1953 Michigan Wolverines football team
American college football season
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The 1953 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1953 Big Ten Conference football season. In its sixth year under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan compiled a 6–3 record (3–3 against conference opponents), tied for fifth place in the Big Ten, outscored opponents by a combined total of 163 to 101, and was ranked No. 20 in the final AP Poll and No. 19 in the Coaches Polls.[1][2]
| 1953 Michigan Wolverines football | |
|---|---|
| |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 19 |
| AP | No. 20 |
| Record | 6–3 (3–3 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
|
| MVP | Tony Branoff |
| Captain | Dick O'Shaughnessy |
| Home stadium | Michigan Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 3 Michigan State + | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 7 Illinois + | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 15 Wisconsin | 4 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio State | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 3 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 20 Michigan | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 9 Iowa | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 1 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 0 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Center Dick O'Shaughnessy was the team captain, and right halfback Tony Branoff received the team's most valuable player award.[2] Two Michigan players received All-Big Ten honors: left end Bob Topp was selected by the Associated Press as a first-team player, and left halfback Ted Kress.[2][3]
The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Duncan McDonald with 293 passing yards, Tony Branoff with 501 rushing yards, and Bob Topp with 331 receiving yards.[4]
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 26 | Washington* | W 50–0 | 44,086 | |||
| October 3 | Tulane* | No. 4 |
| W 26–7 | 51,960 | |
| October 10 | Iowa | No. 5 |
| W 14–13 | 49,551 | |
| October 17 | Northwestern | No. 5 |
| W 20–12 | 64,420 | |
| October 24 | at Minnesota | No. 5 | L 0–22 | 62,795 | ||
| October 31 | Penn* | No. 16 |
| W 24–14 | 56,795 | [5] |
| November 7 | at No. 4 Illinois | No. 17 | L 3–19 | 69,507 | ||
| November 14 | at No. 4 Michigan State | L 6–14 | 51,421 | [6] | ||
| November 21 | Ohio State |
| W 20–0 | 87,048 | ||
| ||||||
Statistical leaders
Michigan's individual statistical leaders for the 1953 season include those listed below.[4][7]
Rushing
| Player | Attempts | Net yards | Yards per attempt | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Branoff | 100 | 501 | 5.0 | 5 |
| Ted Kress | 101 | 339 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Bob Hurley | 47 | 282 | 6.0 | 1 |
Passing
| Player | Attempts | Completions | Interceptions | Comp % | Yards | Yds/Comp | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duncan McDonald | 46 | 20 | 3 | 43.5 | 293 | 14.7 | 4 | 49 |
| Lou Baldacci | 51 | 21 | 6 | 41.2 | 285 | 13.6 | 1 | 36 |
| Ted Kress | 43 | 19 | 7 | 44.2 | 238 | 12.5 | 1 | 44 |
Receiving
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Yds/Recp | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Topp | 23 | 331 | 14.4 | 2 | 66 |
| Gene Knutson | 11 | 201 | 18.3 | 1 | 33 |
| Tony Branoff | 11 | 151 | 13.7 | 1 | 44 |
Kickoff returns
| Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ted Kress | 10 | 203 | 20.3 | 0 | 33 |
| Tony Branoff | 6 | 130 | 21.7 | 0 | 28 |
Punt returns
| Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Branoff | 8 | 90 | 11.3 | 0 | 18 |
| Ted Kress | 12 | 63 | 5.3 | 0 | 16 |
Personnel
Letter winners
The following 31 players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1953 team.[8] Players who started at least four games are shown with their names in bold.[2]
- Fred Baer, 5'11", 180 pounds, junior, LaGrange, IL - fullback
- Lou Baldacci, 6'0", 205 pounds, sophomore, Akron, OH - started 9 games at quarterback
- James T. Balog, 6'3", 210 pounds, senior, Wheaton, IL - started 9 games at left tackle
- Richard E. Balzhiser,[9] 6'0", 186 pounds, senior, Wheaton, IL - started 9 games at fullback
- Richard A. Beison, 6'0", 200 pounds, senior, East Chicago, IN - started 9 games at right guard
- Donald C. Bennett, 6'2", 195 pounds, senior, Chicago - tackle
- Tony Branoff, 5'11", 180 pounds, sophomore, Flint, MI - started 9 games at right halfback
- Theodore J. Cachey, 5'11", 185 pounds, senior, Chicago - guard
- J. Daniel Cline, 5'10", 168 pounds, junior, Brockport, NY - halfback
- Donald Dugger, 5'10", 185 pounds, senior, Charleston, WV - started 9 games at left end
- George S. Dutter, 6'2", 190 pounds, senior, Fort Wayne, IN - end
- James W. Fox, 6'0", 185 pounds, sophomore, Saginaw, MI - guard
- H. Ronald Geyer, 6'2", 220 pounds, junior, Toledo, OH - tackle
- Edward L. Hickey, 5'8", 160 pounds, senior, Anaconda, MT - halfback
- Robert S. Hurley, 5'10", 180 pounds, senior, Alamosa, CO- fullback
- Raymond K. Kenaga, 5'11", 170 pounds, junior, Sterling, IL - quarterback
- Eugene P. Knutson, 6'4", 210 pounds, senior, Beloit, WI - started 8 games at right end
- William P. Kolesar, 6'0", 190 pounds, sophomore, Mentor, OH - tackle
- Ted Kress, 5'11", 175 pounds, senior, Kansas City, MO - started 9 games at left halfback
- Duncan B. McDonald, 6'0", 175 pounds, junior, Flint, MI - quarterback
- G. Edgar Meads, 6'0", 190 pounds, sophomore, Oxford, MI - guard
- John M. Morrow, 6'2", 220 pounds, sophomore, Ann Arbor, MI - started 4 games at center
- Dick O'Shaughnessy, 5'11", 190 pounds, senior, Seaford, NY - started 5 games at center
- H. John Peckham Jr., 6'2", 220 pounds, sophomore, Sioux Falls, SD - center
- Thad C. Stanford, 6'0", 175 pounds, senior, Midland, MI - end
- Dick Strozewski, 6'0", 205 pounds, senior, South Bend, IN - started 9 games at left tackle
- Bob Topp, 6'2", 190 pounds, senior, Kalamazoo, MI - started 8 games at left end, 1 game at right end
- John J. Veselenak, 6'2", 190 pounds, junior, Flint, MI - end
- Art Walker, 5'11" 200 pounds, junior, South Haven, MI - tackle
- Gerald H. Williams, 6'2", 188 pounds, sophomore, Flint, MI - started 1 game at left end
- Ronald M. Williams, 5'9", 185 pounds, senior, Massillon, OH - guard
Coaches and staff
Michigan's 1953 coaching, training, and support staff included the following persons.[2]
- Head coach: Bennie Oosterbaan
- Assistant coaches:
- Jack Blott - line coach
- Cliff Keen - assistant football coach, head wrestling coach
- Bill Orwig - offensive backfield coach[10]
- Matt Patanelli - defensive ends coach[10]
- Don Robinson - defensive backfield coach[10]
- Wally Weber - freshman coach
- J. T. White - assistant line coach, scout, and junior varsity coach[10]
- Trainer: Jim Hunt
- Manager: Richard Petrie
Awards and honors
Honors and awards for the 1953 season went to the following individuals.[2]
- Captain: Dick O'Shaughnessy
- All-Conference: Ted Kress, Bob Topp
- Most Valuable Player: Tony Branoff
- Meyer Morton Award: Tony Branoff