Best Seasons in Michigan Football History (Individual)

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June 5th, 2012 at 9:10 AM
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RONick
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Best Seasons in Michigan Football History (Individual)

As I read through this list on ESPN about the "Greatest Individual Seasons in Big Ten History", I started to think about who may have had the best individual single season performances for the Wolverines.

In my lifetime, obviously Charles Woodson is right up there, but there are many others who may make the list.  Mike Hart, Chris Perry, Anthony Thomas, Steve Breaston, Braylon Edwards, Tacopants, Lloyd Brady, the list could go on and on.

Therefore, my question to you, MGoCitizens: what are some of the best single season performances by an individual Wolverine over the past 50 years?

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June 5th, 2012 at 9:18 AM | Tim B. had a super season in (Score:2)
Baldbill
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Tim B. had a super season in 1995 I think. (not sure but I think it was his junior year?) same year he ran for 300+ on Ohio.

 

EDIT: had to go check spelling, Tim Biakabutuka.

 

Semper Fidelis

June 5th, 2012 at 9:21 AM | Agreed (Score:2 Normal)
Carolina Joe
Joined: 07/05/2008
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First player I thought of.

June 5th, 2012 at 12:48 PM | Agreed. (Score:3 Normal)
opwolverine97
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Any running back that puts up 313 yards against Ohio is fantastic....He hold the highest rushing yard total for a single season that year, with 1818 (better than the A-Train).  But most importantly , I was at that Ohio game, and the crowd was going absolutely crazy passing the chant of "Biaka"...."Butuka" back and forth across the Big House

This has significantly more meaning considering Eddie George won the Heisman and was held to 105 yards and one touchdown when TB had triple that a touchdown of his own on the biggest stage and the biggest game.  The buckeyes were also ranked #2 when we put that beating down on them.  To the Michigan O-Line's credit, you could drive a bus through some of the holes we were opening up.  

"We want the Big 10 championship. And we’re going to win it as a TEAM"

 

June 5th, 2012 at 9:22 AM | Henne's freshmen year was (Score:3 Normal)
Jmilan
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Henne's freshmen year was pretty good. He had a rating of 132.6, threw for over 2700 yards, 25 TD's, and had 60% completion rating. May not be the best, but those are pretty solid stats for a freshmen.

June 5th, 2012 at 9:33 AM | Braylon Edwards (Score:2 Normal)
Hagen
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may have had something to do with those numbers.  Though Henne had the arm to make all the throws, I think his freshman year stats were inflated by the awesome receivers of that squad.

Your father wouldn't want to hear this, Sonny.  This is business, not personal.

June 5th, 2012 at 9:40 AM | I agree with you about the (Score:2)
Jmilan
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I agree with you about the receiving core. You could probably argue however that Henne never really did have a "weak" receiving core at any point in his career. Sure he didn't have Braylon after his freshmen year, but Breaston, Avant, Manningham, etc were no slouches by any means. After looking at his stats I guess I was just a little shocked to see that his freshmen year was his 2nd best year statistically behind his junior year.

June 5th, 2012 at 9:34 AM | I would say Fitz this past season (Score:3 Underrated)
Blazefire
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Not that it set the reccord books on fire or anything, but it's been a long time since we had a feature back, so it was really nice to see. He had some great moves.

I won't say it, though, because I think his senior season is gonna be even better.

"This is the EMU game, not the emo game."
June 5th, 2012 at 9:40 AM | Honestly (Score:5 Normal)
theyellowdart
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 Honestly... Denard 2010.  (Note: Been watching games consistently since the early 90's.  So not that much of a newcomer. :) )

  Honestly:

 62.5% completion percentage

 2570 Passing Yards (8.8 ypa)

 1702 Rushing Yards  (6.6 ypc)

 328 YPG(!!)

 32 Total TDs.

 

We all know he was the offense last year.   I can't think of any other season where we depended so much on a single player, and have that player produce anywhere close to the way Denard did.

