1953 Michigan Wolverines football team
Encyclopedia
The 1953 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan
in the 1953 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 1953 college football season
1953 college football season
The 1953 college football season finished with the Maryland Terrapins capturing the AP, INS, and UPI national championship after Notre Dame held the top spot for the first nine weeks. The #4 Oklahoma Sooners defeated Maryland in the Orange Bowl, but there was no further polling after the November...
. 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 |
| 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... |
100 | 501 | 5.0 | 5 |
| 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... |
101 | 339 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Bob Hurley | 47 | 282 | 6.0 | 1 |
Passing
| Player | Attempts | Completions | Interceptions | Comp % | Yards | Yds/Comp | TD | Long |
| Duncan McDonald | 46 | 20 | 3 | 43.5 | 293 | 14.7 | 4 | 49 |
| Lou Baldacci Lou Baldacci Louis Granville Baldacci is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1953 to 1955 and was the starting quarterback for the 1953 and 1954 Michigan Wolverines football teams... |
51 | 21 | 6 | 41.2 | 285 | 13.6 | 1 | 36 |
| 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... |
43 | 19 | 7 | 44.2 | 238 | 12.5 | 1 | 44 |
Receiving
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Yds/Recp | TD | Long |
| Gene Topp | 23 | 331 | 14.4 | 2 | 66 |
| Gene Knutson | 11 | 201 | 18.3 | 1 | 33 |
| 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... |
11 | 151 | 13.7 | 1 | 44 |
Kickoff returns
| Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | 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... |
10 | 203 | 20.3 | 0 | 33 |
| 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 | 130 | 21.7 | 0 | 28 |
Punt 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... |
8 | 90 | 11.3 | 0 | 18 |
| 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... |
12 | 63 | 5.3 | 0 | 16 |
Players
- Lou BaldacciLou BaldacciLouis Granville Baldacci is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1953 to 1955 and was the starting quarterback for the 1953 and 1954 Michigan Wolverines football teams...
- started 9 games at quarterback - James Balog - started 9 games at left tackle
- Richard Balzhiser - started 9 games at fullback
- Richard Beison - started 9 games at right guard
- 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 9 games at right halfback - Donald Dugger - started 9 games at left end
- Gene Knutson - started 8 games at 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 at left halfback - John Morrow - started 4 games at center
- Dick O'Shaughnessy - started 5 games at center
- Dick Strozewski - started 9 games at left tackle
- Gene Topp - started 8 games at left end, 1 game at right end
- Jerry Williams - started 1 game at left end
Awards and honors
- Captain: Dick O'Shaughnessy
- All-Conference: 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...
, 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...
, Bob Topp - Most Valuable Player: 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...
- Meyer Morton Award: Tony Branoff
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...
, 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....
, Matt PatanelliMatt PatanelliMatthew L. "Matt" Patanelli was an American football, baseball and basketball player and coach. He played and coached all three sports at the University of Michigan and was selected as the Most Valuable Player on the 1936 Michigan Wolverines football team. He was also the first University of...
, 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: Richard Petrie