Bill Putich
Encyclopedia
Bill Putich was an American football
player who played quarterback
and halfback
for the University of Michigan
Wolverines football
teams from 1949 to 1951.
, Putich played only 13 minutes of a possible 540 as a sophomore in 1949. He earned the nickname 'One-Play-Putich' in Michigan's 7–3 win over Michigan State
in 1949; Putich appeared for only one play in the game, throwing a touchdown pass to win the game.
Putich took over as the starting quarterback for the 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team
. After a 14–7 loss to Michigan State
in his first start, some questioned his selection as the starting quarterback. Sports writer John F. Mayhew wrote a column in defense of Putich, noting that he was inexperienced but showed promise. Mayhew noted:
Putich proved Mayhew correct in leading the 1950 team to a 9–3 win over Ohio State
in the famed Snow Bowl game, a Big Ten Conference
championship, and a 14–6 win over the University California in the 1951 Rose Bowl
. The 1950 team was ranked No. 9 in the final Associated Press
poll and No. 6 in the coaches' poll.
Putich was Michigan's signal-caller for two consecutive seasons, as quarterback in 1950, and from the halfback position in 1951. Putich was also the captain of the 1951 team. An October 1951 feature story "Three P's Put PUNCH in Michigan Attack," Putich was described as a "hard-driving and tricky runner."
Putich's career totals at Michigan included 668 yards passing with his longest pass completion of 55 yards against Minnesota in 1951. He also had 206 net yard rushing, 153 yards on pass receptions, and 212 yards on punt and kickoff returns.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who played quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
for the University of Michigan
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...
Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
teams from 1949 to 1951.
Playing career
A native of Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Putich played only 13 minutes of a possible 540 as a sophomore in 1949. He earned the nickname 'One-Play-Putich' in Michigan's 7–3 win over Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
in 1949; Putich appeared for only one play in the game, throwing a touchdown pass to win the game.
Putich took over as the starting quarterback for the 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team
1950 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team, coached by Bennie Oosterbaan, won the Big Ten Conference championship with a record of 6–3–1 and defeated the California Bears in the 1951 Rose Bowl, 14–6. The team had two All-Big 10 backs in Don Dufek and Chuck Ortmann and All-American tackle R. Allen...
. After a 14–7 loss to Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
in his first start, some questioned his selection as the starting quarterback. Sports writer John F. Mayhew wrote a column in defense of Putich, noting that he was inexperienced but showed promise. Mayhew noted:
"Putich is an eager, hard-working, intelligent football player. He's good enough to have the complete faith of Backfield Coach 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...
, one of Michigan's best quarterbacks and a man who should really know. Given a reasonable break, he'll prove it too."
Putich proved Mayhew correct in leading the 1950 team to a 9–3 win over Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
in the famed Snow Bowl game, 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...
championship, and a 14–6 win over the University California in the 1951 Rose Bowl
1951 Rose Bowl
The 1951 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1951. It was the 37th Rose Bowl Game. The Michigan Wolverines, champions of the Big Ten Conference, defeated the California Golden Bears, champions of the Pacific Coast Conference, 14–6. Michigan fullback Don Dufek was...
. The 1950 team was ranked No. 9 in the final Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
poll and No. 6 in the coaches' poll.
Putich was Michigan's signal-caller for two consecutive seasons, as quarterback in 1950, and from the halfback position in 1951. Putich was also the captain of the 1951 team. An October 1951 feature story "Three P's Put PUNCH in Michigan Attack," Putich was described as a "hard-driving and tricky runner."
Putich's career totals at Michigan included 668 yards passing with his longest pass completion of 55 yards against Minnesota in 1951. He also had 206 net yard rushing, 153 yards on pass receptions, and 212 yards on punt and kickoff returns.