2008 Michigan Wolverines Additional Information

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

2008 Michigan Wolverines Additional Information


Coaching Staff

Head Coach:
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Official School Bio - Rich Rodriguez

Assistant Coaches:
Official School Bios - Assistant Coaches
Calvin Magee - Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator
Scott Shafer - Defensive Coordinator
Tony Dews - Wide Receivers
Greg Frey - Offensive Line
Tony Gibson - Assistant Head Coach/Secondary
Jay Hopson - Linebackers
Fred Jackson - Running Backs
Rod Smith - Quarterbacks
Bruce Tall - Defensive Line

Official School Bios - Strength and Conditioning Staff
Mike Barwis- Director of Strength and Conditioning
Chris Allen - Director of Skill Development / Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning
Parker Whiteman - Coordinator of Strength and Conditioning
Kentaro Tamura - Coordinator of Strength and Conditioning
Jim Plocki - Football Assistant Strength Coach / Ice Hockey Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning
Jesse Miller - Assistant Strength Coach
Dennis Murray - Assistant Strength Coach
Josh Ison - Part-Time Assistant Strength Coach
Cassandra Baier - Assistant Strength Coach
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Recruiting

Starters Returning: 12 (Offense 3, Defense 7, Special Teams 2)
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Letterman Returning: 45 (Offense 15, Defense 25, Special Teams 5)
Notable Returners:
TE Carson Butler, FB Mark Moundros, OL Stephen Schilling, LB Obi Ezeh, DE Brandon Graham,DE Tim Jamison, DT Will Johnson, DT Terrance Taylor, CB Morgan Trent, CB Donovan Warren, PK K.C. Lopata, P Zoltan Mesko

Starters Lost: 13 (Offense 9, Defense 4, Special Teams 0)
Letterman Lost: 26 (Offense 16, Defense 6, Special Teams 1)
Notable Losses:
WR Adrian Arrington, C/LG Justin Boren, RG Jeremy Ciulla, RB Mike Hart, QB Chad Henne, LG/C Adam Kraus, LT Jake Long, WR Mario Manningham, RG Alex Mitchell, S Jamar Adams, LB Shawn Crable, S Brandent Englemon

Incoming Recruits:

2009 Verbals
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Jordan Barnes LB 6-0 225 Fort Wayne, IN
Shavodrick Beaver QB 6-2 179 Wichita Falls, TX
Isaiah Bell DB 6-0 209 Youngstown, OH
Tate Forcier QB 6-0 184 San Diego, CA
Jeremy Gallon ATH 5-8 165 Apopka, FL
Brendan Gibbons K 6-0 202 West Palm Beach, FL
Thomas Gordon ATH 5-10 199 Detroit, MI
Brandin Hawthorne LB 6-0 181 Pahokee, FL
DeQuinta Jones DT 6-2 265 Bastrop, LA
Mike Jones DB 6-2 200 Orlando, FL
Teric Jones RB 5-8 186 Detroit, MI
Anthony LaLota DE 6-6 260 Princeton, NJ
Dewayne Peace WR 6-0 177 Grand Prairie, TX
Craig Roh DE 6-5 230 Scottsdale, AZ
Michael Schofield OL 6-6 272 Orland Park, IL
Vincent Smith RB 5-6 159 Pahokee, FL
Fitzgerald Toussaint RB 5-10 185 Youngstown, OH
Justin Turner DB 6-2 180 Massillon, OH

2008 Recruting Class

Ricky Barnum OL 6-2 246 Lakeland, FL
Boubacar Cissoko DB 5-8 171 Detroit, MI
Mike Cox RB 6-0 203 Avon, CT
Kenny Demens LB 6-1 224 Detroit, MI
Justin Feagin ATH 6-0 190 Delray Beach, FL
J.B. Fitzgerald LB 6-4 225 Princeton Junction, NJ
J.T. Floyd ATH 6-0 179 Greenville, SC
[strike]Taylor Hill LB 6-2 205 Youngstown, OH[/strike]
Rocko Khoury OL 6-6 280 Traverse City, MI
Kevin Koger TE 6-4 235 Toledo , OH
Mike Martin DT 6-2 278 Novi, MI
Sam McGuffie RB 6-0 188 Cypress, TX
Elliott Mealer OL 6-6 280 Wauseon, OH
Brandon Moore TE 6-6 243 Trotwood, OH
Dann O'Neill OL 6-8 291 Grand Haven, MI
Martavious Odoms WR 5-8 164 Pahokee, FL
Patrick Omameh DE 6-4 236 Columbus, OH
Terrence Robinson RB 5-9 170 Klein, TX
Roy Roundtree WR 6-0 154 Trotwood, OH
Michael Shaw RB 6-0 185 Trotwood, OH
Brandon Smith DB 6-3 210 New Brunswick, NJ
Darryl Stonum WR 6-2 180 Sugar Land, TX
Kurt Wermers OL 6-3 278 Crown Point, IN
[strike]Marcus Witherspoon LB 6-2 215 Absecon, NJ[/strike]

2007 Recruiting Class

[strike]Zion Babb WR 6-0 177 Alhambra, CA[/strike]
Artis Chambers DB 6-2 185 Ft. Wayne, IN
Toney Clemons WR 6-2 205 New Kensington, PA
Marell Evans LB 6-2 204 Richmond, VA
Vince Helmuth RB 6-1 235 Saline, MI
Junior Hemingway WR 6-3 205 Conway, SC
Brandon Herron LB 6-2 198 Sugar Land, TX
Avery Horn RB 5-11 195 Hanford, CA
Mark Huyge OL 6-6 280 Grand Rapids, MI
[strike]Ryan Mallett QB 6-6 235 Texarkana, TX[/strike]
David Molk OL 6-2 280 Lemont, IL
Austin Panter LB 6-3 240 El Dorado, KS
James Rogers ATH 6-1 195 Madison Heights, MI
Renaldo Sagesse DT 6-4 315 Montreal, Que.
Ryan Van Bergen DE 6-5 260 Whitehall, MI
Donovan Warren DB 6-0 175 Long Beach, CA
Steve Watson TE 6-4 235 Denver, CO
Martell Webb WR 6-5 225 Pontiac, MI
Michael Williams DB 5-10 Ventura, CA
Troy Woolfolk DB 5-11 176 Sugar Land, TX

