The 1979 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1979 Big Ten Conference football season. In its 100th season of intercollegiate football, the 11th under head coach Bo Schembechler, Michigan compiled an 8–4 record (6–2 against conference opponents), lost to North Carolina in the 1979 Gator Bowl, was ranked No. 18 in the final AP Poll, and outscored opponents by a total of 312 to 151.
All four losses were by margins of two or three points with special teams errors and turnovers costly in each. In a two-point loss to Notre Dame, a pair of Michigan fumbles in the first half led to Irish field goals, and the Wolverines last-minute field goal attempt for the win was blocked. The Wolverines gave up four interceptions against Purdue and had a punt blocked and returned for the winning touchdown against Ohio State. In a two-point loss in the Gator Bowl, the Wolverines failed to convert on either point after touchdown and turned the ball over four times in the fourth quarter. And in a narrow victory over California, the Michigan kickers missed all five field goal attempts.
The team's statistical leaders included quarterback John Wangler with 1,431 passing yards, tailback Butch Woolfolk with 990 rushing yards and 78 points scored, and tight end Doug Marsh with 612 receiving yards. Linebacker Ron Simpkins was selected as both Michigan's most valuable player and a consensus first-team All-American. Defensive end Curtis Greer also received first-team All-America honors from several selectors.
Schedule
Season summary Preseason The 1978 Michigan Wolverines football team compiled a 10–2 record and was ranked No. 5 in the final AP and UPI polls. Several key players from the 1978 team were lost to graduation or professional sports, including the Wolverines' 1978 starting backfield of Rick Leach, Harlan Huckleby, and Russell Davis, offensive lineman Jon Giesler (taken in the first round of the 1979 NFL draft), and linebackers Tom Seabron and Jerry Meter. Key players returning from the 1978 team included tailback Butch Woolfolk, offensive lineman John Arbeznik, defensive tackle Curtis Greer, linebacker Ron Simpkins, and defensive back Mike Jolly.
Michigan's 1979 recruiting class included quarterback Rich Hewlett (Plymouth, Michigan), running backs Jerald Ingram (Beaver, Pennsylvania) and Lawrence Ricks (Barberton, Ohio), receivers Anthony Carter (Riviera Beach, Florida) and Craig Dunaway (Upper St. Clair Township, Pennsylvania), linebackers Winfred Carraway (Detroit), Paul Girgash (Lakewood, Ohio), and Jim Herrmann (Dearborn Heights, Michigan), and defensive backs Keith Bostic (Ann Arbor, Michigan) and Jerry Burgei (Ottawa, Ohio).
In May 1979, defensive tackle Curtis Greer received the Meyer Morton Award as the player showing the greatest development and promise in spring practice. Defensive lineman Mike Trgovac received the Frederick C. Matthaei Award as the junior-to-be player displaying "leadership, drive and achievement on the athletic field and in the classroom", and wing back Tony Jackson received the John F. Maulbetsch Award as the best freshman player following spring practice "on the basis of desire, character, capacity for leadership and future success on and off the gridiron."
Northwestern
On September 8, 1979, Michigan opened its season with a 49–7 victory over Northwestern before a crowd of 100,790 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In his first game for Michigan, Anthony Carter had a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown and later scored again on a 12-yard touchdown pass from John Wangler. Michigan totaled 347 rushing yards and 140 passing yards. Stan Edwards rushed for 99 yards on eight carries, and quarterback B. J. Dickey passed for 68 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another 85 yards and a touchdown. Wangler took over as quarterback in the third quarter and completed five of six passes for 67 yards.
Notre Dame
On September 16, 1979, Michigan, ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll, lost to No. 7 Notre Dame, 12–10, before a crowd of 105,111 at Michigan Stadium.
In the first quarter, Michigan drove to the Notre Dame 15-yard line and took a 3–0 lead on a 30-yard field goal by Bryan Virgil. A short time later, Anthony Carter fumbled a punt return, and Notre Dame recovered the loose ball at Michigan's 36-yard line. Michigan's defense held at the 23-yard line, and Chuck Male then kicked a 40-yard field goal. At the end of the first and start of the second quarter, Michigan quarterback B. J. Dickey led a 13-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that consumed six minutes and 39 seconds. Dickey scrambled 16 yards to the one-yard line, and Stan Edwards then ran for the touchdown to put Michigan ahead, 10–3. Later in the second quarter, Dickey fumbled, and Notre Dame recovered the ball at Michigan's 39-yard line. Notre Dame advanced the ball to the 18-yard line, but a holding penalty and a sack pushed the Irish back, and Male kicked a 44-yard field goal to cut Michigan's lead to 10–6 at halftime.
Male kicked two additional field goals in the third quarter to put Notre Dame ahead, 12-10. After leading the offensive effectively in the first half, Dickey was unable to generate any offensive momentum in the third and fourth quarters. With two minutes remaining in the game, Michigan took over at its own 42-yard line. John Wangler replaced Dickey at quarterback and led the Wolverines to the Notre Dame 25-yard line. With six seconds remaining in the game, Michigan sent Bryan Virgil into the game to attempt a 42-yard field goal, but the kick was blocked by Bob Crable who climbed onto the back of Michigan center Mike Trgovac.
Michigan out-gained Notre Dame by 306 yards to 179 yards. Dickey rushed for 68 yards and completed nine of 18 passes for 106 yards. Virgil averaged only 29.7 yards on seven punts, including a five-yard punt in the fourth quarter. For Notre Dame, Rusty Lisch completed five of 10 passes for 65 yards, and Vagas Ferguson rushed for 118 yards on 35 carries.
