2006 Michigan Wolverines football team
Encyclopedia
The 2006 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan
in the 2006 college football season. The team's head football coach was Lloyd Carr
. The Wolverines came into the season with lower expectations than many Michigan teams of the previous few seasons, ranked #14. They won their first 11 games and rose to #2 in the national rankings before losing a close battle in Columbus
to top-ranked Ohio State
. Michigan concluded their schedule in the Rose Bowl against the USC Trojans
. The game was tied 3–3 at half time, but USC pulled away in the second half, handing Michigan their second loss of the season. The 2006 Michigan Wolverines finished the season with a record of 11–2, ranked #8 in the nation, and tied for second in the Big Ten Conference
with Wisconsin
, who they defeated, 27–13, early that season. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium
.
and Jim Herrmann
. Ron English was promoted from secondary coach to defensive coordinator and Mike DeBord
from special teams coach to offensive coordinator, while Steve Szabo and Ron Lee were hired as assistant coaches.
Between the new coaching staff and many returning starters, the Wolverines, led by third year starting quarterback Chad Henne
, expected to compete for the Big Ten
title and associated BCS bowl
bid. The voters of the coaches' poll
and AP poll
also expected improvement, respectively ranking Michigan #15 and #14.
True sophomore Antonio Bass suffered a career ending knee injury in fall practice. Bass was expected to play wide receiver and occasionally quarterback. Projected starting right tackle Mike Kolodziej's career was cut short due to injury just before the season due to unknown medical problems.
to 171 total yards of offense (129 passing, 42 rushing). Star junior running back Mike Hart ran for 146 yards on 31 carries to kick off the 2006 season. Defensive coordinator Ron English's squad proved to be considerably more aggressive than recent Wolverine defenses, collecting six sacks and forcing two turnovers (both via lost fumbles). Michigan's offense was led by a strong rushing attack, which unveiled a new scheme using zone blocking
. Behind this zone blocking scheme, the Wolverines rushed for 246 yards on the day and averaged 4.8 yards per carry. Michigan scored on their first drive of the game, as Hart busted off several big runs, and true sophomore running back Kevin Grady
finished it off with a 19-yard touchdown run. Later in the first, Michigan thought they had a touchdown pass from junior quarterback Chad Henne
to true sophomore receiver Mario Manningham
. But after reviewing the play, it was ruled that Manningham dropped the ball, and Michigan settled for a 33-yard field-goal by senior kicker Garrett Rivas
. In the second quarter, Vanderbilt caught the Wolverines by surprise, as sophomore receiver Earl Bennett
completed a halfback toss pass to wide open senior receiver Marlon White for a 30-yard touchdown. Bennett, led the Commodores on the day with 6 catches for 58 yards). On U-M's ensuing drive, Henne hit senior wide receiver Steve Breaston
on a short hook route, and Breaston proceeded to make a phenomenal run after the catch, juking out several Commodores before finally being shoved out of bounds. The play went for 29 yards, and it set up a 48-yard field-goal by Rivas. At halftime, it was 13–7 Wolverines. The third quarter was sluggish for both teams, but with 2:29 to go, Henne found senior tight end Tyler Ecker in the back of the end zone for a 14 yard touchdown pass. Ecker made a leaping catch with his arms stretched out in the air, and he managed to haul it down with one foot in the end zone. Vanderbilt wasn't out of it yet, and they advanced to the Michigan 27 yard-line with under 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, and a great chance to cut its deficit to one score. However, a 4th down and 5 pass on that drive fell incomplete. Michigan put the game away for good with 2:11 left, as Manningham redeemed himself with a 27-yard bomb of a touchdown catch on 3rd and 10, setting the final score at 27–7. Michigan's defense was vicious all day, as they held Vanderbilt to 1.6 yards per carry. Senior defensive end Rondell Biggs led the Michigan defense with 6 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. Grady finished with 5 carries for 30 yards and one touchdown, Manningham had 3 catches for 44 yards and one touchdown, and Breaston led Michigan with 4 catches for 68 yards. Sophomore Quarterback Chris Nickson was Vanderbilt's leading passer and rusher, but he only completed 11 of 25 passes for 99 yards, and he was held to 16 carries for 22 yards on the ground.
history, Michigan kept it on the ground against the Chippewas
, rushing 50 times against only 21 pass attempts. The Wolverines running game once again dominated, rushing for 252 yards and averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Their defense was also relentless, holding the Mid-American Conference champions dangerous spread offense to 204 total offensive yards (188 passing and a measly 16 yards rushing).
The game started off with a bad omen for Michigan, as Hart fumbled on the games first play—his first fumble since the 2004 game against Iowa. Hart had gone over 700 touches without fumbling, but luckily for Michigan, Manningham recovered the fumble, and Hart scored a 5 yard touchdown run on that opening drive. It was Hart's first touchdown-running or receiving-since midway through the 2005 season, when he scored a third quarter touchdown run in a 27–25 win over Penn State. Hart had gone six straight games without scoring a touchdown. The Chippewas marched to the U-M 14 yard line directly following Hart's touchdown run, but All-American senior defensive end LaMarr Woodley sacked sensational redshirt freshmen quarterback Dan LeFevour
and caused a fumble, which he recovered. Hart added another touchdown run with 1:28 to go in the first quarter, this time from 18 yards out. CMU fumbled and turned the ball over again following Hart's second TD, and the fumble was once again recovered by Woodley. The Wolverines converted that turnover into a 21–0 lead, as Grady crashed in from three yards out with 12:24 left in the second quarter. On the drive following Grady's touchdown, CMU got on the scoreboard, with LeFevour finding junior receiver Justin Gardner for a 38 yard touchdown strike. The two teams then exchanged field-goals, and it was 24–10 Michigan at halftime. The Chippweas got the ball to start the third quarter, and they advanced to the Michigan 34 yard line, but a LeFevour pass on 4th and 7 fell incomplete, and the Wolverines all but put the game away on the ensuing possession. Breaston made a brilliant 26 yard run on a wide receiver reverse, and Hart finished off the drive with a 2 yard touchdown run-his third score of the day. Rivas added his second field goal of the day with 1:22 remaining to give Michigan a 34–10 lead going into the fourth quarter. With 11:41 left in the game, junior outside linebacker Max Pollack intercepted a bad pass by LeFevour and returned it 12 yards for a touchdown and a 41-10 lead. Pollack was merely a subtitution at OLB, and he also was only a walkon. At this point, Michigan had all their backups on the field, and CMU scored one more touchdown: a 3 yard pass from LeFevour to senior receiver Damien Linson.
