DG has joined an elite group of odd Michigan stat-sheet fillers (Harmon, Woodson, and ?)

Submitted by Erik_in_Dayton on

Devin Gardner now has 4 TDs passing, 4 TDs receiving (still tied for the team lead), and 3 TDs rushing this year.  This got me thinking about other creators of unusual season stat sheets. 

Harmon of Michigan (below) is of course the king of odd stats, with a 1940 season that saw him post 14 TDs rushing, 7 TDs passing, 1 TD on a KR, 1 TD on an INT return, 18 extra points, a field goal, and (apparently) 2 two-point conversions.  He also punted 42 times for an avg of 37 yards.  He didn't have any receptions in 1940, but he had 4 for 110 yards in 1939, apparently for no TDs.

Woodson had 2 TDs receiving in 1997, with 1 TD rushing, and 1 TD on the PR against OSU.  He had 8 INTs that year, but surprisingly he did not score a defensive TD that year or any other year at Michigan.  He did complete a 28 yard pass against Wisconsin in '97.

Is there anyone else that belongs in this unscientific category?  I suppose Navarre deserves a mention just for his glorious rumble of a TD reception against Minnesota in 2003...Also, since I'm sure someone will mention it, no, I am not saying that DG is in the class of Harmon and Woodson.  I'm just pointing out his unusual stats.  Also, I left out Desmond Howard's Heisman campaign because his stats, while great, were not that odd of a combination.  The reader is of course free to disagree with this - with great vigor if you like. 

LSAClassOf2000

November 13th, 2012 at 1:11 PM ^

Among Denard Robinson's lesser known stats are 2 career punts for a total of 41 yards, with the longest being a 30-yard punt. Also, he has two recorded solo tackles, with one of those being against Alabama.

WolverineHistorian

November 13th, 2012 at 2:25 PM ^

Putting Harmon aside because he was a freak of nature that scored doing anything, anywhere on the field. 

But I think Charles Woodson and David Terrell are the only players in the last half century to have an interception AND a touchdown catch in the same game.  Woodson did it against Sparty in 1996 and Terrell did it 3 years later against Northwestern. 

jmblue

November 13th, 2012 at 3:19 PM ^

Woodson came extremely close to having a TD pass, incidentally.  Griese was tackled at the one-yard line on that play after a 28-yard gain.

JHendo

November 13th, 2012 at 3:50 PM ^

I know it's not a single player's stat (and I'm sorry to anyone who was still trying to suppress the memory of this game), but doesn't the final play of the U of M vs Nebraska Alamo bowl game hold the FBS record (I think that one D-III game had more) for most laterals in a single play?  Also, it should've been one more lateral than it's official total that resulted in a Breaston TD.  Thanks a lot, Ecker...

JHendo

November 13th, 2012 at 4:31 PM ^

 

I counted 8 Michigan laterals in the Alamo Bowl game (although Mark Bihl's "lateral" was pretty darn close to just being a fumble).  Just counted only 5 in "The Play."  It may have been more historic, thanks to the band, but didn't have more laterals than us.

rdlwolverine

November 13th, 2012 at 8:28 PM ^

Timberlake, an All-American at QB in 1964, Timberlake also played HB for Michigan.  For his career, he finished with 10 rushing TD, 8 passing TD, 1 receiving TD, 6 FG and 36 XP.

Rick Sygar, a contemporary of Timberlake, had 2 passing TDs, and 1 each rushing, receiving and a punt return.

Gordon Bell and John Navarre all had touchdowns passing, rushing and receiving.

Bump Elliott, tallied rushing touchdowns, passing touchdowns, receiving touchdowns, kicked some extra points, scored on a lateral from a teammate after an interception and on a punt return during his M career.