1969 Michigan Wolverines football team

The 1969 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1969 college football season. In their first year under head coach Bo Schembechler, the Wolverines compiled an 8–3 record (6–1 Big Ten), played in the 1970 Rose Bowl, and finished the season ranked #9 in the final AP poll and #8 in the final UPI poll.

The 1969 Michigan vs. Ohio State football game was considered one of the biggest upsets in college football history, as Ohio State came into the game with an 8-0 record, a 22-game winning streak and the #1 ranking in the polls. Michigan defeated Ohio State 24-12 in front of a crowed of 103,588 at Michigan Stadium to win the Big Ten Conference's berth in the Rose Bowl. The game was also the first in a series that came to be known as "The Ten-Year War," a 10-year span during which Michigan under Bo Schembechler battled Ohio State under Woody Hayes, under whom Schembechler had served as both a player at Miami University and an assistant coach at Ohio State. Four times between 1970 and 1975, Ohio State and Michigan were both ranked in the top five of the AP Poll before their matchup.

Bo Schembechler suffered a heart attack the night before the 1970 Rose Bowl game against an undefeated USC team. The Wolverines lost the Rose Bowl in a defensive struggle by a score of 10-3.

Team captain and tight end Jim Mandich was selected as the 1969 team's most valuable player and as a first-team All-American. Defensive back Tom Curtis was also selected as a first-team All-American, and seven members of the team, including Dan Dierdorf, received first-team All-Big Ten honors. Sophomore tailback Billy Taylor was the team's leading rusher and an All-Big Ten honoree. Thirteen members of the 1969 team went on to play professional football, and four players (Mandich, Curtis, Dierdorf and offensive guard Reggie McKenzie) were inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Offense

 * Morris Abrahams, offensive tackle, senior, Ann Arbor, Michigan
 * Robert Baumgartner (No. 60), offensive guard, senior, Chicago - started 9 games at offensive left guard
 * William J. Berutti, quarterback, junior, Franklin, Ohio
 * Jim Betts (No. 23), quarterback, junior, Cleveland, Ohio - started 1 game at left halfback
 * Jim Brandstatter (No. 76), offensive tackle, sophomore, East Lansing, Michigan
 * Richard Caldarazzo (No. 56), offensive guard, senior, Melrose Park, Illinois - started 8 games at offensive right guard
 * Garvie Craw (No. 48), fullback, senior, Montclair, New Jersey - started 7 games at full back and 3 games at right halfback
 * Dan Dierdorf (No. 72), offensive tackle, junior, Canton, Ohio - started 7 games at offensive right tackle and 1 at offensive left tackle
 * Glenn Doughty (No. 22), tailback, sophomore, Detroit - started 4 games at left halfback
 * Eric Federico, fullback, senior, Trenton, Michigan
 * John H. Gabler (No. 18), wingback, senior, Royal Oak, Michigan - started 3 games at fullback, 3 games at right halfback
 * Werner W. Hall, offensive tackle, senior, Sandusky, Ohio
 * Mike Hankwitz (No. 81), tight end, senior, Scottsville, Michigan - started 2 games at right end
 * Jack Harpring (No. 71), offensive tackle, junior, Cincinnati, Ohio - started 8 games at offensive left tackle and 1 at offensive right tackle
 * William J. Harris, split end, junior, Mt. Clemens, Michigan
 * Preston Henry (No. 44), tailback, sophomore, Flint, Michigan - started 2 games at right halfack
 * Thomas A. Huiskens, tight end, sophomore, Bay City, Michigan
 * Jerry Imsland, split end, senior, Northville, Michigan
 * Timothy Killian (No. 57), center, junior, Lincoln Park, Michigan - started 2 games at center
 * Joseph Lukz, offensive guard, senior, Niles, Ohio
 * Jim Mandich (No. 88), tight end, senior, Solon, Ohio - started 8 games at left end
 * Reggie McKenzie (No. 65), offensive guard, sophomore, Highland Park, Illinois
 * Don Moorhead (No. 27), quarterback, junior, South Haven, Michigan - started all 11 games at quarterback
 * Guy Murdock (No. 53), center, sophomore, Barrington, Illinois - started 7 games at center
 * Michael Oldham, split end, sophomore, Cincinnati, Ohio
 * Robert Ritley, offensive tackle, senior, Garfield Heights, Ohio
 * Peter C. Sarantos, center, senior, Elkhart, Indiana
 * Lance G. Scheffler, tailback, junior, Trenton, Michigan
 * Fritz Seyferth (No. 32), fullback, sophomore, Darien, Connecticut - started 1 game at fullback
 * Paul Seymour (No. 85), split end, sophomore, Berkley, Michigan
 * Paul Staroba (No. 30), wingback, junior, Flint, Michigan - started 3 games at right end
 * Billy Taylor (No. 42), tailback, sophomore, Barberton, Ohio - started 3 games at left halfback
 * Frank Titas, offensive guard, senior, Cleveland, Ohio

