1951 Michigan Wolverines football team
Encyclopedia
The 1951 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan
in the 1951 college football season
. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan
. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium
.
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in the 1951 college football season
1951 college football season
The 1951 college football season finished with seven unbeaten major college teams, of which five were unbeaten and untied. Ultimately, the Tennessee Volunteers were voted the best team by the Associated Press, followed by the Michigan State Spartans, with the Vols having a plurality of first place...
. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan
Bennie Oosterbaan
Benjamin Gaylord "Bennie" Oosterbaan was a three-time first team All-American football end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-time All-American basketball player for the basketball team and an All-Big Ten Conference baseball player for the baseball team...
. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan Stadium was built in 1927 at a cost of $950,000 and had an original capacity of 72,000. Before playing football at the stadium, the Wolverines played on Ferry Field...
.
Schedule
Rushing
| Player | Attempts | Net yards | Yards per attempt | Touchdowns |
| Don Peterson Don Peterson (American football) Donald W. "Jiggs" Peterson is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1948 to 1951 and was selected as the Most Valuable Player of the 1951 Michigan Wolverines football team... |
152 | 549 | 3.6 | 4 |
| Wes Bradford | 64 | 348 | 5.4 | 2 |
| Bill Putich Bill Putich Bill Putich was an American football player who played quarterback and halfback for the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1949 to 1951.-Playing career:... |
115 | 268 | 2.3 | 3 |
Passing
| Player | Attempts | Completions | Interceptions | Comp % | Yards | Yds/Comp | TD | Long |
| Bill Putich Bill Putich Bill Putich was an American football player who played quarterback and halfback for the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1949 to 1951.-Playing career:... |
77 | 32 | 7 | 41.6 | 390 | 12.2 | 2 | 55 |
| Don Peterson Don Peterson (American football) Donald W. "Jiggs" Peterson is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1948 to 1951 and was selected as the Most Valuable Player of the 1951 Michigan Wolverines football team... |
13 | 6 | 3 | 46.1 | 184 | 30.7 | 1 | 43 |
| Ted Topor Ted Topor Ted Peter Topor was an American football player who played quarterback and linebacker. He played college football for the University of Michigan and professional football for the Detroit Lions.-Early years:... |
26 | 9 | 2 | 34.6 | 171 | 19.0 | 2 | 71 |
Receiving
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Yds/Recp | TD | Long |
| Lowell Perry | 16 | 395 | 24.7 | 3 | 71 |
| Frederick Pickard | 10 | 204 | 20.4 | 2 | 55 |
| Ted Topor Ted Topor Ted Peter Topor was an American football player who played quarterback and linebacker. He played college football for the University of Michigan and professional football for the Detroit Lions.-Early years:... |
9 | 81 | 9.0 | 0 | |
Kickoff returns
| Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | TD | Long |
| Bill Putich Bill Putich Bill Putich was an American football player who played quarterback and halfback for the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1949 to 1951.-Playing career:... |
3 | 88 | 29.3 | 0 | 36 |
| Ted Topor Ted Topor Ted Peter Topor was an American football player who played quarterback and linebacker. He played college football for the University of Michigan and professional football for the Detroit Lions.-Early years:... |
3 | 72 | 24.0 | 0 | 27 |
| Don Oldham | 3 | 52 | 17.3 | 0 | |
Punt returns
| Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | TD | Long |
| Lowell Perry | 17 | 197 | 11.6 | 1 | 75 |
| Bill Putich Bill Putich Bill Putich was an American football player who played quarterback and halfback for the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1949 to 1951.-Playing career:... |
11 | 71 | 6.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Merritt Green | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 10 |
Players
- Wes Bradford - started 6 games at right halfback
- Donald Dugger - started 5 games at defensive left guard, 1 game at offensive left guard
- Merritt Green - started 9 games at defensive left end
- Tom JohnsonTom Johnson (American football)Thomas Johnson is a former American football player. He played at the defensive and offensive tackle positions for the University of Michigan from 1948 to 1951. He was selected as the most valuable defensive tackle in the Big Ten Conference in 1950 and as a first-team All-American at the same...
