| 1951Michigan Wolverines football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Record | 4–5 (4–2 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
|
| MVP | Don Peterson |
| Captain | Bill Putich |
| Home stadium | Michigan Stadium |
Seasons | |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4Illinois $ | 5 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 9 | – | 0 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 4 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 8Wisconsin | 5 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 7 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio State | 2 | – | 2 | – | 2 | 4 | – | 3 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 1 | – | 4 | – | 1 | 2 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 1 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 0 | – | 5 | – | 1 | 2 | – | 5 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The1951 Michigan Wolverines football team was anAmerican football team that represented theUniversity of Michigan as a member of theBig Ten Conference during the1951 Big Ten season. In their fourth year under head coachBennie Oosterbaan, the Wolverines compiled a 4–5 record (4–2 in conference games), finished in fourth place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 135 to 122.[1][2] It was Michigan's first losing season since1936 and the first since1937 that Michigan was not ranked in the finalAP poll. It was ranked at No. 29 in the finalLitkenhous Ratings.[3]
Senior left halfback/quarterbackBill Putich was the team captain and led the team in passing (390 yards, 41.6% completion percentage). FullbackDon Peterson received the team's most valuable player award and led the team in rushing (549 yards, 3.6 yards per carry). Halfback/safetyLowell Perry led the team in receiving (16 receptions for 395 yards) and was selected by theCentral Press as a second-team player on the1951 All-America team.[2][4] Three Michigan players received first-team honors on the1951 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Perry (AP-1, UP-1); offensive tackleTom Johnson (AP-1, UP-1); and linebackerRoger Zatkoff (AP-1).
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 29 | No. 2Michigan State* | No. 17 | L 0–25 | 97,239 | [5] | |
| October 6 | Stanford* |
| L 13–23 | 57,200 | [6] | |
| October 13 | Indiana |
| W 33–14 | 61,100 | [7] | |
| October 20 | atIowa | W 21–0 | 53,050 | [8] | ||
| October 27 | Minnesota |
| W 54–27 | 86,200 | [9] | |
| November 3 | at No. 3Illinois | No. 15 | L 0–7 | 71,119 | [10] | |
| November 10 | atCornell* | L 7–20 | 35,300 | [11] | ||
| November 17 | Northwestern |
| L 0–6 | 58,300 | [12] | |
| November 24 | Ohio State |
| W 7–0 | 95,000 | [13][14] | |
| ||||||
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| •Michigan St. | 0 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 25 |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
On September 29, Michigan, ranked No. 17, lost to Michigan State, ranked No. 2, by a 25-0 score before a sellout crowd of 97,239 atMichigan Stadium inAnn Arbor. To that date, it was the most decisive victory for Michigan State in the history of theMichigan–Michigan State football rivalry. The Spartans limited the Wolverines to 26 passing yards, a net loss of 23 rushing yards, and four first downs. TheDetroit Free Press called it "as feeble an attack as any team in Michigan's proud football history ever displayed."[5] The Spartans tallied 21 first downs, 249 rushing yards, 58 passing yards, and four touchdowns.[5]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| •Stanford | 0 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
| Michigan | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
On October 6, Michigan lost toStanford, 23–13, before a sparse crowd of 57,200 atMichigan Stadium inAnn Arbor.[15][16][17][18] Michigan scored first on a six-yard run byLowell Perry, but Stanford seized momentum in the second quarter with three touchdowns, including a scoring reception by All-America endBill McColl. QuarterbackBill Putich connected on a 35-yard pass to Fred Pickard to set up another Michigan touchdown, but the Wolverines were unable to overcome the second-quarter deficit. Perry was Michigan’s standout on offense, while McColl’s performance (seven receptions for 142 yards) drew national attention as a key factor in Stanford’s upset victory. The defeat marked a rare home loss for head coachBennie Oosterbaan.[15][16][17][19][20][21]
Michigan tallied 177 rushing yards, led by Bill Putich with 79 yards. In the air, the Wolverines completed ony four of 17 passes for 77 yards. Putich completed three of 12 passes for 60 yards. Stanford rushed for 167 yards and completed 13 of 21 passes for 209 yards.[15][18] The Wolverines lost the first two games of the season for the first time since1937.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| • Michigan | 13 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 33 |
On October 13, Michigan defeatedIndiana, 33–14, before a homecoming crowd of more than 61,100 atMichigan Stadium.[22][23] The Wolverines scored five touchdowns, including a six-yard run byLowell Perry, a short plunge fromDon Peterson, and passing plays set up by quarterbackBill Putich. Indiana capitalized on turnovers for both of its touchdowns but was unable to slow Michigan’s balanced attack. Perry starred as both a runner and receiver, while Peterson added steady gains on the ground. The victory, coming after back-to-back losses to Michigan State and Stanford, was described as a much-needed rebound for Oosterbaan’s team, with theFree Press noting the lively homecoming atmosphere in Ann Arbor.[22][23][24]
The Wolverines tallied 197 passing yards and 124 rushing yards, while holding the Hoosiers to 66 passing yards and 192 rushing yards.[23]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| •Michigan | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Iowa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
On October 20, Michigan defeatedIowa, 21–0, before a crowd of 53,050, an all-time attendance record at atIowa Stadium inIowa City, Iowa.Don Peterson scored two touchdowns, andBill Putich scored one. Russ Rescoria converted all three kicks for extra point. Iowa out-gained Michigan by 310 yards (251 rushing, 59 passing) to 219 yards (145 rushing, 74 passing).[8]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 7 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 27 |
