1976 All-Big Ten Conference football team

American college football all-star team August 2023 25em 1976 All-Big Ten team border-top:#aaa 1px solid 1976 Big Ten Conference football season Selectors Associated PressUnited Press International (coaches) border-top:1px #aaa solid 1974 1975 ← → 1977 1978 The 1976 All-Big Ten Conference football team consists of American football players chosen by various organizations for All-Big Ten Conference teams for the 1976 Big Ten Conference football season. Seven players were unanimously selected as first-team players by the Associated Press (AP): flanker Jim Smith (Michigan); running backs Scott Dierking (Purdue) and Rob Lytle (Michigan); defensive linemen Bob Brudzinski (Ohio State) and Greg Morton (Michigan); and linebackers Calvin O'Neal (Michigan) and Scott Studwell (Illinois). The Michigan Wolverines dominated the offensive unit, taking six of eleven places on the first team selected by the Associated Press (AP), including Lytle, Smith, and quarterback Rick Leach. The Ohio State Buckeyes, on the other hand, dominated the defensive unit, taking five of the eleven places on the AP first team, including Brudzinski and linebacker Tom Cousineau. Offensive selections Quarterbacks right|thumb|135px|Quarterback Rick Leach Rick Leach, Michigan (AP-1; UPI-1) Tony Dungy, Minnesota (AP-2; UPI-2) Running backs Scott Dierking, Purdue (AP-1; UPI-1) Rob Lytle, Michigan (AP-1; UPI-1) Pete Johnson, Ohio State (AP-2; UPI-2) Jeff Logan, Ohio State (AP-2; UPI-2) Flankers right|thumb|140px|Second-team flanker Kirk Gibson as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks Jim Smith, Michigan (AP-1; UPI-1) Kirk Gibson, Michigan State (AP-2; UPI-2) Wide receivers Scott Yelvington, Northwestern (AP-1; UPI-1) Ron Kullas, Minnesota (AP-2) David Charles, Wisconsin (UPI-2) Tight ends Mike Cobb, Michigan State (AP-1; UPI-1) Jim Moore, Ohio State (AP-2) Gene Johnson, Michigan (UPI-2) Centers Walt Downing, Michigan (AP-1; UPI-1) Al Pitts, Michigan State (AP-2; UPI-2) Guards right|thumb|140px|Guard Mark Donahue Mark Donahue, Michigan (AP-1; UPI-1) Connie Zelencik, Purdue (AP-1; UPI-2) Bill Lukens, Ohio State (AP-2; UPI-1) Kirk Lewis, Michigan (AP-2) Kevin Pancratz, Illinois (UPI-2) Tackles Bill Dufek, Michigan (AP-1; UPI-1) Chris Ward, Ohio State (AP-1; UPI-1) Jerry Finis, Illinois (AP-2; UPI-2) Tony Bruggenthies, Michigan State (AP-2) Mike Kenn, Michigan (UPI-2) Defensive selections Front five Aaron Brown, Ohio State (AP-1; UPI-1 [middle guard]) Bob Brudzinski, Ohio State (AP-1; UPI-1 [def. end]) Nick Buonomici, Ohio State (AP-1; UPI-1 [def. tackle]) Greg Morton, Michigan (AP-1; UPI-1 [def. tackle]) Blane Smith, Purdue (AP-1; UPI-2 [def. end]) John Anderson, Michigan (AP-2; UPI-1 [def. end]) Larry Bethea, Michigan State (AP-2; UPI-2 [def. tackle]) John DiFeliciantonio, Illinois (AP-2) Paul Maly, Northwestern (AP-2; UPI-2 [middle guard]) George Washington, Minnesota (AP-2) Otto Smith, Michigan State (UPI-2 [def. end]) Eddie Beamon, Ohio State (UPI-2 [def. tackle]) Linebackers Calvin O'Neal, Michigan (AP-1; UPI-1) Scott Studwell, Illinois (AP-1; UPI-1) Tom Cousineau, Ohio State (AP-1) Dave Crossen, Wisconsin (AP-2) Steve Sanders, Indiana (AP-2) Ed Thompson, Ohio State (AP-2; UPI-2) Tom Rusk, Iowa (UPI-2) Defensive backs Ray Griffin, Ohio State (AP-1; UPI-1) Pete Shaw, Northwestern (AP-1; UPI-1) Tom Hannon, Michigan State (AP-1; UPI-2) George Adzick, Minnesota (AP-2; UPI-1) Paul Beery, Purdue (AP-2; UPI-1) Dwight Hicks, Michigan (AP-2) Jim Stauner, Illinois (UPI-2) Jim Pickens, Michigan (UPI-2) Jerry Zuver, Michigan (UPI-2) Special teams Placekicker Dan Beaver, Illinois (AP-1; UPI-1) Bob Wood, Michigan (UPI-2) Punter Tom Skladany, Ohio State (AP-1) Key AP = Associated PressMichigan, Ohio State Pace All-Big Ten Team Toledo Blade (AP story) December 3, 1976 27 https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19761203&id=ahBPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=agIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6803,3874955 UPI = United Press International, selected by the Big Ten coachesIllini place two on All-Big 10 The Pantagraph November 24, 1976 A11 https://www.newspapers.com/image/72821573/?terms=leach%2Bdierking%2Bcobb%2B%22united%2Bpress%22 Bold = Consensus first-team selection of both the AP and UPI See also 1976 College Football All-America Team References All-Big Ten Conference Category:All-Big Ten Conference football teams