Roger Zatkoff
Encyclopedia
Roger Zatkoff is a former American football
player. He played college football for the University of Michigan
from 1950 to 1952. He later played professional football for the Green Bay Packers
(1953-1956) and Detroit Lions
(1957-1958).
in 1931. He enrolled at the University of Michigan
in 1949 and played football for Bennie Oosterbaan
's teams of the early 1950s. As a freshman, he was awarded the Meyer Morton Award as the freshman player showing the most promise.
He started nine games at linebacker for the 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team
that defeated Ohio State in the famous Snow Bowl game, won the Big ten championship, and defeated the University of California
in the 1951 Rose Bowl
. He started all nine games at linebacker for the 1951 Wolverines. As a senior in 1952, he started all nine games for Michigan at the linebacker position and was selected as an All-Big Ten player. Zatkoff was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
in 1985.
After graduating from Michigan, Zatkoff played linebacker
for the Green Bay Packers
from 1953 to 1956. He then went on to play for the Detroit Lions in the 1957 and 1958 seasons. He was a starting player on the 1957 Detroit Lions
NFL Championship
team. He was a three-time Pro Bowler, including a first-team Pro Bowl selection in 1955. He was also selected as a first-team All-NFL player by the United Press International
in 1954 and by the Associated Press
in 1955. He had four interceptions and four fumble recoveries for the Packers in the 1954 and 1955 seasons.
His great nephew, Jeff Zatkoff
, is a goaltender for the Manchester Monarchs
of the American Hockey League
.
's Roger Zatkoff Award is given to the football team's best linebacker at the end of each season.
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...
player. He played college football 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 1950 to 1952. He later played professional football for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
(1953-1956) and 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...
(1957-1958).
Biography
Zatkoff was born in Hamtramck, MichiganHamtramck, Michigan
Hamtramck is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 22,423. Hamtramck is surrounded by the city of Detroit except for a small portion of the western border that touches the similarly surrounded city of Highland Park...
in 1931. He enrolled at 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...
in 1949 and played football for Bennie Oosterbaan
Bennie Oosterbaan
Benjamin Gaylord "Bennie" Oosterbaan was a three-time first team All-American football end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-time All-American basketball player for the basketball team and an All-Big Ten Conference baseball player for the baseball team...
's teams of the early 1950s. As a freshman, he was awarded the Meyer Morton Award as the freshman player showing the most promise.
He started nine games at linebacker for the 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team
1950 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team, coached by Bennie Oosterbaan, won the Big Ten Conference championship with a record of 6–3–1 and defeated the California Bears in the 1951 Rose Bowl, 14–6. The team had two All-Big 10 backs in Don Dufek and Chuck Ortmann and All-American tackle R. Allen...
that defeated Ohio State in the famous Snow Bowl game, won the Big ten championship, and defeated the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
in the 1951 Rose Bowl
1951 Rose Bowl
The 1951 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1951. It was the 37th Rose Bowl Game. The Michigan Wolverines, champions of the Big Ten Conference, defeated the California Golden Bears, champions of the Pacific Coast Conference, 14–6. Michigan fullback Don Dufek was...
. He started all nine games at linebacker for the 1951 Wolverines. As a senior in 1952, he started all nine games for Michigan at the linebacker position and was selected as an All-Big Ten player. Zatkoff was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
The University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor, founded in 1978, recognizes University of Michigan athletes, coaches, and administrators who have made significant contributions to the university's athletic programs...
in 1985.
After graduating from Michigan, Zatkoff played linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
from 1953 to 1956. He then went on to play for the Detroit Lions in the 1957 and 1958 seasons. He was a starting player on the 1957 Detroit Lions
1957 Detroit Lions season
Scoring*DET - FG Martin 31*DET - Rote 1 yard run *DET - Gedman 1 yard run *CLE - Brown 29 yard run *DET - Junker 26 yard pass from Rote *DET - Barr 19 yard interception...
NFL Championship
NFL Championship Game, 1957
The 1957 National Football League championship game was the 25th annual championship game. The NFL title game was held on December 29, 1957 at Briggs Stadium, Detroit, Michigan. The game was the fourth pairing of the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns in the championship game...
team. He was a three-time Pro Bowler, including a first-team Pro Bowl selection in 1955. He was also selected as a first-team All-NFL player by the United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
in 1954 and by 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...
in 1955. He had four interceptions and four fumble recoveries for the Packers in the 1954 and 1955 seasons.
His great nephew, Jeff Zatkoff
Jeff Zatkoff
Jeff Zatkoff is an American ice hockey goaltender. He currently plys with the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League...
, is a goaltender for the Manchester Monarchs
Manchester Monarchs
The Manchester Monarchs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Manchester, New Hampshire at the Verizon Wireless Arena. They have been the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings since 2001.-History:...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
.
Roger Zatkoff Award
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...
's Roger Zatkoff Award is given to the football team's best linebacker at the end of each season.
Past winners
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 1991 | Erick Anderson Erick Anderson Erick Scott Anderson is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played college football for the University of Michigan. He won the Butkus Award in 1991.-College career:... |
| 1992 | Steve Morrison |
| 1993 | Gannon Dudlar |
| 1994 | Steve Morrison |
| 1995 | Jarrett Irons Jarrett Irons Jarrett Irons is a former All-American linebacker who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines football team from 1993-1996. A native of The Woodlands, Texas, Irons was twice selected to the All Big Ten Conference team and was a team co-captain in 1995 and 1996... |
| 1996 | Jarrett Irons Jarrett Irons Jarrett Irons is a former All-American linebacker who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines football team from 1993-1996. A native of The Woodlands, Texas, Irons was twice selected to the All Big Ten Conference team and was a team co-captain in 1995 and 1996... |
| 1997 | Sam Sword Sam Sword Sam Lee-Arthur Sword is a former American football linebacker who played for the Oakland Raiders and the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. He played college football at the University of Michigan... |
| 1998 | Sam Sword Sam Sword Sam Lee-Arthur Sword is a former American football linebacker who played for the Oakland Raiders and the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. He played college football at the University of Michigan... |
| 1999 | Ian Gold Ian Gold Ian Maurice Gold is a former American football linebacker of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan.... |
| 2000 | Victor Hobson Victor Hobson Victor Brian Hobson is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft... |
| 2001 | Larry Foote Larry Foote Lawrence Edward Foote, Jr. is an American football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan.... |
| 2002 | Victor Hobson Victor Hobson Victor Brian Hobson is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft... |
| 2003 | Lawrence Reid |
| 2004 | Roy Manning Roy Manning Lee Roy Manning, Jr. is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He played linebacker in the National Football League. Manning was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He also played for the Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills,... |
| 2005 | David Harris |
| 2006 | David Harris |
| 2007 | Chris Graham Chris Graham (American football) Chris De'monte Graham is an American football linebacker who is currently a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2008... |
| 2008 | Obi Ezeh Obi Ezeh Obi Pius Ezeh is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was included on both the 2009 midseason and the 2009 preseason watchlist for the Butkus Award. He is the active Michigan Wolverines football career leader in tackles.In high school, he played running back on offense... |