Hart finished with 19 carries for 116 yards and 3 touchdowns. Grady added 12 carries for 46 yards and 1 touchdown. Breaston had 6 touches for 109 all purpose yards, and All-American senior middle linebacker David Harris
led the Wolverines with 6 tackles. Aside from his 2 touchdown passes, LeFevour had a rough day, completing only 17-36 passes for 153 yards and the interception that was returned for a touchdown. He was also sacked 4 times, and as a result had 8 carries for -21 yards. Linson led the CMU receiving unit with 6 catches for 87 yards and one touchdown, while Gardner added 3 catches for 54 yards and one touchdown. The CMU running game was abominable, averaging only 0.8 yards per carry. Sophomore Ontario Sneed led the way with 11 carries for 33 yards, but almost all those yards came off a 25 yard run. Otherwise, Michigan limited him to only 10 carries for 8 yards.
of Notre Dame in South Bend, 47–21. Using a combination of an aggressive defense, a vertical passing combination of Chad Henne to Mario Manningham
, and ball control running by Mike Hart, the Wolverines intercepted Irish quarterback Brady Quinn
three times and completely frustrated the Irish. Irish running back Darius Walker
ran for just 25 yards on ten carries. Henne, although intercepted once, was 13 for 22 and completed three touchdown passes to Manningham, who had four receptions for 137 yards. Steve Breaston
provided most of the remainder of the passing attack with six catches for 42 yards. Hart had a touchdown and 124 yards rushing. Defenders LaMarr Woodley and Prescott Burgess
had long returns for touchdowns on Irish turnovers. The final score was 47–21 in a break-out game for the Wolverines. The Wolverines gave Coach Lloyd Carr a Gatorade bath after the huge victory which boosted them in the rankings and put them in contention for a national title.
was unranked. The game marked the Big Ten opener for both teams. Wisconsin came into the game averaging nearly 200 yards rushing per game, but Michigan entered the game ranked number 1 in the nation in rushing defense, allowing only 21 yards per game. The Wolverine defense won this matchup, holding Wisconsin to just 12 rushing yards and 3 second half points. Mario Manningham caught seven passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns, giving him five in the past two weeks. Adrian Arrington had his best game to date, catching four passes for 79 yards.
after losing it to the Gophers
in 2005. This marked the first season since 1999 that Michigan made it through the month of September undefeated. The offense came out hot, scoring 21 points in the first half. Hart rushed for a season-high 195 yards on 31 carries, and Henne had another efficient game, completing 17 of 24 passes for 284 yards. Manningham had his third straight 100 yard game, while Arrington continued his emergence as Michigan's #2 receiver, scoring the first two touchdowns of the game. David Harris led the defense with nine tackles.
suffered its third straight loss of the season as Michigan retained the Paul Bunyan Trophy
for the fifth straight year. It was a mistake-filled game for the Spartans, who committed 11 penalties for a total loss of 87 yards. The Wolverines dominated the ground game on both sides of the ball, allowing 60 yards rushing on defense and gaining 211 yards on offense. Hart shared carries with both Kevin Grady and Brandon Minor, and the latter, a true freshman, broke a 40 yard run for the first touchdown of his career. Henne only attempted 17 passes, but three of them went for touchdowns, one to Arrington and the other two to Manningham. Leon Hall
and Jamar Adams both intercepted passes from Drew Stanton
, and Burgess had eight tackles, including the Wolverines' only sack of the afternoon.
to -14 net rushing yards. On a third-quarter pass play, Alan Branch
knocked Penn State's quarterback Anthony Morelli
out of the game with a concussion; Penn State's backup quarterback Daryl Clark was later injured on a rushing attempt. Third-string quarterback Paul Cianciolo managed to throw the Nittany Lions' only touchdown pass of the game. The game was a homecoming for Pennsylvania native Henne, who played the only game of his career at Penn State. With Manningham not playing due to a knee injury suffered against Michigan State, Arrington and Breaston caught the bulk of Henne's passes, each collecting five receptions. Hart picked up his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season and scored the winning touchdown.
gave Michigan one of its toughest contests of the year, staying within a touchdown well into the fourth quarter. After getting held to only 27 yards in the first half, Hart rushed for 99 in the second and scored the only two touchdowns of the game. Henne spread the ball out amongst his receivers with Manningham out, including Arrington, Breaston, and true freshman Greg Mathews. Arrington again was the Wolverines' leading receiver; the Iowa native caught eight passes for 79 yards. Offensive linemen Rueben Riley was injured in the second half, but was ably replaced by Justin Boren in the first meaningful time of the true freshman's career. Shawn Crable led the defense with three sacks on Iowa's senior quarterback Drew Tate
. Woodley also picked up two sacks, bringing his total on the year to nine, good for fourth in the nation.