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

June 5th, 2012 at 9:50 AM | This season would definitely (Score:2)
blacknblue
Joined: 06/18/2009
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This season would definitely be on my list.

June 5th, 2012 at 11:54 AM |   2010 Denard vs. the 2007 (Score:3 Normal)
Maize n Blue
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2010 Denard vs. the 2007 Heisman trophy winner looks awfully comparable. Tebow obviously wins the head-to-head in all categories but rushing stats, but still. That was one of the best seasons ever in college football.

How did his season end that year by the way-- I cant seem to remember.

Passing
G Att Comp Pct. Yards Yards/Att TD Int Rating Att/G Yards/G
13 350 234 66.9 3286 9.4 32 6 172.47 26.9 252.8
Rushing
G Att Yards Avg. TD Att/G Yards/G
13 210 895 4.26 23 16.15 68.85
Scoring
G TD FG 1XP 2XP Safety Points Points/G
13 23 0 0 0 0 138 10.6
Total Offense
G Rush Yards Pass Yards Plays Total Yards Yards/Play Yards/G
13 895 3286 560 4181 7.5 321.6

 

 

Dreads > Lil Boosie fade

June 5th, 2012 at 1:00 PM | Hmm (Score:2 Insightful)
theyellowdart
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 With how hard we hit Tebow that game... he probably doesn't remember how that season ended either.

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

June 5th, 2012 at 9:38 AM | while an overall (Score:2)
JohnnyBlue
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while an overall disapointment of a season, 2010 denard prolly had one of the better individual performances in my short memory.  

June 5th, 2012 at 9:43 AM | Desmond Howard (Score:3 Normal)
wolvrine32
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Not to state the obvious, but Desmond's Heisman campaign was amazing.  I remember watching just thinking that every play should be run to him and he wouldn't ever drop a pass.  Grbac to Howard was the whole season that year.

June 5th, 2012 at 9:50 AM | My thoughts exactly. (Score:2)
acnumber1
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Best receiver ever?  A.C.

Best receiver single-season ever?  Desmond

It started magically and just wouldn't stop.

5 4 3 2 1 Touchdown!

Touchdown Billy Taylor!

Touchdown Billy Taylor!

June 5th, 2012 at 11:00 AM | There was a reason, at the time (Score:1)
M-Wolverine
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It was the highest margin of victory for a Heisman winner, ever.  (I think it's 3rd now).

"I love him, he's a great coach, he's a great mentor, he's a great friend. He's every single thing you want a college coach to be, and he does it flawlessly." -David Molk

June 5th, 2012 at 9:44 AM | Tom Harmon 1940. Only (Score:4 Normal)
russale2012
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Tom Harmon 1940. Only Michigan Man to ever beat the Buckeyes so thoroughly that he got a standing ovation for it. That will never happen again.

It's been a lot. Its been a roller coaster that for some reason seemed like it would never get good. But you know what? We kept fighting. It's like that old saying goes, "Those Who Stay Will Be Champions." -David Molk

June 5th, 2012 at 10:13 AM | Very true.. (Score:2)
maizedandconfused
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Still think that Tim Biakabatuka's 95 game against Ohio was one of the best performances in a game.

37! carries, 313 yards 8.8 ypc. 

(in contrast, Denard had 258 vs Notre Dame including the Longest Run Ever

On the fifth night—possibly the sixth—a breeze arose.
It was cool and dewy.

June 5th, 2012 at 9:48 AM | Chris Perry (Score:3 Normal)
MVictors97
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Chris Perry 2003. 338 carries, over 1,600 yards, 18 TDs, Doak Walker Award, 4th in Heisman, All-American, Big Ten MVP. 51 Carries vs MSU.

June 5th, 2012 at 10:06 AM | He is supremely underrated as (Score:2)
samsoccer7
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He is supremely underrated as a Michigan rb. 4th in the heisman? I dot know about everyone else, but I almost took that for granted. How many other top 5 heisman finalists have we had?

