1978 Michigan Wolverines football team

The 1978 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head coach was Bo Schembechler. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium.

Michigan State
Michigan's only conference loss of the season.

Ohio State
Michigan held Ohio State without a touchdown for the third straight year.

Offense

 * John Arbeznik, offensive guard, senior, University Heights, Ohio - started 9 games at left offensive guard
 * Greg Bartnick, offensive guard, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started all 12 games at right offensive guard
 * Kurt Becker, offensive guard, sophomore, Aurora, Illinois
 * Jim Breaugh, quarterback, sophomore, West Bloomfield, Michigan
 * David Brewster, fullback, freshman, Grafton, Wisconsin
 * Ralph Clayton, wing back, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 10 games at wing back
 * Michael Davis, fullback, junior, Woodbridge, Virginia
 * Russell Davis, fullback, senior, Woodbridge, Virginia - started all 12 games at fullback
 * Brian J. Dickey, quarterback, sophomore, Ottawa, Ohio
 * Bill Dufek, offensive tackle, senior, East Grand Rapids, Michigan - started 3 games at right offensive tackle
 * Stanley Edwards, tailback, sophomore, Detroit, Michigan
 * Rodney Feaster, wide receiver, sophomore, Flint, Michigan - started 7 games at wide receiver
 * Jon Giesler, offensive tackle, senior, Woodville, Ohio - started all 12 games at left offensive tackle
 * Harlan Huckleby, tailback, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 9 games at tailback
 * Gene Johnson, tight end, senior, Flint, Michigan - started 7 games at tight end, 1 game at wide receiver
 * Ed Kasparek, wide receiver, senior, Dearborn, Michigan - started 1 game at wide receiver
 * Rick Leach, quarterback, senior, Flint, Michigan - started all 12 games at quarterback
 * Gary Lee, quarterback, freshman, Flint, Michigan
 * Mike Leoni, offensive tackle, junior, Flint, Michigan - started 5 games at right offensive tackle
 * Tony Leoni, tailback, junior, Flint, Michigan
 * George Lilja, center, junior, Palos Park, Illinois
 * Rock Lindsay, offensive guard, senior, Lapeer, Michigan
 * Doug Marsh, tight end, junior, Akron, Ohio - started 5 games at tight end
 * Alan Mitchell, wide receiver, sophomore, Detroit, Michigan - started 3 games at wide receiver, 1 game at wing back
 * Ed Muransky, offensive tackle, freshman, Youngstown, Ohio
 * Steve Nauta, center, senior, Norristown, Pennsylvania - started all 12 games at center
 * Jim Paciorek, quarterback, freshman, Orchard Lake, Michigan
 * Craig Page, tailback, senior, Saginaw, Michigan
 * Bubba Paris, offensive tackle, freshman, Louisville, Kentucky - started 1 game at right offensive tackle
 * Bernhardt "Chip" Pederson, tight end, senior, Bay City, Michigan
 * John J. Powers, offensive guard, junior, Oak Park, Illinois - started 3 games at left offensive guard, 3 games at right offensive tackle
 * Lawrence P. Reid, fullback, junior, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
 * Mark Schmerge, tight end, senior, Cincinnati, Ohio
 * Kevin Smith, quarterback - free safety, freshman, Dallas, Texas
 * Roosevelt Smith, tailback, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 1 game at wing back, 1 game at tailback
 * John Wangler, quarterback, junior, Royal Oak, Michigan
 * Butch Woolfolk, tailback, freshman, Westfield, New Jersey - started 2 games at tailback

Defense

 * Gene Bell, safety, junior, East Liverpool, Ohio
 * Norm Betts, outside linebacker - tight end, freshman, Midland, Michigan
 * Mark Braman, defensive back, senior, Midland, Michigan - started 10 games at strong-side cornerback
 * Gasper Calandrino, defensive back, senior, Grand Rapids, Michigan
 * Andy Cannavino, inside linebacker, sophomore, Cleveland, Ohio - started 6 games at inside linebacker
 * Mark DeSantis, outside linebacker, senior, Harper Woods, Michigan - started 4 games at inside linebacker
 * Gerald Diggs, defensive back, junior, Chicago, Illinois - started 1 game at strong-side cornerback
 * Chris Godfrey, defensive tackle, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 6 games at defensive tackle
 * Curtis Greer, defensive tackle, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started all 12 games at defensive tackle
 * Mike Harden, defensive back, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 10 games at safety
 * Stuart Harris, defensive back, sophomore, Chagrin Falls, Ohio - started 2 games at safety
 * Robert K. Holloway, outside linebacker, senior, West Bloomfield, Michigan
 * James N. Humphries, middle guard, junior, Detroit, Michigan
 * Tony Jackson, defensive back, freshman, Cleveland, Ohio
 * William Jackson, defensive tackle, senior, Richmond, Virginia
 * Mike Jolly, defensive back, junior, Melvindale, Michigan
 * Dale Keitz, middle guard - defensive tackle, senior, Columbus, Ohio - started all 12 games (6 at middle guard, 6 at defensive tackle)
 * Tom Keller, outside linebacker, junior, Grand Rapids, Michigan
 * Timothy Malinak, inside linebacker, senior, Flemington, Pennsylvania
 * Thomas A. Melita, middle guard, senior, Penns Grove, New Jersey
 * Jerry Meter, inside linebacker, senior, Birmingham, Michigan - started all 12 games at outside linebacker
 * Dan Murray, wolf, junior, Ann Arbor, Michigan - started 1 game at strong-side cornerback
 * Ben Needham, outside linebacker, sophomore, Groveport, Ohio - started 2 games at outside linebacker
 * Mel Owens, inside linebacker, junior, DeKalb, Illinois - started 2 games at inside linebacker
 * Tom Seabron, outside linebacker, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 10 games at outside linebacker
 * Ron Simpkins, inside linebacker, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 11 games at inside linebacker
 * Mike Trgovac, middle guard, sophomore, Austintown, Ohio - started 6 games at middle guard
 * Gary Weber, defensive tackle, junior, Matawan, New Jersey

Kickers

 * Bryan Virgil, place-kicker, sophomore, Buchanan, Michigan
 * Greg Willner, punter - place-kicker, junior, Miami Beach, Florida

Awards

 * Captains: Russell Davis, Jerry Meter
 * All-Americans: Rick Leach
 * All-Conference: Rick Leach, Jon Giesler, John Arbeznik, Russell Davis, Curtis Greer, Ron Simpkins, Mike Jolly, Mike Harden
 * Most Valuable Player: Rick Leach
 * Meyer Morton Award: Gene Johnson
 * John Maulbetsch Award: Mike Trgovac
 * Frederick Matthei Award: Mike Jolly
 * Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: Mark DeSantis
 * Rick Leach was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the first round of the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft.

Coaching staff

 * Head coach: Bo Schembechler
 * Assistant coaches: Dennis Brown, Tirrel Burton, Jerry Hanlon, Jack Harbaugh, Bill McCartney, Don Nehlen, Paul Schudel, Milan Vooletich
 * Trainer: Lindsy McLean
 * Manager: Nicholas J. Uriah