John Wangler
Encyclopedia
John "Johnny" Wangler is a former American football
quarterback
. He played for the University of Michigan
from 1977 to 1980. During the 1979 and 1980 seasons, Wangler and Anthony Carter formed one of the most successful pass
ing combinations in Michigan Wolverines football
history. Wangler's game-ending touchdown
pass to Carter in the 1979 Indiana
game led Michigan's famed radio announcer, Bob Ufer
, to exclaim, "Johnny Wangler to Anthony Carter will be heard until another 100 years of Michigan football is played!" After suffering what appeared to be a career-ending knee injury in the 1979 Gator Bowl
, Wangler came back and led the 1980 Michigan Wolverines football team
to a Big Ten Conference
championship and its first victory in the Rose Bowl Game
since the 1964 season
. Upon completing his career at Michigan, Wangler ranked second all-time among Michigan quarterbacks in most career passing statistics, including passing yardage, touchdown passes, yards per completion and completion percentage.
in Royal Oak, Michigan
, where he starred in both football and basketball
. Wangler later recalled, "There is a great tradition and pride in putting on the Shrine basketball jersey. You represent the generations of players, teams and coaches every time you step on that court." In 2009, Wangler was one of the initial inductees into the Shrine High School Hall of Fame.
in 1976. As a true freshman, he was considered a contender to be the backup to Michigan's starting quarterback, Rick Leach. However, he appeared only briefly in three games in 1976, completing one of two passes for eight yards.
In 1977, Wangler made two brief appearances as a substitute for Leach. In a 63–20 victory over Northwestern
, Wangler threw only one pass, and it was good for 34 yards and a touchdown to Alan Mitchell.
Wangler missed the 1978 season due to a pinched nerve in his neck or shoulder.
Dickey started the season opener against Northwestern, but Wangler played in the second half. Wangler completed five of six passes for 67 yards. In the third quarter, Wangler connected with Anthony Carter for a 12-yard touchdown pass -- the first of many touchdown passes from Wangler to Carter during the 1979 and 1980 seasons.
Wangler also played as a substitute for Dickey in a 12–10 loss to Notre Dame
. Wangler replaced Dickey in the final two minutes of the game. He completed three passes for 29 yards and took the Wolverines from their own 42-yard line to the Notre Dame 20-yard line before Michigan running back, Stanley Edwards, was thrown for a five-yard loss. Michigan's attempt at a game-winning 42-yard field goal was blocked with one second left in the game.
After nearly leading a come-back against Notre Dame, Wangler was given the starting assignment against Kansas
. Wangler led the Wolverines to a 28-7 win as he completed 12 of 18 passes for 195 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown pass to Doug Marsh
.
The following week, Wangler played the entire game at quarterback in a 14–10 come-from-behind win against California
. He completed 9 of 21 passes for 210 yards, including a 58-yard pass to Doug Marsh. In its game coverage, the Associated Press
wrote that "John Wangler brought alive a sluggish Michigan offense."
Against Minnesota
in the sixth game, Wangler came into the game as a substitute for Dickey and completed three of five passes for 39 yards, including a one-yard touchdown pass to Lawrence Reid.
In Michigan's eighth game against an unranked Indiana
team, Wangler had his most replayed moment in a Michigan uniform. Dickey started the game, and Wangler entered the game as a substitute. The game was tied at 21–21 in the fourth quarter. With six seconds left on the clock, Michigan had the ball on the Indiana 45-yard line. Wangler dropped back to pass from his own 45-yard line, and his pass hit Anthony Carter at the 23-yard line. Carter ran into the end zone as time ran out to give the Wolverines a 27–21 victory. The play was made famous by Bob Ufer
's colorful and emotional radio narration as the play unfolded. A portion of Ufer's oft-replayed call follows:
Wangler completed 10 of 14 passes for 163 yards in the Indiana game. The game-ending pass from Wangler to Carter has been called "the greatest single play in the 100-year history of Michigan football."
The following week, Wangler got the start for only the second time in his career. He led Michigan to an impressive 54–0 win over Wisconsin
. Butch Woolfolk
rushed for 190 yards and three touchdowns, and Wangler completed 10 of 13 passes for 219 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown pass to Doug Marsh. The Gannett News Service wrote: "Michigan, riding the arm of quarterback John Wangler and the fancy footwork of tailback Butch Woolfolk, rolled all over hapless Wisconsin here Saturday afternoon, 54–0."
Wangler got his third start in a 24–21 loss to Purdue
. Wangler was intercepted four times in the game, twice in the first quarter. After allowing Purdue to take a 14–0 lead, Wangler nearly led the Wolverines to a come-from-behind victory. Late in the third quarter, Wangler led a 69-yard drive that was capped by a touchdown pass to Doug Marsh. Purdue responded with a field goal, and on Michigan's first drive in the fourth quarter, Wangler gave up his fourth interception. Purdue took a 24–6 lead with 10:27 to play. Roosevelt Smith scored for Michigan with 8:21 left, and Michigan recovered a Purdue fumble with 7:09 left. Wangler's passing led the Wolverines to the Purdue three-yard line, and Woolfolk scored with 5:34 left. After Andy Cannavino intercepted a Mark Hermann pass, Wangler led Michigan to the Purdue two-yard line, but he was sacked on fourth down, allowing Purdue to run out the clock. Wangler completed 14 of 28 passes in the game for 159 yards.
