony Boles, who rushed for 839 yards, and Michael Taylor, who threw for 1,081 yards. Greg McMurtry was the Wolverine's leading receiver with 41 catches for 711 yards. Schembechler retired after the Rose Bowl, which the Wolverines lost to USC by a touchdown.
Todd Plate's second interception of the day with 2:48 left in the game sealed the game and the Big Ten title for the Wolverines.
The 1990 Rose Bowl was a remach of the previous Rose Bowl in which Michigan won 22 to 14. USC scored the first points in the second quarter with a one-yard run by Todd Marinovich. Michigan got a field goal to make it 7 to 3 but the Trojans added another field goal before the half to take a 10 to 3 lead at halftime. Although Michigan tied the score, Ricky Ervins had a fourteen-yard touchdown run which clinched the Rose Bowl for the Trojans.
Derrick Alexander, wide receiver, freshman, Detroit, Michigan
Tony Boles, running back, senior, Westland, Michigan - started 9 games at tailback
Jarrod Bunch, running back, senior, Ashtabula, Ohio - started 5 games at fullback ;Bill Prichard fullback
Alfie Burch, wide receiver, freshman, Warren, Ohio
Chris Calloway, wide receiver, senior, Chicago, Illinois - started all 12 games at flanker
Joe Cocozzo, offensive tackle, sophomore, Mechanicville, New York - started 2 games at right offensive guard
Dave Diebolt, tight end, junior, Mayfield, Ohio
Dean Dingman, offensive guard, junior, East Troy, Wisconsin - started 10 games at left offensive guard
Robert Doherty, offensive line, sophomore, Sterling Heights, Michigan
Tom Dohring, offensive tackle, senior, Dearborn, Michigan - started all 12 games at left offensive tackle
Matt Elliott, center, junior, Carmel, Indiana - started 9 games at right offensive guard, 2 at left offensive guard
Steve Everitt, offensive guard - center, sophomore, Miami, Florida
Elvis Grbac, quarterback, sophomore, Willoughby Hills, Ohio - started 4 games at quarterback
Leroy Hoard, fullback, senior, New Orleans, Louisiana - started 5 games at fullback, 3 games at tailback
Desmond Howard, flanker, sophomore, Cleveland, Ohio
Allen Jefferson, tailback, senior, Detroit, Michigan
Dan Jokish, split end, junior, Clarkston, Michigan
Dave Knight, wide receiver, senior, Riverview, Michigan
Burnie Legette, running back, freshman, Colorado Springs, Colorado - started 2 games at fullback
Tony McGee, tight end, freshman, Terre Haute, Indiana
Greg McMurtry, split end, senior, Brockton, Massachusetts - started all 12 games at split end
Marc Ramirez, center/guard, senior, Prairie View, Illinois - started 1 game at right offensive guard
Doug Skene, offensive tackle, sophomore, Fairview, Texas
Greg Skrepenak, offensive tackle, junior, Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania - started all 12 games at right offensive tackle
Ken Sollom, quarterback, junior, Canyon Country, California
Michael Taylor, quarterback, senior, Lincoln Heights, Ohio - started 8 games at quarterback
Yale Van Dyne, wide receiver, junior, Kearney, Missouri
Jon Vaughn, tailback, sophomore, Florissant, Missouri
Derrick Walker, tight end, senior, Glenwood, Illinois - started all 12 games at tight end
Steve Zacharias, tight end, senior, Sterling Heights, Michigan
Bobby Abrams, defensive back, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started all 12 games at outside linebacker
Erick Anderson, outside linebacker, junior, Glenview, Illinois - started all 12 games at inside linebacker
Chris Bohn, inside linebacker, junior, Traverse City, Michigan
Corwin Brown, free safety, sophomore, Chicago, Illinois
Dave Caputo, middle guard, junior, Chelsea, Michigan
Doug Daugherty, offensive guard, senior, Romeo, Michigan
Martin Davis, outside linebacker, sophomore, Chesapeake, Virginia
Lance Dottin, defensive back, junior, Cambridge, Massachusetts - started 6 games at cornerback
Mike Evans, defensive tackle, junior, Roxbury, Massachusetts - started 7 games at defensive tackle
Chris Feaster, linebacker, senior, Flint, Michigan
Rusty Fichtner, linebacker, junior, Meadville, Pennsylvania
J. J. Grant, inside linebacker, senior, Liverpool, New York - started 9 games at inside linebacker
Chris Hutchinson, defensive tackle, sophomore, Houston, Texas - started all 12 games at defensive tackle
David Key, defensive back, senior, Columbus, Ohio - started all 12 games at cornerback
Curt Mallory, inside linebacker, sophomore, Bloomington, Illinois
Alex Marshall, outside linebacker, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 11 games at outside linebacker - started 11 games at outside linebacker
Matt McCoy, defensive tackle, senior, Ypsilanti, Michigan