Defense

 * Tom Beckman, defensive tackle, sophomore, Chesaning, Michigan
 * Richard W. Brown, middle guard, senior, Auburn, Michigan
 * Al Carpenter, defensive end, sophomore, Flint, Michigan - started 1 game at offensive right guard
 * Dana Coin, defensive end and place-kicker, sophomore, Pontiac, Michigan
 * Tom Curtis (No. 25), defensive back, senior, Aurora, Ohio - started all 11 games at safety
 * Thom Darden (No. 35), defensive back, sophomore, Sandusky, Ohio - started 10 games at wolfman (also started 1 game at left halfback on offense)
 * Bruce Elliott, defensive back, sophomore, Indianapolis, Indiana - started 1 game at right halfback
 * Alan Francis, middle guard, senior, Euclid, Ohio
 * Fred Grambau (No. 92), defensive tackle, sophomore, Ossineke, Michigan - started all 11 games at left defensive tackle (also started 2 games at left tackle on offense)
 * Frank Gusich, defensive back, sophomore, Garfield Heights, Ohio - started 1 game at wolfman
 * Brian Healy (No. 24), defensive back, senior, Sandusky, Ohio - started all 11 games at defensive halfback (also started 2 games at right halfback on offense)
 * Henry Hill (No. 39), middle guard, junior, Detroit - started all 11 games at middle guard (also started 2 games at left guard and 1 at right guard on offense)
 * Marty Huff (No. 70), linebacker, junior, Toledo, Ohio - started all 11 games at linebacker (also started 2 games at right tackle and 1 at left halfback on offense)
 * Joseph M. Jones, linebacker, senior, Evanston, Illinois
 * Mike Keller (No. 90), defensive end, sophomore, Grand Rapids, Michigan - started all 11 games at left defensive end (also started 2 games at left end on offense)
 * Richard McCoy, Jr., defensive tackle, junior, Alliance, Ohio
 * Edward M. Moore (No. 97), linebacker, junior, Youngstown, Ohio - started 10 games at linebacker (also started 2 games at right end on offense)
 * Pete Newell (No. 82), defensive tackle, junior, Park Ridge, Illinois - started all 11 games at right defensive tackle (also started 2 games at center and 1 at right tackle on offense)
 * Daniel Parks, defensive tackle, junior, Birmingham, Michigan
 * Barry Pierson (No. 29), defensive back, senior, St. Ignace, Michigan - started all 11 games at defensive halfback (also started 1 game at left halfback on offense)
 * Cecil Pryor (No. 55), defensive end, senior, Corpus Christi, Texas - started all 11 games at right defensive end (also started 1 game at left end and 1 at right end on offense)
 * Thomas Takach, defensive end, senior, Detroit
 * Mike Taylor, linebacker, sophomore, Detroit - started 1 game at linebacker
 * Timothy Wadhams, defensive back, senior, Ann Arbor, Michigan
 * Mark Werner, defensive back, senior, Cincinnati, Ohio
 * Robert E. White, defensive back, senior, Middleville, Michigan
 * George Zuganellis, linebacker, senior, Chicago

Awards and honors

 * Captain: Jim Mandich
 * All-Americans: Jim Mandich, Tom Curtis
 * All-Conference: Jim Mandich, Phil Seymour, Tom Curtis, Dan Dierdorf, Guy Murdock, Billy Taylor, Marty Huff
 * Most Valuable Player: Jim Mandich
 * Meyer Morton Award: Don Moorhead
 * John Maulbetsch Award: Glenn Doughty
 * Frederick Matthei Award: Jack Harpring
 * Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: Brian Healy

1969 team players in the NFL
The following players were claimed in the 1970 NFL Draft.

Eighteen members of the 1969 team went on to play professional football. They are: Tom Beckman (St.Louis Cardinals, 1972, Memphis Grizzlies, 1974-1975), Tom Curtis (Baltimore Colts, 1970-1971), Thom Darden (Cleveland Browns, 1972-1981), Dan Dierdorf (St. Louis Cardinals, 1971-1983), Glenn Doughty (Baltimore Colts, 1972-1979), Fred Grambau (Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes); Marty Huff (San Francisco 49ers, 1972; Edmonton Eskimos, 1973; Charlotte Hornets, 1974-1975), Mike Keller (Dallas Cowboys, 1972), Jim Mandich (Miami Dolphins, 1970-1977; Pittsburgh Steelers, 1978), Reggie McKenzie (Buffalo Bills, 1972-1982; Seattle Seahawks, 1983-1984), Guy Murdock (Houston Oilers, 1974; Chicago Fire/Winds, 1974-1975), Pete Newell (BC Lions, 1971); Cecil Pryor (Memphis Southmen), Fritz Seyferth (Calgary Stampeders, 1972); Paul Seymour (Buffalo Bills, 1973-1977), Paul Staroba (Cleveland Browns, 1972; Green Bay Packers, 1973), Billy Taylor (Calgary Stampeders, 1972), and Mike Taylor (New York Jets, 1972-73).

Coaching staff

 * Head coach: Bo Schembechler
 * Assistant coaches: Jerry Hanlon, Dick Hunter, Louie Lee, Frank Maloney, George Mans, Gary Moeller, Larry Smith, Chuck Stobart, Jim Young
 * Trainer: Lindsy McLean
 * Manager: Robert Kohn