1978 Michigan Wolverines football team

1978 Michigan Wolverines football
Big Ten co-champion
Rose Bowl, L 17–10 vs. USC
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 5
AP	No. 5
1978 record	10–2 (7–1 Big Ten)
Head coach	Bo Schembechler (10th year)
MVP	Rick Leach
Captain	Russell Davis
Captain	Jerry Meter
Home stadium	Michigan Stadium

1978 Big Ten football standings
	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
#5 Michigan +	7	–	1	–	0	10	–	2	–	0
#12 Michigan State +	7	–	1	–	0	8	–	3	–	0
#13 Purdue	6	–	1	–	1	9	–	2	–	1
Ohio State	6	–	2	–	0	7	–	4	–	1
Minnesota	4	–	4	–	0	5	–	6	–	0
Wisconsin	3	–	4	–	2	5	–	4	–	2
Indiana	3	–	5	–	0	4	–	7	–	0
Iowa	2	–	6	–	0	2	–	9	–	0
Illinois	0	–	6	–	2	1	–	8	–	2
Northwestern	0	–	8	–	1	0	–	10	–	1

+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The 1978 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head coach was Bo Schembechler. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium.

Schedule

Date	Opponent^#	Rank^#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 16	Illinois	No. 4/4	Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI (Series)		W 31–0	104,102
September 23	at No. 14/14 Notre Dame*	No. 5/5	Notre Dame Stadium • Notre Dame, IN (Rivalry)	ABC	W 28–14	59,075
September 30	Duke*	No. 4/3	Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI		W 52–0	104,832
October 7	Arizona*	No. 3/3	Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI		W 21–17	104,913
October 14	Michigan State	No. 5/4	Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI (Paul Bunyan Trophy)		L 15–24	105,132
October 21	at Wisconsin	No. 9/9	Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WI		W 42–0	80,024
October 28	Minnesota	No. 8/9	Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI (Little Brown Jug)		W 42–10	105,308
November 4	at Iowa	No. 8/9	Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA		W 34–0	49,120
November 11	at Northwestern	No. 7/7	Dyche Stadium • Evanston, IL		W 59–14	27,013
November 18	No. 15/16 Purdue	No. 7/7	Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI		W 24–6	105,410
November 25	at No. 16/14 Ohio State	No. 6/6	Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH (Rivalry)	ABC	W 14–3	88,358
January 1, 1979	vs. No. 3/3 USC*	No. 5/5	Rose Bowl Stadium • Pasadena, CA (Rose Bowl)	NBC	L 10–17	105,629
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. ^#Rankings from AP Poll / Coaches' Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.

Game notes

Notre Dame

	1	2	3	4	Total
• Michigan	0	7	7	14	28
Notre Dame	7	7	0	0	14

Date: September 23
Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
Game attendance: 59,075
Television network: ABC

Scoring summary

1	ND	Grindinger 6-yard pass from Montana (Unis kick)	Notre Dame 7-0

2	MICH	Leach 4-yard run (Willner kick)	Tie 7-7

2	ND	Ferguson 4-yard run (Unis kick)	Notre Dame 14-7

3	MICH	Marsh 5-yard pass from Leach (Willner kick)	Tie 14-14

4	MICH	Marsh 17-yard pass from Leach (kick failed)	Michigan 20-14

4	MICH	Clayton 40-yard pass from Leach (run failed)	Michigan 26-14

4	MICH	Safety, Montana tackled by Greer	Michigan 28-14

^[1]

Duke

	1	2	3	4	Total
Duke	0	0	0	0	0
• Michigan	7	17	14	14	52

Date: September 30
Location: Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, Michigan
Game attendance: 104,832

Scoring summary

1	MICH	R. Davis 1-yard run (Willner kick)	Michigan 7-0

2	MICH	Leach 12-yard run (Willner kick)	Michigan 14-0

2	MICH	Huckleby 1-yard run (Willner kick)	Michigan 21-0

2	MICH	Willner 35-yard field goal	Michigan 24-0

3	MICH	Huckleby 1-yard run (Willner kick)	Michigan 31-0

3	MICH	Reid 2-yard run (Willner kick)	Michigan 38-0

4	MICH	R. Smith 6-yard run (Willner kick)	Michigan 45-0

4	MICH	Clayton 8-yard pass from Dickey (Willner kick)	Michigan 52-0

^[2]

Michigan State

Michigan's only conference loss of the season.

