Not OT: Create an All-Michigan team from your lifetime
With all of the OT posts recently and talk about actual football seeming to wane, here's a topic to get the football engines revving again. Who would be on your All-Michigan team choosing only players from your lifetime (or the time you have been a Michigan fan)? For example, Tom Harmon wouldn't count for most/all of us, because he played before most/all of us were born. My list is somewhat limited, since I remember watching Desmond Howard as a kid...but I don't remember the names of all his linemen.
QB: Tom Brady
RB: Tyrone Wheatley
RB: Tshimanga Biakabutuka
TE: Tony McGee
WR: Desmond Howard
WR: Braylon Edwards
OL: Jake Long
OL: Steve Hutchinson
OL: Jon Jansen
OL: Jeff Backus
OL: Steve Everitt
DL: William Carr
DL: Mark Messner
DL: LaMarr Woodley
DL: Brandon Graham
LB: Jarrett Irons
LB: Sam Sword
LB: Erick Anderson
CB: Charles Woodson
CB: Ty Law
S: Marcus Ray
S: Ernest Shazor
I realize the safety position is a little weak, but...well...Michigan isn't known for producing safeties.
Hell of a runner, and as productive as you could ask for. And if he had held onto the ball against Northwestern in 2000, he might have squeeked by Perry (sarcasm of epic sadness).
Shout-out to the '91 babies, yo!
Maybe it's too easy of a pick, but for all the Michigan Football I've watched in the last 18 years or so...
QB: Brian Griese
WR honorable mention to Tai Streets and David Terrell, although I am perfectly happy with Desmond and Braylon as my starting WRs in this offense...
RB: the ever dependable A-Train, Anthony Thomas deserves a mention
QB: Chad Henne
RB: Mike Hart
RB: Chris Perry
TE: Jeremy Tuman
WR: David Terrell
WR: Braylon Edwards
OL: Jake Long
OL: Steve Hutchinson
OL: Jon Jansen
OL: Jeff Backus
OL: David Bass
DL: Alan Branch
DL: Gabe Watson
DL: LaMarr Woodley
DL: Brandon Graham
LB: Jarrett Irons
LB: David Harris
LB: Larry Foote
CB: Charles Woodson
CB: Leon Hall
S: Marcus Ray
S: Ernest Shazor
I always though Magnus was a lot older.
I always thought Magnus was Brandon Graham.
One of the OL names that is missing is Jumbo Elliot. I remember the SI cover with him and Jaime Morris.
I should have had him in my list when saying "if you're just picking linemen, over Backus..."
But if we're FBing it, I'm going with Jarrod Bunch.
If we're going two TE, I agree with the above to add Tuman with McGee, but I'd give McGee a slight edge.
WR AC over Desmond. Desmond can be my punt returner, Steve Breaston KR, and Remy and Zoltan kicking.
OL....picking O-Linemen, or by position? Because the Backus is puzzling, with 3 tackles. If you're going for just best linemen, I'm sure guys like Skrepenak rank higher than Backus. Guards Baas comes to mind, Dean Dingman, Matt Elliott, Joe Cocozzo.
I'm surprised you remember Messner, but not some players of that era better than Carr. Because this one makes it seem like you were doing it by position. Otherwise Steele, Hall, other Ends/LBs deserve to be on more. But Tackles over Carr? Chris Hutchinson, Rob Renes, Buster Stanley (more currently) Alan Branch...but better than any of them, Mike Hammerstein. Messner just seems an outlier. Older than the rest, but he had a lot of teammates that could be on here if you remember him.
LB - I love Sword as a guy and a player, but I'm not sure he was better than Dhani or Gold on his own team. But ahead of him Larry Foote, and probably my pick, Steve Morrison.
And Ray might be close, but if you remember Messner, Welborne and Vada at Safeties.
I was picking OL by position grouping only, so if you were an OL, you could be on the list. Whether you're a guard or center doesn't really matter, which is why I picked Backus.
My memory of the '80's is spotty. I remember Desmond, Grbac, Boles, Hoard, Messner, Everitt, Welborne, even vaguely Harbaugh...but it's just been a long time and I was very young. My family watched the games every Saturday, though, so these guys were fixtures on fall Saturdays.