, throwing the ball only 20 times against 46 rushes. Northwestern, one week after losing to Michigan State in the largest comeback in Division I FBS history, turned the ball over five times to Michigan and were held to -13 yards on the ground. Hart led the offense with 95 yards, and in relief senior Jerome Jackson saw his first significant action of the season, gaining 59 yards on nine attempts. The defense had contributors from all positions: Defensive backs Hall and Willis Barringer each had interceptions, linebacker Harris had both a sack and an interception, and lineman Woodley had two sacks, forcing and recovering a fumble on one.
, coached by future Michigan head coach Brady Hoke
, with Hart fumbling out of the Michigan end zone for a safety and Henne throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown to give Ball State an early 9–7 lead. The Wolverines subsequently controlled the second and third quarters to build a 31–12 lead and seemed well in control of the game. However, the Michigan second-string defenders struggled to stop the Cardinal offense, and the first-string defense was forced to return late in the game to stave off a final Ball State drive. For the first time since its 2003 game against Houston, Michigan had a pair of 100-yard rushers: Hart with 154 on 25 carries, and Minor with 108 on 12 carries. Each scored a touchdown, as did Jackson, who gained 68 yards on six carries.
The Ball State game was notable for two other reasons: First, it was the 200th consecutive game with at least 100,000 people in attendance at Michigan Stadium
. In addition, actor Patrick Stewart
directed the Michigan Marching Band
during their halftime performance in a salute to old-time television shows. Stewart was part of the Royal Shakespeare Company
's fall 2006 residency at the University of Michigan, and directed the band to the theme from Star Trek
. Upon being asked if he had any advice for the Wolverines for their upcoming Ohio State game, Stewart replied, "Boldly go and beat the Buckeyes. Make it so, number one!"
and a touchdown run by Mike Hart. Steve Breaston
also had a big game with a 62 yard touchdown reception and an 83 yard punt return for a touchdown. Indiana allowed five sacks, and Michigan cornerback Leon Hall
broke the school record for most deflected passes in a career. Michigan won 34–3.
, the esteemed former coach of the Michigan Wolverines football program, died at the age of 77. He collapsed prior to taping his weekly college football preview show. His death came the day before one of the biggest games in the history of the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry
: the two teams both brought undefeated records to the game for the first time since 1973, and met as the #1- and #2-ranked teams for the first time in the 103-game history of the series.
In the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes
, second-ranked Michigan received the ball to start the game and promptly scored a touchdown on a run by Mike Hart, the first of three he would score in the game. However, top-ranked Ohio State answered with a touchdown on its own initial drive, and dominated the rest of the half to take a 28–14 lead into intermission. Michigan scored on its first two possessions of the second half to close the deficit to four points, but could not wrest away the lead. The two teams exchanged touchdowns for the remainder, with each scoring twice; the Wolverines converted a two-point attempt to make the score 42–39 with less than three minutes remaining. A subsequent onside kick by the Wolverines was unsuccessful, and the Buckeyes came away with the victory. This game was significant in the BCS Bowl Line-up, as rather than being matched with the Buckeyes in the championship game, the Wolverines were matched in the Rose Bowl a record seventh time with the USC Trojans.
in the Rose Bowl Game
on January 1, 2007. They battled against a USC team many thought should have been in the National Title Game. The game was tied 3–3 at the half but the high powered USC offense came out in the second half, giving USC the 32–18 victory.
s for conference games (3.3 sacks per game) and all games (3.3 sacks per game).
Garrett Rivas
set the current Michigan Wolverines football
records for career scoring (354), surpassing Anthony Thomas
' 2000 record (336), field goals (64), surpassing Remy Hamilton
's 1996 record (63), and point after touchdowns (162), surpassing J. D. Carlson's 1991 record (137). He has also tied Mike Gillette's 1988 record of 13 career 40-yard field goals.
Key returning starters for the offense included quarterback Chad Henne
, running back Mike Hart, and wide receiver and kick returner Steve Breaston
. Henne and Hart, who both started in 2004 as true freshmen, looked to rebound from their 2005 sophomore slump
s. Hart, Breaston, and captain Jake Long
all missed significant time due to injury in 2005.
On defense, captains LaMarr Woodley, David Harris
and Leon Hall
respectively anchored the defensive line, linebacking corps and defensive secondary. Woodley and Hall were four-year starters.
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 2006 college football season. The team's head football coach was Lloyd Carr
Lloyd Carr
Lloyd H. Carr is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Michigan from 1995 through the 2007 season. Under Carr, the Wolverines compiled a record of 122–40 and won or shared five Big Ten Conference titles...
. The Wolverines came into the season with lower expectations than many Michigan teams of the previous few seasons, ranked #14. They won their first 11 games and rose to #2 in the national rankings before losing a close battle in Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
to top-ranked Ohio State
2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team representing the Ohio State University in the college football season of 2006-2007. The team's head coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium...
. Michigan concluded their schedule in the Rose Bowl against the USC Trojans
2006 USC Trojans football team
The 2006 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in college football season of 2006-2007, winning the Pacific-10 Conference and playing in the Rose Bowl...
. The game was tied 3–3 at half time, but USC pulled away in the second half, handing Michigan their second loss of the season. The 2006 Michigan Wolverines finished the season with a record of 11–2, ranked #8 in the nation, and tied for second in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
with Wisconsin
2006 Wisconsin Badgers football team
The 2006 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by first-year head coach Bret Bielema, the Badgers completed the season with a 12-1 record, including a 7-1 mark in the Big Ten Conference, good for a...