In the final game of the regular season, Michigan lost to Ohio State
, 18–15. Freshman Rich Hewlett got the start at quarterback, as Schembechler tried to surprise Ohio State with an option offense
. The strategy did not work, and Wangler was brought into the game with 3:48 left in the first half. After entering the game, Wangler led the Wolverines 80 yards in seven plays for their first score. The big play of the drive was a 66-yard pass from Wangler to Carter who took the ball to the Ohio State 19-yard line. Wangler completed four of nine passes for 133 yards and added 25 rushing yards.
in the Gator Bowl
. Wangler started for Michigan in the Gator Bowl and got the Wolverines off to a quick start. He opened the game with a 47-yard pass completion to Carter. In the first quarter-and-a-half of play, Wangler completed 6-of-8 passes for 203 yards. Michigan's first score came on a field goal in the first minute of the second quarter. With 9:47 left in the half, Wangler threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Carter who was open at the North Carolina 20-yard line and ran untouched into the end zone.
On the next drive, with Michigan leading, 9–0, Wangler was sacked by North Carolina's Lawrence Taylor
midway through the second quarter. Following the sack, Wangler reportedly screamed in agony. The hit resulted in torn ligaments in Wangler's knee, and he was unable to return to the game. North Carolina outscored Michigan, 17–6, after Wangler left the game. Despite the loss, Wangler was named co-MVP
of the game. After the game, Schembechler said, "Wangler hit some big plays. Losing him was one of those things. A good football team has to overcome that."
Dr. Gerald O'Connor, Michigan's team physician, operated on Wangler's knee. He reported that two cross ligaments in Wangler's knee were completely ruptured, and there was also torn cartilage. O'Connor later recalled, "Usually, that type of injury is not compatible to coming back to the level that Wangler did ..." Schembechler added, "I never thought he'd play again. It was a courageous and remarkable comeback -- and a great job of surgery. After he got the cast off, he just about never left the weight room or the training room."
Schembechler did not include Wangler in his plans for the 1980 season, but Wangler spent the summer in Ann Arbor working with offensive guard Kurt Becker
to rehabilitate the knee. Becker recalled that Wangler's recuperation was difficult: "There was so much pain involved that there were tears in his eyes." Wangler described his rehabilitation as follows:
In his book, The Blind Side
, Michael Lewis
cited Taylor's sack of Wangler as an example of the vulnerability of quarterbacks. Taylor later ended Joe Theisman's career as well. Lewis wrote, "Before Taylor hit him, Wangler had been a legitimate NFL prospect." Wangler told Lewis, "I was invited to try out for the Lions and Cowboys, but everyone was kind of afraid of the severity of my injury."
that finished the season 10–2 (9–1 with Wangler as a starter) and ranked No. 4 in both the AP and UPI polls. During the 1980 season, Wangler completed 117 of 212 passes for 1,522 yards and 16 touchdown passes. He was intercepted nine times. His 16 touchdown passes in 1980 was the second highest total in school history at the time, trailing Rick Leach's total of 17 in 1978. His total of 1,522 passing yards was the third highest in school history, trailing Dick Vidmer
's 1,609 yards in 1966 and Dennis Brown
's 1,562 yards in 1968.
In part because of uncertainties over Wangler's knee, Michigan entered the 1980 season picked to finish third in the Big Ten behind Ohio State (led by Art Schlichter
) and Purdue (led by Mark Herrmann
).
Michigan played Northwestern in the season opener. Sophomore Rich Hewlitt got the start at quarterback in a game played in a heavy rain during the first half. Early in the fourth quarter, Northwestern scored a touchdown to tie the game, 10–10. The Michigan fans began chants of "We Want Wangler." Wangler entered the game briefly and completed three of four passes for 36 yards, but Schembechler stuck with Hewlett in the fourth quarter. Hewlett responded with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Carter to give Michigan a 17–10 win. After the game, Hewlett said he tried not to pay attention to the chants calling for Wangler, and Schembechler said, "I don't care who they call for. You know that won't dictate what I do."
In the second week of the season, Michigan played Notre Dame
in South Bend
. Hewlett again started the game for Michigan. After a scoreless first quarter, Notre Dame took a 14–0 lead in the second quarter. Wangler replaced Hewlett in the second quarter, throwing two touchdown passes (to Lawrence Ricks and Norm Betts) in the span of 1:19 to tie the game, 14–14, at halftime. In the third quarter, Notre Dame took the lead on a 49-yard interception return of a Wangler pass. In the fourth quarter, Michigan drove to the Notre Dame four-yard line with less than a minute to play. Wangler threw a pass to Butch Woolfolk
in the endzone that was tipped and caught by Michigan tight end, Craig Dunaway, giving Michigan a 27–26 lead with 41 seconds left. Notre Dame drove to Michigan's 41-yard line and won on a 51-yard field as time ran out.
