1994 boston college

Previously: Krushed By Stauskas (Illinois 2014), Introducing #ChaosTeam (Indiana 2009), Revenge is Terrifying (Colorado 1996), Four Games In September I (Boston College 1991)

This game: WolverineHistorian highlights

Welcome to 1994, baby.

Mark Jones looks exactly the same, somehow

A lot has changed for Boston College since they put a scare into Michigan at home in 1991. After reaching nine wins in his third season, highlighted by a 41-39 upset at #1 Notre Dame in late November, Tom Coughlin took the head coaching job with the NFL's expansion Jacksonville Jaguars, which also gave him a good deal of control over their personnel.

Boston College hired Dan Henning, best known for his two stints as Washington's offensive coordinator in which they won two Super Bowls, in hopes of repeating their success of targeting a top-flight NFL assistant. Whereas Coughlin had won a ring with the New York Giants in the year before going to BC, however, Henning was coming off two years as offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, which didn't finish better than 16th in points or 19th in total yards in his tenure despite boasting Barry Sanders, Herman Moore, and Brett Perriman.

Here are some other decisions from 1994 that turn out about as well as this one:

• Jeff Gilooly finds a creative way to get his ex-wife, Tonya Harding, a leg up on figure skating rival Nancy Kerrigan in the months before the Winter Olympics.
• To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the legendary music festival, three of the original promoters put on Woodstock '94, billed as "2 More Days of Peace and Music."
• Major League II is released in theaters with a PG rating.

Michigan enters the season ranked fifth in both polls. They have a lot of stability: Gary Moeller entering his fifth year as head coach, Lloyd Carr his eighth as defensive coordinator, senior Todd Collins throwing to junior receivers Amani Toomer and Mercury Hayes, senior Tyrone Wheatley leading a stable of touted running backs, and talent across the defense. They aren't quite as loaded heading into the season opener as expected, though, with Wheatley out two weeks due to a separated shoulder and receiver/co-captain Walter Smith lost to a season-ending knee injury.

Henning decides to start his new job with a bang:

Over breakfast at the team's hotel this morning, Boston College's Dan Henning told quarterback Mark Hartsell that he wanted to open the game against Michigan with a play called the speed pump, a bomb that he hoped would go for a touchdown.

Both Henning and Hartsell were making their respective debuts, Henning as the Eagles' head coach and Hartsell as the starting quarterback.

Henning argued with his assistant coaches over the prudence of the play. Hartsell was taking over for quarterback Glenn Foley, a seventh-round draft pick by the Jets. Henning thought it would be good for Hartsell to get his feet wet and silence the 105,936 at Michigan Stadium.

Just as Henning drew it up, Hartsell rolled right. He waited, waited, waited. Then he heaved a 74-yard touchdown pass to receiver Greg Grice. In 16 seconds the Eagles were up by 7-0, Hartsell wasn't nervous and the crowd was silenced.

Unfortunately for BC, the Henning Era is about to hit its apex.

[Hit THE JUMP to see the third-string running back take over.]