Ohio State

	1	2	3	4	Total
• Michigan	7	0	7	0	14
Ohio St	3	0	0	0	3

Date: Saturday, November 25
Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Game attendance: 88,358
Television network: ABC

Scoring summary

1	Ohio St	Bob Atha 29-yard field goal	Ohio St 3-0

1	Michigan	Rodney Feaster 30-yard pass from Rick Leach (Gregg Willner kick)	Michigan 7-3

3	Michigan	Roosevelt Smith 11-yard pass from Rick Leach (Gregg Willner kick)	Michigan 14-3

Michigan held Ohio State without a touchdown for the third straight year.^[3]

Players

Offense

John Arbeznik, offensive guard, senior, University Heights, Ohio - started 9 games at left offensive guard
Greg Bartnick, offensive guard, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started all 12 games at right offensive guard
Kurt Becker, offensive guard, sophomore, Aurora, Illinois
Jim Breaugh, quarterback, sophomore, West Bloomfield, Michigan
David Brewster, fullback, freshman, Grafton, Wisconsin
Ralph Clayton, wing back, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 10 games at wing back
Michael Davis, fullback, junior, Woodbridge, Virginia
Russell Davis, fullback, senior, Woodbridge, Virginia - started all 12 games at fullback
B. J. Dickey, quarterback, sophomore, Ottawa, Ohio
Bill Dufek, offensive tackle, senior, East Grand Rapids, Michigan - started 3 games at right offensive tackle
Stanley Edwards, tailback, sophomore, Detroit, Michigan
Rodney Feaster, wide receiver, sophomore, Flint, Michigan - started 7 games at wide receiver
Jon Giesler, offensive tackle, senior, Woodville, Ohio - started all 12 games at left offensive tackle
Harlan Huckleby, tailback, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 9 games at tailback
Gene Johnson, tight end, senior, Flint, Michigan - started 7 games at tight end, 1 game at wide receiver
Ed Kasparek, wide receiver, senior, Dearborn, Michigan - started 1 game at wide receiver
Rick Leach, quarterback, senior, Flint, Michigan - started all 12 games at quarterback
Gary Lee, quarterback, freshman, Flint, Michigan
Mike Leoni, offensive tackle, junior, Flint, Michigan - started 5 games at right offensive tackle
Tony Leoni, tailback, junior, Flint, Michigan
George Lilja, center, junior, Palos Park, Illinois
Rock Lindsay, offensive guard, senior, Lapeer, Michigan
Doug Marsh, tight end, junior, Akron, Ohio - started 5 games at tight end
Alan Mitchell, wide receiver, sophomore, Detroit, Michigan - started 3 games at wide receiver, 1 game at wing back
Ed Muransky, offensive tackle, freshman, Youngstown, Ohio
Steve Nauta, center, senior, Norristown, Pennsylvania - started all 12 games at center
Jim Paciorek, quarterback, freshman, Orchard Lake, Michigan
Craig Page, tailback, senior, Saginaw, Michigan
Bubba Paris, offensive tackle, freshman, Louisville, Kentucky - started 1 game at right offensive tackle
Bernhardt "Chip" Pederson, tight end, senior, Bay City, Michigan
John J. Powers, offensive guard, junior, Oak Park, Illinois - started 3 games at left offensive guard, 3 games at right offensive tackle
Lawrence P. Reid, fullback, junior, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mark Schmerge, tight end, senior, Cincinnati, Ohio
Kevin Smith, quarterback - free safety, freshman, Dallas, Texas
Roosevelt Smith, tailback, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 1 game at wing back, 1 game at tailback
John Wangler, quarterback, junior, Royal Oak, Michigan
Butch Woolfolk, tailback, freshman, Westfield, New Jersey - started 2 games at tailback