June 5th, 2012 at 10:23 AM | UM has had 12 top 5 finalists (Score:3 Normal)
MVictors97
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1939: Tom Harmon – 2nd

1940: Tom Harmon – 1st

1947: Bob Chappius – 2nd

1964: Bob Timberlake – 4th

1976: Rob Lytle – 3rd

1978: Rick Leach – 3rd

1982: Anthony Carter – 4th

1986: Jim Harbaugh – 3rd

1991: Desmond Howard – 1st

1997: Charles Woodson – 1st

2003: Chris Perry – 4th

2006: Mike Hart – 5th 

June 5th, 2012 at 11:23 AM | Rob Lytle should have won it (Score:2)
Baldbill
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Rob Lytle should have won it in '76. I am forgetting details but I remember wondering how he lost it.

Semper Fidelis

June 5th, 2012 at 10:54 AM | I will never forget his 51 (Score:3 Normal)
andrewG
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I will never forget his 51 carry game against MSU that year.

June 5th, 2012 at 12:04 PM | I saw that game live.  After (Score:4 Normal)
saveferris
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I saw that game live.  After the game was over, some Spartan fan nearby had the temerity to complain about the refereeing in the game and that was the only reason MSU had lost.  I suggested that the Spartan defense should've tried to find a way to stop the run.  The guy muttered some obscenity at me and stormed off.

 

"...what do you say, is it the new Bluesmobile or what?"

"Fix the cigarette lighter."

June 5th, 2012 at 12:09 PM | That was a pretty miserable (Score:1)
andrewG
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That was a pretty miserable day weather-wise, IIRC; probably complemented the mood in East Lansing well. I watched from my futon in South Quad, just being amazed how Perry would take FOREVER to get up from the pile, limp back to the huddle looking like a shell of a man, but then, somehow, he would perk up right before the snap and plow ahead for 4 more yards. No way he could move the next day.

June 5th, 2012 at 12:38 PM | Typical. (Score:1)
M-Wolverine
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It was 27-10 with like 11 minutes left. And still a 2 touchdown game with like 6 left. It was only  a defensive TD at the end that even made it close. They WOULD have had to stop the run...the fact that we kept the ball for 4 of the last 5 minutes says they couldn't do it any better at the end than the beginning or middle.

"I love him, he's a great coach, he's a great mentor, he's a great friend. He's every single thing you want a college coach to be, and he does it flawlessly." -David Molk

June 5th, 2012 at 9:49 AM | The A-Train had a pretty good year.... (Score:1)
TdK71
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back in '00.

 

Season Rushing Top 20 'Net Yards'
# Name Att Yd+ Yd- Net Yd Yd/Att TD Lng Season
1 Tshimanga Biakabutuka 303 1891 73 1818 6.0 12 60 1995
2 Anthony Thomas 319 1776 43 1733 5.4 18 68 2000

Good enough for #2 on the list.

 

 

 

 

June 5th, 2012 at 10:54 AM | Everyone remembers Ohio State (Score:2 Normal)
M-Wolverine
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But people forget how many yards he had on the season. It was an impressive year.

"I love him, he's a great coach, he's a great mentor, he's a great friend. He's every single thing you want a college coach to be, and he does it flawlessly." -David Molk

June 5th, 2012 at 9:59 AM | Do field goal kickers count?  (Score:3 Normal)
WolverineHistorian
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Do field goal kickers count?  (If you can kick at Michigan, they should.) 

In 1994, Remy Hamilton kicked 22 of 26 FG's for a success rate of 84.6%

In the last several years, we've been lucky if a kicker could make 30% of his FG kicks. 

Go Blue!  Always!

http://www.youtube.com/user/WolverineHistorian

June 5th, 2012 at 10:03 AM | That was until we started (Score:2)
Baldbill
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That was until we started motivating our kickers with brunettes.

