Top 10 Greatest Michigan Wolverines

Michigan’s most decorated lineman of the post-Schembechler era, Jake Long was one of the nation’s most dominant linemen for two years. In 2006-07, the last two seasons for title-winning coach Lloyd Carr, Long was a two-time consensus All-American, two-time Big Ten lineman of the year and a finalist for the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy (LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey won both in 2007). In 2008, Long was second to none in the NFL draft when he was the first offensive lineman to go No. 1 overall since Orlando Pace in 1997.

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Steve Hutchinson is one of two Wolverines to be named first-team All-Big Ten all four seasons (the other was defensive tackle Mark Messner). As a freshman, Hutchinson started for the 1997 national champions. After his rookie season, Hutchinson only became more dominant. He didn’t allow a sack in his final two seasons and was a consensus All-American, Lombardi Award finalist and Big Ten lineman of the year in 2000. Hutchinson was the key blocker for running back Anthony Thomas, who left school as Michigan’s all-time leading rusher.

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Edwards ably stepped into the shoes of Anthony Carter and Desmond Howard and topped them, at least as far as the record books are concerned. Edwards left Michigan with school records for career receiving yards (3,541, breaking Carter’s record) and three of the top 10 single-season receiving marks in school history. His school-record 1,330 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2004 earned him the Biletnikoff Award, a trophy that had yet to be established when Howard and Carter played. Edwards also finished his career with a Big Ten record 39 touchdown catches.

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Canton, Ohio, was a fitting birthplace for an offensive tackle who landed in both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was one of Michigan’s key players early in Bo Schembechler’s tenure in Ann Arbor, earning All-Big Ten honors in Schembechler’s first two seasons of 1969-70. Along with All-American guard Reggie McKenzie, Dierdorf anchored a line that led Michigan to a 17-4 overall record and 12-2 in the Big Ten his final two seasons. A consensus All-American in 1970, Dierdorf led an offense that averaged 30.5 points and 248 rushing yards per game in 1969-70.

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Standing apart from Michigan’s history of productive running backs is a tall task, but Hart manages to do so. Hart finished his career as one of four Big Ten backs to rush for 5,000 yards in his career – the other three are Wisconsin’s Ron Dayne, Ohio State’s Archie Griffin and Indiana’s Anthony Thompson. A four-year starter, Hart averaged 117.2 yards per game in his career as one of only two Michigan players to average 100 rushing yards per game. Hart was a two-time finalist for the Doak Walker award, but he had the poor luck of playing at the same time as Arkansas’ Darren McFadden, who twice beat out Hart for the award.

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Rick Leach started 48 consecutive games, including three Rose Bowls and an Orange Bowl. Although Michigan lost all four of those bowl games, Leach ended a four-game winless streak against Ohio State with a 22-0 win in Columbus in 1976. A three-time All-Big Ten selection, Leach finished his career as one of Michigan’s most prolific quarterbacks with 4,284 passing yards and 2,176 rushing yards. Leach’s 34 rushing touchdowns were the most in school history for a quarterback until Denard Robinson broke the record with 35 last season. Leach’s mark is still No. 6 on Michigan’s all-time list. Leach also remains fifth in Michigan history in total offense, ahead of Jim Harbaugh, Tom Brady and Brian Griese.

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Brown was one of the key players on Michigan’s most dominant defensive teams. Twice during Brown’s tenure, the Wolverines allowed the fewest points in the country. In Brown’s three seasons, only one team scored more than 16 points (Wisconsin with 20 points in 1974). Brown’s defenses shut out more teams (11) than it allowed teams to score in double figures (seven). Brown finished his career with nine passes and four special teams touchdowns (three punt returns, one kickoff return). In 1973-74, Brown became Michigan’s first two-time consensus All-American since 1956. A three-time All-Big Ten selection, Michigan went 30-2-1 with Brown at safety. Alas, the 0-2-1 part was against Ohio State.

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Bo Schembechler called Anthony Carter the best player he ever coached. That’s with good reason. Carter was such an impressive wide receiver, he forced Schembechler’s hand in embracing the passing game. Michigan had never passed for 2,000 yards in a season until Carter stepped on campus in 1979. Although Carter was third on the team in receiving as a rookie that year, the best was yet to come. Carter was a two-time consensus All-American in 1981-82 and left school as the league’s first 3,000-yard receiver (3,076 yards). Although Carter is now 10th on the Big Ten’s career receiving list, eight of the nine ahead of him caught at least 210 career passes. Carter caught 161 passes with an average of 19.1 yards per catch.

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Howard’s Heisman pose following a punt return for a touchdown against Ohio State is one of college football’s most iconic images, but Howard didn’t stop at the Heisman for postseason hardware. Howard swept major national awards, picking up the Maxwell and Walter Camp awards and UPI and Athlon Sports player of the year. Michigan’s first Heisman winner since Tom Harmon in 1940, Howard earned the award with one of the most lopsided votes in Heisman history. The 5-foot-9, 176-pound receiver also became the first wideout to lead the Big Ten in scoring (90 points in 1991), caught 30 touchdown passes his final two years (19 in 1991, 11 in 1990) and went 13 consecutive games with a touchdown catch. Howard’s 23 touchdowns in 1991 remains a school record.

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Woodson remains the last defensive player to win the Heisman trophy, beating out Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning in 1997. Woodson didn’t win the Heisman on his cover skills alone. He won the award thanks to a punt return for a touchdown and an interception against Ohio State in the final game of the regular season. In his Heisman-winning year, Woodson accounted for four touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing, one on a punt return) for Michigan’s only undefeated team since 1973 and only national title since 1948. The Wolverines won the Associated Press national title that season after defeating Washington State 21-16. Woodson intercepted eight passes in 1997 and 18 in his three seasons at Michigan. In addition to the Heisman, Woodson won the Walter Camp, Nagurski, Bednarik and Thorpe awards.

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