| •Michigan | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 54 |
On October 27, Michigan defeatedMinnesota, 54–27, in theLittle Brown Jug rivalry game before a crowd of 86,200 atMichigan Stadium. Michigan's 54 points was the most scored against Minnesota by any Big Ten team in history.[9] Highlights of the high-scoring game included:
Michigan gained 427 yards (224 rushing, 203 passing) in the game. Minnesota gained 394 yards (249 passing, 145 rushing).[9]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| •Illinois | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
On November 3, Michigan lost to Big Ten championIllinois, 7–0, before a crowd of 71,119 atMemorial Stadium inChampaign, Illinois. The game was played in a blizzard with winds gusting to 50 Miles an hour at times. Through the first 58 minutes, neither team was able to score in the difficult weather conditions. Late in the fourth quarter, Illinois drove 83 yards. With 70 seconds remaining in the game, quarterbackTommy O'Connell threw a six-yard touchdown pass to right end Rex Smith in the end zone. Wilfrid Smith of theChicago Tribune described Illinois' fourth-quarter drive as "one of the most glorious rallies in this 50 year rivalry."[25]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| • Cornell | 0 | 0 | 13 | 7 | 20 |
On November 10, Michigan lost toCornell, 20–7, before aSchoellkopf Field record crowd of 35,300 inIthaca.[26][27] Michigan led 7–0 at halftime on a 43-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackBill Putich to endFred Pickard, but Cornell rallied for 20 unanswered points in the second half. Backup quarterback Jack Jaeckel directed two third-quarter touchdown drives, and the Big Red added a fourth-quarter score to seal the upset. Cornell’s defense held Michigan to 39 rushing yards and intercepted three passes. Contemporary accounts praised Cornell’s comeback as one of the program’s finest moments of the decade, while Michigan head coachBennie Oosterbaan pointed to turnovers and second-half breakdowns as decisive.[26][27][28]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| •Northwestern | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
On November 17, Michigan lost toNorthwestern, 6–0, before a crowd of 58,300 atMichigan Stadium. The only scoring of the game came early in the second quarter after Michigan halfback Frankie Howell fumbled on an attempted reverse. Northwestern recovered the loose ball near midfield and scored on a 17-yard run by fullback Chuck Hren. The extra point kick was blocked byDon Peterson. Michigan tallied 244 rushing yards, but the Wolverines threw as many interceptions (five) as they did complete passes. In addition to the five interceptions, Michigan also turned the ball over two times on fumbles.[12][29]
The loss eliminated Michigan from contention for the Big Ten title that they had won or shared each of the previous four seasons. It was Michigan's fifth loss of the season, the most losses suffered by a Michigan team since the1936 team lost seven games.[12]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio St | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| •Michigan | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
On November 24, Michigan andOhio State faced off before a crowd of 95,000 atMichigan Stadium in a rare instance where neither of the rivals was ranked in theAP or UP polls. The only scoring of the game came on a 49-yard Michigan drive late in the second quarter, culminating with a six-yard touchdown run by fullbackDon Peterson and a successful extra-point kick by Russ Rescoria. One play before Peterson scored, Michigan's Don Zanfagna caught a pass at the six-yard line; Zanfagna was hit hard, causing the ball to bounce from his arms with Buckeyes' guardSteve Ruzich recovering the ball, but the officials ruled that Zanfagna was down before he lost the ball.[30][31][32][33]
Ohio State turned the ball over four times on fumbles. The Buckeyes never moved the ball inside Michigan's 20-yard line and were held to 222 yards (120 rushing, 102 passing). Michigan gained only 215 yards (135 rushing, 80 passing). Michigan's senior halfback and team captainBill Putich, an east Cleveland native playing his last game for the Wolverines, was described as a "workhorse", completing 10 of 21 passes for 64 yards and carrying the ball 14 times for 30 yards.[30][34] After the game,Woody Hayes summed up the game: "You've got to play your best ball to beat Michigan. We didn't. That's all."[35]
Michigan's individual statistical leaders for the 1951 season include those listed below.[4][36]
| Player | Attempts | Net yards | Yards per attempt | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Don Peterson | 152 | 549 | 3.6 | 4 |
| Wes Bradford | 64 | 348 | 5.4 | 2 |
| Bill Putich | 115 | 268 | 2.3 | 3 |
| Player | Attempts | Completions | Interceptions | Comp % | Yards | Yds/Comp | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Putich | 77 | 32 | 7 | 41.6 | 390 | 12.2 | 2 | 55 |
| Don Peterson | 13 | 6 | 3 | 46.1 | 184 | 30.7 | 1 | 43 |
| Ted Topor | 26 | 9 | 2 | 34.6 | 171 | 19.0 | 2 | 71 |
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Yds/Recp | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowell Perry | 16 | 395 | 24.7 | 3 | 71 |
| Frederick Pickard | 10 | 204 | 20.4 | 2 | 55 |
| Ted Topor | 9 | 81 | 9.0 | 0 |
| Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Putich | 3 | 88 | 29.3 | 0 | 36 |
| Ted Topor | 3 | 72 | 24.0 | 0 | 27 |
| Don Oldham | 3 | 52 | 17.3 | 0 |
| Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowell Perry | 17 | 197 | 11.6 | 1 | 75 |
| Bill Putich | 11 | 71 | 6.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Merritt Green | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 10 |
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The following 36 players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1951 team.[37] Players who started at least four games are shown with their names in bold.[2]
Michigan's 1951 coaching, training, and support staff included the following persons.[2]
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Honors and awards for the 1951 season went to the following individuals: