1975 Michigan Wolverines football team

1975 Michigan Wolverines football
Orange Bowl, L 14–6 vs. Oklahoma
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Ranking
Coaches	#8
AP	#8
1975 record	8–2–2 (7–1 Big Ten)
Head coach	Bo Schembechler (7th year)
Defensive coordinator	Gary Moeller (3rd year)
MVP	Gordon Bell
Captain	Don Dufek Jr.
Captain	Kirk Lewis
Home stadium	Michigan Stadium

1975 Big Ten football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#4 Ohio State $	8	–	0	–	0			11	–	1	–	0
#8 Michigan	7	–	1	–	0			8	–	2	–	2
Michigan State	4	–	4	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
Illinois	4	–	4	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Purdue	4	–	4	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
Wisconsin	3	–	4	–	1			4	–	6	–	1
Minnesota	3	–	5	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Iowa	3	–	5	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
Northwestern	2	–	6	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
Indiana	1	–	6	–	1			2	–	8	–	1
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

The 1975 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1975 NCAA Division I football season. The team's head coach was Bo Schembechler. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium.

The defense stopped Archie Griffin's NCAA record 31-game 100-yard rushing game streak.

The November 8 game against Purdue was historic in that it was the first game of a streak in which 100,000 or more fans attended a game at Michigan Stadium, one which continues to this day.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent#	Rank#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 13, 1975		at Wisconsin	#2/NA	Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WI		W 23–6	79,022
September 20, 1975		Stanford*	#2/3	Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI		T 19–19	92,304
September 27, 1975		Baylor*	#9/10	Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI		T 14–14	104,248
October 4, 1975		#5/5 Missouri*	#12/14	Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI		W 31–7	104,578
October 11, 1975	12:30 p.m.	at #15/16 Michigan State	#8/8	Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI		W 16–6	79,776
October 18, 1975		Northwestern	#7/7	Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI		W 69–0	86,201
October 25, 1975		Indiana	#7/7	Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI		W 55–7	93,857
November 1, 1975		at Minnesota	#7/7	Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN		W 28–21	33,191
November 8, 1975		Purdue	#6/6	Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI		W 28–0	102,415
November 15, 1975		at Illinois	#4/4	Memorial Stadium • Champaign, Il		W 21–15	45,077
November 22, 1975		#1/1 Ohio State	#4/5	Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI		L 14–21	105,543
January 1, 1976		vs. #3/3 Oklahoma*	#5/5	Orange Bowl • Miami, FL (Orange Bowl)	NBC	L 6–14	76,799
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll / Coaches' Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.

Game notes

Wisconsin

1 2 3 4 Total • Michigan 0 10 3 10 23 Wisconsin 3 3 0 0 6 Date: September 13 Location: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin Game attendance: 79,022

Scoring summary 1 Wisconsin Lamia 22-yard field goal Wisconsin 3-0 2 Michigan Lytle 15-yard run (Wood kick) Michigan 7-3 2 Wisconsin Lamia 31-yard field goal Michigan 7-6 2 Michigan Wood 22-yard field goal Michigan 10-6 3 Michigan Wood 25-yard field goal Michigan 13-6 4 Michigan Wood 22-yard field goal Michigan 16-6 4 1:08 Michigan Bell 7-yard pass from Leach (Wood kick) Michigan 23-6

• Gordon Bell 28 Rush, 210 Yds

Stanford

1 2 3 4 Total Stanford 6 0 0 13 19 Michigan 0 7 6 6 19 Date: September 20 Location: Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, Michigan Game attendance: 92,304

Scoring summary 1 STAN Tony Hill 25-yard pass from Mike Cordova (kick failed) Stanford 6-0 2 MICH Jim Smith 48-yard pass from Rick Leach (Bob Wood kick) Michigan 7-6 3 MICH Bob Wood 27-yard field goal Michigan 10-6 3 MICH Bob Wood 29-yard field goal Michigan 13-6 4 STAN Todd Anderson 4-yard pass from Mike Cordova (Mike Langford kick) Tie 13-13 4 5:51 MICH Bob Wood 32-yard field goal Michigan 16-13 4 3:41 STAN Mike Langford 40-yard field goal Tie 16-16 4 1:46 MICH Bob Wood 42-yard field goal Michigan 19-16 4 :09 STAN Mike Langford 33-yard field goal Tie 19-19

Michigan State

1 2 3 4 Total • Michigan 0 6 0 10 16 Michigan State 3 0 3 0 6 Date: October 11 Location: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI Game attendance: 79,776

Scoring summary 1 MSU Nielsen 46-yard field goal MSU 3-0 2 MICH Wood 33-yard field goal Tied 3-3 2 MICH Wood 46-yard field goal MICH 6-3 3 MSU Nielsen 43-yard field goal Tied 6-6 4 MICH Bell 18-yard run (Wood kick) MICH 13-6 4 MICH Wood 25-yard field goal MICH 16-6

Northwestern

'Michigan 69 Northwestern 0

In this drubbing of the great ground game led by Freshman quarterback Rick Leach, Junior fullback Rob Lytle, and Senior tailback Gordon Bell, Michigan rushed for over 500 yards in which all three of them went over 100 yards in a game. No team in NCAA history has had three backs gain over 100 yards in a game not even under Denard Robinson did this occur. And to shut out the Wildcats making it probably the most lopsided affair during the seaso

Indiana

1 2 3 4 Total Indiana 0 0 0 7 7 • Michigan 14 20 14 7 55 Date: October 25 Location: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI

Scoring summary 1 MICH Jim Smith 77-yard run (Wood kick) MICH 7-0 1 MICH G. Bell 53-yard run (Wood kick) MICH 14-0 2 MICH Rob Lytle 1-yard run (Wood kick) MICH 21-0 2 MICH Rob Lytle 7-yard run (kick failed) MICH 27-0 2 MICH Rob Lytle 1-yard run (Wood kick) MICH 34-0 3 MICH R. Davis 1-yard run (Wood kick) MICH 41-0 3 MICH R. Davis 3-yard run (Wood kick) MICH 48-0 4 IND T. Jones 1-yard run (Stavroff kick) MICH 48-7 4 MICH Rob Lytle 12-yard run (Willner kick) MICH 55-7

Illinois

1 2 3 4 Total • Michigan 14 0 7 0 21 Illinois 0 0 0 15 15 Date: November 15 Location: Memorial Stadium Game attendance: 45,077

Scoring summary Q1 MICH Bell 2 yard run (kick failed) MICH 6–0 Q1 MICH Bell 1 yard run (Lytle run) MICH 14–0 Q3 MICH Leach 1 yard run (Wood kick) MICH 21–0 Q4 ILL Johnson 5 yard pass from Steger (Beaver kick) MICH 21–7 Q4 ILL Phillips 2 yard run (Johnson pass from Steger) MICH 21–15

Players

Offense

• Gordon Bell, tailback, senior, Troy, Ohio - started all 12 games at tailback
• Jerry Collins, split end, senior, Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Scott Corbin, fullback, sophomore, Cincinnati, Ohio - started 1 game at safety
• James C. Czirr, center, senior, St. Joseph, Michigan - started all 12 games at center
• Russell Davis, tailback, freshman, Woodbridge, Virginia
• Mark Donahue, offensive guard, sophomore, Oak Lawn, Illinois - started 10 games at left offensive guard, 1 at right offensive guard
• Walt Downing, offensive guard, sophomore, Coatesville, Pennsylvania - started all 12 games (11 at right offensive guard, 1 at left offensive guard)
• Bill Dufek, offensive tackle, sophomore, East Grand Rapids, Michigan - started all 12 games at right offensive tackle
• Mark Elzinga, quarterback, senior, Bay City, Michigan - started 1 game at quarterback
• James D. Hall, offensive tackle, junior, Ypsilanti, Michigan
• Harlan Huckleby, tailback, freshman, Detroit, Michigan
• Thomas P. Jensen, center, senior, Springfield, Illinois
• Gene Johnson, tight end, freshman, Flint, Michigan
• Keith Johnson, split end - defensive back, senior, Munster, Indiana - started 11 games at split end
• Mike Kenn, offensive tackle, sophomore, Evanston, Illinois - started 9 games at left offensive tackle
• R. Steven King, offensive tackle, senior, Tiffin, Ohio - started 3 games at left offensive tackle
• Rick Leach, quarterback, freshman, Flint, Michigan - started 11 games at quarterback
• Kirk Lewis, offensive guard, senior, Garden City, Michigan
• Rob Lytle, fullback, junior, Fremont, Ohio - started all 12 games at fullback
• Les Miles, offensive guard, senior, Elyria, Ohio - started 1 game at left offensive guard
• Steve Nauta, center, sophomore, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania
• George Przygodski, tight end, senior, Grand Rapids, Michigan - started 5 games at tight end
• Max Richardson, tailback, wing back, Fort Wayne, Indiana
• Mark Schmerge, tight end, freshman, Cincinnati, Ohio - started 6 games at tight end
• Jim Smith, split end, junior, Blue Island, Illinois - started all 12 games at wing back
• Curt Stephenson, split end, junior, La Jolla, California
• Jerry Szara, offensive guard, sophomore, Oak Lawn, Illinois
• Pete Traber, tight end, sophomore, Columbia, Maryland - started 1 game at tight end
• Richard A. White, split end, junior, Cincinnati, Ohio - started 1 game at split end

