1952 Michigan Wolverines football team
Encyclopedia
The 1952 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan
in the 1952 college football season
. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan
. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium
.
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in the 1952 college football season
1952 college football season
The 1952 college football season ended with the unbeaten Michigan State Spartans and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets each claiming the national championship according to different polls. Michigan State finished first according to two of the "wire service" polls which also both placed Georgia Tech...
. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan
Bennie Oosterbaan
Benjamin Gaylord "Bennie" Oosterbaan was a three-time first team All-American football end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-time All-American basketball player for the basketball team and an All-Big Ten Conference baseball player for the baseball team...
. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan Stadium was built in 1927 at a cost of $950,000 and had an original capacity of 72,000. Before playing football at the stadium, the Wolverines played on Ferry Field...
.
Schedule
Rushing
| Player | Attempts | Net yards | Yards per attempt | Touchdowns |
| Ted Kress Ted Kress Edward S. "Ted" Kress was an American football player and businessman. He was the starting left halfback for the University of Michigan in 1952 and 1953 and set a Big Ten Conference single-game rushing record with 218 yards in October 1952... |
135 | 627 | 4.6 | 6 |
| Tony Branoff Tony Branoff Anthony "Tony" Branoff is a former American football player. He played at the halfback position for the University of Michigan from 1952 to 1955. He was chosen as the Most Valuable Player on the 1953 Michigan Wolverines football team. He was the first sophomore to win the award... |
86 | 342 | 4.0 | 2 |
| Dick Balzhiser | 75 | 327 | 4.4 | 2 |
Passing
| Player | Attempts | Completions | Interceptions | Comp % | Yards | Yds/Comp | TD | Long |
| Ted Kress Ted Kress Edward S. "Ted" Kress was an American football player and businessman. He was the starting left halfback for the University of Michigan in 1952 and 1953 and set a Big Ten Conference single-game rushing record with 218 yards in October 1952... |
85 | 45 | 7 | 52.9 | 559 | 12.4 | 4 | 52 |
| Ted Topor Ted Topor Ted Peter Topor was an American football player who played quarterback and linebacker. He played college football for the University of Michigan and professional football for the Detroit Lions.-Early years:... |
58 | 33 | 4 | 56.9 | 440 | 13.3 | 2 | 25 |
| Duncan McDonald | 17 | 7 | 2 | 41.2 | 90 | 12.9 | 2 | 38 |
Receiving
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Yds/Recp | TD | Long |
| Lowell Perry | 31 | 492 | 15.9 | 5 | 52 |
| Ted Topor Ted Topor Ted Peter Topor was an American football player who played quarterback and linebacker. He played college football for the University of Michigan and professional football for the Detroit Lions.-Early years:... |
18 | 208 | 11.6 | 4 | 32 |
| Thad Stanford | 12 | 200 | 16.7 | 0 | 48 |
Kickoff returns
| Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | TD | Long |
| Tony Branoff Tony Branoff Anthony "Tony" Branoff is a former American football player. He played at the halfback position for the University of Michigan from 1952 to 1955. He was chosen as the Most Valuable Player on the 1953 Michigan Wolverines football team. He was the first sophomore to win the award... |
6 | 145 | 24.2 | 0 | 31 |
| Don Oldham | 7 | 123 | 17.6 | 0 | 30 |
| Frank Howell | 6 | 100 | 16.7 | 0 | 26 |
Punt returns
| Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | TD | Long |
| Lowell Perry | 12 | 73 | 6.1 | 0 | 15 |
| Don Oldham | 5 | 31 | 6.2 | 0 | |
| Dave Tinkham | 4 | 27 | 6.8 | 0 | 6 |
Players
- Fred BaerFred BaerFrederick N. Baer was an American football player. He played at the fullback position for the University of Michigan from 1952 to 1954. He was chosen as the Most Valuable Player on the 1954 Michigan Wolverines football team.-Early years:Baer's home town was LaGrange, Illinois. He attended...
- started 3 games at fullback - James Balog - started 8 games as defensive right tackle
- Richard Balzhiser - started 5 games at fullback
- Richard Beison - started 8 games at offensive right guard
- Donald Bennett - started 4 games as offensive left tackle
- Tony BranoffTony BranoffAnthony "Tony" Branoff is a former American football player. He played at the halfback position for the University of Michigan from 1952 to 1955. He was chosen as the Most Valuable Player on the 1953 Michigan Wolverines football team. He was the first sophomore to win the award...
- started 6 games as right halfback - George Dutter - started 9 games as defensive right guard
- Merritt Green - started 9 games as defensive left end
- Frank Howell - started 3 games as right halfback, 1 game as safety
- Gene KnutsonGene KnutsonEugene Peter "Gene" Knutson was an American football player. He played college football as an offensive and defensive end for the University of Michigan and professional football as a defensive end for the Green Bay Packers...
- started 9 games as defensive right end - Ted KressTed KressEdward S. "Ted" Kress was an American football player and businessman. He was the starting left halfback for the University of Michigan in 1952 and 1953 and set a Big Ten Conference single-game rushing record with 218 yards in October 1952...
- started 9 games as left halfback - Laurence LeClair - started 9 games as linebacker
- Don Oldham - started 4 games as defensive back, 2 games as safety
- Dick O'Shaughnessy - started 9 games at center
- Lowell Perry - started 9 games as offensive left end, 4 games as safety
- Bernhardt Pederson -started 6 games at offensive right tackle
- Russell Rescorla - started 3 games as defensive back
- Thad Stanford - started 9 games at offensive right end
- Dick Strozewski - started 5 games as offensive left tackle
- Bob Timm - started 8 games as offensive left guard
- David Tinkham - started 9 games as defensive back
- Ted ToporTed ToporTed Peter Topor was an American football player who played quarterback and linebacker. He played college football for the University of Michigan and professional football for the Detroit Lions.-Early years:...
- started 9 games as quarterback - Art WalkerArt WalkerArthur D. Walker, Jr. was an American football player. He was an All-American at the University of Michigan in 1954 and played seven seasons of professional football with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League from 1955-1961.-Early years:Walker, an African-American who grew up four...
- started 9 games as defensive left tackle - Ronald Williams - started 7 games as defensive left guard
- Roger ZatkoffRoger ZatkoffRoger Zatkoff is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1950 to 1952. He later played professional football for the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions ....
- started 9 games as linebacker, 1 game as offensive right tackle
Awards and honors
- Captain: Merritt Green
- All-Conference: Roger ZatkoffRoger ZatkoffRoger Zatkoff is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1950 to 1952. He later played professional football for the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions ....
, Art WalkerArt WalkerArthur D. Walker, Jr. was an American football player. He was an All-American at the University of Michigan in 1954 and played seven seasons of professional football with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League from 1955-1961.-Early years:Walker, an African-American who grew up four...
, Bob Timm, Dick O'Shaughnessy - Most Valuable Player: Ted ToporTed ToporTed Peter Topor was an American football player who played quarterback and linebacker. He played college football for the University of Michigan and professional football for the Detroit Lions.-Early years:...
- Meyer Morton Award: Gene KnutsonGene KnutsonEugene Peter "Gene" Knutson was an American football player. He played college football as an offensive and defensive end for the University of Michigan and professional football as a defensive end for the Green Bay Packers...
Coaching staff
- Head coach: Bennie OosterbaanBennie OosterbaanBenjamin Gaylord "Bennie" Oosterbaan was a three-time first team All-American football end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-time All-American basketball player for the basketball team and an All-Big Ten Conference baseball player for the baseball team...
- Assistant coaches: Jack BlottJack BlottJack Leonard Blott was an All-American football center and place kicker for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1922–1923. He was also a baseball catcher for the Wolverines from 1922–1924. After a two-game Major League Baseball career with the Cincinnati Reds in 1924, he worked as...
, George CeithamlGeorge CeithamlGeorge F. Ceithaml is a former American football quarterback and coach. He was the starting quarterback for Fritz Crisler's University of Michigan football teams in 1941 and 1942...
, Cliff KeenCliff KeenClifford Patrick Keen was an American coach who served as the head coach of the University of Michigan collegiate wrestling team from 1925 to 1970. He led the Michigan Wolverines to 13 Big Ten Conference championships, and coached 68 All-American wrestlers...
, Bill OrwigBill OrwigJames Wilfred "Bill" Orwig was a basketball and American football player at the University of Michigan. He later served as the athletic director at the University of Toledo, University of Nebraska, and Indiana University....
, Don Robinson, Walter WeberWally WeberWalter J. Weber was an American football player and coach at the University of Michigan. He played halfback and fullback for the Wolverines in 1925 and 1926 on the same teams as Benny Friedman and Bennie Oosterbaan. He later became an assistant football coach at Michigan for 28 years from 1931 to...
, J. T. WhiteJ. T. WhiteJohn T. "J.T." White was a college football assistant coach, and a second-team 1947 College Football All-American center who played for national championship teams at both the University of Michigan and Ohio State University. White also played basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes men's... - Trainer: Jim Hunt
- Manager: Gerry Dudley