2006 Recruiting Class

Greg Banks DE 6-5 260 Denver, CO
[strike]Justin Boren OL 6-3 319 Pickerington, OH[/strike]
Carlos Brown RB 6-0 205 Franklin, GA
Steve Brown DB 6-0 197 Columbus, IN
David Cone QB 6-6 201 Statesboro, GA
Perry Dorrestein OL 6-6 283 Plainfield, IL
Obi Ezeh RB 6-2 219 4.6 Grand Rapids, MI
John Ferrara DE 6-4 268 Staten Island, NY
Brandon Graham LB 6-2 250 Detroit, MI
Jason Kates DT 6-2 324 Harrisburg , PA
Greg Mathews WR 6-2 189 Orlando, FL
Brandon Minor RB 6-0 213 Richmond, VA
[strike]Cobrani Mixon LB 6-2 220 Cincinnati, OH[/strike]
Jonas Mouton DB 6-2 212 4.5 Venice, CA
[strike]Quintin Patilla LB 6-2 193 Flint, MI[/strike]
Adam Patterson DT 6-2 256 Columbia, SC
Stephen Schilling OL 6-5 290 Bellevue, WA
[strike] Quintin Woods DE 6-6 218 Flint, MI[/strike]
Bryan Wright K 6-2 205 Salem, OH

2005 Recruiting Class

[strike]Antonio Bass ATH 6-1 194 Jackson, MI[/strike]
Carson Butler DE 6-6 235 Detroit, MI
Andre Criswell RB 6-1 240 Detroit, MI
[strike]Jason Forcier QB 6-2 205 San Diego, CA[/strike]
[strike]Eugene Germany DE 6-4 250 Pomona, CA[/strike]
Kevin Grady RB 5-10 230 4.5 East Grand Rapids, MI
Brandon Harrison DB 5-8 190 Dayton, OH
Brandon Logan LB 6-1 195 Lexington, KY
[strike]Mario Manningham WR 6-0 174 Warren, OH[/strike]
Tim McAvoy OL 6-6 270 Bloomington, IL
[strike]James McKinney DT 6-2 277 Louisville, KY[/strike]
[strike]Chris McLaurin DE 6-4 217 Orchard Lake, MI[/strike]
Zoltan Mesko K 6-4 230 Twinsburg, OH
David Moosman OL 6-5 270 Libertyville, IL
Mark Ortmann OL 6-6 270 Klein, TX
[strike]Chris Richards ATH 5-10 155 North Hills, CA[/strike]
LaTerryal Savoy WR 6-2 195 Mamou, LA
[strike]Justin Schifano OL 6-5 300 Webster, NY[/strike]
[strike]Johnny Sears DB 6-1 175 Fresno, CA[/strike]
[strike]Mister Simpson RB 5-10 195 Cincinnati, OH[/strike]
[strike]Marques Slocum OL 6-4 331 Philadelphia, PA[/strike]
Terrance Taylor DT 6-1 285 Muskegon, MI
Cory Zirbel OL 6-7 301 Murray, KY
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Behind the Numbers

For eleven weeks BtN has provided cold hard facts and analysis. Not this week. Even in normal years numerical analysis cannot hope to crack the conundrum that is The Game. This year, it makes more sense to look at history.

When facing a rival that is sporting more losses than ever before, it would certainly be fun to play with the numbers that show how bad they are. But since the numbers never tell what will happen in this game anyway; let's take a look at what the game has been in the past, and at the ways that this edition of The Game can make history of its own.

The Records

TSUN fans love the numbers of this rivalry. Their favorite of course is the tally of wins and losses. While that 41-57-6 tally isn't exactly a Buckeye fan's favorite subject, it certainly isn't all it's made out to be. That is seen most clearly when one examines how those numbers were compiled.

The most instructive way of doing that is to unwind the record backwards through time, starting with the most recent game. This is shown in the following graph.

Starting with last year's game on the left side of the graph one can clearly see the scarlet line rising over the blue one through the Tressel Years, sagging a bit during the 90s, dominating again as we traverse backwards through the Woody Hayes era, and flattening out as it extends into the days of the leather helmet.






Note that the two graphs last converge at 1928. That is because:

• For the last 80 years, both teams are 38-38-4

Which means:

• All of TSUN's advantage in the W-L columns was established before The Great Depression

More Facts about Wins and Losses

• Ohio State is 9-2 against TSUN teams with losing records
• Woody Hayes was the coach for both losses
• Both losses occurred in Ann Arbor, to TSUN teams that ended the year 4-5, over OSU teams that won fewer than half of their games (1951, 1959)
• SO - NO TSUN TEAM WITH A LOSING RECORD HAS EVER BEATEN OHIO STATE IN COLUMBUS
• Further - The Buckeyes are 7-0 against TSUN teams that finished the season with 6 losses
• Even Further - NO TSUN TEAM THAT FINISHED THE SEASON WITH MORE THAN 6 LOSSES EVER SCORED ON THE BUCKEYES.
  • That's right - The Buckeyes have faced 3 TSUN teams that ended the season with 7 losses, and have shut them out all three times.
  • All three victories were part of four game winning streaks against TSUN. Saturday's victory over a TSUN team with > 6 losses will be part of a 5 games and counting streak.

To be fair it should be noted that the last fact cited is probably true at least partially because it has been so long since TSUN had a team with more than 6 losses, and shut-outs were far more common "back in the day".

Shut-Outs

In fact, 26 of the first 37 contests between the Buckeyes and Wolverines resulted in a shut-out. Sadly, Ohio State was 6-19-1 in those 26 games.

Of the 67 games that have taken place since, only 10 have resulted in shut-outs.

Nevertheless, the Buckeyes owe the Wolverines a shut-out, big time.

• TSUN holds a 27-10 advantage in shut-outs over Ohio State.
• Those of us born in 1963 have been around for 3 shut-outs of the Buckeyes, but have never seen Ohio State return the favor.
• The last blanking of TSUN came in 1962

Conclusion #1: We are way overdue for a shut-out. While this has no bearing on whether we'll get one, neither do any of the numbers that describe how pathetic TSUN's offense is. This is The Game and anything can happen. But this look Behind the Numbers at least makes us WANT a shut-out very, very badly.
More Facts about Points-Scored

And it's not just that we owe TSUN a goose egg on the scoreboard. The Buckeyes also owe it to them to score a ton of points on them.