I think you're selling Carr a little short, personally. He was an All-American at least once, maybe twice. He's definitely better than Renes. Branch had first round talent, but he also took a lot of plays off. Maybe I just never noticed, but it sure seemed like Will Carr was just a tough motherf***er and didn't have the reputation for taking plays off. But like I said, I was young so maybe I just didn't see those types of things when Carr was playing...
Sword is in the top 3 for all-time tackles, if I remember correctly. There aren't many that we could realistically pick over him, I don't think.
I picked Renes just because I remember defensive line play going pffftttt for a couple of years after he graduated, so my bias is probably a little flawed.
The guys I would rank well above him probably predate him enough that you don't remember them (Hammerstein for sure). Though I will rank him dead last as a ball carrying fullback.
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<br>And I'm not going to tear apart Sword...I like the guy too much. Just that playing time, and thus stats, isn't everything. As you would agree since you have Brady as QB. I mean, Obi's top 20 in tackles. (I even forgot to mention Harris with more upside over a shorter period).
Hammerstein maybe (him I don't remember seeing, although I've read about him before), but Renes and Branch probably don't belong above Carr.
But I'd take Buster Stanley over Carr. Think Buster was team captain too.
Okay, after thinking through it aloud, here's my revised list, with edits in bold (FYI - my modern memory spans back to about 1990):
QB: DENARD!
RB: Tyrone Wheatley
RB: Tshimanga Biakabutuka
TE: Jerame Tuman
WR: Desmond Howard
WR: Mario Manningham
OL: Jake Long
OL: Steve Hutchinson
OL: Jon Jansen
OL: Jeff Backus
OL: Greg Skrepenak
DL: William Carr
DL: Mark Messner
DL: LaMarr Woodley
DL: Brandon Graham
LB: Jarrett Irons
LB: Sam Sword
LB: Dhani Jones
CB: Charles Woodson
CB: Ty Law
S: Marcus Ray
S: Tripp Welborne
K: Remy Hamilton
So much so that I copy and pasted it and just replaced the few different names. Switched Henne for Brady because I think Henne showed more promise in his years at Michigan. Hard to leave off the A-train as he was my favorite player growing up, but the two I mentioned were much more break away backs who I think overall were better. I remember Joppru being solid in both blocking and catching, so I pick him. WR is a loaded position, and I thought about putting David Terrell in for Braylon because of Braylon's inconsistencies, but Terrell was inconsistent as well and Braylon just came up big in situations you can't ignore. Avant also crossed my mind because I think he has the best hands out of all of them, but he doesn't have the game changing speed that either of the ones picked do. The O-line was fairly easy for the first 4 spots, as the first two are all-time football greats and the other two had very good NFL careers for a while and even better college careers. Only other changes were to Alan Branch, Dhani Jones, David Harris, and then Marlin Jackson because he played safety for a while (who beat out Shazor, who I think gets a little bit too bad of a rep around here, though he obviously wasn't something to call home about). Also could have gone with Cato June, who played safety in his time at UM.
QB: Chad Henne
RB: Tyrone Wheatley
RB: Tshimanga Biakabutuka
TE: Bennie Joppru
WR: Desmond Howard
WR: Braylon Edwards
OL: Jake Long
OL: Steve Hutchinson
OL: Jon Jansen
OL: Jeff Backus
OL: Steve Everitt
DL: William Carr
DL: Alan Branch
DL: LaMarr Woodley
DL: Brandon Graham
LB: Jarrett Irons
LB: Dhani Jones
LB: David Harris
CB: Charles Woodson
CB: Ty Law
S: Marcus Ray
S: Marlin Jackson
K: Jay Feely
P: Zoltan
K - Remy Hamilton (Mike Gillette honorable mention)
Absolutely love that you included a FB (Floyd was tremendous). AC and Desmond are also my no-brainers for WR, and Harbaugh is definitely the QB of my choice. Hammerstein absolutely has to represent from the great mid-80's defenses (would also include Messner, too). Vada Murray and Tripp Welborne are safety faves of mine, but no complaints w/ Ray and 'Flakes. My only other additions: PK Mike Gillette or Ann Arbor's own Ali Haji-Sheikh!
In '97, I didn't see Chris Floyd miss one assignment all season....that guy was incredible.
I know Harbaugh isn't the most popular guy around these parts nowadays, but if there was one guy I'd want under center in a game we absolutely had to win, it'd be him.
