My All Time UM Football Team

With some qualifications: These are players that I saw play so Tom Harmon and Germany Schultz are out. In addition to being great individual players they had to be leaders who somehow made the players around them better. Current team players not included. Some tough choices. Something to contemplate with the season fast approaching.

OFFENSE:
QB: Jim Harbaugh. Hon Mention: Brady, Griese, Grbac.
RB: Wheatley, Hart. Hon Mention: AT, Tim B, Butch Woolfolk, Ron Johnson
WOS: AC Des. Hon Mention: Braylon, Gallon
TE: Ron Kramer. Hon Mention: Tuman Butt Mandich
OT: Dierdorf, Long Hon mention: Jansen Runyon, Skrep Jumbo
OG: Reggie McKenzie, Steve Hutch. Hon Mention: Becker, Humphries
C: David Molk Hon Mention : Walt Downing. Lilja

DEFENSE:
DE: James Hall, Brandon Graham. No Hon Mention possibly the weakest position over the years for UM.
DT: Steele, Branch Hon Mention C Hutch, Messner
LB: Dhani Jone, Woodley, J. Anderson Hon mention Simpkins O'Neal Mike Taylor, Peppers
CB: Woodson, Lewis Hon Mention Dave Hall M Jackson Brad Cochrane Ty Law
S: TomCurtis, Thom Darden Hon Mention Tripp Welbourne

Ok who did I leave out? There are a couple obvious players on the current team who might well make the list next year. DE needs help and Gary and Winovich should both get there after their careers are over. Bush too and maybe Hudson.

Our fandom years are pretty close and I have many in common withe you.
OFFENSE:
QB: Jim Harbaugh. Hon Mention: Brady, Griese, Grbac, Franklin.
RB: Wheatley, Lytle. Hon Mention: Ron Johnson, Jamie Morris, Gordie Bell
FB: Mel Anthony Hon mention Ed Shuttlesworth, and Dave Fisher
ALL PURPOSE: Denard Robinson, Gil Chapman
WOS: AC, Des. Hon Mention: Braylon, Gallon, Jack Clancy, Derrick Alexander
TE: Ron Kramer tie Mandich. Hon Mention: Tuman, Butt , Joppru
OT: Dierdorf, Long Hon mention: Jansen Runyon, Skrep Jumbo
OG: Reggie McKenzie, Steve Hutch. Hon Mention: Becker, Humphries, Mike Kenn
C: David Molk Hon Mention : Walt Downing. Lilja, Tom Dixon, and the guy with the beard now-that played with the Browns-I'm brain locking

DEFENSE:
Nose tackle (middle guard) Henry Hill
DE: Lamar Woodley, Brandon Graham. Honorable mention James Hall
DT: Steele, Branch Hon Mention C Hutch, Messner, Bill Yearby
LB: Dhani Jone, Mike Taylor, J. Anderson Hon mention Simpkins, O'Neal , Peppers, Jarret Irons, Ian Gold
CB: Woodson, Dave Brown, Hon Mention Dave Hall M Jackson Lewis, Dufek, Ty Law
S: TomCurtis, Thom Darden Hon Mention Tripp Welbourne

K-Remy Hamilton Hon Mention- Mike Gillette
Punter- Zoltan Mesko Hon Mention Don Bracken

Subject to change as my memory comes filtering back.

Really can't argue with your picks Shoes. Coin flip on a lot of them. I forgot special teams but I agree with your picks. Chapman Denard and Breaston pretty good all purpose. Steve Everitt should have been on my list . Maybe even ahead of Molk.

Steve Everitt- Thank you! And I should have included Breaston in the all purpose category.

QB: Harbaugh
RB: Morris and Wheatley
FB: Houma
WR: Carter, Howard and Avant
OT: Long
OG: Hutch
TE: Riemersma

DE: Gary and Woodley
DT: Messner and Steel
LB: Gold, Irons and E. Anderson
DB: Woodson, Ray and Lewis

Not a full team, but my favorite players at each position.

Curtis Greer is a D-lineman that I would like to add.

From players I saw play only :

QB: Leach ( beat Woody three straight)
RB: Wheatley
FB: R Lytle
WR: AC & Terrell
TE : Tuman
OT : Kenn & Jumbo
OG : S Hutchinson & Dingman
C : Everitt
PR & KOR : Dez
DE : Woodley & Greer
DT : Messner
OLB : J Anderson & I Gold
ILB : E Anderson & J Irons
CB : Chuck & Law
S : Tripp & Ray
P: Monte Robbins
FGK : Remy Hamilton
KO : Ali Haji Sheik
Coach : Bo
OC : Mo
DC : D Brown

Lots of great players on these lists. Can't really argue with any of them. Watching UM football over the past 60+ years has been one of life's joys for me both the wins and losses although the wins are better!