, who they defeated, 27–13, early that season. 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
Preseason
The 2005 offseason saw a coaching shakeup, prompted by the departure of coordinators Terry MaloneTerry Malone
Terry Malone is the current tight ends coach for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. Prior to the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season, Malone had been the offensive coordinator for the Michigan Wolverines football team...
and Jim Herrmann
Jim Herrmann
Jim Herrmann is an American football coach. He is currently the linebackers coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League.-College coaching career:...
. Ron English was promoted from secondary coach to defensive coordinator and Mike DeBord
Mike DeBord
-External links:*...
from special teams coach to offensive coordinator, while Steve Szabo and Ron Lee were hired as assistant coaches.
Between the new coaching staff and many returning starters, the Wolverines, led by third year starting quarterback Chad Henne
Chad Henne
Chad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
, expected to compete for the Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
title and associated BCS bowl
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
bid. The voters of the coaches' poll
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
and AP poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
also expected improvement, respectively ranking Michigan #15 and #14.
True sophomore Antonio Bass suffered a career ending knee injury in fall practice. Bass was expected to play wide receiver and occasionally quarterback. Projected starting right tackle Mike Kolodziej's career was cut short due to injury just before the season due to unknown medical problems.
Vanderbilt
Michigan's defense held the CommodoresVanderbilt Commodores
The Vanderbilt Commodores are the NCAA athletic teams of Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville, Tennessee. The university fields 16 varsity teams , 14 of which compete in the Southeastern Conference...
to 171 total yards of offense (129 passing, 42 rushing). Star junior running back Mike Hart ran for 146 yards on 31 carries to kick off the 2006 season. Defensive coordinator Ron English's squad proved to be considerably more aggressive than recent Wolverine defenses, collecting six sacks and forcing two turnovers (both via lost fumbles). Michigan's offense was led by a strong rushing attack, which unveiled a new scheme using zone blocking
Zone blocking
Zone blocking is a technique in American football that is a simple and effective scheme for creating lanes for running plays.In a zone blocking scheme, fleet-footedness and athletic ability trump size as desirable qualities in offensive linemen...
. Behind this zone blocking scheme, the Wolverines rushed for 246 yards on the day and averaged 4.8 yards per carry. Michigan scored on their first drive of the game, as Hart busted off several big runs, and true sophomore running back Kevin Grady
Kevin Grady
-College career:Although football players had been enrolling early at Bowl Championship Series programs for several years, Grady was the first University of Michigan football player to do so. In subsequent years several other players followed his lead, including Justin Boren and Carlos Brown the...
finished it off with a 19-yard touchdown run. Later in the first, Michigan thought they had a touchdown pass from junior quarterback Chad Henne
Chad Henne
Chad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
to true sophomore receiver Mario Manningham
Mario Manningham
Mario Cashmere Manningham is an American football wide receiver for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Giants in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
. But after reviewing the play, it was ruled that Manningham dropped the ball, and Michigan settled for a 33-yard field-goal by senior kicker Garrett Rivas
Garrett Rivas
-College career:As a freshman for the 2003 Wolverines, he was the regular kicker for the team from the start, making four point after touchdowns in the first game of the season...
. In the second quarter, Vanderbilt caught the Wolverines by surprise, as sophomore receiver Earl Bennett
Earl Bennett
Earl Bennett is an American football wide receiver for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bears in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
completed a halfback toss pass to wide open senior receiver Marlon White for a 30-yard touchdown. Bennett, led the Commodores on the day with 6 catches for 58 yards). On U-M's ensuing drive, Henne hit senior wide receiver Steve Breaston
Steve Breaston
Steven William Breaston is an American football wide receiver and punt returner for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
on a short hook route, and Breaston proceeded to make a phenomenal run after the catch, juking out several Commodores before finally being shoved out of bounds. The play went for 29 yards, and it set up a 48-yard field-goal by Rivas. At halftime, it was 13–7 Wolverines. The third quarter was sluggish for both teams, but with 2:29 to go, Henne found senior tight end Tyler Ecker in the back of the end zone for a 14 yard touchdown pass. Ecker made a leaping catch with his arms stretched out in the air, and he managed to haul it down with one foot in the end zone. Vanderbilt wasn't out of it yet, and they advanced to the Michigan 27 yard-line with under 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, and a great chance to cut its deficit to one score. However, a 4th down and 5 pass on that drive fell incomplete. Michigan put the game away for good with 2:11 left, as Manningham redeemed himself with a 27-yard bomb of a touchdown catch on 3rd and 10, setting the final score at 27–7. Michigan's defense was vicious all day, as they held Vanderbilt to 1.6 yards per carry. Senior defensive end Rondell Biggs led the Michigan defense with 6 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. Grady finished with 5 carries for 30 yards and one touchdown, Manningham had 3 catches for 44 yards and one touchdown, and Breaston led Michigan with 4 catches for 68 yards. Sophomore Quarterback Chris Nickson was Vanderbilt's leading passer and rusher, but he only completed 11 of 25 passes for 99 yards, and he was held to 16 carries for 22 yards on the ground.
Central Michigan
In a game interrupted by the first weather delay in Michigan StadiumMichigan 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...
history, Michigan kept it on the ground against the Chippewas
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
, rushing 50 times against only 21 pass attempts. The Wolverines running game once again dominated, rushing for 252 yards and averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Their defense was also relentless, holding the Mid-American Conference champions dangerous spread offense to 204 total offensive yards (188 passing and a measly 16 yards rushing).
