1981 Michigan Wolverines football team

The 1981 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head coach was Bo Schembechler. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium.

The September 19 25–7 victory over top-ranked Notre Dame, was one of the largest margins of victory over a #1 ranked team ever.

Wisconsin

 * First loss in season opener under Bo Schembechler

Michigan State

 * Butch Woolfolk 39 Rush, 253 Yds

Offense

 * Art Balourdos, offensive line, freshman, Chicago, Illinois
 * Vincent Bean, wide receiver, sophomore, Southfield, Michigan - started all 12 games at split end
 * Kurt Becker, offensive guard, senior, Aurora, Illinois - started all 12 games at left offensive guard
 * Norm Betts, tight end, senior, Midland, Michigan - started all 12 games at tight end
 * Fred Brockington, wide receiver, senior, Detroit, Michigan
 * Anthony Carter, wide receiver, junior, Riviera Beach, Florida - started all 12 games at flanker
 * Milt Carthens, tight end, sophomore, Pontiac, Michigan
 * Brian J. Dickey, quarterback, senior, Ottawa, Ohio
 * Jerry Diorio, offensive guard, sophomore, Youngstown, Ohio - started 4 games at right offensive guard
 * Tom Dixon, center, sophomore, Fort Wayne, Indiana - started all 12 games at center
 * Craig Dunaway, tight end, senior, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
 * Stanley Edwards, tailback, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 11 games at fullback
 * Jeff Felten, center, senior, Centerville, Michigan
 * Brad Fischer, quarterback, senior, Ortonville, Michigan
 * Tom Garrity, center, Grafton, Wisconsin
 * Thomas J. Hassel, fullback, sophomore, Cincinnati, Ohio
 * Rich Hewlett, quarterback, junior, Plymouth, Michigan
 * Stefan Humphries, offensive guard, sophomore, Broward, Florida - started 8 games at right offensive guard
 * Jerald Ingram, fullback, junior, Beaver, Pennsylvania - started 1 game at fullback
 * Eric Kattus, tight end, freshman, Cincinnati, Ohio
 * Ed Muransky, offensive tackle, senior, Youngstown, Ohio - started all 12 games at right offensive tackle
 * Tom Neal, offensive tackle, senior, Orlando, Florida
 * Bubba Paris, offensive tackle, senior, Louisville, Kentucky - started all 12 games at left offensive tackle
 * Lawrence Ricks, tailback, junior, Barberton, Ohio
 * Rick Rogers, running back, freshman, Inkster, Michigan
 * Steve Smith, quarterback, sophomore, Grand Blanc, Michigan - started all 12 games at quarterback
 * Rich Strenger, offensive tackle, senior, Grafton, Wisconsin
 * Larry Sweeney, center, sophomore, Alma, Michigan
 * Butch Woolfolk, tailback, senior, Westfield, New Jersey - started all 12 games at tailback

Defense

 * Marion Body, defensive back, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 4 gams at short cornerback, 2 games at wide cornerback
 * Mike Boren, linebacker, sophomore, Columbus, Ohio - started all 12 games at inside linebacker
 * Keith Bostic, defensive back, junior, Ann Arbor, Michigan - started 11 games at strong safety
 * Jerry Burgei, defensive back, junior, Ottawa, Ohio - started 6 games at short cornerback
 * Brian Carpenter, defensive back, senior, Flint, Michigan - started 8 games at wide cornerback
 * Winfred Carraway, middle guard, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 5 games at defensive tackle, 1 game at middle guard
 * Brad Cochran, defensvie back, freshman, Royal Oak, Michigan
 * Cedric Coles, defensive tackle, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 6 games at defensive tackle
 * Evan Cooper, defensive back, sophomore, Miami, Florida - started 2 games at wide cornerback, 2 games at short cornerback
 * Mike Czarnota, inside linebacker, senior, Detroit, Michigan
 * Paul Girgash, linebacker, junior, Lakewood, Ohio - started all 12 games at inside linebacker
 * Stuart Harris, defensive back, senior, Chagrin Falls, Ohio
 * Mike Hammerstein, line, freshman, Wapakoneta, Ohio - started 1 game at middle guard
 * Jim Herrmann, inside linebacker, junior, Dearborn Heights, Michigan
 * Tony Jackson, defensive back, senior, Cleveland, Ohio - started all 12 games at free safety
 * Doug James, defensive tackle, sophomore, Louisville, Kentucky - started 5 games at middle guard
 * Louis Kovacs, defensive back, junior, Toledo, Ohio (father of 2012 team co-captain Jordan Kovacs)
 * Mike Lemirande, outside linebacker, senior, Grafton, Wisconsin - started 2 games at outside linebacker
 * John Lott, defensive back, junior, Masury, Ohio
 * Mike Mallory, linebacker, freshman, DeKalb, Illinois
 * Clay Miller, defensive tackle, freshman, Norman, Oklahoma - started 3 games at defensive tackle
 * Ben Needham, inside linebacker, senior, Groveport, Ohio - started 10 games at outside linebacker
 * Tony Osbun, defensive tackle, senior, Kenton, Ohio - started 10 games at defensive tackle
 * Jeff Reeves, defensive back, senior, Columbus, Ohio - started 1 game at strong safety
 * Carlton Rose, linebacker, sophomore, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida - started 4 games at outside linebacker
 * Alan Sincich, middle guard - linebacker, freshman, Cleveland, Ohio - started 5 games at middle guard
 * Kevin Smith, defensive back, senior, Dallas, Texas
 * Robert Thompson, outside linebacker, senior, Blue Island, Illinois - started 8 games at outside linebacker
 * Sanford Washington, inside linebacker, senior, Youngstown, Ohio