 

Semper Fidelis

June 5th, 2012 at 10:11 AM | ND Game (Score:1)
MVictors97
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I was at that ND game in 1994 when he kicked the game winner in South Bend.  I was sitting next to my uncle who is a huge ND fan. Hamilton crushed many Irish fans souls that day.

June 5th, 2012 at 12:35 PM | After that game (Score:1)
BeatOSU52
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After that game, ND really went on a noticable decline with its program.  I'm not saying that made-kick caused it, but before that game, ND was still sitting on the top of the college football world after coming off an excellent '93 season.  After that game, ND started to drop further and further down the list of elite programs.

We're not teaching them about sports, we're teaching them about life!

June 5th, 2012 at 10:01 AM | RJ in 1968 (Score:4 Normal)
ChalmersE
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Ron Johnson in 1968.  1391 Yards in a 10 game, no bowl season.  Included 347 yards against Wisconsin.  Finished 6th in the Heisman voting. 

June 5th, 2012 at 10:14 AM | Hasn't the Mathlete looked at (Score:2)
bdsisme
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Hasn't the Mathlete looked at this with PAN/WPA?  If not, that might be a good place to start.

"It would be a travesty, it would be ridiculous to all of a sudden come back and get the feeling back, get the health back, feel good again and then all of a sudden go throw some other colors on my shirt and go coach."

June 5th, 2012 at 10:21 AM | Jamie Morris, 1987 (Score:1)
Pelinka2Voskuil
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I was a young kid just learning about the game, but I remember it seeming like every other carry he was breaking tackles and ankles.  1703 yards rushing, 6.0 ypc, 14 TDs including 234 yards and 3 TDs against Alabama in the Hall of Fame Bowl (now the Outback Bowl).

June 5th, 2012 at 11:17 AM | Jake Long 2007 (Score:4 Normal)
micheal honcho
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I know its hard to quantify excellence for a position like offensive tackle, other than being the 1st player taken in the NFL draft, but Jake was one of the most dominant lineman I've ever seen in college football in 2007. His performance was, to me, the equivolent to Woodson in that it was just shut down, lights out, forget about it for the other team in attacking at his position. 

You coach the TEAM not a SCHEME.

June 5th, 2012 at 12:44 PM | there was this guy named Tony Dorsett (Score:0 Offtopic)
June 5th, 2012 at 12:48 PM | This guy ^ (Score:3 Normal)
Vote_Crisler_1937
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He was a Wolverine?

June 5th, 2012 at 3:22 PM | Mike Hart's 2004 season. I (Score:1)
Wolverine Devotee
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Mike Hart's 2004 season. I was at the game vs san diego state in 2004 where he first started getting some eyeballs popping out. Mike Hart will always be one of my all-time favorite Wolverines.

Chad Henne's 2004 season was incredible as well, he was the first true freshman QB to start at Michigan since Rick Leach.

 

When the ADept sells special jerseys and gear, you'll see my picture next to the targeted customer crowd. A sheep.....but a Blue one.....

June 5th, 2012 at 8:30 PM | Of course Charles Woodson and (Score:1)
maizenblue87
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Of course Charles Woodson and Desmond Howard, as they won the Heisman. But a few more -



Anthony Carter - 1980. All-American as a sophomore, on a team that predominately ran. I think he had 14 TDs, returned punts and kickoffs.



Rob Lytle - 1976. Set a school record at the time of over 1400 yards. I think he was 2nd or 3rd for the Heisman.



Jake Long - 2007. Protected Henne and opened massive holes for Mike Hart.



June 5th, 2012 at 11:36 PM | How about a few more guys (Score:2)
UMgradMSUdad
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How about a few more guys from the defensive side?  Lamarr Woodley, and a player many posters are too young to remember, Ron Simkins. The only difficulty here is that they each had multiple great seasons, making it difficult to single one out just one year.

http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fballam/aasimpki.htm

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