The game started off with a bad omen for Michigan, as Hart fumbled on the games first play—his first fumble since the 2004 game against Iowa. Hart had gone over 700 touches without fumbling, but luckily for Michigan, Manningham recovered the fumble, and Hart scored a 5 yard touchdown run on that opening drive. It was Hart's first touchdown-running or receiving-since midway through the 2005 season, when he scored a third quarter touchdown run in a 27–25 win over Penn State. Hart had gone six straight games without scoring a touchdown. The Chippewas marched to the U-M 14 yard line directly following Hart's touchdown run, but All-American senior defensive end LaMarr Woodley sacked sensational redshirt freshmen quarterback Dan LeFevour
Dan LeFevour
Dan LeFevour is an American football quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Central Michigan University...
and caused a fumble, which he recovered. Hart added another touchdown run with 1:28 to go in the first quarter, this time from 18 yards out. CMU fumbled and turned the ball over again following Hart's second TD, and the fumble was once again recovered by Woodley. The Wolverines converted that turnover into a 21–0 lead, as Grady crashed in from three yards out with 12:24 left in the second quarter. On the drive following Grady's touchdown, CMU got on the scoreboard, with LeFevour finding junior receiver Justin Gardner for a 38 yard touchdown strike. The two teams then exchanged field-goals, and it was 24–10 Michigan at halftime. The Chippweas got the ball to start the third quarter, and they advanced to the Michigan 34 yard line, but a LeFevour pass on 4th and 7 fell incomplete, and the Wolverines all but put the game away on the ensuing possession. Breaston made a brilliant 26 yard run on a wide receiver reverse, and Hart finished off the drive with a 2 yard touchdown run-his third score of the day. Rivas added his second field goal of the day with 1:22 remaining to give Michigan a 34–10 lead going into the fourth quarter. With 11:41 left in the game, junior outside linebacker Max Pollack intercepted a bad pass by LeFevour and returned it 12 yards for a touchdown and a 41-10 lead. Pollack was merely a subtitution at OLB, and he also was only a walkon. At this point, Michigan had all their backups on the field, and CMU scored one more touchdown: a 3 yard pass from LeFevour to senior receiver Damien Linson.
Hart finished with 19 carries for 116 yards and 3 touchdowns. Grady added 12 carries for 46 yards and 1 touchdown. Breaston had 6 touches for 109 all purpose yards, and All-American senior middle linebacker David Harris
David Harris (American football)
-2007 NFL Draft:Harris was projected to go anywhere from the late-second round to the fourth round prior to the 2007 NFL Draft. However, he impressed scouts when he ran a 4.59 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine...
led the Wolverines with 6 tackles. Aside from his 2 touchdown passes, LeFevour had a rough day, completing only 17-36 passes for 153 yards and the interception that was returned for a touchdown. He was also sacked 4 times, and as a result had 8 carries for -21 yards. Linson led the CMU receiving unit with 6 catches for 87 yards and one touchdown, while Gardner added 3 catches for 54 yards and one touchdown. The CMU running game was abominable, averaging only 0.8 yards per carry. Sophomore Ontario Sneed led the way with 11 carries for 33 yards, but almost all those yards came off a 25 yard run. Otherwise, Michigan limited him to only 10 carries for 8 yards.
Notre Dame
In a nationally-televised game, Michigan routed the 2nd-ranked Fighting IrishNotre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
of Notre Dame in South Bend, 47–21. Using a combination of an aggressive defense, a vertical passing combination of Chad Henne to Mario Manningham
Mario Manningham
Mario Cashmere Manningham is an American football wide receiver for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Giants in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
, and ball control running by Mike Hart, the Wolverines intercepted Irish quarterback Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
three times and completely frustrated the Irish. Irish running back Darius Walker
Darius Walker
Darius A'Dunte Walker is an American football running back who is a free agent in the National Football League. He was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Notre Dame.Walker has also been a member of the St...
ran for just 25 yards on ten carries. Henne, although intercepted once, was 13 for 22 and completed three touchdown passes to Manningham, who had four receptions for 137 yards. Steve Breaston
Steve Breaston
Steven William Breaston is an American football wide receiver and punt returner for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
provided most of the remainder of the passing attack with six catches for 42 yards. Hart had a touchdown and 124 yards rushing. Defenders LaMarr Woodley and Prescott Burgess
Prescott Burgess
Prescott Ennis Burgess is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He has had three stints with the team. He played college football at Michigan.Burgess has also played for the...
had long returns for touchdowns on Irish turnovers. The final score was 47–21 in a break-out game for the Wolverines. The Wolverines gave Coach Lloyd Carr a Gatorade bath after the huge victory which boosted them in the rankings and put them in contention for a national title.
Wisconsin
Michigan entered the game ranked sixth nationally in the AP poll, while WisconsinWisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
was unranked. The game marked the Big Ten opener for both teams. Wisconsin came into the game averaging nearly 200 yards rushing per game, but Michigan entered the game ranked number 1 in the nation in rushing defense, allowing only 21 yards per game. The Wolverine defense won this matchup, holding Wisconsin to just 12 rushing yards and 3 second half points. Mario Manningham caught seven passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns, giving him five in the past two weeks. Adrian Arrington had his best game to date, catching four passes for 79 yards.
Minnesota
The Wolverines won their third straight revenge game, reclaiming the Little Brown JugLittle Brown Jug (football)
The Little Brown Jug is an earthenware jug that serves as a trophy awarded to the winner of the American college football rivalry game played annually by the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team of the university of Minnesota and the Michigan Wolverines football team of the University of Michigan...
after losing it to the Gophers
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
in 2005. This marked the first season since 1999 that Michigan made it through the month of September undefeated. The offense came out hot, scoring 21 points in the first half. Hart rushed for a season-high 195 yards on 31 carries, and Henne had another efficient game, completing 17 of 24 passes for 284 yards. Manningham had his third straight 100 yard game, while Arrington continued his emergence as Michigan's #2 receiver, scoring the first two touchdowns of the game. David Harris led the defense with nine tackles.