Defense

Gene Bell, safety, junior, East Liverpool, Ohio
Norm Betts, outside linebacker - tight end, freshman, Midland, Michigan
Mark Braman, defensive back, senior, Midland, Michigan - started 10 games at strong-side cornerback
Gasper Calandrino, defensive back, senior, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Andy Cannavino, inside linebacker, sophomore, Cleveland, Ohio - started 6 games at inside linebacker
Mark DeSantis, outside linebacker, senior, Harper Woods, Michigan - started 4 games at inside linebacker
Gerald Diggs, defensive back, junior, Chicago, Illinois - started 1 game at strong-side cornerback
Chris Godfrey, defensive tackle, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 6 games at defensive tackle
Curtis Greer, defensive tackle, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started all 12 games at defensive tackle
Mike Harden, defensive back, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 10 games at safety
Stuart Harris, defensive back, sophomore, Chagrin Falls, Ohio - started 2 games at safety
Robert K. Holloway, outside linebacker, senior, West Bloomfield, Michigan
James N. Humphries, middle guard, junior, Detroit, Michigan
Tony Jackson, defensive back, freshman, Cleveland, Ohio
William Jackson, defensive tackle, senior, Richmond, Virginia
Mike Jolly, defensive back, junior, Melvindale, Michigan
Dale Keitz, middle guard - defensive tackle, senior, Columbus, Ohio - started all 12 games (6 at middle guard, 6 at defensive tackle)
Tom Keller, outside linebacker, junior, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Timothy Malinak, inside linebacker, senior, Flemington, Pennsylvania
Thomas A. Melita, middle guard, senior, Penns Grove, New Jersey
Jerry Meter, inside linebacker, senior, Birmingham, Michigan - started all 12 games at outside linebacker
Dan Murray, wolf, junior, Ann Arbor, Michigan - started 1 game at strong-side cornerback
Ben Needham, outside linebacker, sophomore, Groveport, Ohio - started 2 games at outside linebacker
Mel Owens, inside linebacker, junior, DeKalb, Illinois - started 2 games at inside linebacker
Tom Seabron, outside linebacker, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 10 games at outside linebacker
Ron Simpkins, inside linebacker, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 11 games at inside linebacker
Mike Trgovac, middle guard, sophomore, Austintown, Ohio - started 6 games at middle guard
Gary Weber, defensive tackle, junior, Matawan, New Jersey

Kickers

Bryan Virgil, place-kicker, sophomore, Buchanan, Michigan
Greg Willner, punter - place-kicker, junior, Miami Beach, Florida

Awards

Captains: Russell Davis, Jerry Meter
All-Americans: Rick Leach
All-Conference: Rick Leach, Jon Giesler, John Arbeznik, Russell Davis, Curtis Greer, Ron Simpkins, Mike Jolly, Mike Harden
Most Valuable Player: Rick Leach
Meyer Morton Award: Gene Johnson
John Maulbetsch Award: Mike Trgovac
Frederick Matthei Award: Mike Jolly
Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: Mark DeSantis
Rick Leach was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the first round of the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft.^[4]

Coaching staff

Head coach: Bo Schembechler
Assistant coaches: Dennis Brown, Tirrel Burton, Jerry Hanlon, Jack Harbaugh, Bill McCartney, Don Nehlen, Paul Schudel, Milan Vooletich
Trainer: Lindsy McLean
Manager: Nicholas J. Uriah

References

↑ "Michigan Goes to the Air and the Irish to 0-2." Eugene Register-Guard. 1975 Sept 24.
↑ Palm Beach Post. 1978 Oct 1.
↑ "Michigan's 'Tenacity' Pays Off." Palm Beach Post. 1978 Nov 26.
↑ http://www.baseball-reference.com/l/leachri01.shtml

External links

1978 Football Team -- Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan Athletics History

Michigan Wolverines football

Venues	Washtenaw County Fairgrounds (1883–1892) Regents Field (1893–1905) Ferry Field (1906–1926) Michigan Stadium (1927–present)

Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Chicago (defunct) Michigan State (Paul Bunyan Trophy) Minnesota (Little Brown Jug) Notre Dame Ohio State (The Ten Year War) Illinois

Culture & lore	Early years Yost era Kipke years Crisler years Oosterbaan years Elliott years Short punt The Ten Year War 1922 Vanderbilt game Snow Bowl 24–12 The Vote for the Rose Bowl Miracle at Michigan 2006 "Game of the Century" 2007 Appalachian State game Biff "The Victors" Marching band Michigan IMG Sports Network

People	Head coaches Trainers Players All-Americans NFL draftees Statistical leaders

Seasons	1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

National championship seasons in bold

Big Ten Conference football champions

Western Conference	Wisconsin (1896) Wisconsin (1897) Michigan (1898) Chicago (1899) Iowa & Minnesota (1900) Michigan & Wisconsin (1901) Michigan (1902) Michigan, Minnesota, & Northwestern (1903) Michigan & Minnesota (1904) Chicago (1905) Michigan, Minnesota, & Wisconsin (1906) Chicago (1907) Chicago (1908) Minnesota (1909) Illinois & Minnesota (1910) Minnesota (1911) Wisconsin (1912) Chicago (1913) Illinois (1914) Illinois & Minnesota (1915) Ohio State (1916) Ohio State (1917)

Big Ten	Illinois, Michigan, & Purdue (1918) Illinois (1919) Ohio State (1920) Iowa (1921) Chicago, Iowa, & Michigan (1922) Illinois & Michigan (1923) Chicago (1924) Michigan (1925) Michigan & Northwestern (1926) Illinois & Minnesota (1927) Illinois (1928) Purdue (1929) Michigan & Northwestern (1930) Purdue, Michigan & Northwestern (1931) Michigan & Purdue (1932) Michigan & Minnesota (1933) Minnesota (1934) Minnesota & Ohio State (1935) Northwestern (1936) Minnesota (1937) Minnesota (1938) Ohio State (1939)

Big Nine	Minnesota (1940) Minnesota (1941) Ohio State (1942) Michigan & Purdue (1943) Ohio State (1944) Indiana (1945) Illinois (1946) Michigan (1947) Michigan (1948)

Big Ten	Michigan & Ohio State (1949) Michigan (1950) Illinois (1951) Purdue & Wisconsin (1952) Illinois & Michigan State (1953) Ohio State (1954) Ohio State (1955) Iowa (1956) Ohio State (1957) Iowa (1958) Wisconsin (1959) Minnesota & Iowa (1960) Ohio State (1961) Wisconsin (1962) Illinois (1963) Michigan (1964) Michigan State (1965) Michigan State (1966) Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue (1967) Ohio State (1968) Michigan & Ohio State (1969) Ohio State (1970) Michigan (1971) Michigan & Ohio State (1972) Michigan & Ohio State (1973) Michigan & Ohio State (1974) Ohio State (1975) Michigan & Ohio State (1976) Michigan & Ohio State (1977) Michigan & Michigan State (1978) Ohio State (1979) Michigan (1980) Iowa & Ohio State (1981) Michigan (1982) Illinois (1983) Ohio State (1984) Iowa (1985) Michigan & Ohio State (1986) Michigan State (1987) Michigan (1988) Michigan (1989) Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, & Michigan State (1990) Michigan (1991) Michigan (1992) Ohio State & Wisconsin (1993) Penn State (1994) Northwestern (1995) Ohio State & Northwestern (1996) Michigan (1997) Michigan, Ohio State, & Wisconsin (1998) Wisconsin (1999) Michigan, Northwestern, & Purdue (2000) Illinois (2001) Ohio State & Iowa (2002) Michigan (2003) Iowa & Michigan (2004) Ohio State & Penn State (2005) Ohio State (2006) Ohio State (2007) Ohio State & Penn State (2008) Ohio State (2009) Michigan State & Wisconsin (2010) Wisconsin (2011) Wisconsin (2012) Michigan State (2013) Ohio State (2014) Michigan State (2015) Penn State (2016)

National championships in bold

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