In the third game of the season, Michigan faced a South Carolina
team led by 1980 Heisman Trophy
winner George Rogers
. Wangler got the start and threw two touchdown passes to Carter to give Michigan a 14–3 lead. South Carolina scored 14 points in the second half and held the Wolverines scoreless to win the game 17–14.
After starting the season 1–2, Michigan beat California 38–13. Wangler started the game and completed 8 of 14 passes for 109 yards, as Michigan kept the ball on the ground most of the day and tallied 388 rushing yards.
Michigan improved to 3–2 with a 27–23 win over Michigan State
. With the game tied 13–13 in the second half, Wangler threw a touchown pass to Carter. Wangler completed a second touchdown pass to Craig Dunaway in the fourth quarter. Wangler completed 9 of 19 passes for 122 yards.
In the sixth game of the season, Wangler led Michigan to a 37–14 road victory over Minnesota. Wangler threw for a personal-high 227 yards on 16-for-22 passing, and Carter caught nine passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns.
Michigan defeated Illinois
45–14 in week 7 on the strength of 376 rushing yards. In the first half, Wangler completed five passes to Carter for 129 yards and a touchdown. Carter and Wangler did not play in the second half.
Following the Illinois game, the Associated Press
took note of Michigan's passing attack, reporting that "Michigan will take a sophisticated passing attack to Indiana on Saturday led by quarterback John Wangler who ranks No. 1 in the Big Ten in passing efficiency." The New York Times
also took note: "Statistically, the conference's leading passer going into last weekend's games was John Wangler of Michigan, one of the runningest teams of the 1970's." The Wolverines defeated Indiana, 35–0. Wangler threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Carter in the first quarter, but he also threw two interceptions. Michigan kept the ball on the ground for most of the game, gaining 373 yards rushing.
For the ninth game of the season, Michigan played on the road against Wisconsin. Michigan won, 24–0, as Carter caught a touchdown pass from Wangler to set a Michigan school record for touchdown receptions in a single season. Wangler drew praise for his handling of the crowd noise on a fourth down play at the Wisconsin four-yard line facing the student section at the north end of Camp Randall Stadium. The referee twice stopped play because Wangler's signals could not be heard. The Wisconsin fans were warned twice and responded with even more noise. The referee allowed Wangler to back off five more times, and each time the referee assessed penalties against Wisconsin. The first three times, Wisconsin had time outs taken from them, and on the next two occasions delay-of-game penalties were assessed. The penalties took the ball to the one-yard line, and on the eight attempt Wangler handed the ball to Butch Woolfolk
who ran for the touchdown.
In the tenth game of the season, Michigan faced a Purdue team led by senior quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Mark Herrmann
. Michigan won the game, 24–0. Wangler completed 12 of 20 passes for 165 yards, including touchdown passes of 22 and 20 yards to Carter.
In the final game of the regular season, Michigan defeated Ohio State
, 9–3, in a game dominated by the defensive units. Michigan's only touchdown came late in the third quarter on a pass from Wangler to Carter. Wangler also threw two interceptions in the game. The errors led coach Schembechler to say, "It may not be the prettiest win and its wasn't the most explosive offensive show you've ever seen, but we won it."
Following the 1980 season, Wangler was selected as the first-team Academic All Big Ten quarterback and the second-team Academic All-American quarterback. He also won the Big Ten Medal of Honor as the Michigan student in the graduating class of 1981 who had best demonstrated proficiency in scholarship and athletics.
game against Washington
. The Associated Press ran a feature story on Wangler's coming back from adversity to lead Michigan to the Rose Bowl. The story opened as follows:
The Chicago Tribune
also published a feature story on Wangler's comeback in which Roy Damer wrote that Wangler's comeback "typifies the Michigan team." In comments to the Tribune, Schembechler added:
In the Rose Bowl Game, the Wolverines beat the Huskies by a score of 23–6 to give Schembechler his first victory in a bowl game. Wangler completed 12 of 20 passes in the Rose Bowl for 145 yards, including a seven-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Carter in the third quarter.
.
Wangler has been cited as the quarterback who began a passing tradition that led to Michigan's being considered one of the legitimate claimants for the title of "Quarterback U." Jim Harbaugh
noted, "Bo started to adapt from an option-based offense to more of a balanced attack when he had John Wangler at QB and Anthony Carter at receiver in the early '80s, and I benefited from that greatly. . . . Once quarterbacks saw that they would have a chance to throw the ball, the best started going to Michigan from all over the country."
