Jon Ritchie played for Michigan in 93 and 94 and other interesting transfers.
Earlier I watched the Remy Hamilton kick that beat Notre Dame and during the celebration I saw someone that I thought was Jon Ritchie. I thought he played for Stanford so i looked up his wiki page and sure enough just said Stanford.
Through further digging after an assist from the Blue Buddah I see he did indeed play for Michigan in 93 and 94.
This guy went on to be one of the best nfl blocking fullbacks of all time for the Raiders and later played for Philadelphia.
Any idea why he transferred and what the story with him here was? Was hoping someone who was in school at the time would have some insight. Interesting find today.
Who are some other interesting transfers from football over the years that we dont think of or know the story behind?. I always think of Justin Fargas.
February 9th, 2024 at 8:44 PM ^
Lionel Richie was in the Commodores. The breakup seemed amicable enough so nothing to report.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:13 PM ^
I have a cousin "Ritchie". Or maybe it's spelled "Richie".
February 9th, 2024 at 9:54 PM ^
Whatever happened to his brother Chuck after that first season?
February 9th, 2024 at 10:22 PM ^
Some Italian kid that moved in above the garage stole all his playing time.
February 9th, 2024 at 10:51 PM ^
He changed his name to Dan Suggs, killed some sod busters, and was hanged by Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call.
February 10th, 2024 at 12:03 AM ^
Hello?
February 10th, 2024 at 4:46 AM ^
He ended up on the same pile as Cousin Oliver from "The Brady Bunch" and the first kid who played the youngest brother Chris on "The Partridge Family."
February 10th, 2024 at 8:15 AM ^
There was a Richie in “A History of Violence.” It was a very good movie.
February 10th, 2024 at 9:04 AM ^
February 9th, 2024 at 8:44 PM ^
Russel Shaw
February 9th, 2024 at 8:56 PM ^
He transferred out? To where? Why? I remember #4. Great possession wr if I remember right.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:00 PM ^
I don't think Shaw transferred, I think the guy above you was saying because of Shaw but that wouldn't make sense.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:02 PM ^
Shea, were you old enough to remember the 1997 season? You were probably born that year.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:07 PM ^
I was born in 84.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:13 PM ^
Big year for you, approaching middle age, congrats!
February 9th, 2024 at 9:18 PM ^
Wasn’t sure I’d live this long.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:41 PM ^
Because golfing is known to be potentially 10x more lethal than prepping for your next Big Ten opponent?
February 9th, 2024 at 9:57 PM ^
Fallen world is tough to navigate through.
February 9th, 2024 at 10:05 PM ^
For you, maybe. I actually like to mix with the fallen. It makes life a little more interesting.
February 10th, 2024 at 12:08 AM ^
Same.
February 9th, 2024 at 11:20 PM ^
Yeah, I prefer Stephen Calbert and Jimmy Kibble.
Or better yet, Trevor Noa
February 9th, 2024 at 11:03 PM ^
Russell Shaw transferred in, not out. He was one of M football's rare JUCOs along with Austin Panter.
To answer the OP, the story I heard at the time was that Ritchie had a conflict with the coaches over his long hair.
February 9th, 2024 at 11:12 PM ^
Interesting. Not really surprising.
February 9th, 2024 at 8:58 PM ^
Only thing I can think of is Moeller getting canned in '95 and Lloyd getting the promotion and maybe he didn't like Carr?
I'm just speculating, I remember him and being pissed off he left, also David Bowen a LB/Edge guy left, he was a stud for us, not sure what year he left though, I think he was in the same class as Woodson.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:01 PM ^
Rasheed Simmons, Shawn Collins, Trevor Pryce…come to mind.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:06 PM ^
Oh yeah Sal, Pryce went to Clemson, that one sucked too.
I wanted to ask you Sal, are you doing okay after the Wink hire? I've been worried about you.
I think he'll be good for now, players like him and that's important.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:20 PM ^
I was on campus for the Moeller years. There were a lot of players leaving for other programs. Bowens and Pryce were the two most notable losses. We would see these guys lifting in the IM weight room after they left the team.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:26 PM ^
Bowen had academic issues.
February 9th, 2024 at 10:28 PM ^
I thought he got booted from the team.
he was part of that olsm team with diallo Johnson.
February 9th, 2024 at 11:41 PM ^
Yes, I thought he was ineligible because of grades and transferred to a lower level. Western illinois.
February 10th, 2024 at 12:53 AM ^
I hit David Bowens in the face with a snowball during the South v. West quad snowball fight my freshman year... I thought I was going to die an instant death at his hands...
Instead, he ran away giggling. I was very relieved...
February 9th, 2024 at 8:59 PM ^
Austin Panter. I remember him because transfers were so incredibly rare in those days. Russell Shaw in ‘97 and Panter in 2007.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:08 PM ^
Panter was a transfer in from Kansas, no? Lb #54 i believe.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:20 PM ^
Panter was a JUCO transfer from state of Kansas
February 9th, 2024 at 9:06 PM ^
There was an an OL transferred to OSU. That was back in the dark ages.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:09 PM ^
Justin Boren from that traitor family in the mid aughts.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:36 PM ^
Does Devin Gardner get paid for his name, image, and likeness on Borden dumpsters?
edit …or Boren ones?
February 9th, 2024 at 10:47 PM ^
Honestly fuck that family. I don’t care if Mike played here.
February 10th, 2024 at 12:46 AM ^
We didn't offer Zach (who comes off as a Dick in Bacon's book,) so the Boren's got butthurt. Good riddance.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:07 PM ^
Perhaps the greatest Michigan football player of all time was a transfer. Willie Heston came here after playing at San Jose State and led the team to four straight national championships from 1901-1904.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:11 PM ^
Oh yeah. I remember him, Charlton Heston's dad....
/s
In case any of you are taking my comment too seriously.
February 9th, 2024 at 10:25 PM ^
Didn't that Heston kid deliver his people to the promised land of the transfer portal?
February 9th, 2024 at 10:49 PM ^
I’m pretty sure Heston was born in or raised in Michigan, so not too far fetched tho this guy was probably too old actually he his dad.
February 10th, 2024 at 2:13 AM ^
Bump Elliot was no slouch after transferring from Purdue either
February 9th, 2024 at 9:09 PM ^
Crazy Legs Hirsch war transfer
February 9th, 2024 at 11:32 PM ^
And later a traitor.
February 9th, 2024 at 11:36 PM ^
And later a traitor.
February 10th, 2024 at 1:35 AM ^
like four minutes later?
i'm sorry, what's your beef with someone in our Athletics Hall of Fame? That he later served as UW AD?
February 10th, 2024 at 2:15 AM ^
I think the issue here is that he, along with Bump Elliot and several other Michigan alumni who were athletic directors at the time, voted for Ohio State to go to the Rose Bowl in 1973
February 9th, 2024 at 9:14 PM ^
There is an iconic photo that was widely available for purchase of the Remy Hamilton kick in 1994. It was taken from the opposite end zone and you can actually spot the football as it is seemingly rises between the uprights. Jon Ritchie, whom I believe was from Mechanicsburg, Pa. is #40 blocking on the play. I can even identify myself in the background in what would be characterized as a "Where's Waldo" moment because I was in that end zone. Of course, I could barely watch and wasn't optimistic given our FG fortunes over the years against ND. As the ball rose toward the uprights, it was clear that it was both far enough-- 42 yards as I recall-- and was straight down the middle with no hook or slice. A pretty great moment for the Miaze and Blue.