The 4th athlete in the MGoUsers Poll is...
Anthony Carter
Anthony "AC" Carter played for Michigan from 1979 to 1982. During His time at Michigan he played receiver and he was also the team's kickoff and punt returner for most of his career.
During his freshman season Carter was used sparingly. He caught more than two passes in a game only once that season, but made the most of it when the ball was thrown to him. Seven of his seventeen receptions were touchdowns, and he averaged 27.2 yards per catch.
His 45-yard TD catch and run against Indiana as time ran out to give Michigan a 27-21 victory is considered one of the greatest plays in Mchigan Football history.
By his sophomore year, Carter was the Wolverines primary option at receiver. That season he became the first second-year player to be voted Michigan team MVP.
A three-time All-American, he was named Big Ten Conference MVP his senior season, and finished fourth in voting for the Heisman Trophy. He was the third NCAA Division I FBS athlete to total 1000 career yards on both kick and punt returns. He holds the NCAA career record for highest average gain per play (Min. 5,000 yards, 275-374 plays, 5,197 on 298).
In 2001 Carter was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
When he graduated, Carter held nearly every Michigan career receiving and return record. He was the schools's all time leader in:
- touchdowns: 40 (now ranks fifth; record held by Anthony Thomas with 55)
- receptions: 161 (now ranks fifth; record held by Braylon Edwards with 252)
- receiving yards: 3,076 (now ranks second; record held by Braylon Edwards with 3,541)
- touchdown receptions: 37 (now ranks second; record held by Braylon Edwards with 39)
- punt returns: 79 (now ranks second; record held by Steve Breaston with 127)
- punt return yardage: 907 (now ranks second; record held by Steve Breaston with 1,599)
- kickoff returns: 63 (now ranks second; record held by Steve Breaston with 81)
- kickoff return yardage: 1,606 (now ranks second; record held by Steve Breaston with 1,993)
His average of 17.4 yards-per-play was an NCAA record.
Previous Posts:
#5 - Tyrone Wheatley
#6 - Denard Robinson
#7 - Braylon Edwards
#8 - Jake Long
#9 - Mike Hart
#10 - Bennie Oosterbaan
#11 - Tom Brady
#12 - Jim Harbaugh
#13 - Glen Rice
#14 - Cazzie Russell
#15 - Rick Leach
#16 - Steve Hutchinson
#17 - Chris Webber
#18 - Ron Kramer
#19 - Sierra Romero
#20 -Trey Burke
#21 - Michael Phelps
#22 - Lamar Woodley
#23 - Dan Dierdorf.
#24 - Benny Friedman
#25 - Anthony Thomas
Disclaimer: This is not my poll. This is a collection of polls taken by MGoUsers. Credit goes to Wikipedia for the info. If you're upset by these rankings, don't be. Everything is going to be okay. But feel free to let me know why I'm an idiot in the comment section.
Go Blue
August 30th, 2016 at 3:10 AM ^
MGoBloggers be high-steppin' like
Consensus pick.
August 30th, 2016 at 6:24 AM ^
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August 30th, 2016 at 10:04 AM ^
for another hundred years of Michigan football".
Can't get enough of that play. Plus, if you look close, you can see me on the field. "Hey mom, I'm on TV!"
August 30th, 2016 at 5:25 AM ^
Miss Bo though. :(
August 30th, 2016 at 5:50 AM ^
room before our respective practices. he had legs so skinny, they were like a deer. nice guy. i don't think he understood hockey one bit though.
August 30th, 2016 at 6:03 AM ^
August 30th, 2016 at 6:24 AM ^
August 30th, 2016 at 7:10 AM ^
And I didn't downvote you.
August 30th, 2016 at 7:17 AM ^
August 30th, 2016 at 7:58 AM ^
incidentally, i think they listed AC at about 6' tall. my recollection was that he might have been as tall as 5'10", maybe 155 lbs.
August 30th, 2016 at 9:41 AM ^
August 30th, 2016 at 6:00 AM ^
August 30th, 2016 at 6:56 AM ^
August 30th, 2016 at 8:11 AM ^
No real complaint with him at #4 & Desmond at #3 but I'm with you - Desmond was fantastic but AC was otherworldly.
What a lot of people dont understand is the impact he had on Michigan football. He was there during my years at Michigan and pre-AC Bo would simply NOT throw the ball unless he absolutely had to and even then he hated it. Once he had AC he understood how much of an impact passing could have on his running game and he started to open things up a little on the early downs.
AC changed Bo and with him, Michigan football. Don't forget - Desmond was recruited by Bo, not Moeller. And I'm convinced that without AC there never is a Desmond.
AC is GOAT IMO as a WR. Sir Charles still at #1 though.