- started 9 games at left tackle (offense and defense) - Peter Kinyon - started 7 games at offensive left guard, 1 game at offensive right guard
- Don Oldham - started 7 games at defensive back, 1 game at left halfback
- Dick O'Shaughnessy - started 9 games at center
- Russ Osterman - started 9 games at defensive right end
- Ben Pederson - started 8 games at right tackle
- Lowell Perry - started 8 games at offensive left end, 1 game at right halfback, 3 games at safety
- Don PetersonDon Peterson (American football)Donald W. "Jiggs" Peterson is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1948 to 1951 and was selected as the Most Valuable Player of the 1951 Michigan Wolverines football team...
- Fred Pickard - started 8 games at offensive right end
- Bill PutichBill PutichBill Putich was an American football player who played quarterback and halfback for the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1949 to 1951.-Playing career:...
- started 6 games at left halfback, 2 games at quarterback, 6 games at safety - Ralph Stribe - started 7 games at offensive right tackle
- Robert Timm - started 9 games at defensive right guard
- David Tinkham - started 9 games at defensive back, 2 games at left halfback
- Ted ToporTed ToporTed Peter Topor was an American football player who played quarterback and linebacker. He played college football for the University of Michigan and professional football for the Detroit Lions.-Early years:...
- started 7 games at quarterback, 8 games at linebacker - Jim Wolter - started 8 games at offensive right guard, 1 game at offensive left guard
- Roger ZatkoffRoger ZatkoffRoger Zatkoff is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1950 to 1952. He later played professional football for the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions ....
- started 9 games at linebacker, 1 game at fullback
Awards and honors
- Captain: Bill PutichBill PutichBill Putich was an American football player who played quarterback and halfback for the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1949 to 1951.-Playing career:...
- All-Americans1951 College Football All-America TeamThe 1951 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams for the 1951 college football season. The organizations that chose the teams included: the United...
: Lowell Perry (UP 3rd team, Central Press 2nd team), Tom JohnsonTom Johnson (American football)Thomas Johnson is a former American football player. He played at the defensive and offensive tackle positions for the University of Michigan from 1948 to 1951. He was selected as the most valuable defensive tackle in the Big Ten Conference in 1950 and as a first-team All-American at the same...
(Chicago Tribune 1st-team) - All-Conference: Lowell Perry (AP and UP), Tom Johnson (AP and UP), Roger ZatkoffRoger ZatkoffRoger Zatkoff is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1950 to 1952. He later played professional football for the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions ....
(UP) - Most Valuable Player: Don PetersonDon Peterson (American football)Donald W. "Jiggs" Peterson is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1948 to 1951 and was selected as the Most Valuable Player of the 1951 Michigan Wolverines football team...
- Meyer Morton Award: Merritt Greene
Coaching staff
- Head coach: Bennie OosterbaanBennie OosterbaanBenjamin Gaylord "Bennie" Oosterbaan was a three-time first team All-American football end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-time All-American basketball player for the basketball team and an All-Big Ten Conference baseball player for the baseball team...
- Assistant coaches: Jack BlottJack BlottJack Leonard Blott was an All-American football center and place kicker for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1922–1923. He was also a baseball catcher for the Wolverines from 1922–1924. After a two-game Major League Baseball career with the Cincinnati Reds in 1924, he worked as...
, George CeithamlGeorge CeithamlGeorge F. Ceithaml is a former American football quarterback and coach. He was the starting quarterback for Fritz Crisler's University of Michigan football teams in 1941 and 1942...
, Cliff KeenCliff KeenClifford Patrick Keen was an American coach who served as the head coach of the University of Michigan collegiate wrestling team from 1925 to 1970. He led the Michigan Wolverines to 13 Big Ten Conference championships, and coached 68 All-American wrestlers...
, Ernest McCoy, Bill OrwigBill OrwigJames Wilfred "Bill" Orwig was a basketball and American football player at the University of Michigan. He later served as the athletic director at the University of Toledo, University of Nebraska, and Indiana University....
, Don Robinson, Walter WeberWally WeberWalter J. Weber was an American football player and coach at the University of Michigan. He played halfback and fullback for the Wolverines in 1925 and 1926 on the same teams as Benny Friedman and Bennie Oosterbaan. He later became an assistant football coach at Michigan for 28 years from 1931 to...
, J. T. WhiteJ. T. WhiteJohn T. "J.T." White was a college football assistant coach, and a second-team 1947 College Football All-American center who played for national championship teams at both the University of Michigan and Ohio State University. White also played basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes men's... - Trainer: Jim Hunt
- Manager: Leon Stock