Wolverweenies sometimes like to tout the 1756-1330 advantage enjoyed by TSUN in points scored in the rivalry. But as with the Won-Lost record, these numbers tell a different story when you examine how they were compiled.

As you might expect, this graph looks similar to the one tracking wins and losses; but with some important differences. Tresselball prevents the scarlet line from getting too far above the blue one, but then the damage done in the 90s keeps the blue line higher a little farther back than in the won/lost chart. The scarlet line finally takes over again in 1961; but drops back below the blue one in 1946, coinciding roughly with the departure of Paul Brown. As with the other chart, the lines converge again at 1928, but instead of meeting, the blue line stays 25 points above the scarlet (1271 to 1246). In other words:

• If Ohio State wins by at least 25 points on Saturday, all of TSUN's advantage in points scored will have occurred before the Great Depression. As the won/lost record is already even-up going back that far, we owe them AT LEAST a 25 point beat down on Saturday.

Conclusion #2: Ohio State must beat the skunk bears by at least 25 points on Saturday.

Considering the 86-0 beat down planted on the Buckeyes by Fielding "run-it-up" Yost in 1902; some OSU fans might suggest that 25 points is not nearly enough. If Jim Tressel decided to go all Wildcat on the Skunk Bears and give them the pasting they've needed for the last 106 years; then the scarlet line above would stay consistently above the blue line all the way back to 1940, instead of just to 1993. Additionally, the last place on the graph where the scarlet line would appear above the blue would be pushed from 1947 all the way back to 1919. Incidentally, 1919 is the year of Ohio State's first victory over the Wolverines.

Other Ohio State Firsts

• As stated, 1st win: 1919 (13-3)
• 1st win in Columbus: 1920 (14-7)
  • Also 1st win against TSUN team with a winning record
• 1st win against a Michigan team with a winning record in Ann Arbor: 1921 (14-0)
  • Also the first shut-out victory for the Buckeyes
  • Also the first time the Buckeyes gave TSUN their only loss
• 1st win in The Horseshoe: 1928 (19-7) (fourth game there)
• 1st win in The Big House: 1929 (7-0) (second game there)
  • TSUN had a winning record that year
• 1st win in The Horseshoe against TSUN team with a winning record: 1942
  • Thats not a misprint: 1942 (21-7)
  • Thank you, Les Horvath

The Horseshoe

This may be the best reason of all to give the skunk bears a beat-down of Biblical proportions: Ohio State started out 5-10 in The 'Shoe against them. As previously mentioned, it wasn't until 20 years after it opened that we got our first win against a TSUN team with a winning record there. Since then, things have improved somewhat:

• All time record vs. TSUN in The 'Shoe: 21-21-1. That's unacceptable.
• Record in The 'Shoe since 1976 (the first edition of The Game with the author in attendance) 7-8-1. Even though this is the only range for which Ohio State has a sub .500 record, this is totally unacceptable. A victory on Saturday will erase this.
• Points scored in The 'Shoe: 662-659
  • The 3 point margin was provided entirely by the 2006 42-39 game.
  • If TSUN's next score in The Shoe is a touchdown with a kicked extra point, they will have 666 points at our house. Seems fitting.
• Points scored in The 'Shoe since 1938: 566-573. Even though this is the only range for which Ohio State has a points deficit, this is totally unacceptable. A victory of 7 points or greater will erase this.
• From 1930 to 1980, Ohio State lost 13 of 26 games to TSUN in The 'Shoe.
  • They scored 6 points in one of those games
  • They scored 3 points in five of those games
  • They were shut out in the other seven games
  • 21 total points scored in the 13 defeats over a period of 50 years...
  • Unacceptable - Though it's worth explicating that during this span we beat TSUN at home every time we scored 7 or more.
• The most points Ohio State ever scored vs. TSUN in The 'Shoe is 50.
• The most points TSUN ever scored in The 'Shoe is 58.
  • It is 100% unacceptable that the most points scored in our house in this series was by THEM.

Conclusion #3: Forget 25 points; Ohio State must score more than 58 points on Saturday.

The graphs showing the above trends are added below without further comment. These atrocities must be reversed as of this Saturday.

Chic Harley and John W. Wilce

Speaking of The House that Harley built, it should be noted that the win in 1919 was the only game against TSUN in which Chic played. He did not participate in the 1918 contest because of World War I, and The Game was not played during the Buckeyes 1st 5 seasons in the Western Conference, which was named the Big Ten when TSUN rejoined in late 1917.

While Wolverweenies would prefer we believe that the Buckeyes took their first victory from TSUN in 1919 because it was the first year in which the Buckeyes played a skunk bear squad with a losing record; it should be pointed out that:

• TSUN was 3-4 and would have been 4-3 if not for the loss to the Buckeyes. They had a losing record because...
• It bears repeating that this was Chic Harley's only tilt against the Skunk Bears. There's no shame in losing to him; lots of people did.
• OSU's coach at the time, John W. Wilce, received his medical degree that same year.

Woody Hayes

• While Woody is the only OSU coach to lose to TSUN teams with losing records ('51, his first year and '59), he did protect the 'Shoe incredibly well.
• Woody was 9-3 in his first 12 home games vs. TSUN
• This is the only 9-3 run in OSU history.
• Woody outscored the skunk bears 420-341 (79 points)
• More recent OSU coaches:
  • Earle Bruce 165-150 (15 points)
  • John Cooper 220-298 (-78 points)
  • Jim Tressel 179-148 (31 points)

Conclusion #4: The Buckeyes need to win by more than 32 points on Saturday in order to be on the plus side of the points ledger since Woody was the coach. The previously mentioned margin of > 58 will do nicely.

