1952 Michigan Wolverines football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1952 Michigan Wolverines football 1901-94 Michigan Wolverines Primary Logo.png Big Ten Conference Big Ten 5–4 4–2 Bennie Oosterbaan 5th Ted Topor Merritt Green Michigan Stadium The 1952 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1952 Big Ten Conference football season. In its fifth year under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan compiled a 5–4 record (4–2 against conference opponents), tied for fourth place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a combined total of 207 to 134.1952 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football November 6, 2017 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan/1952-schedule.html For the second consecutive season, Michigan was not ranked in the final AP Poll; it was ranked at No. 17 in the final Litkenhous Ratings.Michigan State Tops Litratings; Tech Is Runnerup The Nashville Banner October 19, 1952 38 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123187714/michigan-state-tops-litratings-tech-is/ Newspapers.com Defensive end Merritt Green was the team captain, and quarterback Tony Branoff received the team's most valuable player award.1952 Football Team University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library November 6, 2017 https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1952fbt.htm Lowell Perry was selected by the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) as a first-team defensive back on the 1952 College Football All-America Team.ESPN College Football Encyclopedia 1228 ESPN Books 2005 1401337031 Five Michigan players received All-Big Ten honors: linebacker Roger Zatkoff (AP-1, UP-1); guard Bob Timm (AP-1); center Dick O'Shaugnessy (UP-1); left halfback Ted Kress (UP-1); and defensive tackle Art Walker (AP-1).3 Badgers on AP All Big Ten Team The Capital Times, Madison, Wisconsin November 24, 1952 19 https://www.newspapers.com/image/44342417/?terms=%22all-big%2B10%22Michigan, Badgers Each Land Trio On All-Big Ten Squad Ed Sainsbury Nevada State Journal November 26, 1952 11 https://www.newspapers.com/image/79197125/?terms=%22all-big%2B10%22 The team's statistical leaders included Ted Kress with 559 passing yards and 623 rushing yards and Lowell Perry with 492 receiving yards.1952 Michigan Wolverines Statistics Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football November 6, 2017 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan/1952.html Schedule 1952 AP September 27 l y Michigan State 1 Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI rivalry 13–27 96,490 State Racks Up 16th Win in Row Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton September 28, 1952 1, 51 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99041430/state-racks-up-16th-win-in-row/ Newspapers.com October 4 l y y Stanford Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA 7–14 25,000 October 11 w Indiana Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI 28–13 53,840 October 18 w y Northwestern Dyche Stadium Evanston, IL rivalry 48–14 40,000 October 25 w y 19 Minnesota Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI Little Brown Jug 21–0 72,404 November 1 l 15 Illinois Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI rivalry 13–22 65,595 November 8 w y Cornell Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI 49–7 48,614 Cornell Pays Penalty for Upset, 49-7 Hal Middlesworth November 9, 1952 48 The Detroit Free Press Detroit, Mich. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67593178/1952-cornell-michigan/ November 15 w 20 Purdue 10 Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI 21–10 58,964 November 22 l y 12 Ohio State Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH rivalry 7–27 81,541 Game summaries Northwestern Ted Kress 20 Rush, 218 Yds University of Michigan Football Record Book Pt. 1 Statistical leaders Michigan's individual statistical leaders for the 1952 season include those listed below.Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page University of Michigan November 6, 2017 http://statsarchive.ath.umich.edu/VS-Football/footstart.php https://web.archive.org/web/20150402151629/http://statsarchive.ath.umich.edu/VS-Football/footstart.php April 2, 2015 dead(statistics retrieved by entering "1952" in the box for "Games & Totals by Season" and then, at the next screen, choosing "Display Season Totals") Rushing 2 Michigan Wolverines Player Attempts Net yards Yards per attempt Touchdowns Ted Kress1356274.66Tony Branoff863424.02Dick Balzhiser753274.42 Passing 2 Michigan Wolverines Player Attempts Completions Interceptions Comp % Yards Yds/Comp TD Long Ted Kress8545752.955912.4452Ted Topor5833456.944013.32 25Duncan McDonald177241.29012.9238 Receiving 2 Michigan Wolverines Player Receptions Yards Yds/Recp TD Long Lowell Perry3149215.9552Ted Topor1820811.6432Thad Stanford1220016.7048 Kickoff returns 