Rob Lytle going into the College Football Hall of Fame
Awesome.
The 34th Wolverine player or coach going into the HOF.
Congrats @umichfootball RB Rob Lytle elected to @cfbhall Class of 2015! #CFBHOF Watch live at http://t.co/GOtGCM9UrE pic.twitter.com/IR6ujswRM9
— Football Foundation (@NFFNetwork) January 9, 2015
January 9th, 2015 at 1:02 PM ^
This is a really great one - good to see.
The timing for this couldn't have been better with the transformation taking place now. Couldn't find a better example of the kind of player we have to get back to.
January 9th, 2015 at 11:41 AM ^
and quite a shame he won't be around to enjoy his day.
January 9th, 2015 at 11:41 AM ^
from Fremont Ohio!" - Bob Ufer
January 9th, 2015 at 11:44 AM ^
Loved Lytle. I think he won a B1G 200 M championship on top of his awesome football accomplishments. Woody hated that he went to M as he took over for Griffin as easily the finest back in the conference. Also scored a TD in the Superbowl for the Broncos.
Anyone know what happened to his boy? Was considered a walkon possiblility as a DB, but I think he went Ivy.
January 9th, 2015 at 12:04 PM ^
Answered my own question.... he's writing books. Check it out everyone.... http://kellylytle.com/to-dad-from-kelly/
January 9th, 2015 at 11:47 AM ^
...who loved playing football. I loved watching him block for Gordie Bell and Ricky Leach, and in his senior year, watching him run roughshod over Michigan's opponents.
When I heard he passed a couple of years ago a part of my youth went with him...
Now he will live on forever as a Michigan great.
January 9th, 2015 at 11:55 AM ^
Great runner. He wasn't just fast--he was quick. Got to/through the hole. Didn't dance--just ran.
January 9th, 2015 at 12:15 PM ^
I loved watching him block for Gordie Bell
"Little Gordie Bell ... he could run fifteen minutes in a phone booth and never touch the sides!" -- Bob Ufer
"Gordie Bell ... running like a penguin with a hot herring in his cumberbund!" -- Bob Ufer
January 9th, 2015 at 6:05 PM ^
... he didn't sulk when Bo moved him to FB for his senior year so that he could get Bell in at TB.
January 9th, 2015 at 11:45 AM ^
Absolutely Fantastic!
January 9th, 2015 at 11:47 AM ^
"Many Bucknuts were crushed on that day I can tell you..."
January 9th, 2015 at 11:51 AM ^
Sweet away jersey as well... Throwbacks? Uniformz? I'd take those.
January 9th, 2015 at 1:00 PM ^
The road uniform in the Lytle photographs was introduced by Michigan in 1973 and was used through the 1976 season. The jersey was changed for the Rose Bowl game against USC on 1 January 1977 with a different striping pattern. Michigan had that pattern for its road jerseys through the 1996 season.
MVictors has a great link that goes through all the uniform changes--you can find it at http://mvictors.com/uniform-timeline/
It will be interesting to see if Harbaugh reinitates the use of helmet stickers. Schembechler introduced them in 1969 and the decals went through a number of changes over the years. Carr stopped the practice in 1995 when he took over as the head coach. I personally like them and kind of hope JH brings them back.
January 9th, 2015 at 11:52 AM ^
Warlord with wheels. The John Riggins of Michigan Football...only faster. Fantastic news!
January 9th, 2015 at 12:02 PM ^
I was at the Horseshoe in 1976 when Lytle rushed for 165 yards and the Wolverines shutout the Buckeyes 22-0. Near the end of the game you could of heard a pin drop in that stadium. He was a great runner and that was a great team.
January 9th, 2015 at 1:47 PM ^
That was one of my favorite all time games in the series. I was a senior in H.S. getting ready to go to Michigan the next year and watched the game on TV.
Lytle was awesome that year. I remember him running for something like 170 yards in 10 carries in the first half against MSU and Bo pulling him out of the game shortly after halftime. He was definitely a north-south runner who didn't mess around trying to juke guys or run outside most of the time. He didn't have because the O-line was so good opening holes.
January 9th, 2015 at 6:03 PM ^
I was a junior at UM, driving back to AA from Detroit on the Saturday of that game. There was some problem on 94 West so I decided to take Michigan Avenue all the way back. The game was coming on so I stopped at the 112 Bar in Wayne and watched it there. What a terrific game, especially after 3 hours of beer.
Ann Arbor was fun when i got back, as best I recall.
January 9th, 2015 at 12:02 PM ^
Great football player at Michigan and with the Denver Broncos.
January 9th, 2015 at 12:03 PM ^
Lytle was as tough as they come...lots of anecdotes here...
http://kellylytle.com/tag/cte/
If you gotta go, Go Blue.