Michigan State
Michigan StateMichigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
suffered its third straight loss of the season as Michigan retained the Paul Bunyan Trophy
Paul Bunyan Trophy
The Paul Bunyan–Governor of Michigan Trophy is a college rivalry trophy awarded to the winner of the annual American football game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Michigan Wolverines. The winner retains possession of the trophy until the next year's game...
for the fifth straight year. It was a mistake-filled game for the Spartans, who committed 11 penalties for a total loss of 87 yards. The Wolverines dominated the ground game on both sides of the ball, allowing 60 yards rushing on defense and gaining 211 yards on offense. Hart shared carries with both Kevin Grady and Brandon Minor, and the latter, a true freshman, broke a 40 yard run for the first touchdown of his career. Henne only attempted 17 passes, but three of them went for touchdowns, one to Arrington and the other two to Manningham. Leon Hall
Leon Hall
Leon Lastarza Hall is an American football defensive back who plays for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at the University of Michigan. Hall was drafted by the Bengals with the 18th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft...
and Jamar Adams both intercepted passes from Drew Stanton
Drew Stanton
Drew Emeric Stanton is a quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He played collegiately for the Michigan State Spartans.-Early life:...
, and Burgess had eight tackles, including the Wolverines' only sack of the afternoon.
Penn State
Michigan's defensive front seven was the story of the game, collecting seven sacks and holding the Nittany LionsPenn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
to -14 net rushing yards. On a third-quarter pass play, Alan Branch
Alan Branch
Alan Keith Branch is an American football defensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks. He attended the University of Michigan.-Early years:...
knocked Penn State's quarterback Anthony Morelli
Anthony Morelli
Anthony Michael Morelli is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
out of the game with a concussion; Penn State's backup quarterback Daryl Clark was later injured on a rushing attempt. Third-string quarterback Paul Cianciolo managed to throw the Nittany Lions' only touchdown pass of the game. The game was a homecoming for Pennsylvania native Henne, who played the only game of his career at Penn State. With Manningham not playing due to a knee injury suffered against Michigan State, Arrington and Breaston caught the bulk of Henne's passes, each collecting five receptions. Hart picked up his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season and scored the winning touchdown.
Iowa
The HawkeyesIowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
gave Michigan one of its toughest contests of the year, staying within a touchdown well into the fourth quarter. After getting held to only 27 yards in the first half, Hart rushed for 99 in the second and scored the only two touchdowns of the game. Henne spread the ball out amongst his receivers with Manningham out, including Arrington, Breaston, and true freshman Greg Mathews. Arrington again was the Wolverines' leading receiver; the Iowa native caught eight passes for 79 yards. Offensive linemen Rueben Riley was injured in the second half, but was ably replaced by Justin Boren in the first meaningful time of the true freshman's career. Shawn Crable led the defense with three sacks on Iowa's senior quarterback Drew Tate
Drew Tate
Drew Tate is a professional American and Canadian football quarterback for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Iowa....
. Woodley also picked up two sacks, bringing his total on the year to nine, good for fourth in the nation.
Northwestern
On a cold, windy day, with Manningham still out, Michigan stuck with a conservative game plan against the WildcatsNorthwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
, throwing the ball only 20 times against 46 rushes. Northwestern, one week after losing to Michigan State in the largest comeback in Division I FBS history, turned the ball over five times to Michigan and were held to -13 yards on the ground. Hart led the offense with 95 yards, and in relief senior Jerome Jackson saw his first significant action of the season, gaining 59 yards on nine attempts. The defense had contributors from all positions: Defensive backs Hall and Willis Barringer each had interceptions, linebacker Harris had both a sack and an interception, and lineman Woodley had two sacks, forcing and recovering a fumble on one.
Ball State
A game that Michigan was expected to win big — and in which it once held a big lead — turned into a surprisingly close affair. The Wolverines' offense uncharacteristically gave up a quick nine points to the CardinalsBall State Cardinals football
The Ball State Cardinals football team represents Ball State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Mid-American Conference .-Recent history:...
, coached by future Michigan head coach Brady Hoke
Brady Hoke
Brady Hoke is the head football coach at the University of Michigan. He is in his first season. He grew up in Ohio and attended Ball State University where he played linebacker from 1977 to 1980...
, with Hart fumbling out of the Michigan end zone for a safety and Henne throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown to give Ball State an early 9–7 lead. The Wolverines subsequently controlled the second and third quarters to build a 31–12 lead and seemed well in control of the game. However, the Michigan second-string defenders struggled to stop the Cardinal offense, and the first-string defense was forced to return late in the game to stave off a final Ball State drive. For the first time since its 2003 game against Houston, Michigan had a pair of 100-yard rushers: Hart with 154 on 25 carries, and Minor with 108 on 12 carries. Each scored a touchdown, as did Jackson, who gained 68 yards on six carries.
The Ball State game was notable for two other reasons: First, it was the 200th consecutive game with at least 100,000 people in attendance 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...