Woody - The Streaks

• Ohio State has won consecutive home games against TSUN only 7 times, only 3 of the streaks were longer than 2 games, and only 1 of the streaks has reached 4 games (until Saturday anyway). Woody was responsible for 3 of the streaks and 9 of the 18 victories involved. Until Jim Tressel he had the only streaks longer than 2 games.
  • '34 (gold pants) and '36
  • '42 and '44
  • '52 and '54
  • '58, '60 and '62
  • '68, '70, '72 and '74
  • '82 and '84
  • 2002, 2004, 2006 and ?
• While Chic Harley did not live long enough to see the end of Ohio State's other 4 game home winning streak ('68-'74); he did live 30 days past the date when the National Park Service chose to add the house he built (Ohio Stadium) to the National Register of Historic Places (3/22/74).
• If Ohio State completes the 2002-2008 streak on Saturday, the two 4-game home winning streaks will have some remarkable similarities:
  • Both the '68-'74 streak and the '02-'08 streak began with National Championship seasons
  • Both eras produced a Heisman Trophy in addition to the NC
  • Both eras involved at least two seasons in which a season ending loss cost the Buckeyes a National Championship (1973 would also have resulted in an NC except for the non-season-ending tie vs. TSUN)
• The two streaks also have some stark differences:
  • The 4 Michigan teams beaten in the '68-'74 streak had a total of 5 losses over the 4 seasons
  • The 3 Michigan teams in the '02-'06 streak had a total of 8 losses in the 3 seasons. The '08 Michigan team ALREADY has that many losses, bringing the 4 season total to 16 losses

And this brings us to the real reason that Wolverweenies hate Woody Hayes. They think they hate Woody Hayes for the 50-14 beat down in '68; they actually hate him for what came after.


Only twice in TSUN history have they had either zero blemishes or just one blemish on their record five seasons in a row. Those streaks were:

• Fielding "run-it-up" Yost: 55-1-1 from 1901 to 1905
• Bo Schembechler: 50-4-1 from 1970 to 1974.
  • Heres the reason they really hate Woody:
  • Ohio State was responsible for the only blemish on Michigan's record in FOUR of those FIVE seasons.
  • Ohio State has faced only two unblemished (at game time) TSUN teams since then. (1997, 2006)

Woody and Archie


A big reason why the early '70s Buckeyes were so dominant over otherwise-dominant TSUN teams was because of a little guy named Archie Griffin. None of us knew it at the time, but the Archie years were the blaze of glory that saw the end of the reign of Woody Hayes.

• Woody, Archie and Ohio State never lost to TSUN while Archie wore the Scarlet & Grey
• Woody never beat TSUN again after Archie left
• The end of Woody's 4 year home winning streak against TSUN coincided with Archie's last home game against them. From then until the start of the current (4 game?) home winning streak, Ohio State went 4-8-1 at home against TSUN (and 3-9 in AA).
• SO - A victory this year would make Ohio State .500 at home since Archie left.

Woody and Bo
If losing Archie (athletically) hurt, losing Woody was brutal. Earle Bruce won his final game for the Buckeyes in the year of Woody's passing (1987). Ohio State went on to lose 5 of 6 in the series, with the non-loss being a tie. The final two losses were each by 28 points, the largest margin for the Wolverines since 1946.


Whether Bo's passing will have the same effect on TSUN remains to be seen, but they are off to a good start (0-2) at duplicating the feat. The passing of the two legends coincided with similar coaching phenomena at the two schools. The current coach at each school as of the respective legend's passing:

• Lost his last home game (Earle Bruce vs. Iowa; Lloyd Carr vs. OSU)
• Lost his last home game in the rivalry
• Lost his last rivalry game in The 'Shoe
• Won his last game as coach of the respective University
• Coached only one more edition of The Game in Ann Arbor after the legend's passing

The replacement coach for each school would then:

• Post his school's first losing season since the 1960s
• Lose his first x games in the rivalry (the value of x is yet to be determined for Rich Rodriguez)

Jim Tressel

• Earle Bruce & John Cooper have 7 pair of Gold Pants between them.
• Jim Tressel is playing for his 7th pair on Saturday
• He has coached OSU for less time than either of the other 2
• His 5th year seniors are playing for their 5th pair - which will match Earle's total - and will exceed the total of all Buckeye players who preceded them
• His 6 out of 7 vs. TSUN is matched only by Woody's 1958 to 1963 teams.
• Making it to 7 out of 8 would put him in a class by himself.

Final Conclusion: RichRod's first loss in the rivalry is going to be a doozy.
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The Lighter Side

Last week we discussed how a win over the Illini was a "ho-hum" affair. So, the Buckeyes won 30-20 and before the team had even left the field - if not earlier - you had already turned your attention to Michigan, right? Of course you did. Who wants to talk about the possession of a wooden turtle when the Wolverines are coming to town next Saturday?
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Beating Michigan, of course, requires focus. And that, my friends, is the subtle genius of Rich Rodriguez. You read that right, subtle genius, Rich Rodriguez. Think about it. There is such a vast catalog of information available to us this week. We could goof on Rich Rod's bursting in to tears at his former team's inability to beat Pitt last year with a trip to the title game on the line. We could look at the meager production his offense has managed this season, throwing jabs along the way at the ill-fitting personnel. We could write volumes about Morgan Trent and his failures as a corner throughout his career. We could do this, and a lot more. But, it's a ploy. Don't fall victim. Focus.

What else can be the reason? All summer long we delighted in the constant bumbling of Michigan's new head man. From contract issues to not understanding what the number "1" signified in Michigan tradition, Rich Rod was setting this table. When Tressel beat Rich Rod for Terrelle Pryor, when Justin Boren left Ann Arbor for Ohio State, it was all part of his subtle plan. Don't be fooled. Worse, all season long, we've enjoyed watching the Wolverines set new precedents for futility week after week. As loss after loss piled up, Rich Rod was trying to lull you to sleep. Never mind that nearly half of Michigan's plays have resulted in zero yards or less. Again I say: Don't be fooled. Rich Rod hates you, and he's trying to get you to feel like you can't lose, like there is nothing to worry about, that 10-2 is now a done deal. Don't be fooled. Focus, he's trying to play YOU for a sucker.

It would be easy to cheapen this, the greatest rivalry in all of sports, considering the material at our fingertips, with the internet smack talk equivalent to an unopposed lay-up. But, take these words to heart:

You'll be proud of our young people in the classroom, in the community, and most especially in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan on the football field.

That, folks, is F-O-C-U-S. Sure, this year's contest will be in the friendly confines of the 'Shoe, but the sentiment is the same. This Game is more than a statistically superior team trying to get it done against another which has fallen on hard times. This is THE GAME, and it doesn't matter how it should end "on paper." It makes no difference if the Buckeyes should win. The winner will be the ones that come in to the game with the proper focus.