Hammerstein was easily the best defensive player Bo had in the 1980's....that guy was a beast. That 1985 defense was just amazing.
I modified my safety choices and moved Corn Flakes to honorable mention when I realized I'd overlooked Tripp. Welbourne was easily the better athlete, but Corwin gets love for delivering one of my Top 5 biggest hits I've ever seen by a Michigan guy.
Gave Gillette some honorable mention love. He was far from being the most talented kicker we've ever had, but he was easily the most reliable, he was the iceman....game on the line and we're inside the 30, I want Gillette kicking.
Was Harbaugh too. Just past Henne. He was our NFL QB before Brady.
And Hammerstein might make an all time list.
My Top 5 all-time gritty QB list (QB you want with game on the line) looks like this:
- Harbaugh
- Brady
- Griese
- Wangler
- Henne
This jives closely with my UM generation (born in 67', first game in 75')...and therefore, your list is pretty mich right on mine.
The only think i might change is QB. I think JH would be on my "All Team" list...but strong honorable mention would go to Brian Griese in terms of "all time favorites." I realize that he didn't have a "full" career, but he had a winning hand in the OSU game in three straight magical years (95', 96', 97'). Most folks only remember the 97 campaign.
I always had a love / hate thing with Griese. He never lost to OSU, but he helmed some maddening defeats in his time as a starter. I remember lamenting coming into the 1997 season that Griese got made the starter over Dreisbach and Brady, but he proved me wrong.
That said, I stand by my choice. Griese was a gritty guy, but I'm sticking Jimbo.
I can go with that. I definitely think that JH is the guy you'd want for that one game. Dude was just a winner and didn't make a lot of mistakes. Griese just gives me some nice memories of beating OSU, but overall like you, JH would still be my #1.
I was 2 when Anthony Carter graduated. So I can just sneak him in with Desmond Howard for my wide receivers. I loved Braylon. I really did. But he had a ton of dropped passes where he was wide open. You never saw that with Anthony Carter. Carter could adjust his body perfectly to passes that nobody in the stadium thought a receiver could possibly catch. I have to give him the edge over Braylon.
I liked Tony McGee but I think my tight end would have to be Bennie Joppru. Loved that guy. I wished Navarre had thrown to him more often because he rarely if ever dropped a pass in his entire career.
Wheatley and Biakabutuka are good choices at running back.
Quarterback is much more difficult. I don't think I can narrow it down to just one.
I was just shy of my teen years when Carter played at U of M, but I do remember watching him have big days in the '81 Rose Bowl and the '81 Bluebonnet Bowl. What that guy could've accomplished in a more pass-oriented offense...wow.
He's the Michigan Player I first remember pretending to be.
this is why we need to add kick returner to this list- that way you can have braylon at one wr and have desmond or carter be wr or kr. to me those are the 3 best by a long shot. AC started the entire wr tradition - it is why we have a #1 jersey tradition.
additionally, i cannot believe we do not have punt returner on this list- there was john anderson when i was growing up- he played defense and punted, he was awesome. And, of course, the emperor of space- the greatest collegiate punter of all time.
Above. I took some of those considerations into account.