Defense

• John Anderson, defensive end, sophomore, Waukesha, Wisconsin - started 1 game at right defensive end
• Jim Bolden, defensive back, junior, Akron, Ohio - started 11 games at weak-side defensive halfback
• Philip J. Brumbaugh, defensive back, senior, Greenville, Ohio
• Tim Davis, middle guard, senior, Warren, Ohio - started 11 games at middle guard
• David Devich, linebacker, senior, Highland, Indiana - started all 12 games at middle linebacker
• Don Dufek, wolfman, senior, East Grand Rapids, Michigan - started all 12 games at wolfman
• John Hennessy, defensive tackle, junior, Chicago, Illinois - started 3 games at left defensive tackle, 1 at right defensive tackle
• Dwight Hicks, safety, sophomore, Pennsauken, New Jersey - started 10 games at safety
• Bill Hoban, defensive tackle, senior, Chicago, Illinois
• Michael G. Holmes, defensive end, senior, Akron, Ohio - started 10 games at right defensive end, 1 at left defensive end
• Derek Howard, defensive back, sophomore, Hamilton, Ohio - started 1 game at weak-side defensive halfback
• Dan Jilek, defensive end, senior, Sterling Heights, Michigan - started all 12 games (11 at left defensive end, 1 at right defensive end)
• Kurt Kampe III, defensive back, senior, Defiance, Ohio
• Richard A. Koschalk, middle guard, senior, Toledo, Ohio - started 1 game at middle guard
• Bob Lang, middle guard, junior, Chicago, Illinois
• Rex Mackall, linebacker, sophomore, Berea, Ohio
• Greg Morton, defensive tackle, junior, Akron, Ohio - started 10 games at right defensive tackle, 1 at left defensive tackle
• Calvin O'Neal, linebacker, junior, Saginaw, Michigan - started all 12 games at wide linebacker
• Jeff Perlinger, defensive tackle, senior, Crystal, Minnesota - started 8 games at left defensive tackle
• Eric Phelps, defensive end, sophomore, Salem, New Hampshire
• Jim Pickens, safety, sophomore, Sylvania, Ohio - started all 12 games (11 at strong-side defensive halfback, 1 at safety)
• Charles D. Randolph, defensive tackle, senior, Amelia, Ohio
• Tom Seabron, defensive end - tight end, freshman, Detroit, Michigan
• Michael Strabley, linebacker, junior, Massillon, Ohio
• Greg Strinko, defensive end, senior, Middletown, Ohio
• Jerry Vogele, linebacker, junior, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Dave Whiteford, safety, junior, Traverse City, Michigan
• Jerry Zuver, safety, junior, Archbold, Ohio - started 1 game at strong-side defensive halfback

Awards and honors

• All-Americans: Don Dufek Jr.
• All-Conference: Dan Jilek, Tim Davis, Don Dufek, Jim Davis, Jim Czirr, Gordon Bell, Greg Morton, Calvin O'Neal
• Most Valuable Player: Gordon Bell
• Meyer Morton Award: Dan Jilek
• John Maulbetsch Award: Dwight Hicks
• Frederick Matthei Award: Jim Smith
• Arthur Robinsion Scholarship Award: Dan Jilek

Professional football

The following players were claimed in the 1976 NFL Draft.

Player	Position	Round	Pick	NFL Club
Gordon Bell	Running Back	4	104	New York Giants
Dan Jilek	Linebacker	4	109	Buffalo Bills
Don Dufek	Defensive Back	5	126	Seattle Seahawks
Steve King	Tackle	5	129	New York Jets
Jim Czirr	Center	9	252	Denver Broncos
Jeff Perlinger	Defensive End	10	268	San Diego Chargers

Coaching staff

• Head coach: Bo Schembechler
• Assistant coaches: Dennis Brown, Tirrel Burton, Jerry Hanlon, Jack Harbaugh, Jed Hughes, Bill McCartney, Gary Moeller, Tom Reed, Paul Schudel, Chuck Stobart
• Trainer: Lindsy McLean
• Manager: Jeffrey L. Young

Statistics

Rushing

Player	Attempts	Net yards	Yards per attempt	Touchdowns
Gordon Bell	273	1390	5.1	13
Rob Lytle	193	1030	5.3	10
Rick Leach	113	552	4.9	5

Passing

Player	Attempts	Completions	Interceptions	Comp %	Yards	Yds/Comp	TD	Long
Rick Leach	100	32	12	32.0	680	21.3	3	83
Mark Elzinga	23	8	3	34.8	133	16.6	1	28

Receiving

Player	Receptions	Yards	Yds/Recp	TD	Long
Jim Smith	24	553	23.0	4	83
Keith Johnson	6	130	21.7	0	29

Kickoff returns

Player	Returns	Yards	Yds/Return	TD	Long
Gordon Bell	9	227	25.2	0	64

Punt returns

Player	Returns	Yards	Yds/Return	TD	Long
Jim Smith	26	210	8.1	0	50
Dwight Hicks	9	63	7.0	0	21

External links

• 1975 Football Team -- Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan Athletics History