And Rich Rodriguez thinks he can lull you to sleep. The Audacity... The unmitigated gall of the man. To expect you to believe that this Game is a given. A walk over. Don't fall for it.

No. Now we show Rich Rodriguez what he didn't expect. Why his "genius" is failed. How his plot stands no chance. We focus. We expect Michigan to play the best game in their long and storied history, and we expect our Buckeyes to match that performance every step of the way. We don't expect Michigan's defense to provide the equivalent of wet tissue, instead we anticipate a slobber-knocker, every yard a battle of epic proportions. See, Rich Rod wants you to lose your respect this game, for The Game. Because, without respect, you can't properly focus. The plot? It's simple: If we let our guard down, if we don't respect, he's got his in, his advantage. Well, folks, this ain't Big East football. No. This is The Game... and WE get it. We know what it means, and we shall not be fooled by the snake oil salesman from the north.

We can rest a little easier than we might otherwise in the face of such speciousness from the Wolverines. Trying to make us think they suck? We don't buy it. No sir, and as I said, you can rest a little easier, for when it comes to focus, and particularly focus on Michigan, there are few who can match the great Wayne Woodrow Hayes. But, of those precious and select few, Ohio State is lead by one of them. Jim Tressel knows what it means. Like you, HE gets it. He won't be lulled to sleep with offensive ineptitude, or losses to Toledo.

Instead, Jim Tressel has respect and focus. He knows, for example, that Ohio State won the game on paper in 1969, only to lose the Game that counted, 24-12. But, more importantly, Tressel has personal experience with the difference between what supposed to happen on paper, and what does occur on the field. Indeed, hadn't Michigan already won the game on paper in 2001 when they came in to The Game at 8-2 and JT's Buckeyes just 6-4 and without their regular QB? Ohio State 26-20. Hadn't Michigan already won the game on paper in 2004 when Tressel's 6-4 Buckeyes, coming off a loss to Purdue, took the field against Michigan's 9-1 Wolverines? Ohio State 37-21.

Jim Tressel didn't just have Lloyd Carr's number....Nope. He has Michigan's number. He has it because he has respect and focus. And so do you.

So, rest easy and stay focused this week as you prepare to watch the final home game of one of the most successful senior classes in Ohio State's history. Expect their best, and give them YOUR best. Don't cheapen this rivalry with arrogance. Don't become that which you hated when the shoes were reversed. Remember, it's easy to focus when you're the hunter. Your task is to do so as the hunted. Focus. The rest will take care of itself. You don't win because you're "supposed to." You win because you play your best.

Go Bucks, Beat Michigan!
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Traditions & Opponent Perspective

• Michigan Stadium. "The Big House." The Stadium's official capacity is 106,201, though football game attendance often exceeds 110,000 when all is said and done. The reason that the number is 106,201? Fritz Crisler, the legendary Michigan coach, has a seat somewhere, which he would never reveal, and his spirit is supposed to be in attendance at every Michigan home game. The largest crowd in stadium history was 112,118 on November 22, 2003 for a game against Ohio State. This is also an all-time NCAA record for people at a football game.
• Michigan's football helmet is a highly recognizable icons in college sports. The famous "winged" design dates back to 1938 when Coach Herbert O. "Fritz" Crisler begin a new era in Michigan football. Even as helmets have evolved over the years, the winged design has remained the pre-eminent symbol of Michigan football.

• Michigan does not have a live mascot comparable to Ohio's Brutus Buckeye. The Athletic Department has steadfastly maintained that such a symbol is unnecessary and undignified and would not properly reflect the spirit and values of Michigan athletics.
• As early as 1861, the students and alumni began referring to themselves as "Wolverines." How the ferocious animal came be associated with the state and adopted as the university mascot remains a bit of a mystery, but there are several theories. You may explore the different theories by clicking on the link:
  Bentley Historical Library New Website
  [*]In November 1896, the University of Michigan Band held its first rehearsal. The U-M Band gave its first public performance in 1897 at old University Hall for the Law School's annual observance of Washington's birthday. The first appearance on a football field was in the fall of 1898. At the Michigan-Ohio State University football game in 1932, the University of Michigan Band created the first "script Ohio" -- predating a similar formation now made famous by the OSU Band.
  [*]The University of Michigan's fight song is The Victors, and it was written by student Louis Elbel in 1898 following the last-minute football victory over the University of Chicago that clinched a league championship. The song was declared by John Philip Sousa as "the greatest college fight song ever written." The song refers to the university as being the "Champions of the West". At the time, UM was part of the "Western Conference", which would later become the Big Ten Conference. During his Presidency of the United States , UM alumnus Gerald R. Ford was known to sometimes have "The Victors" played at various state and presidential functions in place of the traditional "Hail to the Chief".

- During half-time shows the band creates the Block M on the field.
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- Women were admitted in the Marching Band for the first time in 1927.
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- During the pre-game show the band plays the opponent school's fight song in addition to their own.
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• When the football players enter the stadium on game day they each slap the banner.
• Trophy games:
  • Michigan plays Minnesota for the Little Brown Jug. Michigan's record in games played for the Jug, which dates to 1909, is 66-22-3. The Wolverines currently hold the trophy having won the 2008 contest.
  • Michigan competes against Michigan State for the Paul Bunyan Trophy, which was introduced in 1953. Michigan's record in games played for the trophy is 34-20-2. Prior to this year's loss, the Wolverines had won the last six meetings.
• The cow bell. Usually a couple fans have cow bells and play a little tune on it and at the end everyone yells "Go Blue".
• "Ohio State/Michigan Week" has grown beyond the football game to include the annual blood battle, which benefits the Red Cross, food collection for food banks, and spirit events such as banner contests. OSU and UM have turned the rivalry into an event that helps people across school lines.

