1989 Rose Bowl
I just got done watching Wolverine Historian's 1989 Rose Bowl victory. It brought shivers to my spine at the end to see Bo raise that trophy. What a great coach.
The part that struck me the most was how much of a horse Leroy Hoard was in that game. Will we ever see a back of his stature play again in the college football we know today? I don't know his official stats, but he was large, borderline stocky and could run like the wind. He had some epic runs in that game and I just shook my head. The reason I ask is because I just don't see many backs running with that much tenacity anymore. He ran with a passion in that game like I have never seen. I mean we have Minor Rage, but Brandon is not built like Leroy.
Someone please give me a RB in todays game that can compare with what Leroy brought to that game.(maybe some Wisconsin backs but they weren't as flashy) I am by no means saying there is none, I just can't think of one. He was fun to watch! Smashmouth ball at its best.
Can someone tell me if he was that solid the whole career? I was 9 and didn't really keep up with things.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:46 PM ^
Sad that Leroy pulled a Ricky Williams in his pro career. I remember in the late 90's he got busted with a bottle of pills with a pot leaf graphic on the bottle. He claimed they were pain pills for his knee. The jury bought it. Case dismissed. I'm sure Bo was not happy, although it sure beats escorting Billy Taylor to the joint...
August 24th, 2009 at 11:51 PM ^
until Tony Boles got hurt against Minn.
He was an up-the-middle beast.
Favorite quote from him when he played for the Vikings: "If you need a yard, I'll get you three. If you need five yards, I'll get you three".
August 25th, 2009 at 12:39 AM ^
That is a classy coach. Was he a fullback in the NFL? That sounds like something a fullback should say.
August 25th, 2009 at 12:01 AM ^
we just don't care because they don't do it for Michigan, and there's nothing wrong with that.
As for similar kinds of runners, perhaps Ringer or Greene last year? Maybe this year, someone like Charles Scott of LSU, Stafon Johnson from USC, or especially LaGarrette Blount of Oregon.
August 25th, 2009 at 12:25 AM ^
Ringer and Greene did not run like him. I am mostly going with just the Rose Bowl here, so I could be way off. I just picture Greene and Ringer trying to break the runs outside more whereas Leroy punched you in the mouth and could run with the best. And the tackles he broke while not just being a total bruiser. It is hard to explain I guess. I just don't see backs today looking for contact like he did.(but with his FB roots, it is hard not to I guess) Anyway, I can live with our backs from here on out, out-running the defense instead of having to worry about breaking tackles. I think we can agree on that.
August 25th, 2009 at 9:42 AM ^
Brandon Minor and Kevin Grady don't look for contact?
August 25th, 2009 at 4:24 AM ^
I'm biased of course, but Hoard is one of my favorite M backs of all time for the very reason that he ran like a barely contained explosion.
He wasn't all that elusive and he wasn't as big as a lot of steamrollers, but tacklers bounced off of him like ping pong balls and I've never to this day see anyone that ran exactly like him. His running style was unique and he played with fire.
He may not have had anymore tenacity than many running backs, but it sure looked like it to me.
August 25th, 2009 at 9:40 AM ^
if you loved the guy, but I also recall Mike Alstott being damn near impossible to tackle in college. I think it depends on your college choice.
And, the problem lies in trying to quantify tenacity, which is internal, unknowable, and intangible. I see tenacity as that desire - just because Hoard ran very tough doesn't mean he was tenacious. He could have been scared of his coaches, or trying to win a bet, or showing off for a girl.
I prefer quantifiable measures of success, such as yards and TDs, which is why I preferred Tyrone Wheatley to Hoard.
August 25th, 2009 at 4:30 AM ^
Which is far from what it used to be, I recall Hoard being in Bo's doghouse on occasion and riding the pine, but when he was in the game, he always ran the same - dishing out punishment and refusing to go down easy.
As I said above, one of my favorite backs of all time.
August 25th, 2009 at 1:13 PM ^
That concurs with my memory as well. Plus it was easy to be in Bo's doghouse when you got Tony Boles in front of you for a couple years and Jamie Morris in front of you for another. I think Hoard had the unfortunate luck to be behind 2 great backs for the majority of his career
August 25th, 2009 at 10:17 AM ^
I watched that same video and I have to say I have never seen anyone like him. He was like a running back/full back at the same time. He was amazing in that game though we didn't even have to throw it in the fourth quarter.
August 25th, 2009 at 11:06 AM ^
1987...
- 22 attempts
- 122 yards
- 5.5 average per carry
1988...
- 132 attempts
- 752 yards
- 5.8 average per carry
1989...
- 162 attempts
- 832 yards
- 5.1 average per carry
Of additional note...
- 23 rushes for 158 yards and 2 TDs vs. OSU in '88
- 19 rushes for 142 yards and 2 TDs vs. USC in '89 Rose Bowl
- 21 rushes for 152 yards and 1 TD vs. OSU in '89
- 17 rushes for 108 yards vs. USC in '90 Rose Bowl
The definition of a big-game running back.
August 25th, 2009 at 11:18 AM ^
Well, I am a big fan of Hoard.
In fact, in my HTTV piece on the 1989 team I theorized that Michigan has not had a better 1-2 punch in the backfield since the Hoard/Boles days. Feel fre to debate that assertion in this thread.
Hoard saved his best for the biggest games, btw. Only six 100-yard games in his career, yet 2 were against OSU and a third was in the aformentioned Rose Bowl where he won MVP honors. Also: In the 1989 10-7 win at MSU, he basically was the blocking back and completely nuetralized all-everything LB Percy Snow.
Profesionally, I recall him being serviceable to good for a few years with the Old Cleveland Browns. One game, he managed to catch a TD pass while laying on his back in the end zone.
He did that against my Steelers. I was not loving him much that day.