, Detroit Lions
, and New York Jets
, but never made an NFL roster. In January 1983, he was signed by the Michigan Panthers
in the USFL. As the Panthers also drafted Anthony Carter, the signing led to interest in the Wangler-Carter pass combination being reunited. However, the Panthers cut Wangler before beginning training camp.
In 1988, Wangler was engaged to Suzanne Marie Pagella, a former Ohio State cheerleader who became a television news anchor in Detroit
, Lansing
and other Michigan cities. Wangler and his wife divorced in 2001. His ex-wife committed suicide in 2008 shortly after being charged with embezzling funds from a man who briefly dated her.
Wangler has been in the sports apparel and footwear business for 25 years. Since approximately 2000, Wangler has owned and operated Top Cat Sales, a wholesale distributor of licensed apparel and footwear for Reebok
and Adidas
. Wangler's company printed several hundred championship T-shirts for the Detroit Red Wings
during the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals
. When the Red Wings lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins
, Wangler said that, in those circumstances, the losing team usually sends the shirts back to Wangler, and "we end up sending them to a third-world country."
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. He played for the University of Michigan
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...
from 1977 to 1980. During the 1979 and 1980 seasons, Wangler and Anthony Carter formed one of the most successful pass
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
ing combinations in 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...
history. Wangler's game-ending touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
pass to Carter in the 1979 Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers football
The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
game led Michigan's famed radio announcer, Bob Ufer
Bob Ufer
Bob Ufer was the lead broadcaster for the Michigan Wolverines football team for 37 years, starting in 1944. He has been inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor.-Early years:...
, to exclaim, "Johnny Wangler to Anthony Carter will be heard until another 100 years of Michigan football is played!" After suffering what appeared to be a career-ending knee injury in the 1979 Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
, Wangler came back and led the 1980 Michigan Wolverines football team
1980 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1980 Michigan Wolverines football team, coached by Bo Schembechler, won the Big Ten Conference championship with a record of 10–2 and defeated the Washington Huskies in the 1981 Rose Bowl game, 23–6...
to a 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...
championship and its first victory 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...
since the 1964 season
1964 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1964 Michigan Wolverines football team, coached by Bump Elliott, won the Big Ten Conference championship with a final record of 9–1 after defeating Oregon State in the Rose Bowl, 34–7. The team had two first-team All-Americans in quarterback Bob Timberlake and defensive tackle Bill...
. Upon completing his career at Michigan, Wangler ranked second all-time among Michigan quarterbacks in most career passing statistics, including passing yardage, touchdown passes, yards per completion and completion percentage.
Shrine High School
Wangler attended Shrine Catholic High SchoolShrine Catholic High School
Shrine Catholic High School is a private, co-educational, Roman Catholic secondary high school located in Royal Oak, Michigan, affiliated with National Shrine of the Little Flower Church. It has an attached middle school called the "Academy"...
in Royal Oak, Michigan
Royal Oak, Michigan
Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 57,236. It should not be confused with Royal Oak Charter Township, a separate community located nearby....
, where he starred in both football and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. Wangler later recalled, "There is a great tradition and pride in putting on the Shrine basketball jersey. You represent the generations of players, teams and coaches every time you step on that court." In 2009, Wangler was one of the initial inductees into the Shrine High School Hall of Fame.
Early years at Michigan
Wangler enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity 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 1976. As a true freshman, he was considered a contender to be the backup to Michigan's starting quarterback, Rick Leach. However, he appeared only briefly in three games in 1976, completing one of two passes for eight yards.
In 1977, Wangler made two brief appearances as a substitute for Leach. In a 63–20 victory over Northwestern
Northwestern 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...
, Wangler threw only one pass, and it was good for 34 yards and a touchdown to Alan Mitchell.
Wangler missed the 1978 season due to a pinched nerve in his neck or shoulder.
1979 season
Rick Leach was Michigan's starting quarterback in 47 of 48 games from 1975 to 1978. With his graduation, considerable media attention was focused on the competition to replace him in 1979. The leading contenders were Wangler and B.J. Dickey. Dickey won the starting assignment, though Wangler was given substantial playing time as a backup and was the starting quarterback in four games. During the 1979 season, Wangler completed 78 of 130 passes for 1,431 yards. His 60% completion percentage set a new single-season record for Michigan quarterbacks with at least 25 pass attempts.Dickey started the season opener against Northwestern, but Wangler played in the second half. Wangler completed five of six passes for 67 yards. In the third quarter, Wangler connected with Anthony Carter for a 12-yard touchdown pass -- the first of many touchdown passes from Wangler to Carter during the 1979 and 1980 seasons.
Wangler also played as a substitute for Dickey in a 12–10 loss to Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
. Wangler replaced Dickey in the final two minutes of the game. He completed three passes for 29 yards and took the Wolverines from their own 42-yard line to the Notre Dame 20-yard line before Michigan running back, Stanley Edwards, was thrown for a five-yard loss. Michigan's attempt at a game-winning 42-yard field goal was blocked with one second left in the game.