The Rivalry

• In honor of the 100th meeting between the schools in 2003, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives proposed a resolution to recognize Michigan and Ohio State as the greatest rivalry in sports history.
• The Ohio State/Michigan game has always been important, but it was not always the last game of Ohio State's season. This practice began in 1935 and, except for one year, the tradition has continued.
• The rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan can be traced back to a feud between their respective states which began in 1835. The state of Ohio and the Michigan Territory fought a bloodless conflict with one another in a border dispute known as the Toledo War. Some have proposed that the college football rivalry is a modern manifestation of this historical tension.
• The inaugural meeting between Ohio State and Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1897 was a blowout victory for the Wolverines, who posted a shutout 34-0 over the Buckeyes.
• Only three times in history has the matchup pitted the two against each other with perfect records on the last game of the regular season. The 2006 contest in the 'Shoe was the only time that the teams played each other as the top two teams in the polls; TSUN was #2, the Buckeyes held onto #1 after the 42-39 victory. In 1970 OSU (8-0) and Michigan (9-0) met in Columbus, with the Buckeyes winning 20-9. Ohio State went on to lose to Stanford in the Rose Bowl. Then in 1973 OSU (9-0) traveled to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan (10-0), and the game ended in a 10-10 tie. Controversially, Ohio State was selected as the Big Ten's candidate to travel to the Rose Bowl, where they defeated USC. Three other times (1902, 1906, 1933) the two teams met each other with perfect records in early season matchups.
• Since 1935, "The Game" has directly affected the Big Ten Conference championship on 22 different occasions.
• Michigan's longest winning streak in the rivalry is nine games, from 1901-1909. Michigan also went without a loss in the first 15 games (13 wins and 2 ties). Ohio State's longest winning streak is four games, from 1934-1937, 1960-1963, and the current 2004-2007 streak.
• Michigan's largest victory margin was in 1902, when it won 86-0. Ohio State's largest victory margin was in 1935, when it posted a 38-0 shutout. OSU's highest point total in a game was 50, which occurred in 1961 and 1968.
• Michigan has been shut out in 11 games in the rivalry. Ohio State has been shut out 26 times. The second meeting between the schools resulted in a 0-0 tie.
• Between 1933 and 1940, the losing team was shut out every year. The teams split the meetings 4-4, with a combined winning-losing score of 206-0.
• The 1950 contest, colloquially known as the "Snow Bowl," is perhaps the most famous game in the rivalry. Eighth-ranked Ohio State was scheduled to host the game on in Columbus amidst one of the worst blizzards on Ohio record. The Buckeyes, who led the Big Ten, were granted the option to cancel the game against Michigan, which would have, by default, given the Buckeyes the Big Ten title outright and won them a trip to the Rose Bowl. Ohio State refused, and amid howling snow and wind, in what was probably the most literal example of a "field position" game, the teams exchanged 45 punts, often on first down, in hopes that the other team would fumble the ball near or into their own end zone. Despite not obtaining a single first down, Michigan capitalized on two blocked punts, recovering one in the end zone for a touchdown and booting another one out of bounds for a safety. Michigan shocked the freezing Columbus faithful with a 9-3 victory, securing the Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl berth. Heavy criticism of Coach Fesler's play calling led to his resignation and the hiring of Woody Hayes as his successor.
• The 1969 loss to Michigan initiated the legendary "The Ten Year War" between Hayes and Schembechler. Both teams used the game as motivation for entire seasons and after the initial win by Michigan, played dead even at four wins and a tie apiece. Hayes, aided immeasurably by the presence of two-time Heisman recipient Archie Griffin, had the upper hand during the first part of the war, in which Ohio State won the conference championship and went to the Rose Bowl four straight years, while Michigan won the final three. It was also an era in which through television Ohio State football again came to the forefront of national attention. During the "Ten-Year War" Ohio State and Michigan shared the Big Ten title six times. The "War" ended in 1978 when Schembechler won his final game against his mentor, 14-3, giving him a record of 5-4-1 against Hayes.
• The teams have evenly split the last seventy-four seven meetings (from 1934 to 2007), with 35 wins apiece and four ties.
• "Carmen Ohio" was written on the train ride home to Columbus following the 1902 contest, which saw Ohio State losing to Michigan 86-0. The lyrics and melody have remained largely unchanged since its conception.
• Although both football teams play in games for traveling trophies, there is no trophy for the Michigan-Ohio State game. However, if the Buckeyes win, each team member receives a pair of "Gold Pants," a small golden charm of football pants worn by football players on necklaces.
• The OSU campus seems to be more active for Rivalry Week than the U of M campus. However, the two schools hold a blood drive every year from November 1 until the day of the game on their respective campuses. Both teams take the "Blood Battle" seriously. This annual event is a competition between the two chapters to see who can collect the most blood. It benefits the Red Cross and is hosted by the Alpha Phi Omega fraternities at both schools.
• For the fifth year, the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) of both schools will hold a Rivalry Run for Cancer. This year they will run the game ball from Ann Arbor to the Skull Session. Fiji's 5th Annual Run Against Cancer for more information and donations, the goal is $40,000

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Historical Data

University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI) Founded in 1817

Football 1st Season: 1887
Stadium: Michigan Stadium "The Big House"
Constructed: 1927 (currently in an improvement project to be completed by 2010)
Seating Capacity: 106.201
Playing Surface: Field Turf
Conference: Big Ten Conference since 1896 (Charter Member), 1879 to 1895 and 1907 to 1916 Independent
Colors: Maize & Blue
Mascots: None
College Classification: D-IA (or equivalent) since 1937 (first year of NCAA classification)
Conference Championships: 42 Big Ten Titles: 1898, 1901*, 1902, 1903*, 1904*, 1906*, 1918*, 1922*, 1923*, 1925, 1926*, 1930*, 1931*, 1932, 1933, 1943*, 1947, 1948, 1949*, 1950, 1964, 1969*, 1971, 1972*, 1973*, 1974*, 1976*, 1977*, 1978*, 1980, 1982, 1986*, 1988, 1989, 1990*, 1991, 1992, 1997, 1998*, 2000*, 2003*, 2004* (*=Co-Champions)
Consensus All-Americans: 76 (64 different players as of 2007)
College Hall-of-Famers: 32
Pro Hall-of-Famers: 7 (George Allen*, Dan Dierdorf, Len Ford*, Benny Friedman, Bill Hewitt, Elroy (Crazylegs) Hirsch*, Tom Mack) *Attended more than 1 college
Award Winners: 4 AFCA COY, 1 Eddie Robinson COY, 2 Bobby Dodd COY, 2 George Munger COY, 2 Paul 'Bear' Bryant COY, 2 Walter Camp POY, 2 Sporting News POY, 1 Biletnikoff, 1 Rimington, 1 Bronko Nagurski Award, 3 Chic Harley Awards, 1 Butkus, 1 Chuck Bednarik, 3 Heisman, 2 Maxwell, 1 Sammy Baugh, 1 Thorpe, 1 Doak Walker, 1 Lombardi, 1 Ted Hendricks
National Championships: 7 Recognized Championships (1901, 1902, 1923, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1997)
Number of AP/Coaches final rankings: AP-55 years, Coaches-43 years​

