1992 Michigan Wolverines football team
Encyclopedia
The 1992 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan
in the 1992 college football season
. The team's head coach was Gary Moeller
. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium
. The team went undefeated and won its fifth consecutive Big Ten Championship.
established the a Big Ten Conference
career passing efficiency record that would stand for six seasons until it was surpassed by Joe Germaine
. Grbac successfully defended his passing efficiency NCAA Division I FBS championship. On October 24, Derrick Alexander tied the conference single-game record with four touchdown
receptions
against Minnesota, becoming the 4th athlete to do so. The following season Minnesota's Omar Douglas broke the record with five. No Wolverine has matched this feat.
Tyrone Wheatley
was the Big Ten rushing individual statistical champion (131.3 yards per conference games and 123.4 yards per game). Wheatley was also the scoring champion (for the first of two consecutive season) with a 9.3 points per game average in all games, although he lost the conference games title to Michigan State's Craig Thomas. Grbac won his third consecutive passing statistical championship (157.9 efficiency in conference games and 150.2 in all games).
The team led the Big Ten in rushing offense both in conference games (284.8 yards per game) and all games (268.1 yards per game). They also led in passing efficiency for both conference games (148.3) and all games (148.1). They were the conference leader in total offense
both for conference games (463.0 yards per game) and all games (466.9 yards per game). They were also the Big Ten scoring statistical champions for conference games (35.0 points per game) and all games (35.9 points per game).
The team earned the third of four consecutive and six 1990s Big Ten rushing defense statistical championships for all games by holding opponents to 90.8 yards per game. The team also earned the second of five consecutive and six 1990s Big Ten rushing defense statistical championships for conference games by holding opponents to 78.6 yards per game. The team led the conference in total defense for all games (305.3), while Ohio State led for conference games. They were the conference leaders in quarterback sack
s for conference games (4.9 sacks per game) and all games (3.8 sacks per game). They led the conference in net punting average for conference games (35.9 yards), while Wisconsin led for all games.
The team extended the streak that set the conference record for most consecutive conference game wins (19) that stood until Ohio State eclipsed it in 2007. The team still holds the record for most consecutive conference road wins (17).
Wheatley established the following school records: career rushing touchdowns (47), eclipsing Rick Leach's 16-year-old record of 34 and broken six years later by Anthony Thomas
; single-season yards per carry (7.34, min 75 carries), eclipsing Bill Daley
's 49-year-old record of 6.81 and still standing; single-game yards per carry (11.79 - October 3, min 15 carries), eclipsing Ron Johnson's 24-year-old record of 11.19 and eclipsed by his own 15.70 performance in the January 1, 1993 Rose Bowl
, which is still unsurpassed. On September 19 against Oklahoma State, Todd Collins set the school record for single-game pass completions (29), which would last until Tom Brady
threw for 31 in 1998. That season, he set the current single-season pass completion record (65.3), surpassing Jim Harbaugh
's 65.0 set in 1986 and tied by Elvis Grbac
in 1991. Collins and Grbac posted the sixth and seventh 4-touchdown pass single-game performance in school history. For Grbac who was the first with two the prior season, this was his third time (a current record). Grbac extended his own career touchdown record set the prior season to 71. John Navarre
would reach 72 in 2003. Grbac also ended his career as the school record holder in pass attempts (835), surpassing Steve Smith
's 648 set in 1983 and broken by Navarre in 2003; pass completions (522), eclipsing Harbaugh's 387 set in 1986 and broken by Navarre in 2003; completion percentage (62.5), eclipsing Harbaugh's 62.4 and broken by Collins in 1994; career passing efficiency (148.1), eclipsing Harbaugh's 145.6 and still unbroken; passing yards (6460), eclipsing Harbaugh's career yardage record of 5449, but Navarre would eclipse this record in 2003; career 150-yard passing games (23) eclipsing Harbaugh's 19, tied by Collins in 1994 and eclipsed by Navarre in 2003.
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 1992 college football season
1992 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1992 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first year of the Bowl Coalition, and ended with Alabama's first national championship in thirteen years—their first since the departure of Bear Bryant...
. The team's head coach was Gary Moeller
Gary Moeller
Gary O. Moeller is an American football coach best known for being head coach at the University of Michigan from 1990 to 1994. During his five seasons at Michigan, he won 44 games, lost 13 and tied 3 for a winning percentage of .758...
. 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...
. The team went undefeated and won its fifth consecutive Big Ten Championship.
Schedule
Statistical achievements
Elvis GrbacElvis Grbac
Elvis M. Grbac is a retired American football quarterback who played in the NFL. During his career he was a starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens...
established the a Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
career passing efficiency record that would stand for six seasons until it was surpassed by Joe Germaine
Joe Germaine
-St. Louis Rams:Germaine was selected in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. He won a Super Bowl ring as a backup to Kurt Warner as a rookie. Germaine appeared in only three games, completing nine passes, and was cut at the end of the 2000 season.-Kansas City...
