The 1987 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. In its 19th season under head coach Bo Schembechler, the team compiled an 8–4 record (5–3 against conference opponents), defeated Alabama in the Hall of Fame Bowl, outscored opponents by a total of 331 to 172, and was ranked No. 19 and No. 18, respectively, in the final AP and UPI polls.
The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Demetrius Brown with 1,251 passing yards, tailback Jamie Morris with 1,703 rushing yards and 90 points scored, and split end Greg McMurtry with 474 receiving yards.
Two Michigan players received first-team honors on the 1987 All-America college football team: offensive tackle Jumbo Elliott (consensus) and defensive lineman Mark Messner (The Sporting News). Five Michigan players received first-team honors on the 1987 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
Schedule
Game summaries
Notre Dame
Washington State
Gainesville Sun. 1987 Sept 20.
Long Beach State
Wisconsin
Gainesville Sun. 1987 Oct 4.
At Michigan State
Iowa
At Indiana
Northwestern
At Minnesota
At Illinois
Ohio State
Vs. Alabama (Hall of Fame Bowl)
Jamie Morris 23 Rush, 234 Yds University of Michigan Football Record Book Pt. 1
Players
Roster
Offense Geoffrey Bissell, wide receiver, senior, West Bloomfield, Michigan Tony Boles, running back, sophomore, Westland, Michigan Andrew Borowski, center, Cincinnati, Ohio Demetrius Brown, quarterback, junior, Miami, Florida - started 10 games at quarterback Jeffrey Brown, tight end, junior, Shaker Heights, Ohio - started all 12 games at tight end Jarrod Bunch, running back, sophomore, Ashtabula, Ohio - started 9 games at fullback Chris Calloway, wide receiver, sophomore, Chicago, Illinois - started 5 games at flanker Bob Cernak, tight end, senior, Lockport, Illinois Dave Chester, offensive guard, senior, Titusville, Florida - started 6 games at left offensive guard Michael Dames, offensive guard, senior, Miami, Florida - started 6 games at left offensive guard Doug Daugherty, offensive tackle, sophomore, Romeo, Michigan Dave Dever, offensive guard, senior, Midland, Michigan Dean Dingman, offensive guard, freshman, East Troy, Wisconsin Tom Dohring, offensive tackle, sophomore, Dearborn, Michigan - started 6 games at left offensive tackle Jumbo Elliott, offensive tackle, senior, Lake Ronkonkoma, New York - started all 12 games at right offensive tackle Mark Erhardt, offensive tackle, senior, North Olmsted, Ohio J. Patrick Fitzgerald, wide receiver, senior, Vandalia, Ohio Leroy Hoard, fullback, sophomore, New Orleans, Louisiana - started 1 game at fullback Mike Husar, offensive tackle, senior, Chicago, Illinois - started 6 games at left offensive tackle Allen Jefferson, tailback, sophomore, Detroit, Michigan John Kolesar, flanker, junior, Westlake, Ohio - started 7 games at flanker Dave Mandel, tight end, senior, Ann Arbor, Michigan Scott Mandel, tight end, senior, Ann Arbor, Michigan Greg McMurtry, split end, sophomore, Brockton, Massachusetts - started all 12 games at split end Keith Mitchell, tight end, junior, Southgate, Michigan Jamie Morris, tailback, senior, Ayer, Massachusetts - started all 12 games at tailback Marc Ramirez, center/guard, senior, Prairie View, Illinois Greg Skrepenak, offensive tackle, freshman, Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania Michael Taylor, quarterback, junior, Lincoln Heights, Ohio - started 2 games at quarterback John Vitale, center, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started all 12 games at center Derrick Walker, tight end, junior, Glenwood, Illinois Phil Webb, running back, senior, Romeo, Michigan - started 2 games at fullback David Weil, offensive guard, junior, Cincinnati, Ohio Tripp Welborne, wide receiver, freshman, Greensboro, North Carolina