Records

All Time: 869-286-36 (.745)
Bowl Games: 19-20-0 (.487) A 41-35 win over Florida in the 2008 Capital One Bowl
All Time vs the BigTen: 461-166-18 (.729)
All Time vs the Ohio State Buckeyes: 57-41-6 (.577) Most recently a 14-3 loss to the Buckeyes in Ann Arbor 2007.
Coach's Reord: Rich Rodreguez, 2008-current, 105-62-2 (.627), Division II (NAIA) 45-36-2, Division I 60-26

2007 Season: 9-4-0 (.692)
Sep 1 - L vs. Appalachian St, 32-34
Sep 8 - L vs. Oregon, 7-39
Sep 15 - W vs. Notre Dame, 38-0
Sep 22 - W vs. Penn State, 14-9
Sep 29 - W at Northwestern, 28-16
Oct 6 - W vs. Eastern Mich, 33-22
Oct 13 - W vs. Purdue, 48-21
Oct 20 - W at Illinois, 27-17
Oct 27 - W vs. Minnesota, 34-10
Nov 3 - W at Michigan State, 28-24
Nov 10 - L at Wisconsin, 21-37
Nov 17 - L vs. Ohio State, 3-14
Jan 1 - W at Florida, 41-35

2008 Schedule
Aug 30 - L vs. Utah, 23-25
Sep 6 - W vs. Miami-Ohio, 16-6
Sep 13 - L at Notre Dame, 17-35
Sep 20 - Open
Sep 27 - W vs. Wisconsin, 27-25
Oct 4 - L vs. Illinois, 20-45
Oct 11 - L vs. Toledo, 10-13
Oct 18 - L at Penn State, 17-46
Oct 25 - L vs. Michigan State, 21-35
Nov 1 - L at Purdue, 42-48
Nov 8 - W at Minnesota, 29-6
Nov 15 - L vs. Northwestern, 14-21
Nov 22 - at Ohio State, 12:00 PM​

Links

Official Sites:
Official School Site - University of Michigan
Student Newspaper - Michigan Daily
Athletics and Recreation - University of Michigan
Alumni Association - UM Alumni
Official Athletics Site - M Go Blue
Official Conference Site - Big Ten Conference

Message Boards & Team Pages:
Message Boards - Go Blue Wolverine (Scout)
Message Boards - The Wolverine (Rivals)
Message Boards - Michigan Football (MLive.com)
Message Boards - Michigan Wolverines (Sports-Boards)
Message Boards - Sack Carr (Independent)
Message Boards - UM Go Blue (Independent)
Message Boards - Michigan Fan Site (Independent)
Message Boards - Winged Helmet (Independent)

Team Page - NCAA
Team Page - ESPN
Team Page - USA Today
Team Page - Fox Sports (Sporting News)
Team Page - CNN/SI
Team Page - CFN
Team Page - CBS Sportsline
Team Page - Yahoo Sports
Team Page - Sporting News
Team Page - AOL
Team Page - CSTV
Team Page - ATSH2H
Team Page - Covers

Blog - iBlog For Cookies
Blog - M Go Blog
Blog - Rob in Madtown
Blog - Straight Bangin'
Blog - Paradigm Blog
Blog - MoTown Sports Revival
Blog - Big House Football (MVN)
Blog - Blah Me to Death
Blog - Blue Cats and Red Sox
Blog - The Blog That Yost Built
Blog - Michigan Sports Log
Blog - Dangerous Logic
Blog - The Berry Zone
Blog - keeping up with Rash
Blog - Westside Rider
Blog - Off Tackle
Blog - Ronald Bellamy's Underachieving All Stars
Blog - Sweaty Men Endeavors
Blog - Schembechler Hall
Blog - The M Zone
Blog - The Diag (MLive)
Blog - Winged Helmets
Blog - Maize N Brew
Blog - Varsity Blue (MOLV TV)
Blog - Michigan Sports Center
Blog - Michigan Against the World
Blog - Stadium and Main
Blog - Michigan Football Saturdays
Blog - UM Tailgate
Blog - Champions of the West
Blog - Michigan Fanhouse (AOL)
Blog - MVictors.com
Blog - The Hoover Street Rag
Blog - Mr. Wolverine
Blog - Yet Another Michigan Sports Blog
Blog - Ace of Sports
Blog - Quo Vadimus
Blog - Autumn Thunder
Blog - Jim Harbaugh Scramble
Blog - A Pudge is a Sandwich
Blog - Genuinely Sarcastic
Blog - Hart4Heisman
Blog - Mike DeSimone's Michigan Football Page
Blog - Jim Carty's Blog (MLive)
Blog - Michigan Superfan
Blog - Maize and Blog
Blog - On The Fifty
Blog - Ron Bellamy's UAA
Blog - Shooting Blue
Blog - WolverinePedia

Local News Sources:
Detroit News - Local News
Detroit Free Press - Local News
MLive - Local News
MLive - Ann Arbor News - Local News
Oakland Press - Local News
Toledo Blade - Local News

Team Previews and Breakdowns:
Game Notes (PDF) - Ohio State Buckeyes
Game Notes (PDF) - M Go Blue
Weekly Release (PDF) - Big Ten
2008 Roster - M Go Blue
2008 Schedule - M Go Blue
2008 News - M Go Blue
2008 Media Guide (Links to PDFs) - M Go Blue
2008 Stats - M Go Blue

2007 Stats (PDF) - Big Ten
2007 Stats - Conf Only (PDF) - Big Ten
Team Breakdown (PDF) - Big Ten
2008 Spring Prospectus (PDF) - Big Ten
2008 Spring Game/Practice - Big Ten
2008 Preview - BigTen