. Grbac successfully defended his passing efficiency NCAA Division I FBS championship. On October 24, Derrick Alexander tied the conference single-game record with four touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
receptions
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
against Minnesota, becoming the 4th athlete to do so. The following season Minnesota's Omar Douglas broke the record with five. No Wolverine has matched this feat.
Tyrone Wheatley
Tyrone Wheatley
Tyrone Anthony Wheatley is the running backs coach at Syracuse University and a former professional American football player who played 10 seasons in the National Football League and was one of the most successful high school and collegiate athletes in Metropolitan Detroit history...
was the Big Ten rushing individual statistical champion (131.3 yards per conference games and 123.4 yards per game). Wheatley was also the scoring champion (for the first of two consecutive season) with a 9.3 points per game average in all games, although he lost the conference games title to Michigan State's Craig Thomas. Grbac won his third consecutive passing statistical championship (157.9 efficiency in conference games and 150.2 in all games).
The team led the Big Ten in rushing offense both in conference games (284.8 yards per game) and all games (268.1 yards per game). They also led in passing efficiency for both conference games (148.3) and all games (148.1). They were the conference leader in total offense
Total offense
Total offense is an American football and Canadian football statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a team or player...
both for conference games (463.0 yards per game) and all games (466.9 yards per game). They were also the Big Ten scoring statistical champions for conference games (35.0 points per game) and all games (35.9 points per game).
The team earned the third of four consecutive and six 1990s Big Ten rushing defense statistical championships for all games by holding opponents to 90.8 yards per game. The team also earned the second of five consecutive and six 1990s Big Ten rushing defense statistical championships for conference games by holding opponents to 78.6 yards per game. The team led the conference in total defense for all games (305.3), while Ohio State led for conference games. They were the conference leaders in quarterback sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s for conference games (4.9 sacks per game) and all games (3.8 sacks per game). They led the conference in net punting average for conference games (35.9 yards), while Wisconsin led for all games.
The team extended the streak that set the conference record for most consecutive conference game wins (19) that stood until Ohio State eclipsed it in 2007. The team still holds the record for most consecutive conference road wins (17).
Wheatley established the following school records: career rushing touchdowns (47), eclipsing Rick Leach's 16-year-old record of 34 and broken six years later by Anthony Thomas
Anthony Thomas (American football)
Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
; single-season yards per carry (7.34, min 75 carries), eclipsing Bill Daley
Bill Daley (American football)
William Edward "Bullet" Daley was an All-American fullback who played for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers from 1940–1942 and for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 1943. The Gophers were National Champions in his freshman and sophomore years...
's 49-year-old record of 6.81 and still standing; single-game yards per carry (11.79 - October 3, min 15 carries), eclipsing Ron Johnson's 24-year-old record of 11.19 and eclipsed by his own 15.70 performance in the January 1, 1993 Rose Bowl
1993 Rose Bowl
The 1993 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1993 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. It was the 79th Rose Bowl Game. In the game, the #7 Michigan Wolverines, champions of the Big Ten, defeated the ninth-ranked Washington Huskies, champions of the Pac-10, 38-31...
, which is still unsurpassed. On September 19 against Oklahoma State, Todd Collins set the school record for single-game pass completions (29), which would last until Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
threw for 31 in 1998. That season, he set the current single-season pass completion record (65.3), surpassing Jim Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh
James Joseph "Jim" Harbaugh is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Harbaugh agreed to a five-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on January 7, 2011. Previously, he was the head coach at...
's 65.0 set in 1986 and tied by Elvis Grbac
Elvis Grbac
Elvis M. Grbac is a retired American football quarterback who played in the NFL. During his career he was a starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens...
in 1991. Collins and Grbac posted the sixth and seventh 4-touchdown pass single-game performance in school history. For Grbac who was the first with two the prior season, this was his third time (a current record). Grbac extended his own career touchdown record set the prior season to 71. John Navarre
John Navarre
John Robert Navarre is a former American football quarterback who was a three-year starter for the Michigan Wolverines from 2001 to 2003, leading the Wolverines to the 2003 Big Ten Conference championship in his final year of eligibility...
would reach 72 in 2003. Grbac also ended his career as the school record holder in pass attempts (835), surpassing Steve Smith
Steve Smith (quarterback)
Steve Smith is a former American football quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1981 to 1983....
