Jamie Morris & Leroy Hoard

Find another Leroy Hoard, please. Big, fast, and doesn't go down easy.

Give. The. Ball. To. Leroy.

is the single best bowl game performance by a Michigan RB ever, and that includes Ty's second RB against Washington. Which is a close second.

Watching that Hoard tribute damn near brought a tear to my eye. Leroy Hoard, BEAST.

A rare kind of back that excelled at fullback and tailback. He ran the fullback trap better than anyone and could run the off-tackle and sweep as a tailback just as good.

And honestly, isn't "Leroy" a badass name?

"Coach, if we need one I'll get you three. If we need five I'll get you three." - Leroy Hoard

Leroy Hoard has arguably my favorite line about football pretty much ever:

Regarding his skills, Hoard reportedly once said to his coach, "Coach, if you need one yard, I'll get you three yards. If you need five yards, I'll get you three yards."

Hoard never made long runs prior to that Indiana game, which was just fine--Michigan had Tony Boles for that sort of thing. As an 8-year-old kid I watched the '88 Indiana game with a couple friends from the Pray family across the street. My Dad, a huge fan, was unable to watch for whatever reason--probably had work or something. Anyway, when Dad came home that night, I explained that Michigan won, and that Hoard had run for two 50+ yard TDs.

He was stunned. "HOARD?!?!?" he exclaimed, "Leroy HOARD?!?!?"

I still remember the shocked, if joyful, incredulity of his voice. Of course he was probably a bit skeptical that I, not quite nine years old, could properly recite the events of the day. But there it was. And Hoard, amazingly, became a big-play back, and wound up having a decent NFL career. 

Didn't practice well but was a gamer!

A "Hoard's Horde" MgoShirt might not be a bestseller, but I would buy one.

"Boles, Bunch and Hoard in the wishbone set".  - Keef Jackson.

and a funny guy in Math 105.   He had the biggest thighs on the team.

I was attending Red Berenson's Hockey Camp one summer, must have been 1988 or so.  Since I lived in Ann Arbor, I didn't stay in the dorms.  I got dropped off by my mom a bit early and was hanging out in Yost before the morning skate.  I was in the north end of the arena, right by where the players come on the ice, and there in the stands was guy in a Michigan letter jacket reading a magazine.  I walked up to him and said, "hi."  He looked up, and put his hand out to shake, "my name is Leroy," he said.  He was the biggest person that I'd ever seen up close, and my hand was swallowed up by his enormous mit.  He asked if I was enjoying the hockey camp, and he laughed about how he tried to skate one, but wasn't very good at it.  He said we all made it look so easy.  We talked football for a bit, and I remember asking him if Michigan was going to the Rose Bowl, to which he gave a big smile and a nod.

Funny, I hadn't thought about that years.  Hoard and Morris, two of the Michigan greats -- man they were good. Not to mention, what an offensive line Michigan had back then!

Go Blue!

I grew up watching the 1988 Michigan Replay highlight VHS on pretty much a daily basis, alternated with the 89 Rose Bowl. Love me some Hoard.

Keith Jackson +++

Millen ---

Speilberg --

NDC --

Pam Oliver -

Love Boles and Hoard in the backfield!!! MVP of big Rosé Bowl win over the hated SC.

Leroy Hoard was just a bull!  Running men over like they aren't even there!!!

I remember the plastic shield behind Hoard's facemask but don't recall the reason for why he wore it. Did he break his jaw at some point during that '88 season?