2008 Michigan Wolverine Football Preview - CFN
2008 Michigan Wolverine Football Preview - Offense - CFN
2008 Michigan Wolverine Football Preview - Defense - CFN
2008 Michigan Wolverine Football Preview - Depth Chart - CFN
2007 2008 Michigan Wolverine Football Preview - CFN
2006 2008 Michigan Wolverine Football Preview - CFN

2008 Wolverines PREVIEW - National Champs
2008 Wolverines PREVIEW - OZone
2008 Wolverines PREVIEW - BigTen-Fans
2008 Wolverines PREVIEW - Athlon
2008 Wolverines PREVIEW - The Sports Network
2008 Wolverines PREVIEW - Red Zone Report
2008 Wolverines PREVIEW - Football.com
Game Preview - The Sports Network/NCAA
Game Matchup - NCAA Football
Game Matchup - The Ozone


Travel:
2008 Transportation & Parking Guide - Ohio State Buckeyes
2008 ADA Guide - Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio Stadium Guide (Detailed Info) - OSU
Campus Visitor's Guide - OSU
Tickets & Merchandise - Hang On Sloopy
2008 Travel Guide - Ohio State Buckeyes
Visitor's Bureau - Experience Columbus


Big Ten:
2008 BigTen Prospectus (PDF) - BigTen
2008 BigTen Team Breakdowns (PDF) - BigTen
2008 BigTen Media Info(PDF) - BigTen
2008 BigTen Composite Schedule (PDF) - BigTen
2007 BigTen Season in Review (PDF) - BigTen
2007 BigTen Overall Stats (PDF) - BigTen
2007 BigTen Conference Stats (PDF) - BigTen
2008 CFN Big Ten Preview - CFN
2008 CFN Preseason All-Big Ten Team - CFN
2008 CFN B10 Schedules & Predictions - CFN
2008 CFN B10 Team Capsules - CFN
2008 CFN B10 Unit Rankings - CFN
2007 CFN B10 Season WrapUp - CFN
2008 BigTen Football Preview - CNN/Si
2008 BigTen Football Preview - CollegeSports-Fans
2008 BigTen Football Preview - College Football Poll
2008 BigTen Football Preview - MSNBC
​

BigTen Players of the Week

Week #1 - Aug. 30, 2008
Offense - QB Juice Williams, Illinois & QB Kellen Lewis, Indiana
Defense - LB Obi Ezeh, Michigan
Special Teams - P Stefan Demos, Northwestern

Week #2 - Sept. 6, 2008
Offense - RB Javon Ringer, Michigan State & QB Adam Weber, Minnesota & RB Evan Royster, Penn State
Defense - DE Karl Klug, Iowa
Special Teams - FB Frank Halliburton, Purdue

Week #3 - Sept. 13, 2008
Offense - RB Javon Ringer, Michigan State
Defense - LB DeAndre Levy, Wisconsin
Special Teams - PR Andy Brodell, Iowa

Week #4 - Sept. 20, 2008
Offense - RB Javon Ringer, Michigan State
Defense - DE Vince Browne, Northwestern & LB Navorro Bowman, Penn State
Special Teams - PK Amado Villarreal, Northwestern

Week #5 - Sept. 27, 2008
Offense - QB - C.J. Bach?r, Northwestern
Defense - DE - Brandon Graham, Michigan
Special Teams - KR - Derrick Williams, Penn State

Week #6 - Oct. 4, 2008
Offense - QB - Juice Williams, Illinois
Defense - LB - Brit Miller, Illinois
Special Teams - K - Brett Swenson, Michigan State & K - Joel Monroe, Minnesota

Week #7 - Oct. 11, 2008
Offense - QB - Daryll Clark, Penn State
Defense - DE - Willie VanDeSteeg, Minnesota & DE - Aaron Maybin, Penn State
Special Teams - K - Brett Swenson, Michigan State

Week #8 - Oct. 18, 2008
Offense - RB - Shonn Greene, Iowa
Defense - LB - Pat Angerer, Iowa
Special Teams - K - Kevin Kelly, Penn State

Week #9 - Nov. 1, 2008
Offense - QB Mike Kafka, Northwestern & QB - Justin Siller, Purdue
Defense - S - Brendan Smith, Northwestern
Special Teams - K - Brett Swenson, Michigan State

Week #10 - Oct. 25, 2008
Offense - RB - Chris "Beanie" Wells, Ohio State & WR - David Gilreath, Wisconsin
Defense - S - Tyler Sash, Iowa
Special Teams - K - K.C. Lopata, Michigan

Week #11 - Nov 1, 2008
Offense - RB - Shonn Greene, Iowa
Defense - DT - Mike Newkirk, Wisconsin
Special Teams - DB - Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State
​

Preseason Rankings

18 - The Sporting News
18 - Rivals
21 - ESPN Blue Ribbon
21 - Athlon
24 - USA Today/Coaches
24 - SI (Steward Mandell)
25 - CBS
25 - CFN
31 - Playboy
​

Preseason Watch Lists

Ted Hendricks Award - MIDSEASON WATCH LIST - Brandon Graham, MICH

Lou Groza Award - K.C. Lopata, Mich

Bronko Nagurski Trophy - Terrance Taylor, MICH

Outland Trophy - Terrance Taylor, MICH
​

BigTen Preseason Media Poll
1. Ohio State
2. Wisconsin
3. Illinois

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year - Chris "Beanie" Wells - Ohio State

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year - James Laurinaitis - Ohio State​

Note: Statistical data was complied using a variety of sources, including:
Stassen (Chris Stassen) - Data
College Football Data Warehouse - Data
American College Football-RSFC (Dave Wilson) - Data
D1A Football (Formerly WALJ 10 College Football) - Data
National Champs.net - Data
Hickok Sports - Data

Link to 2008 Michigan Wolverines Game Preview​

 

[LitlBuck]

I was surprised to see that you guys could find even that much information on scUm. You must have been working on this for months.

 

[NFBuck]

Preseason Rankings

18 - The Sporting News
18 - Rivals
21 - ESPN Blue Ribbon
21 - Athlon
24 - USA Today/Coaches
24 - SI (Steward Mandell)
25 - CBS
25 - CFN
31 - Playboy
​

​

 

[ScriptOhio]