. In addition, actor Patrick Stewart
Patrick Stewart
Sir Patrick Hewes Stewart, OBE is an English film, television and stage actor, who has had a distinguished career in theatre and television for around half a century...
directed the Michigan Marching Band
Michigan Marching Band
The Michigan Marching Band is the University of Michigan's marching band.-History:In 1896 the MMB was founded as a student organization and became a firm part of the Michigan tradition in 1898. Shortly after William D. Revelli became director he aligned the MMB with the School of Music which...
during their halftime performance in a salute to old-time television shows. Stewart was part of the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
's fall 2006 residency at the University of Michigan, and directed the band to the theme from Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
. Upon being asked if he had any advice for the Wolverines for their upcoming Ohio State game, Stewart replied, "Boldly go and beat the Buckeyes. Make it so, number one!"
Indiana
Michigan jumped to an early lead with a touchdown pass to Adrian ArringtonAdrian Arrington
Adrian Jarrard Arrington is an American football wide receiver who is currently a wide receiver of the New Orleans Saints. He was drafted by the Saints in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft and called up from the team's practice squad before Week 17 of the 2010 NFL season...
and a touchdown run by Mike Hart. Steve Breaston
Steve Breaston
Steven William Breaston is an American football wide receiver and punt returner for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
also had a big game with a 62 yard touchdown reception and an 83 yard punt return for a touchdown. Indiana allowed five sacks, and Michigan cornerback Leon Hall
Leon Hall
Leon Lastarza Hall is an American football defensive back who plays for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at the University of Michigan. Hall was drafted by the Bengals with the 18th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft...
broke the school record for most deflected passes in a career. Michigan won 34–3.
Ohio State
On November 17, 2006, Bo SchembechlerBo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
, the esteemed former coach of the Michigan Wolverines football program, died at the age of 77. He collapsed prior to taping his weekly college football preview show. His death came the day before one of the biggest games in the history of the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry
Michigan-Ohio State rivalry
The Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry, also known as The Game, is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Wolverines of the University of Michigan and the Buckeyes of The Ohio State University...
: the two teams both brought undefeated records to the game for the first time since 1973, and met as the #1- and #2-ranked teams for the first time in the 103-game history of the series.
In the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes
2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team representing the Ohio State University in the college football season of 2006-2007. The team's head coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium...
, second-ranked Michigan received the ball to start the game and promptly scored a touchdown on a run by Mike Hart, the first of three he would score in the game. However, top-ranked Ohio State answered with a touchdown on its own initial drive, and dominated the rest of the half to take a 28–14 lead into intermission. Michigan scored on its first two possessions of the second half to close the deficit to four points, but could not wrest away the lead. The two teams exchanged touchdowns for the remainder, with each scoring twice; the Wolverines converted a two-point attempt to make the score 42–39 with less than three minutes remaining. A subsequent onside kick by the Wolverines was unsuccessful, and the Buckeyes came away with the victory. This game was significant in the BCS Bowl Line-up, as rather than being matched with the Buckeyes in the championship game, the Wolverines were matched in the Rose Bowl a record seventh time with the USC Trojans.
USC (Rose Bowl)
Michigan lost to the USC TrojansUSC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
in the Rose Bowl Game
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
on January 1, 2007. They battled against a USC team many thought should have been in the National Title Game. The game was tied 3–3 at the half but the high powered USC offense came out in the second half, giving USC the 32–18 victory.
Statistical achievements
The team earned the Big Ten rushing defense statistical championships for all games by holding opponents to 43.4 yards per game. The team also earned the Big Ten rushing defense statistical championships for conference games by holding opponents to 50.9 yards per game. They were the conference leaders in quarterback sackQuarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s for conference games (3.3 sacks per game) and all games (3.3 sacks per game).
Garrett Rivas
Garrett Rivas
-College career:As a freshman for the 2003 Wolverines, he was the regular kicker for the team from the start, making four point after touchdowns in the first game of the season...
set the current Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
records for career scoring (354), surpassing Anthony Thomas
Anthony Thomas (American football)
Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
' 2000 record (336), field goals (64), surpassing Remy Hamilton
Remy Hamilton
Remy Martin Hamilton is an American football kicker who played in the National Football League and Arena Football League . In college, he was an All-American for the Michigan Wolverines football team. As a professional, he played for the Detroit Lions of the NFL in addition to exhibition and...
's 1996 record (63), and point after touchdowns (162), surpassing J. D. Carlson's 1991 record (137). He has also tied Mike Gillette's 1988 record of 13 career 40-yard field goals.
Players
Michigan returned 18 of 22 starters for 2006, one of the highest totals in the nation.Key returning starters for the offense included quarterback Chad Henne
Chad Henne
Chad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
, running back Mike Hart, and wide receiver and kick returner Steve Breaston
Steve Breaston
Steven William Breaston is an American football wide receiver and punt returner for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
. Henne and Hart, who both started in 2004 as true freshmen, looked to rebound from their 2005 sophomore slump
Sophomore slump
A sophomore slump or sophomore jinx refers to an instance in which a second, or sophomore, effort fails to live up to the standards of the first effort...
s. Hart, Breaston, and captain Jake Long
Jake Long
Jake Edward Long is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Dolphins first overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan...
all missed significant time due to injury in 2005.
On defense, captains LaMarr Woodley, David Harris
David Harris (American football)
-2007 NFL Draft:Harris was projected to go anywhere from the late-second round to the fourth round prior to the 2007 NFL Draft. However, he impressed scouts when he ran a 4.59 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine...
and Leon Hall
Leon Hall
Leon Lastarza Hall is an American football defensive back who plays for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at the University of Michigan. Hall was drafted by the Bengals with the 18th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft...
respectively anchored the defensive line, linebacking corps and defensive secondary. Woodley and Hall were four-year starters.