Defense Bobby Abrams, defensive back, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 7 games at outside linebacker, 2 games at inside linebacker David Arnold, defensive back, junior, Warren, Ohio - started 9 games at cornerback Allen Bishop, defensive back, senior, Miami, Florida - started 8 games at cornerback Ernest F. Bock, defensive back, senior, Northville, Michigan Carlitos Bostic, outside linebacker, senior, Ypsilanti, Michigan Erik Campbell, defensive back, senior, Gary, Indiana - started all 12 games (7 at cornerback, 5 at free safety) Keith Cooper, outside linebacker, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 4 games at outside linebacker, 3 games at inside linebacker John Duerr, outside linebacker, senior, Dearborn, Michigan Dave Folkertsma, defensive tackle, senior, Grand Rapids, Michigan J. J. Grant, inside linebacker, junior, Liverpool, New York - started 7 games at inside linebacker Mark Gutzwiller, defensive back, junior, Ann Arbor, Michigan Billy Harris, middle guard, Xenia, Ohio - started 10 games at middle guard Rick Hassel, defensive back, junior, Cincinnati, Ohio Scott Herrala, defensive back, junior, Muskegon, Michigan John Herrmann, defensive tackle, junior, Sussex, Wisconsin - started all 12 games at defensive tackle Joseph H. Holland, outside linebacker, junior, Birmingham, Michigan David Key, defensive back, sophomore, Columbus, Ohio Sean Lafountaine, defensive back, sophomore, Hanover Park, Illinois Don Lessner, defensive back, senior, Trenton, Michigan Doug Mallory, strong safety, senior, DeKalb, Illinois - started all 12 games at strong safety Warde Manuel, defensive tackle, sophomore, New Orleans, Louisiana - started 5 games at outside linebacker Andree McIntyre, inside linebacker, senior, Chicago, Illinois - started 3 games at inside linebacker Mark Messner, defensive tackle, senior, Hartland, Michigan - started all 12 games at defensive tackle John Milligan, linebacker, sophomore, Trenton, Michigan - started 5 games at inside linebacker Anthony Mitchell, defensive back, junior, Titusville, Florida - started 7 games at free safety Vada Murray, defensive back, sophomore, Cincinnati, Ohio T. J. Osman, defensive tackle, sophomore, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - started 2 games at middle guard Cornelius Simpson, linebacker, freshman, Highland Park, Michigan - started 4 games at inside linebacker Bob Stites, inside linebacker, senior, Ann Arbor, Michigan Rick Stites, inside linebacker, senior, Ann Arbor, Michigan Mike Teeter, middle guard, sophomore, Fruitport, Michigan Steven Thibert, outside linebacker, senior, Union Lake, Michigan - started 2 games at outside linebacker Brent White, defensive tackle, junior, Dayton, Ohio Timothy Williams, linebacker, sophomore, Milwaukee, Wisconsin - started 1 game at inside linebacker John Willingham, outside linebacker, senior, Dayton, Ohio - started 5 games at outside linebacker
Kickers Mike Gillette, place-kicker, junior, St. Joseph, Michigan Monte Robbins, punter, senior, Great Bend, Kansas Rick Stukiewicz, place-kicker, senior, Troy, Michigan
Awards and honors Captains: Jamie Morris, Doug Mallory All-Americans: Jumbo Elliott, Mark Messner All-Conference: Mark Messner, John Elliott, Jamie Morris, John Vitale, Mike Husar Most Valuable Player: Jamie Morris Meyer Morton Award: Jamie Morris John Maulbetsch Award: Tim Williams Frederick Matthei Award: Derrick Walker Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: Dave Mandel Dick Katcher Award: Mark Messner Hugh Rader Jr. Award: John "Jumbo" Elliott Robert P. Ufer Award: Jamie Morris
Coaching staff Head coach: Bo Schembechler Assistant coaches: Alex Agase, Tirrel Burton, Cam Cameron, Lloyd Carr, Jerry Hanlon, Bill Harris, Jerry Meter, Les Miles, Gary Moeller, Tom Reed Trainer: Russ Miller Manager: Aaron Studwell (senior manager), Scott Boyle, Patrick Perkins, Bob McArdle
References
External links 1987 Football Team -- Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan Athletics History