Kansas
On September 22, 1979, Michigan defeated Kansas, 28–7, before a crowd of 103,698 at Michigan Stadium. Michigan out-gained Kansas, 467 yards to 104. Tailback Stan Edwards rushed for 106 yards on 17 carries, and John Wangler completed 12 of 18 passes for 195 yards and an interception. Ali Haji-Sheikh missed twice on 42-yard field goal attempts. Michigan's defense held Kansas to 79 passing yards, 25 rushing yards, and six first downs. Kansas' touchdown came on special teams, as Leroy Irvin returned a punt 60 yards.
California
On September 29, 1979, Michigan defeated California, 14–10, before a crowd of 57,000 at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California. California took a 10-0 lead at halftime, but the Wolverines scored 14 unanswered points in the second half on touchdown runs by Stan Edwards and Lawrence Reid. Michigan out-gained California, 373 yards to 223 yards. Ali Haji-Sheikh and Bryan Virgil missed five field goal attempts.
With Michigan playing in California, athletic director Don Canham scheduled a Band Day football game at Michigan Stadium on September 29 between and The game drew an NCAA Division II-record crowd of 61,143. Shippensburg beat Slippery Rock, 45–14.
Michigan State
On October 6, 1979, Michigan, ranked No. 11 by the AP, defeated No. 16 Michigan State, 21–7, before a crowd of 79,311 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan.
In the first quarter, B. J. Dickey and Stan Edwards led a 14-play, 96-yard touchdown drive with Butch Woolfolk scoring on a two-yard touchdown run. In the second quarter, Michigan State's Jim Burroughs blocked a Bryan Virgil punt, and the Spartans took over at Michigan's 16-yard line. Mike Harden intercepted a pass to stop the Spartans. Later in the second quarter, Virgil's attempt at a 46-yard field goal fell short.
In the third quarter, Michigan State mounted a 55-yard touchdown drive with Derek Hughes scoring on a six-yard run. Michigan retook the lead on a 66-yard touchdown bomb from Dickey to Ralph Clayton. With two minutes remaining in the game, Michigan scored a third touchdown on a six-yard pass from Dickey to Anthony Carter.
Michigan out-gained Michigan State, 336 yards to 242 yards. For the Wolverines, Stan Edwards rushed for 139 yards on 24 carries, and Dickey completed eight of 13 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns. For Michigan State, tailback Steve Smith rushed for 101 yards on 17 carries, and Bert Vaughn completed six of 18 for 86 yards and two interceptions.
In the week leading up to the game, Michigan coach Bo Schembechler drew criticism and comparisons to Woody Hayes for a physical encounter with a reporter for the university's student newspaper. With Michigan's kickers missing 14 of 15 field goal attempts to that point in the season, the reporter asked whether Schembechler would place greater emphasis on recruiting kickers. An angry Schembechler allegedly grabbed and threw the reporter's microphone, poked the reporter in the chest, grabbed him by the throat, and pushed him backwards.
Minnesota
On October 13, 1979, Michigan defeated Minnesota, 31-21, before a crowd of 104,677 at Michigan Stadium.
Michigan took a 24-7 lead at halftime on a 27-yard field goal, a 54-yard touchdown run by tailback Butch Woolfolk, a one-yard touchdown run by fullback Lawrence Reid, and a one-yard touchdown pass from John Wangler to Reid. In the second half, Minnesota narrowed the lead to 24-21 on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Mark Carlson to Elmer Bailey and an 11-yard touchdown run by Glenn Lewis. In the fourth quarter, Woolfolk extended Michigan's lead on a 41-yard touchdown run.
Michigan totaled 537 yards of total offense, including 456 rushing yards. Woolfolk led the way with 194 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries, and Reid added 179 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Minnesota quarterback Mark Carlson threw the ball a record 51 times with 27 completions for 339 yards and three interceptions (two by Mike Jolly). Michigan held Minnesota to 29 net rushing yards and limited Marion Barber to 38 rushing yards.
Illinois
On October 20, 1979, Michigan defeated Gary Moeller's Illinois Fighting Illini before a crowd of 43,370 at Memorial Stadium at Champaign, Illinois. After a scoreless first half, Mike Jolly intercepted an Illinois pass at the Illini's 36-yard line, and Michigan drove for the game's first touchdown, a one-yard run by Butch Woolfolk. John Wangler also threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Carter. Stan Edwards rushed for 81 yards on 22 carries, and Woolfolk totaled 78 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries. Michigan's defense limited the Illini to 58 rushing yards and 26 passing yards. The game was played in 35-mile-per-hour winds. After the game, coach Bo Schembechler said: "It was definitely a wind game. . . . It was like a wind tunnel out there."
Indiana
On October 27, 1979, Michigan defeated Indiana, 27-21, before a crowd of 104,832 at Michigan Stadium.
In the first quarter, linebacker Mike Lemirande recovered an Indiana fumble at the Hoosiers' 26-yard line, and Michigan capitalized on the turnover as B. J. Dickey ran 19 yards to the three-yard line, and Lawrence Reid then ran for the touchdown. In the second quarter, Indiana executed a 98-yard touchdown drive and later took a 14-7 lead with one minute left in the half.
Michigan opened the second half with a 50-yard touchdown run by Lawrence Reid and then retook the lead on its next drive, Butch Woolfolk scoring on a two-yard run.
Late in the fourth quarter, Indiana quarterback Tim Clifford led the Hoosiers on a 79-yard touchdown drive, including a 54-yard pass to the Michigan two-yard line. Indiana tied the game with 55 seconds remaining on a short pass from Clifford to Dave Harangody.