August 30th, 2016 at 8:32 AM ^
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August 30th, 2016 at 8:14 AM ^
Absolutely!
Desmond had a great year, and a fantastic career. But Anthony Carter was - and still is - the undisputed king of Michigan wide receivers. Others may have more gaudy stats, but nobody else transformed the position like Carter. He made Bo Schembechler's offense dynamic. Mind you, this was an offense so stodgy, so conservative, that Lloyd Carr's offense seemed reckless next to it.
You hit dead on with your comparison, rob f -
Anthony Carter:offense::Charles Woodson:defense
August 30th, 2016 at 9:09 AM ^
The most exciting player I've ever seen
August 30th, 2016 at 6:28 AM ^
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August 30th, 2016 at 6:38 AM ^
are conspicuously absent. Would be very disappointed if Barry Larkin were not in the top 3 with Howard and Woodson.
August 30th, 2016 at 6:47 AM ^
August 30th, 2016 at 10:41 AM ^
August 30th, 2016 at 6:39 AM ^
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August 30th, 2016 at 7:06 AM ^
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August 30th, 2016 at 7:37 AM ^
Anthony Carter still ranks #2 in Michigan career receiving yards and touchdowns and #5 in career receptions. He was just that fast and that good.
When he was on the field, you just knew something special was about to happen. There's only three other players that I've felt like that in the games I've attended: Barry Sanders, Deion Sanders (unfortunately at the Big House when he was with FSU) and Denard Robinson.
August 30th, 2016 at 8:08 AM ^
AC wasn't on the field as much as the others you listed, so when he came in the game, you could feel the anticipation that something big was about to happen. The fact that everyone, including the DCs, knew he was going to make something happen, just made it that much better.
August 30th, 2016 at 11:33 AM ^
August 30th, 2016 at 9:28 AM ^
While he did play as a freshman, and likely played in the game against Michigan as a freshman, that would have been 1986 when Harbaugh and Michigan beat FSU.
August 30th, 2016 at 8:27 AM ^
August 30th, 2016 at 8:36 AM ^
As one of the more vocal posters regarding this list I do think it served to bring attention to the VERY long list of players, like Lund, that the current generation has zero knowledge of.
I think I'm going start a weekly post on all the players who did not make the "top 25" but probably should have.
August 30th, 2016 at 9:20 AM ^
Ricky green, Phil Hubbard, Ron Johnson, Dan dierdorf Bill Freehan and Larkin to start.
August 30th, 2016 at 9:37 AM ^
August 30th, 2016 at 8:52 AM ^
and Don was someone I was keenly aware of (and met) as I began my career. He was a special ambassador for M Athletics....
August 30th, 2016 at 9:13 AM ^
listening to that Indiana game on the radio and Bob Ufer going nuts on the game winning touchdown like it was yesterday. AC was lightning.
August 30th, 2016 at 9:17 AM ^
I was two years old when AC graduated. If someone could get me a DeLorean, I'd really like to go back and watch him play in person. That would have been epic...
August 30th, 2016 at 1:56 PM ^
slightly smooth.
August 30th, 2016 at 9:27 AM ^
I understand why he is only fourth on this list. (The to be named first three won Heismans.) Statistically, he is not even on a par with Braylon. But I was a student his last two years. He, more than anyone, made Michigan football evolve. It was a (great) option offense before he came. But he was so electric.....he had moves that I had never seen. He did more per touch than just about anyone. It was Carter that, more than anyone, led Bo to a more pro style offense. This led to a generation of Michigan QB's and receivers that were abundant in the NFL. If I had to vote between AC or Woodson, I honestly don't know which one I would choose. But I do know this. Anthony Carter was a transcendent figure in Michigan football.
August 30th, 2016 at 1:59 PM ^
I know this sounds like more of the same, but there you have it. I saw him play all four years and from his first play (a punt return he almost broke against Northwestern), you could see he was electric. In the woodson v. carter debate, you could say that much of woodson's greatness was defined by what people didn't do when he was in the game, and perhaps that, when coupled with what he did on offense and when QBs were foolish enough to challenge him, makes him the greatest. But nobody could move on the field like A.C. He got open on anyone, and when he got the ball, you could see the fear of god in the secondary.
August 30th, 2016 at 3:42 PM ^
Having watched both play extensively, I join those who believe Carter was a step above Desmond Howard or, if it matters, any other receiver to ever play the game then or since. Besides just my impression, remember what he did in some of those NFL playoff games for the Vikings. In '88, he exceeded 200 yards in a playoff game against the Niners - couldn't be stopped even by the pros.
In the dark days of winter when opening day is a half-year away, I imagine what would have happened if AC matched up against Woodson. Both had high end speed. Do AC's moves and acceleration beat Woodson's strength, brains and overall athleticism?