After nearly leading a come-back against Notre Dame, Wangler was given the starting assignment against Kansas
Kansas Jayhawks football
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference....
. Wangler led the Wolverines to a 28-7 win as he completed 12 of 18 passes for 195 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown pass to Doug Marsh
Doug Marsh
Doug Marsh is a former professional American football player who played tight end for seven seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals.-See also:*Lists of Michigan Wolverines football receiving leaders...
.
The following week, Wangler played the entire game at quarterback in a 14–10 come-from-behind win against California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
. He completed 9 of 21 passes for 210 yards, including a 58-yard pass to Doug Marsh. In its game coverage, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
wrote that "John Wangler brought alive a sluggish Michigan offense."
Against Minnesota
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 the sixth game, Wangler came into the game as a substitute for Dickey and completed three of five passes for 39 yards, including a one-yard touchdown pass to Lawrence Reid.
In Michigan's eighth game against an unranked Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers football
The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
team, Wangler had his most replayed moment in a Michigan uniform. Dickey started the game, and Wangler entered the game as a substitute. The game was tied at 21–21 in the fourth quarter. With six seconds left on the clock, Michigan had the ball on the Indiana 45-yard line. Wangler dropped back to pass from his own 45-yard line, and his pass hit Anthony Carter at the 23-yard line. Carter ran into the end zone as time ran out to give the Wolverines a 27–21 victory. The play was made famous by Bob Ufer
Bob Ufer
Bob Ufer was the lead broadcaster for the Michigan Wolverines football team for 37 years, starting in 1944. He has been inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor.-Early years:...
's colorful and emotional radio narration as the play unfolded. A portion of Ufer's oft-replayed call follows:
"Under center is Wangler at the 45, he goes back. He's looking for a receiver. He throws downfield to Carter. Carter has it. [unintellibible screaming] Carter scores. . . . I have never seen anything like this in all my 40 years of covering Michigan football. . . . I hope you can hear me – because I've never been so happy in all my cotton-picking 59 years! . . . Johnny Wangler to Anthony Carter will be heard until another 100 years of Michigan football is played! . . . Meeeshigan wins, 27 to 21. They aren't even going to try the extra point. Who cares? Who gives a damn?"
Wangler completed 10 of 14 passes for 163 yards in the Indiana game. The game-ending pass from Wangler to Carter has been called "the greatest single play in the 100-year history of Michigan football."
The following week, Wangler got the start for only the second time in his career. He led Michigan to an impressive 54–0 win over Wisconsin
Wisconsin 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...
. Butch Woolfolk
Butch Woolfolk
Harold E. "Butch" Woolfolk is a former American football running back and kick returner who played in college for the University of Michigan and in the National Football League for the New York Giants , Houston Oilers and Detroit Lions . Woolfolk attended Westfield Senior High School in...
rushed for 190 yards and three touchdowns, and Wangler completed 10 of 13 passes for 219 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown pass to Doug Marsh. The Gannett News Service wrote: "Michigan, riding the arm of quarterback John Wangler and the fancy footwork of tailback Butch Woolfolk, rolled all over hapless Wisconsin here Saturday afternoon, 54–0."
Wangler got his third start in a 24–21 loss to Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
. Wangler was intercepted four times in the game, twice in the first quarter. After allowing Purdue to take a 14–0 lead, Wangler nearly led the Wolverines to a come-from-behind victory. Late in the third quarter, Wangler led a 69-yard drive that was capped by a touchdown pass to Doug Marsh. Purdue responded with a field goal, and on Michigan's first drive in the fourth quarter, Wangler gave up his fourth interception. Purdue took a 24–6 lead with 10:27 to play. Roosevelt Smith scored for Michigan with 8:21 left, and Michigan recovered a Purdue fumble with 7:09 left. Wangler's passing led the Wolverines to the Purdue three-yard line, and Woolfolk scored with 5:34 left. After Andy Cannavino intercepted a Mark Hermann pass, Wangler led Michigan to the Purdue two-yard line, but he was sacked on fourth down, allowing Purdue to run out the clock. Wangler completed 14 of 28 passes in the game for 159 yards.
In the final game of the regular season, Michigan lost to Ohio State
1979 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1979 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 1979-1980. The Buckeyes compiled a 11–1 record, including the 1980 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, where they lost 17–16 to the Southern California...
, 18–15. Freshman Rich Hewlett got the start at quarterback, as Schembechler tried to surprise Ohio State with an option offense
Option offense
The option offense is a generic term that is used to describe a wide variety of offensive systems in American football. Option offenses are characterized as such due to the predominance of option running plays employed in these schemes. Option offenses have traditionally relied heavily upon running...
. The strategy did not work, and Wangler was brought into the game with 3:48 left in the first half. After entering the game, Wangler led the Wolverines 80 yards in seven plays for their first score. The big play of the drive was a 66-yard pass from Wangler to Carter who took the ball to the Ohio State 19-yard line. Wangler completed four of nine passes for 133 yards and added 25 rushing yards.