Oct 29, 1955. My first UM game at the "big house" although it wasn't called that until a few decades later. I was 10. Iowa at UM. Iowa was coached by former UM great Forest Evachevski(I know that isn't spelled right) and was a power. UM trailed at the half but in the 2d half Duncan McDonald hit Tom Meantz and Ron Kramer for two 70 yd + tds and UM won 33-21. The next week SI had Meantz and Kramer on the cover. UM was #3 in the nation. The caption said something like "Kramer and Meantz Michigan's two great ends face Illinois." That they did. I listened on the radio as JC Caroline and Bobby Mitchell tore up UM 25-7. In one week I was at the top and then at the bottom. Still UM could win the BIG and go to the Rose Bowl if it beat OSU in the finale. OSU had a guy named Hopalong Cassiday who won the Heisman and he ran all over UM. I've met Cassiday several times since as he lives outside Tampa. He was a star for the Lions for many years.

When I got to know Ron Kramer years later, I used to tease him about that Iowa game telling him I was only 10 when I saw it. He'd glare at me.

For me that was the beginning of my lifelong love affair with UM football.

flabluefan1 wrote:

...DE... possibly the weakest position over the years for UM.
 

FBF, methinks---make that MEKNOWS---that is going to change big-time this year!!

But back to your original topic, which explicitly leaves out current players, wasn't Glen Steele, whom lots of responders list at TACKLE,
a defensive END???   I thought I recalled our '97 title team's defense featured him and (on 4-man fronts) James Hall outside, and
Josh Williams, Rob Renes and alternately Joaquin Feazell inside.

Lastly, I'd have to add Chad Henne under Honorable Mention at QB. Maybe even the leader---based, of course, on his U-M tenure, exclusive of
any NFL accomplishments (the latter would be no contest, Tommy!)

I thought about Steele playing DE on occasion but I'd already posted my post. You're right about him. No doubt DE will be the striongest position on a very strong D this year. Henne is deserving to be sure. IMO Harbaugh was just the right combo of mobility, passing ability, creativity when the play broke down, and fiery leadership that makes a great QB. When he stood in the pocket and took the ferocious hit but hit Kolesar for the 80 yd TD vs OSU he sealed the deal for me. Then he guarantees victory over OSU down there the next year and incurs Bo's wrath. Then OSU goes up quickly by 14 and he doesn't panic. UM rolls up 500 yds and wins going away. Hard to top that.

flabluefan1 wrote:

Then [Harbaugh] guarantees victory over OSU down there the next year and incurs Bo's wrath.  Then OSU goes up quickly by 14 and he doesn't panic. UM rolls up 500 yds and  wins going away.  Hard to top that.  

Not quite on that one, FBF!!!   26-24 isn't what I call "winning going away"...particularly when the Bucks missed a field goal, that might well
have won the game, with a minute left.

But, I just watched a cut-down replay of that game---and yes, Jimbo was a tremendous improviser and did just about as masterful a job of quarterbacking as I've seen: hitting the passes, knowing when to shovel ahead, when to pitch the option, when to run, etc.

You're right of course. It was one of those games where the score was closer than the game. After spotting OSU the early 14-0 lead UM dominated. Jamie Morris ran wild. It would have been tragic had OSU made the FG because UM was clearly the better team.

not one person named Chris Perry at RB!?!?!?!?!

He was the toughest guy on the team for two years. He was the total package, quick, agile, vision, heart, toughness and smart.

He was an absolute work horse and I believe he finished 4th in the Heisman his senior year.

Watch the 2003 OSU game. Every carry after the middle of the third he gets up slow, winces in pain, looks completely beaten and broken. But they call his number again and he runs it like it's his first carry of the game.

I don't have a list but if I did he'd be on it.

Oversight I agree. Think he won the Doak Walker award as a senior.

But he was only a low 3* recruit

sandyeggo_blue wrote:

not one person named Chris Perry at RB!?!?!?!?!

He was the toughest guy on the team for two years. He was the total package, quick, agile, vision, heart, toughness and smart.

He was an absolute work horse and I believe he finished 4th in the Heisman his senior year.

Watch the 2003 OSU game. Every carry after the middle of the third he gets up slow, winces in pain, looks completely beaten and broken. But they call his number again and he runs it like it's his first carry of the game.

I don't have a list but if I did he'd be on it.

Oh yeah and the 51 carry performance against MSU was a beautiful game. He was a MAN. I do think all the college carries ruined his body for the NFL.

fishgoblue22 wrote:

sandyeggo_blue wrote:

not one person named Chris Perry at RB!?!?!?!?!

He was the toughest guy on the team for two years. He was the total package, quick, agile, vision, heart, toughness and smart.

He was an absolute work horse and I believe he finished 4th in the Heisman his senior year.

Watch the 2003 OSU game. Every carry after the middle of the third he gets up slow, winces in pain, looks completely beaten and broken. But they call his number again and he runs it like it's his first carry of the game.

I don't have a list but if I did he'd be on it.

Oh yeah and the 51 carry performance against MSU was a beautiful game.  He was a MAN. I do think all the college carries ruined his body for the NFL.

Not sure how I completely forgot about his 51 carry game against sparty. goes to prove my point though. He was an absolute MAN and work horse. I like the two back system UM has now but there is something to be said about having a guy as reliable as Perry was.

I also agree that his time at UM may have ruined his body for the NFL.

That was also the thought for the backs under Bo back when practices were not so restricted. We had full contact practices fairly frequently in season and the guys got beat up from practice as well as the games. Can't under-estimate that. Was Eric Dickerson able to be such a workhorse in the NFL in part because he shared carries at SMU with Craig James/