2 Michigan Wolverines Player Returns Yards Yds/Return TD Long Tony Branoff614524.2031Don Oldham712317.6030Frank Howell610016.7026 Punt returns 2 Michigan Wolverines Player Returns Yards Yds/Return TD Long Lowell Perry12736.1015Don Oldham5316.20Dave Tinkham4276.806 Personnel Letter winners thumb|right|175px|Merritt "Tim" Green, captain of the 1952 team The following players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1953 team. Players who started at least four games are shown with their names in bold. Fred Baer, 5'11", 180 pounds, sophomore, La Grange, IL – started 3 games at fullback James Balog, 6'3", 210 pounds, junior, Wheaton, IL – started 8 games as defensive right tackle Richard BalzhiserBalzhiser was the first University of Michigan athlete to be inducted into the Academic All-America Hall of Fame. 6'1", 185 pounds, junior, Wheaton, IL – started 5 games at fullback James V. Bates, 6'0", 195 pounds, sophomore, Farmington, MI - end Richard Beison, 6'0", 200 pounds, junior, East Chicago, IN – started 8 games at offensive right guard Donald Bennett, 6'2", 195 pounds, junior, Chicago, IL – started 4 games as offensive left tackle William E. Billings, 5'11", 180 pounds, senior, Flint, MI - quarterback Tony Branoff, 5'1", 180 pounds, freshman, Flint, MI – started 6 games as right halfback Ted Cachey, 5'11", 185 pounds, junior, Chicago, IL - guard J. Daniel Cline, 5'10", 168 pounds, sophomore, Brockport, NY - halfback Robert Dingman, 6'0", 180 pounds, senior, Saginaw, MI - end Donald Dugger, 5'10", 178 pounds, junior, Charleston, WV - guard George Dutter, 6'2", 190 pounds, junior, Fort Wayne, IN – started 9 games as defensive right guard H. Ronald Geyer, 6'2", 215 pounds, sophomore, Toledo, OH - tackle Merritt Green, 6'0", 180 pounds, senior, Toledo, OH – started 9 games as defensive left end Frank Howell, 5'8", 165 pounds, senior, Muskegon Heights, MI – started 3 games as right halfback, 1 game as safety Robert Hurley, 5'10", 185 pounds, junior, Alaamosa, CO - fullback Stanley Knickerbocker, 5'10", 165 pounds, sophomore, Chelsea, MI - halfback Gene Knutson, 6'4", 210 pounds, junior, Beloit, WI – started 9 games as defensive right end Ted Kress, 5'11", 175 pounds, junior, Detroit – started 9 games as left halfback Laurence LeClair, 6'0", 190 pounds, senior, Anaconda, MT – started 9 games as linebacker Robert K. Matheson, 5'10", 190 pounds, senior, Detroit - guard Duncan McDonald, 6'0", 175 pounds, sophomore, Flint, MI - quarterback Wayne F. Melchiori, 6'0", 185 pounds, senior, Stambaugh, MI - center Don Oldham, 5'9", 167 pounds, senior, Indianapolis – started 4 games as defensive back, 2 games as safety Dick O'Shaughnessy, 5'11", 190 pounds, junior, Seaford, NY – started 9 games at center Bernhardt Pederson, 6'2", 215 pounds, senior, Marquette, MI -started 6 games at offensive right tackle Lowell Perry, 6'0", 180 pounds, senior, Ypsilanti, MI – started 9 games as offensive left end, 4 games as safety Russell Rescorla, 5'11", 180 pounds, senior, Grand Haven, MI – started 3 games as defensive back Thad Stanford, 6'0", 190 pounds, junior, Midland, MI – started 9 games at offensive right end Ralph Stribe, 6'1", 205 pounds, senior, Detroit - tackle Dick Strozewski, 6'0", 200 pounds, senior, South Bend, IN – started 5 games as offensive left tackle Bob Timm, 5'11", 185 pounds, senior, Toledo, OH – started 8 games as offensive left guard David Tinkham, 5'10", 178 pounds, senior, East Grand Rapids, MI – started 9 games as defensive back Ted Topor, 6'1", 212 pounds, senior, East Chicago, IN – started 9 games as quarterback Bob Topp, 6'2", 190 pounds, junior, Kalamazoo, MI - end Art Walker, 5'11", 198 pounds, sophomore, South Haven, MI – started 9 games as defensive left tackle Ronald Williams, 5'9", 185 pounds, junior, Massillon, OH – started 7 games as defensive left guard Thomas Witherspoon, 5'11", 185 pounds, senior, Detroit - halfback Roger Zatkoff, 6'2", 210 pounds, senior, Hamtramck, MI – started 9 games as linebacker, 1 game as offensive right tackle Coaching staff Head coach: Bennie Oosterbaan Assistant coaches:Expert Coaching Staff Makes Wolverines Grid Power The Michigan Daily September 17, 1952 1, 10 https://digital.bentley.umich.edu/midaily/mdp.39015071756337/23 Bentley Historical Library Jack Blott - line coach George Ceithaml - backfield coach Cliff Keen - head wrestling coach and assistant football coach Bill Orwig - end coach Don Robinson - junior varsity coach Wally Weber - freshman coach and scout J. T. White - assistant line coach Trainer: Jim Hunt Manager: Gerry Dudley Awards and honors Honors and awards for the 1952 season went to the following individuals. Captain: Merritt Green All-Americans: Lowell Perry All-Conference: Roger Zatkoff, Art Walker, Bob Timm, Dick O'Shaughnessy, Ted Kress Most Valuable Player: Ted Topor Meyer Morton Award: Gene Knutson References Michigan Category:Michigan Wolverines football seasons Michigan Wolverines football