1979 Gator Bowl and knee injury
Michigan ended the regular season with an 8–3 record and accepted an invitation to play against North CarolinaNorth Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
in the Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
. Wangler started for Michigan in the Gator Bowl and got the Wolverines off to a quick start. He opened the game with a 47-yard pass completion to Carter. In the first quarter-and-a-half of play, Wangler completed 6-of-8 passes for 203 yards. Michigan's first score came on a field goal in the first minute of the second quarter. With 9:47 left in the half, Wangler threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Carter who was open at the North Carolina 20-yard line and ran untouched into the end zone.
On the next drive, with Michigan leading, 9–0, Wangler was sacked by North Carolina's Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
midway through the second quarter. Following the sack, Wangler reportedly screamed in agony. The hit resulted in torn ligaments in Wangler's knee, and he was unable to return to the game. North Carolina outscored Michigan, 17–6, after Wangler left the game. Despite the loss, Wangler was named co-MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the game. After the game, Schembechler said, "Wangler hit some big plays. Losing him was one of those things. A good football team has to overcome that."
Dr. Gerald O'Connor, Michigan's team physician, operated on Wangler's knee. He reported that two cross ligaments in Wangler's knee were completely ruptured, and there was also torn cartilage. O'Connor later recalled, "Usually, that type of injury is not compatible to coming back to the level that Wangler did ..." Schembechler added, "I never thought he'd play again. It was a courageous and remarkable comeback -- and a great job of surgery. After he got the cast off, he just about never left the weight room or the training room."
Schembechler did not include Wangler in his plans for the 1980 season, but Wangler spent the summer in Ann Arbor working with offensive guard Kurt Becker
Kurt Becker
Kurt Frank Becker is a former professional American football player who played guard for nine seasons for the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams. An offensive guard at the University of Michigan, Becker started in 36 consecutive games...
to rehabilitate the knee. Becker recalled that Wangler's recuperation was difficult: "There was so much pain involved that there were tears in his eyes." Wangler described his rehabilitation as follows:
"Maybe I was naive, but I never had a doubt I'd play again. I wasn't ready to end my career. I'd do anything to play. The cast came off March 1st and by August 1st I knew I'd be able to play. I worked out four to five hours every day with weights, running, bicycling and swimming."
In his book, The Blind Side
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game is a book by Michael Lewis released in 2006 about American football.-Plot:It features two dominant storylines...
, Michael Lewis
Michael Lewis (author)
Michael Lewis is an American non-fiction author and financial journalist. His bestselling books include The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, Liar's Poker, The New New Thing, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, Panic and Home Game: An...
cited Taylor's sack of Wangler as an example of the vulnerability of quarterbacks. Taylor later ended Joe Theisman's career as well. Lewis wrote, "Before Taylor hit him, Wangler had been a legitimate NFL prospect." Wangler told Lewis, "I was invited to try out for the Lions and Cowboys, but everyone was kind of afraid of the severity of my injury."
1980 season
As a fifth-year senior, Wangler came back from knee surgery to start 10 of 12 games for the 1980 Michigan Wolverines football team1980 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1980 Michigan Wolverines football team, coached by Bo Schembechler, won the Big Ten Conference championship with a record of 10–2 and defeated the Washington Huskies in the 1981 Rose Bowl game, 23–6...
that finished the season 10–2 (9–1 with Wangler as a starter) and ranked No. 4 in both the AP and UPI polls. During the 1980 season, Wangler completed 117 of 212 passes for 1,522 yards and 16 touchdown passes. He was intercepted nine times. His 16 touchdown passes in 1980 was the second highest total in school history at the time, trailing Rick Leach's total of 17 in 1978. His total of 1,522 passing yards was the third highest in school history, trailing Dick Vidmer
Dick Vidmer
Richard F. "Dick" Vidmer was an American football player who played quarterback for the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1965 to 1967....
's 1,609 yards in 1966 and Dennis Brown
Dennis Brown (quarterback)
Dennis M. Brown is a former American football player and coach. He played at the quarterback position for the University of Michigan from 1966 to 1968, the final two years of Bump Elliott's tenure as the school's head football coach. In his first start at quarterback, Brown broke two Big Ten...
's 1,562 yards in 1968.
In part because of uncertainties over Wangler's knee, Michigan entered the 1980 season picked to finish third in the Big Ten behind Ohio State (led by Art Schlichter
Art Schlichter
Arthur Ernest Schlichter is a retired college and professional American football quarterback, sometimes known for his compulsive gambling and the legal problems especially gambling that arose from it...
) and Purdue (led by Mark Herrmann
Mark Herrmann
Mark James Herrmann is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the NFL. He was Associate Director of Educational Programs for the NCAA, before budget cutbacks. However, he is best known for his college career with the Purdue Boilermakers...
).