January 9th, 2015 at 12:33 PM ^
and we posted links (mine above) concurrently. This story you linked, combined with the HOF announcement and the many pics posted here celebrating Lytle's battered helmet are incredibly poignant and difficult.
January 9th, 2015 at 12:06 PM ^
First player to score a touchdown in both the Rose Bowl and the Super Bowl
January 9th, 2015 at 12:08 PM ^
Rob Lytle was the player I latched on to during my early, formative years becoming a Michigan fan. He is still my favorite player of all time. Why? Just because.
Love the way his helmet is all beat up and scratched -- now that's football. :-)
In college I wore #41 for my intramural basketball jersey. I still recall the referee holding up four fingers on one hand and one on the other and shouting out my number for a foul.
I did not do Rob Lytle honor playing with his number ... I suck at basketball.
January 9th, 2015 at 3:44 PM ^
I even switched from rooting for the Raiders to the Broncos because they drafted him. I was 7 years old at the time and didn't realize they were bitter rivals.
January 9th, 2015 at 12:21 PM ^
Michigan led the nation in rushing and scoring in 1976.
Lytle finished 3rd in the Heisman voting behind Ricky Bell (USC) and Tony Dorsett (Pitt, winner).
If you get a chance, check out this blog about him. Riveting stuff:
January 9th, 2015 at 5:22 PM ^
RIP Rob Lytle
January 9th, 2015 at 6:13 PM ^
great reading. I cherish my times with my son. Reading Kelly's memories of his Dad gives me goosebumps.
January 9th, 2015 at 12:24 PM ^
January 9th, 2015 at 12:26 PM ^
January 9th, 2015 at 12:43 PM ^
January 9th, 2015 at 1:11 PM ^
and I immediately knew how tough it was going to be when I saw about eight football players there. Lytle was one of them.
My Mother said I should get his autograph. Of course, I nixed that idea since I knew I would look like a moron.
I wish I had.
January 9th, 2015 at 1:20 PM ^
I loved those teams with Lytle, Bell, Huckleby and Leach and Ufer on the radio since few games were televised. Ufer made it like I was there.
It's sad that we lost Lytle so soon. Great player.
January 9th, 2015 at 1:51 PM ^
Growing up, my seats were in the southwest corner of the stadium. A large contingent of his family and friends from Ohio drove up for every game and sat in the same section. Every time the stadium announcer said Rob's name, they would raise a HUGE howl of Yaaaay! Lytle!" I loved him, Gordie Bell and Harlan Huckleby as players.
He died at the age of 56, from a heart attack, I think. Way, way, too soon. So happy he is being honored. What a great guy.
January 9th, 2015 at 2:21 PM ^
I still can't believe he's gone. He was way too young.
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January 9th, 2015 at 3:25 PM ^
Growing up in the 1970s, I know Rob Lytle is one of the faces of Michigan football that made me a life-long fan. Great memories of him, Jim Smith, Rick Leach, Huck, et al. Fast forward to the mid-90s, I recall the long-time coach of Fremont Ross saying he had a RB/DB that was the best he ever coached, even better than Rob Lytle! That got my attention, and raised the bar very high for that Little Giant, Wolverine-to-be. Better than Rob Lytle? Well, Charles Woodson and Rob Lytle both have a special place in the pantheon of Wolverine greats. Conratulations to the Lytle family!
January 9th, 2015 at 4:51 PM ^
Right at the time my Dad went to UM games with my Domer grandfather for the one year he attended Michigan. Great player from what my pops has told me.
This is a bittersweet day. A great player finally gets his due, but he isn't here to enjoy it. RIP, Rob Lytle.
January 9th, 2015 at 5:19 PM ^
Gave up his TB position to be main blocker for Gordie Bell, even though both went for over 1K that season, then comes back next season to finish third in the Heisman. Could do it all, run over you with or without the ball. Consider also, the season he was lead blocker for Flash, Flash was leading rusher in the conference. Heisman winner was second. Some cat name Griffin from tosu.
January 9th, 2015 at 5:54 PM ^
No question one of the best to ever play in Ann Arbor. A pleasure to watch him play during some real glory years. His passing was WAY too soon.
A real good football film "Everyone's All American" stars Dennis Quaid, Jessica Lange, Timothy Hutton, and John Goodman and is based onhte life of LSU All American Billy Cannon. Rob Lytle had some career similarities and to make the film more realistic, the protagonist gets drafted by Denver, wearing #41, and has an injury shortened career. There is real NFL footage of Rob in the film. The film (1988) deals with the glory of being a football star to the not so glamorous life when the body gives out and the spotlight fades away. Anyway worth a look if you haven't seen it.
Anyway back to Rob, he was who every young boy who was Michgan fan wanted to be : a tough scoring machine, a great blocking team player, and a good looking guy's guy who seemed like he just loved to play for Bo and U of M.
RIP Rob.