1988 Michigan Wolverines football team
American college football season
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The 1988 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 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. In its 20th season under head coach Bo Schembechler, the team compiled a 9–2–1 record (7–0–1 against conference opponents), won the Big Ten championship, defeated USC in the 1989 Rose Bowl, outscored opponents by a total of 361 to 167, and was ranked No. 4 in the final AP and UPI polls.[1][2]
| 1988 Michigan Wolverines football | |
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Big Ten champion Rose Bowl champion | |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 4 |
| AP | No. 4 |
| Record | 9–2–1 (7–0–1 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Gary Moeller (2nd season) |
| Defensive coordinator | Lloyd Carr (2nd season) |
| MVP | Mark Messner |
| Captains |
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| Home stadium | Michigan Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 Michigan $ | 7 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 9 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 6 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 5 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 4 | – | 1 | – | 3 | 6 | – | 4 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 20 Indiana | 5 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio State | 2 | – | 5 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 2 | – | 5 | – | 1 | 2 | – | 8 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 1 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 10 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 0 | – | 6 | – | 2 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Michael Taylor with 957 passing yards, tailback Tony Boles with 1,408 rushing yards, and split end Greg McMurtry with 470 receiving yards, and placekicker Mike Gillette with 97 points scored.[3]
Two Michigan players received first-team honors on the 1988 All-America college football team: center John Vitale (consensus) and defensive tackle Mark Messner (consensus). Seven Michigan players received first-team honors on the 1988 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 10 | 9:00 p.m. | at No. 13 Notre Dame* | No. 9 | CBS | L 17–19 | 59,075 | [4] | |
| September 17 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 1 Miami (FL)* | No. 15 | ABC | L 30–31 | 105,834 | [5] | |
| September 24 | 1:00 p.m. | Wake Forest* | No. 19 |
| W 19–9 | 102,776 | [6] | |
| October 1 | 2:00 p.m. | at Wisconsin | No. 19 | W 62–14 | 61,180 | [7] | ||
| October 8 | 12:00 p.m. | Michigan State | No. 17 |
| Big 10 Synd. | W 17–3 | 106,208 | [8] |
| October 15 | 3:30 p.m. | at Iowa | No. 15 | ABC | T 17–17 | 67,700 | [9] | |
| October 22 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 14 Indiana | No. 20 |
| ABC | W 31–6 | 106,104 | [10] |
| October 29 | 2:00 p.m. | at Northwestern | No. 14 | W 52–7 | 33,647 | [11] | ||
| November 5 | 3:30 p.m. | Minnesota | No. 14 |
| ABC | W 22–7 | 102,171 | [12] |
| November 12 | 1:00 p.m. | Illinois | No. 13 |
| W 38–9 | 105,714 | [13] | |
| November 19 | 12:00 p.m. | at Ohio State | No. 12 | ABC | W 34–31 | 90,176 | [14] | |
| January 2, 1989 | 5:00 p.m. | vs. No. 5 USC* | No. 11 | ABC | W 22–14 | 101,688 | [15] | |
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Rankings
Game summaries
At Notre Dame
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #9 Michigan | 0 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 17 |
| • #13 Notre Dame | 10 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 19 |
- Date: September 10
- Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana
- Television network: CBS
| 1 | ND | Watters 81-yard punt return (Ho kick) | ND 7-0 | |
| 1 | ND | Ho 31-yard field goal | ND 10-0 | |
| 2 | ND | Ho 38-yard field goal | ND 13-0 | |
| 2 | MICH | Hoard 1-yard run (Gillette kick) | ND 13-7 | |
| 3 | MICH | Taylor 1-yard run (Gillette kick) | MICH 14-13 | |
| 4 | ND | Ho 26-yard field goal | ND 16-14 | |
| 4 | MICH | Gillette 49-yard field goal | MICH 17-16 | |
| 4 | 1:13 | ND | Ho 26-yard field goal | ND 19-17 |
Miami (FL)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • #1 Miami (FL) | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 31 |
| #15 Michigan | 3 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 30 |
- Date: September 17
- Location: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Game attendance: 105,834
| 1 | Michigan | Mike Gillette 22-yard field goal | Michigan 3-0 | |
| 1 | Miami (FL) | Cleveland Gary 49-yard pass from Steve Walsh (Carlos Huerta kick) | Miami (FL) 7-3 | |
| 2 | Michigan | Mike Gillette 30-yard field goal | Miami (FL) 7-6 | |
| 2 | Miami (FL) | Cleveland Gary 1-yard run (Carlos Huerta kick) | Miami (FL) 14-6 | |
| 2 | Michigan | Jeffrey Brown 5-yard pass from Michael Taylor (pass failed) | Miami (FL) 14-12 | |
| 2 | Michigan | John Kolesar 18-yard pass from Michael Taylor (Chris Horn run) | Michigan 20-14 | |
| 3 | Michigan | Mike Gillette 29-yard field goal | Michigan 23-14 | |
| 4 | Michigan | Chris Calloway 16-yard pass from Michael Taylor (Mike Gillette kick) | Michigan 30-14 | |
| 4 | 5:23 | Miami (FL) | Rob Chudzinski 7-yard pass from Steve Walsh (Dale Dawkins pass from Steve Walsh) | Michigan 30-22 |
| 4 | 2:58 | Miami (FL) | Cleveland Gary 48-yard pass from Steve Walsh (pass failed) | Michigan 30-28 |
| 4 | 0:43 | Miami (FL) | Carlos Huerta 29-yard field goal | Miami (FL) 31-30 |
Wake Forest
- Tony Boles 33 Rush, 213 Yds [18]
Wisconsin
Michigan State
Kicker Mike Gillette scored on a 40-yard fake punt run, a play that was put in during halftime, and kicked a 30-yard field goal as Michigan's defense registered five sacks and an interception against the winless Spartans.[19]
At Iowa
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Iowa | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
- Date: October 15
- Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa
- Game attendance: 67,700
- Television network: ABC
| 1 | IOWA | Cook 5-yard pass from Hartlieb (Skillett kick) | IOWA 7–0 | |
| 1 | Mich | Gillette 43-yard field goal | IOWA 7–3 | |
| 2 | IOWA | Skillett 32-yard field goal | IOWA 10–3 | |
| 2 | IOWA | Hudson 5-yard run (Skillett kick) | IOWA 17–3 | |
| 2 | Mich | Taylor 5-yard run (Gillette kick) | IOWA 17–10 | |
| 3 | Mich | Kolesar 24-yard pass from Taylor (Gillette kick) | Tied 17–17 | |
A 17-17 tie at Kinnick Stadium was the lone blemish on an otherwise perfect Big Ten season for the Wolverines.[20]
Indiana
Northwestern
Minnesota
Illinois
Ohio State
Michigan Wolverines at Ohio State Buckeyes
at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Date: November 19, 1988
- Game time: 12:10 p.m.