Michigan played Northwestern in the season opener. Sophomore Rich Hewlitt got the start at quarterback in a game played in a heavy rain during the first half. Early in the fourth quarter, Northwestern scored a touchdown to tie the game, 10–10. The Michigan fans began chants of "We Want Wangler." Wangler entered the game briefly and completed three of four passes for 36 yards, but Schembechler stuck with Hewlett in the fourth quarter. Hewlett responded with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Carter to give Michigan a 17–10 win. After the game, Hewlett said he tried not to pay attention to the chants calling for Wangler, and Schembechler said, "I don't care who they call for. You know that won't dictate what I do."
In the second week of the season, Michigan played Notre Dame
Notre 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...
in South Bend
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
. Hewlett again started the game for Michigan. After a scoreless first quarter, Notre Dame took a 14–0 lead in the second quarter. Wangler replaced Hewlett in the second quarter, throwing two touchdown passes (to Lawrence Ricks and Norm Betts) in the span of 1:19 to tie the game, 14–14, at halftime. In the third quarter, Notre Dame took the lead on a 49-yard interception return of a Wangler pass. In the fourth quarter, Michigan drove to the Notre Dame four-yard line with less than a minute to play. Wangler threw a pass to Butch Woolfolk
Butch Woolfolk
Harold E. "Butch" Woolfolk is a former American football running back and kick returner who played in college for the University of Michigan and in the National Football League for the New York Giants , Houston Oilers and Detroit Lions . Woolfolk attended Westfield Senior High School in...
in the endzone that was tipped and caught by Michigan tight end, Craig Dunaway, giving Michigan a 27–26 lead with 41 seconds left. Notre Dame drove to Michigan's 41-yard line and won on a 51-yard field as time ran out.
In the third game of the season, Michigan faced a South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
team led by 1980 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner George Rogers
George Rogers (American football)
George Washington Rogers is a former American football player who achieved distinction in both the college and professional ranks as a running back...
. Wangler got the start and threw two touchdown passes to Carter to give Michigan a 14–3 lead. South Carolina scored 14 points in the second half and held the Wolverines scoreless to win the game 17–14.
After starting the season 1–2, Michigan beat California 38–13. Wangler started the game and completed 8 of 14 passes for 109 yards, as Michigan kept the ball on the ground most of the day and tallied 388 rushing yards.
Michigan improved to 3–2 with a 27–23 win over Michigan State
Michigan 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...
. With the game tied 13–13 in the second half, Wangler threw a touchown pass to Carter. Wangler completed a second touchdown pass to Craig Dunaway in the fourth quarter. Wangler completed 9 of 19 passes for 122 yards.
In the sixth game of the season, Wangler led Michigan to a 37–14 road victory over Minnesota. Wangler threw for a personal-high 227 yards on 16-for-22 passing, and Carter caught nine passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns.
Michigan defeated Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini football
The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51...
45–14 in week 7 on the strength of 376 rushing yards. In the first half, Wangler completed five passes to Carter for 129 yards and a touchdown. Carter and Wangler did not play in the second half.
Following the Illinois game, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
took note of Michigan's passing attack, reporting that "Michigan will take a sophisticated passing attack to Indiana on Saturday led by quarterback John Wangler who ranks No. 1 in the Big Ten in passing efficiency." The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
also took note: "Statistically, the conference's leading passer going into last weekend's games was John Wangler of Michigan, one of the runningest teams of the 1970's." The Wolverines defeated Indiana, 35–0. Wangler threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Carter in the first quarter, but he also threw two interceptions. Michigan kept the ball on the ground for most of the game, gaining 373 yards rushing.
For the ninth game of the season, Michigan played on the road against Wisconsin. Michigan won, 24–0, as Carter caught a touchdown pass from Wangler to set a Michigan school record for touchdown receptions in a single season. Wangler drew praise for his handling of the crowd noise on a fourth down play at the Wisconsin four-yard line facing the student section at the north end of Camp Randall Stadium. The referee twice stopped play because Wangler's signals could not be heard. The Wisconsin fans were warned twice and responded with even more noise. The referee allowed Wangler to back off five more times, and each time the referee assessed penalties against Wisconsin. The first three times, Wisconsin had time outs taken from them, and on the next two occasions delay-of-game penalties were assessed. The penalties took the ball to the one-yard line, and on the eight attempt Wangler handed the ball to Butch Woolfolk
Butch Woolfolk
Harold E. "Butch" Woolfolk is a former American football running back and kick returner who played in college for the University of Michigan and in the National Football League for the New York Giants , Houston Oilers and Detroit Lions . Woolfolk attended Westfield Senior High School in...
who ran for the touchdown.
In the tenth game of the season, Michigan faced a Purdue team led by senior quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Mark Herrmann
Mark Herrmann
Mark James Herrmann is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the NFL. He was Associate Director of Educational Programs for the NCAA, before budget cutbacks. However, he is best known for his college career with the Purdue Boilermakers...