Kickers

 * Don Bracken, punter, sophomore, Thermopolis, Wyoming
 * Ali Haji-Sheikh, place-kicker, junior, Arlington, Texas
 * Karl Tech, place-kicker, punter, senior, Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan

Awards

 * All-Americans: Kurt Becker, Ed Muransky, William "Bubba" Paris, Butch Woolfolk, Anthony Carter
 * Academic All-American: Ed Muransky (first team)
 * All-Conference: Anthony Carter, Ed Muransky, Kurt Becker, Bubba Paris
 * Most Valuable Player: Butch Woolfolk
 * Meyer Morton Award: Stanley Edwards
 * Frederick Matthei Award: Lawrence Ricks
 * Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: Norm Betts
 * John Maulbetsch Award: Tom Dixon

Professional football
The following players were claimed in the 1982 NFL Draft. A total of twenty-three (23) members of the 1980 Michigan football team went on to play professional football. They are: Kurt Becker (Chicago Bears, 1982-88, 1990, Los Angeles Rams, 1989), Marion Body (Michigan Panthers, 1983), Keith Bostic (Houston Oilers, 1983-88), Cleveland Browns, 1990), Don Bracken (Green Bay Packers, 1985-90, Los Angeles Rams, 1992-93), Anthony Carter (Michigan Panthers, 1983-84, Oakland Invaders, 1985, Minnesota Vikings, 1985-93, Detroit Lions, 1994-95), Milt Carthens (Indianapolis Colts, 1987), Evan Cooper (Philadelphia Eagles, 1984-87, Atlanta Falcons, 1988-89), Jerry Diorio (Detroit Lions, 1987), Tom Dixon (Michigan Panthers, 1984), Craig Dunaway (Pittsburgh Steelers, 1983), Stanley Edwards (Houston Oilers, 1982-86, Detroit Lions, 1987), Paul Girgash (Michigan Panthers, 1984), Ali Haji-Sheikh (New York Giants, 1983-85, Atlanta Falcons, 1986, Washington Redskins, 1987), Mike Hammerstein (Cincinnati Bengals, 1986-90), Stefan Humphries (Chicago Bears, 1984-86, Denver Broncos, 1987-88), Eric Kattus (Cincinnati Bengals, 1986-91, New York Jets, 1992), Ed Muransky (Los Angeles Raiders, 1982-84, Orlando Renegades, 1985), Bubba Paris (San Francisco 49ers, 1983-90, Indianapolis Colts, 1991, Detroit Lions 1991), Lawrence Ricks (Kansas City Chiefs, 1983-84), Carlton Rose (Washington Redskins, 1987), Rich Strenger (Detroit Lions, 1983-87), Robert Thompson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1983-84, Detroit Lions, 1987), and Butch Woolfolk (New York Giants, 1982-84, Houston Oilers, 1985-86, Detroit Lions, 1987-88).

Coaching staff

 * Head coach: Bo Schembechler
 * Assistant coaches: Tirrel Burton, Lloyd Carr, Jerry Hanlon, Bill McCartney, Jerry Meter, Les Miles, Gary Moeller, Paul Schudel, Bob Thornbladh, Milan Vooletich
 * Trainer: Russ Miller
 * Managers: John D. Carr, Charles Fromm, Thomas Luxton, Greg Pearlman, Fred Spademan, Randall Tharp