QB: Chad Henne
RB: Tyrone Wheatley
RB: Mike Hart
TE: Jerame Tuman
WR: Desmond Howard
WR: Braylon Edwards
OL: Jake Long
OL: Steve Hutchinson
OL: Jon Jansen
OL: Jeff Backus
OL: Greg Skrepanek
DL: Glenn Steele
DL: Allan Branch
DL: LaMarr Woodley
DL: Brandon Graham
LB: Jarrett Irons
LB: Dhani Jones
LB: Erick Anderson
CB: Charles Woodson
CB: Ty Law
S: Marcus Ray
S: Tripp Welbourne
K: Remy Hamilton
QB: Chad Henne
RB: Mike Hart
RB: Tshimanga Biakabutuka
TE: Jerame Tuman
WR: Desmond Howard
WR: Braylon Edwards
OL: Jake Long
OL: Steve Hutchinson
OL: Jon Jansen
OL: Jeff Backus
OL: Steve Everitt
DL: William Carr
DL: Glen Steele
DL: LaMarr Woodley
DL: Brandon Graham
LB: Jarrett Irons
LB: Sam Sword
LB: Larry Foote
CB: Charles Woodson
CB: Ty Law
S: Marcus Ray
S: Cato June
K: Garrett Rivas
P: Zoltan Mesko
QB: John Navarre
RB: Tyrone Wheatley
RB: Mike Hart
TE: Bennie Joppru
WR: Braylon Edwards
WR: Desmond Howard
OT: Jake Long
OG: Steve Hutchinson
C: David Molk
OG: Steve Schilling
OT: Jon Jansen
DL: Glenn Steele
DL: ALan Branch
DE: Brandon Graham
DE: Lamar Woodley
LB: Jarret Irons
LB: Sam Sword
LB: Obi Ezeh Dhani Jones
CB: Charles Woodson
CB: Ty Law
S: Marcus Ray
S: Ernest Shazor
K: Remy Hamilton
P: ZOLTAN
QB Denard Robinson
RB Gordie Bell
RB Rob Lytle
WR Anthony Carter
WR Jim Smith
OL Donahue Downing Dufek Muransky Paris and Lilja
TE Tuman
Defense
DL Branch Woodley Tedesco Steele
LB Simpkins Harris Jones
DB Dufek Woodson Law Wellbourne
Punter none
Kicker Bobby Wood
I think you've won the contest. I'm changing my QB pick to Denard. Great call. He may not have the wins like the other great QBs, but people will be VERY hard-pressed to argue that Denard is not the most exciting and most likeable QB to wear the maize and blue.
I never really even considered Denard. It's tough to pick a QB who's only won 7 games.
Boot up this thread again in 2013 and the lists may look a bit different, but I think the book on Denard remains far from finished.
The prospect of Denard running Bo's offense from the 70's with Ufer calling the game on the radio is a very entertaining proposition. I would be in football Valhalla
"Huckleby deep Davis close, Denard Robinson under center, the ball resting 18 yards in, from this, the western sideline" :)
QB: Harbaugh
RB: Hart
RB: Woolfork
T: Jansen
G: Baas
C: Everrit
G: Hutchinson
T: Long
TE: Tuman
WR: Carter
WR: Edwards
DL: Steele
DL: Graham
DL: Messner
DL: Martin
LB: Woodley
LB: M. Mallory
LB: Harris
DB: Jackson
DB: Wellbourne
DB: Law
DB: Woodson
P: Mesko
K: Gillette
I know I probably left some great players off the list, particularily at running back.
Thanks for the honorable mention for Marquise Walker. I understand why he doesn't make the list, but to this day one of my all-time favorite wolverines.
Why is everyone listing a 4-3 on defense? I thought we were a 3-3-5 team.
...
Too soon?
No, too late.
Posbanged because your post and signature go together perfectly.
20 plus years / Recent 20 years
QB: Dave Glinka/ Tom Brady
RB: Billy Taylor/Mike Hart
RB: Rob Lytle/Chris Perry
WR: Anthony Carter/Braylon Edwards
WR: Mercury Hayes/Desmond Howard
TE: Jim Manich/Tim Massaquoi
OT: Dan Dierdorf/Jake Long
OT: Jumbo Elliot/Jon Jensen
OG: Mark Donahue/Steve Hutchinson
OG: Reggie McKenzie/Dean Dingman
C: Jon Vitale/David Baas
HC: Bo Schembechler/Lloyd Carr
AHC: Fielding Yost/Gary Moeller
my go at it. (born '86)
QB: Chad Henne
RB: Tyrone Wheatley (the reason I wore 6 all through football, the reason I remember the 1993 Washington Rose Bowl despite being only 7), Mike Hart
TE: Jeramae Tuman
WR: Desmond Howard, Derrick Alexander (yea, braylon, manningham, etc. but there was something about dynamic Alexander was that always stuck with me)
OL: Jake Long, Steve Hutchinson, Jon Jansen, David Bass, Jeff Backus
DL: Lamarr Woodley,Brandon Graham,Rob Renes,Alan Branch
LB: David Harris, Jarrett Irons, Sam Sword (mostly because he's a GREAT guy and always willing to stop by and talk M football with me when he stops in my place of business)
DB: Charles Woodson, Marlin Jackson, Ty Law, Ernest Shazor
KR/PR: Steve Breaston
K: Garrett Rivas
P: Zoltan Mesko