Depth chart
Roster
| (as of 10/15/2006) | ||||||
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Fullbacks
Wide Receivers
|
Tight Ends
Offensive Linemen
|
Defensive Ends
Defensive Tackles
Linebackers
|
Cornerbacks
Safeties
Kickers
Punters
Long Snappers
|
|||
Awards and honors
- Mark Bihl - Rimington Trophy finalist
- Alan BranchAlan BranchAlan Keith Branch is an American football defensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks. He attended the University of Michigan.-Early years:...
- Ted Hendricks AwardTed Hendricks AwardThe Ted Hendricks Award is given annually to college football's top defensive end. The award is named after Ted Hendricks, who is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is presented by his own 501 foundation, called the Ted Hendricks...
watchlist - Steve BreastonSteve BreastonSteven William Breaston is an American football wide receiver and punt returner for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
- Biletnikoff Award watchlist, Maxwell AwardMaxwell AwardThe Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
watchlist, Walter Camp AwardWalter Camp AwardThe Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football Player of the Year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A head coaches and sports information directors under the auspices of the Walter Camp Football Foundation;...
watchlist - Prescott BurgessPrescott BurgessPrescott Ennis Burgess is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He has had three stints with the team. He played college football at Michigan.Burgess has also played for the...
- Chuck Bednarik AwardChuck Bednarik AwardThe Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive collegiate football player adjudged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States...
watchlist - Lloyd CarrLloyd CarrLloyd H. Carr is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Michigan from 1995 through the 2007 season. Under Carr, the Wolverines compiled a record of 122–40 and won or shared five Big Ten Conference titles...
- George Munger Award semifinalist - Tyler EckerTyler EckerTyler Rand Ecker is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan.-Washington Redskins:...
- John Mackey AwardJohn Mackey AwardThe John Mackey Award is presented annually to college football's most outstanding tight end.The award is given to the collegiate tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, academics, and community values of NFL Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey....
watchlist - Leon HallLeon HallLeon Lastarza Hall is an American football defensive back who plays for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at the University of Michigan. Hall was drafted by the Bengals with the 18th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft...
- Bronko Nagurski TrophyBronko Nagurski TrophyThe Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America to be the best defensively in the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the award is presented by the Charlotte...
finalist, Jim Thorpe AwardJim Thorpe AwardThe Jim Thorpe Award, named in memory of multi-sport legend Jim Thorpe, has been awarded to the top defensive back in college football since 1986...
finalist, Lott TrophyLott TrophyThe Lott IMPACT Trophy is presented annually to the college football Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. IMPACT is an acronym for: integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community, and tenacity. The award purports to equally recognize the personal character of the winning player as well as...
quarterfinalist - David HarrisDavid Harris (American football)-2007 NFL Draft:Harris was projected to go anywhere from the late-second round to the fourth round prior to the 2007 NFL Draft. However, he impressed scouts when he ran a 4.59 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine...
- Dick Butkus AwardDick Butkus AwardThe Butkus Award, instituted in 1985, is given annually to the top linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of football...
semifinalist - Mike Hart - Doak Walker AwardDoak Walker AwardThe Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
finalist, Maxwell Award semifinalist, Walter Camp Award watchlist - Chad HenneChad HenneChad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
- Maxwell Award semifinalist, Walter Camp Award watchlist, Davey O'Brien AwardDavey O'Brien AwardThe Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
semifinalist, Manning AwardManning AwardThe Manning Award has been presented annually since 2004 to the collegiate American football quarterback adjudged by the Sugar Bowl Committee to be the best in the United States...
finalist - Jake LongJake LongJake Edward Long is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Dolphins first overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan...
- Outland TrophyOutland TrophyThe Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
watchlist - Mario ManninghamMario ManninghamMario Cashmere Manningham is an American football wide receiver for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Giants in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
- Biletnikoff Award semifinalist - Garrett RivasGarrett Rivas-College career:As a freshman for the 2003 Wolverines, he was the regular kicker for the team from the start, making four point after touchdowns in the first game of the season...
- Lou Groza AwardLou Groza AwardThe Lou Groza Award is presented annually to the top college football placekicker in the United States by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. The award is named after former Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland Browns player Lou Groza.-Winners:...
semifinalist - LaMarr Woodley - Lombardi AwardLombardi AwardThe Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
winner, Ted Hendricks Award winner, Chuck Bednarik Award finalist, Lott Trophy quarterfinalist, Outland Trophy watchlist, Bronko Nagurski Trophy watchlist
Coaching staff
- Lloyd CarrLloyd CarrLloyd H. Carr is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Michigan from 1995 through the 2007 season. Under Carr, the Wolverines compiled a record of 122–40 and won or shared five Big Ten Conference titles...
- Head Coach - 27 years at U-M - Mike DeBordMike DeBord-External links:*...
- Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends - 11 years - Ron EnglishRon English (American football)-External links:**...
- Defensive Coordinator/Safeties - 4 years - Erik Campbell - Wide Receivers/Assistant Head Coach - 12 years
- Fred JacksonFred Jackson (American football coach)Fred Jackson is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at the University of Michigan and is the longest tenured member of the Michigan Wolverines football coaching staff, having been with the program since 1992. Jackson has served on the staffs of...
- Running Backs/Associate Head Coach - 15 years - Scot Loeffler - Quarterbacks - 5 years
- Andy Moeller - Offensive Line - 7 years
- Steve Stripling - Defensive Line - 2 years
- Steve Szabo - Linebackers - 1 year
- Ron Lee - Cornerbacks - 1 year
External links
- 2006 Football Team -- Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan Athletics History
- 2006 Michigan at NCAA.org
- 2006 statistics at ESPN.comESPN.comESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...