. Michigan won the game, 24–0. Wangler completed 12 of 20 passes for 165 yards, including touchdown passes of 22 and 20 yards to Carter.
In the final game of the regular season, Michigan defeated Ohio State
1980 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1980 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 1980-1981. The Buckeyes compiled a 9–3 record, including the 1980 Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, where they lost 31–19 to the Penn State Nittany Lions.-Schedule:-Coaching...
, 9–3, in a game dominated by the defensive units. Michigan's only touchdown came late in the third quarter on a pass from Wangler to Carter. Wangler also threw two interceptions in the game. The errors led coach Schembechler to say, "It may not be the prettiest win and its wasn't the most explosive offensive show you've ever seen, but we won it."
Following the 1980 season, Wangler was selected as the first-team Academic All Big Ten quarterback and the second-team Academic All-American quarterback. He also won the Big Ten Medal of Honor as the Michigan student in the graduating class of 1981 who had best demonstrated proficiency in scholarship and athletics.
1981 Rose Bowl
As the Big Ten Conference champion, Michigan advanced to the 1981 Rose Bowl1981 Rose Bowl
The 1981 Rose Bowl was the 67th Rose Bowl game and was played on January 1, 1981 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. The game featured the Michigan Wolverines beating Washington Huskies by a score of 23–6...
game against Washington
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
. The Associated Press ran a feature story on Wangler's coming back from adversity to lead Michigan to the Rose Bowl. The story opened as follows:
"John Wangler looks exactly like the kind of kid you'd want central casting to send over to play the role of the nice kid who overcame great hardships and went on to become a Rose Bowl quarterback. In fact, that's exactly what Wangler is."
The Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
also published a feature story on Wangler's comeback in which Roy Damer wrote that Wangler's comeback "typifies the Michigan team." In comments to the Tribune, Schembechler added:
"John Wangler's really been an unbelievable story this year. He came back from so much to succeed. In many ways, his story is also the story of this year's team. Both had to prove themselves when others questioned them. Both are winners."
In the Rose Bowl Game, the Wolverines beat the Huskies by a score of 23–6 to give Schembechler his first victory in a bowl game. Wangler completed 12 of 20 passes in the Rose Bowl for 145 yards, including a seven-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Carter in the third quarter.
Career statistics and legacy
During his Michigan football career, Wangler completed 197 of 346 passes, for 2,994 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also had 16 interceptions. At the end of his career, he ranked second in Michigan history (trailing Rick Leach who was a four-year starter) in most career passing statistics, including passing yards, touchdown passes and yards per completions. And his 56.9% completion percentage was second in school history behind Bob PtacekBob Ptacek
Robert J. "Bob" Ptacek, Jr. is a former professional American and Canadian football quarterback, defensive back, and linebacker who was drafted in the 1959 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. He played for the Browns during the 1959 NFL season...
.
Wangler has been cited as the quarterback who began a passing tradition that led to Michigan's being considered one of the legitimate claimants for the title of "Quarterback U." Jim Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh
James Joseph "Jim" Harbaugh is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Harbaugh agreed to a five-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on January 7, 2011. Previously, he was the head coach at...
noted, "Bo started to adapt from an option-based offense to more of a balanced attack when he had John Wangler at QB and Anthony Carter at receiver in the early '80s, and I benefited from that greatly. . . . Once quarterbacks saw that they would have a chance to throw the ball, the best started going to Michigan from all over the country."
Professional football
After graduating from Michigan, Wangler attended training camps with the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, and New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, but never made an NFL roster. In January 1983, he was signed by the Michigan Panthers
Michigan Panthers
The Michigan Panthers were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s.-Team history:The Michigan Panthers were named as a charter member of the United States Football League on May 11, 1982....
in the USFL. As the Panthers also drafted Anthony Carter, the signing led to interest in the Wangler-Carter pass combination being reunited. However, the Panthers cut Wangler before beginning training camp.
Later years
In the mid-1980s, Wangler formed John Wangler Association, a subcontractor for the sporting goods and athletic apparel company, Nutmeg Mills.In 1988, Wangler was engaged to Suzanne Marie Pagella, a former Ohio State cheerleader who became a television news anchor in Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
and other Michigan cities. Wangler and his wife divorced in 2001. His ex-wife committed suicide in 2008 shortly after being charged with embezzling funds from a man who briefly dated her.
Wangler has been in the sports apparel and footwear business for 25 years. Since approximately 2000, Wangler has owned and operated Top Cat Sales, a wholesale distributor of licensed apparel and footwear for Reebok
Reebok
Reebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas since 2005, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle...
and Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
. Wangler's company printed several hundred championship T-shirts for the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
during the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals
2009 Stanley Cup Finals
The Red Wings took Game 1, 3–1, as three different Detroit players scored goals off of unusual bounces. The first period featured back and forth action, with each team having a variety of chances...
. When the Red Wings lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
, Wangler said that, in those circumstances, the losing team usually sends the shirts back to Wangler, and "we end up sending them to a third-world country."