's 648 set in 1983 and broken by Navarre in 2003; pass completions (522), eclipsing Harbaugh's 387 set in 1986 and broken by Navarre in 2003; completion percentage (62.5), eclipsing Harbaugh's 62.4 and broken by Collins in 1994; career passing efficiency (148.1), eclipsing Harbaugh's 145.6 and still unbroken; passing yards (6460), eclipsing Harbaugh's career yardage record of 5449, but Navarre would eclipse this record in 2003; career 150-yard passing games (23) eclipsing Harbaugh's 19, tied by Collins in 1994 and eclipsed by Navarre in 2003.
Awards and honors
The individuals in the sections below earned recognition for meritorious performances.National
- All-Americans: Joe CocozzoJoe CocozzoJoe Cocozzo is a former American football guard who played in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers. Cocozzo attended the University of Michigan.-External links:...
, Chris HutchinsonChris Hutchinson (American football)Chris Hutchinson was an All-American defensive tackle for the Michigan Wolverines football team from 1989 to 1992. A native of Houston, Texas, Hutchinson starred at Cypress Creek High School. He played in 48 games for the University of Michigan—39 as a starter...
, Derrick Alexander - Academic All-American: Hutchinson (second team)
Conference
- All-Conference: Elvis GrbacElvis GrbacElvis M. Grbac is a retired American football quarterback who played in the NFL. During his career he was a starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens...
, Chris Hutchinson, Derrick Alexander, Corwin BrownCorwin BrownCorwin Brown is an American football coach who was most recently the defensive backs coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
, Joe Cocozzo, Rob Doherty, Matt Dyson, Steve EverittSteve EverittSteven Michael Everitt is a former professional American football offensive lineman in the NFL for seven seasons for the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, and Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at the University of Michigan....
, Tony McGeeTony McGee (tight end)Tony L. McGee is a former professional American football tight end in the National Football League for eleven seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals, the Dallas Cowboys, and the New York Giants from 1993 to 2003....
, Shonte PeoplesShonte PeoplesShonte Peoples is a former linebacker in the Canadian Football League.Having played his college football at the University of Michigan, Peoples signed on with the Las Vegas Posse, a CFL expansion franchise, in 1994...
, Doug Skene, Tyrone WheatleyTyrone WheatleyTyrone Anthony Wheatley is the running backs coach at Syracuse University and a former professional American football player who played 10 seasons in the National Football League and was one of the most successful high school and collegiate athletes in Metropolitan Detroit history... - Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year: Wheatley
- Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year: Hutchinson
- Big Ten Dave McClain Coach of the Year: Gary MoellerGary MoellerGary O. Moeller is an American football coach best known for being head coach at the University of Michigan from 1990 to 1994. During his five seasons at Michigan, he won 44 games, lost 13 and tied 3 for a winning percentage of .758...
Team
- Captains: Corwin Brown, Elvis Grbac, Chris Hutchinson
- Most Valuable Player: Chris Hutchinson
- Meyer Morton Award: Chris Hutchinson
- John Maulbetsch Award: Tyrone Wheatley
- Frederick Matthei Award: Tony Henderson
- Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: Chris Hutchinson
- Dick Katcher Award: Chris Hutchinson
- Hugh Rader Jr. Award: Steve Everitt
- Robert P. Ufer Award: Corwin Brown
- Roger Zatkoff Award: Steve Morrison
Coaching staff
- Head coach: Gary MoellerGary MoellerGary O. Moeller is an American football coach best known for being head coach at the University of Michigan from 1990 to 1994. During his five seasons at Michigan, he won 44 games, lost 13 and tied 3 for a winning percentage of .758...
- Assistant coaches: Cam CameronCam Cameron-External links:...
, Lloyd CarrLloyd CarrLloyd H. Carr is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Michigan from 1995 through the 2007 season. Under Carr, the Wolverines compiled a record of 122–40 and won or shared five Big Ten Conference titles...
, Mike DeBordMike DeBord-External links:*...
, Bill Harris, Jim HerrmannJim HerrmannJim Herrmann is an American football coach. He is currently the linebackers coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League.-College coaching career:...
, Fred JacksonFred Jackson (American football coach)Fred Jackson is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at the University of Michigan and is the longest tenured member of the Michigan Wolverines football coaching staff, having been with the program since 1992. Jackson has served on the staffs of...
, Greg MattisonGreg MattisonGreg Mattison is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He is the current defensive coordinator for the University of Michigan football team....
, Les MilesLes MilesLeslie Edwin "Les" Miles, nicknamed "The Mad Hatter", is an American college football coach and the current head coach of the Louisiana State University football team. Prior to holding that position, he was head coach at Oklahoma State...
, Bobby Morrison - Trainer: Paul Schmidt
- Managers: Joe Allore, Brian Bickner, Kevin Bickner, Milton Heath, Dave Henderson, Andy Riegler, Lance Satterthwaite, Mark Vainisi, Arnando Velasquez, Mike Weiskopf