John Milligan, linebacker, senior, Trenton, Michigan - started 3 games at inside linebacker
Vada Murray, free safety, senior, Cincinnati, Ohio - started all 12 games at free safety
T. J. Osman, defensive tackle, senior, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Todd Plate, cornerback, senior, Brooklyn, Michigan - started 6 games at cornerback
David Ritter, strong safety, junior, Hickory Hills, Illinois
Cornelius Simpson, outside linebacker, junior, Highland Park, Michigan
Scott Smykowski, inside linebacker, senior, Sterling Heights, Michigan
Marc Spencer, linebacker, senior, Troy, Michigan
Sylvester "Buster" Stanley, defensive tackle, freshman, Youngstown, Ohio
Mike Teeter, middle guard, senior, Fruitport, Michigan - started all 12 games at middle guard
Brian Townsend, linebacker, junior, Cincinnati, Ohio - started 1 game at outside linebacker
Eric Traupe, inside linebacker, Ashland, Massachusetts
Coleman Wallace, SC, sophomore, Willingboro, New Jersey
Dwayne Ware, cornerback, sophomore, Willingboro, New Jersey
Tripp Welborne, strong safety, junior, Greensboro, North Carolina - started all 12 games at strong safety
Brent White, defensive tackle, senior, Dayton, Ohio - started 5 games at defensive tackle
Timothy Williams, outside linebacker, senior, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
J. D. Carlson, place-kicker, junior, Tallahassee, Florida
Gulam Kahn, place-kicker, senior, Shaker Heights, Ohio
Chris Stapleton, punter / place-kicker, freshman, Springfield, Illinois
Awards and honors
All-Americans: Tripp Welborne
All-Conference: Tony Boles, J.D. Carlson, Dean Dingman, Derrick Walker, Tripp Welborne
Most Valuable Player: Tony Boles
Meyer Morton Award: Chris Calloway
John Maulbetsch Award: Steve Everitt
Frederick Matthei Award: Dean Dingman
Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: Tim Williams
Dick Katcher Award: Mike Teeter
Hugh Rader Jr. Award: Derrick Walker
Robert P. Ufer Award: Chris Calloway
The following players were claimed in the 1990 NFL Draft.
A total of 25 players from the 1989 team went on to play professional football. They are Bobby Abrams (New York Giants 1990-91, Cleveland Browns 1992, New York Giants 1992, Dallas Cowboys 1992-93, Minnesota Vikings 1993-94, New England Patriots 1995), Derrick Alexander (Cleveland Browns 1994–95, Baltimore Ravens 1996–97, Kansas City Chiefs 1998–01, Minnesota Vikings 2002), Erick Anderson (Kansas City Chiefs 1992-93, Washington Redskins 1994-95), Tony Boles (Dallas Cowboys 1991; San Antonio Riders 1992), Jarrod Bunch (New York Giants 1991–93, Los Angeles Raiders 1994), Corwin Brown (New England Patriots 1993–96, New York Jets 1997–98, Detroit Lions 1999–00), Chris Calloway (Pittsburgh Steelers 1990-91, New York Giants 1992-98, Atlanta Falcons 1999, New England Patriots 2000), Joe Cocozzo (San Diego Chargers 1993-97), Tom Dohring (Kansas City Chiefs 1992), Matt Elliott (Washington Redskins 1992, Carolina Panthers 1995-97), Steve Everitt (Cleveland Browns 1993-95, Baltimore Ravens 1996, Philadelphia Eagles 1997-99), Elvis Grbac (San Francisco 49ers 1993-96, Kansas City Chiefs 1997-00, Baltimore Ravens 2001), Leroy Hoard (Cleveland Browns 1990-95, Baltimore Ravens 1996, Carolina Panthers 1996, Minnesota Vikings 1996-99), Desmond Howard (Washington Redskins 1992-94, Jacksonville Jaguars 1995, Green Bay Packers 1996, Oakland Raiders 1997-98, Green Bay Packers 1999, Detroit Lions 2000-02), Burnie Legette (New England Patriots 1993-94), Tony McGee (Cincinnati Bengals 1993-01, Dallas Cowboys 2002-03, New York Giants 2003), Greg McMurtry (New England Patriots 1990-93, Chicago Bears 1994), Doug Skene (New England Patriots 1994), Greg Skrepenak (Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders 1992-95, Carolina Panthers 1996-97), Buster Stanley (New England Patriots 1994, Rhein Fire 1996-97, Grand Rapids Rampage 1999-00), Mike Teeter (Indianapolis Colts 1990, Frankfurt Galaxy 1991, Minnesota Vikings 1991, Houston Oilers 1993–94, Carolina Panthers 1995), Brian Townsend (Cincinnati Bengals 1992), Jon Vaughn (New England Patriots 1991-92, Seattle Seahawks 1993-94, Kansas City Chiefs 1994), Derrick Walker (San Diego Chargers 1990-93, Kansas City Chiefs 1994-97, Oakland Raiders 1999), and Tripp Welborne (Minnesota Vikings 1992).
Head coach: Bo Schembechler
Assistant coaches: Tirrel Burton, Cam Cameron, Lloyd Carr, Jerry Hanlon, Bill Harris, Jim Herrmann, Les Miles, Gary Moeller, Bobby Morrison, Tom Reed
Trainer: Russ Miller
Managers: Jeff Tack (senior manager), Chris Carr, Scott Hanel, Mark Jacobson, Tom Lewand, John Myers, Dave Schueler, Chris Smith, Jim Sullivan