- Game weather: Overcast, 44 °F (7 °C)
- Game attendance: 90,176
- Referee: John Nealow
| Game information | ||
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Vs. USC (Rose Bowl)
Rose Bowl
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Michigan | 3 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 22 |
| USC | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
- Date: January 2
- Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
- Game attendance: 101,688
- Referee: Gordon Riese
- TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson, Bob Griese
Players
Roster
| 1988 Michigan Wolverines football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Offense
- Tony Boles – started 10 games at tailback (team's leading rusher in 1988 with 1,408 yards)
- Demetrius Brown – started 3 games at quarterback (48 of 84 for 775 passing yards)
- Jeffrey Brown – started 11 games at tight end
- Jarrod Bunch – started 5 games at fullback
- Chris Calloway – started 5 games at flanker and 1 game at split end (led team with 4 touchdown catches)
- Dave Chester – started 2 games at left guard
- Dean Dingman – started 12 games at right guard
- Tom Dohring – started 10 games at left tackle
- Leroy Hoard – started 6 games at fullback and 1 game at tailback (team's second leading rusher in 1988 with 752 yards)
- Chris Horn – started 1 game at fullback
- Mike Husar – started 10 games at left guard and 2 games at left tackle
- John Kolesar – started 7 games at flanker (team's second leading receiver with 18 catches for 356 yards)
- Greg McMurtry – started 10 games at split end (team's leading receiver with 27 catches for 470 yards)
- Greg Skrepenak – started 12 games at right tackle
- Michael Taylor – started 9 games at quarterback (65 for 122 for 957 passing yards)
- John Vitale – started 12 games at center
- Derrick Walker – started 1 game at tight end and 1 game at split end
- Tracy Williams – started 1 game at tailback
Defense
- Bobby Abrams – started 12 games at outside linebacker
- Erick Anderson – started 6 games at inside linebacker (led team with 77 tackles)
- David Arnold – started 10 games at cornerback
- Mike Evans – started 1 game at defensive tackle
- J. J. Grant – started 9 games at inside linebacker (tied for second on the team with 72 tackles)
- Mark Gutzwiller, defensive back
- John Hermann – started 2 games at defensive tackle
- David Key – started 12 games at cornerback (fifth on the team with 63 tackles)
- Alex Marshall – started 9 games at outside linebacker
- Mark Messner – started 12 games at defensive tackle (fourth on the team with 70 tackles)
- Anthony Mitchell – started 1 game at outside linebacker
- Vada Murray – started 12 games at free safety (second on team with 4 interceptions)
- T. J. Osman – started 12 games at middle guard
- Todd Plate – started 2 games at cornerback
- Marc Spencer – started 3 games at inside linebacker
- Tripp Welborne – started 12 games at strong safety (led team with five interceptions; tied for second on the team with 72 tackles)
- Brent White – started 9 games at defensive tackle
- Tim Williams – started 2 games at outside linebacker
Special teams
- Tony Boles – kick off returns (14 returns for an average of 24.1 yards)
- Mike Gillette – placekicker (18 of 27 on field goals) and punter (46 punts for an average of 39.9 yards)
- Gulam Khan – placekicker (0 for 1 on field goals)
- John Kolesar – kickoff returns (13 returns for an average of 23.5 yards); punt returns (17 returns for an average of 11.9 yards)
Awards and honors
- All-Americans: Mark Messner, John Vitale
- All-Conference: Mark Messner, John Vitale, Mike Husar, John Kolesar, Tony Boles, Mike Gillette, David Arnold
- Most Valuable Player: Mark Messner
- Meyer Morton Award: John Vitale
- John Maulbetsch Award: Tripp Welborne
- Frederick Matthei Award: Warde Manuel
- Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: David Weil
- Dick Katcher Award: Mark Messner
- Hugh Rader Jr. Award: Mark Messner
- Robert P. Ufer Award: John Kolesar
Coaching staff
- Head coach: Bo Schembechler
- Assistant coaches: Tirrel Burton, Cam Cameron, Lloyd Carr, Jerry Hanlon, Bill Harris, Jim Herrmann, Les Miles, Gary Moeller, Bobby Morrison, Tom Reed
- Trainer: Russ Miller
- Manager: Pat Perkins, Scott Boyle